Hello everyone! yes I know I said absolutely no more blog posts and that everything would now be coming to you monthly via the newsletter. But there has been a slight hiccup with communication as our eldest daughter, who is the genius behind the newsletter and the techy bits is in hospital with peritonitis following a burst appendix. Roddy is in London with her thank goodness and we are, thanks to the wonders of modern technology and internet, able to chat with her endlessly throughout every day from here in France. Needless to say I am keeping life running here at home and that includes reve ..read more

Thank you all so much for so many lovely emails and the fabulously positive response to our first newsletter, it’s been so encouraging. Our next monthly newsletter will be out next Saturday the 9th, delayed by a week due to a rather stressful time with our youngest Jack Russell, Pixel. We’ve been fighting with the vet to save his sight in both eyes and have spent over a week going back and forth to La Rochelle and the veterinarian there who is an eye specialist, a referral from our usual vet. But at the moment things are looking a little better and more hopeful and I will keep you posted, we ..read more

I really hope you have enjoyed reading our story as much as we have enjoyed writing it. That is why we are not stopping, but changing things to make them all the better. But this is just a little reminder that in order to continue to receive our newly designed blog, from now on known as our “newsletter” you will have to sign up HERE with your email. It will no longer be published here on the blog. As I said things are changing, if you read this last week then I apologise for repeating myself, I just don’t want you to miss out. There will be, starting next Saturday the 4th September, a new mo ..read more

It’s hard to believe that this blog has been in existence for over five years now. I’ve got to meet so many new people and had so many opportunities – thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read my humble words and to leave so many wonderful comments. Thank you so so much to those of you who have followed along, emailed and joined in. It’s been an amazing journey. But now I feel it’s tme to move onto the next step of this enormous adventure. Because that is what this is, we never know what is around the corner, but I do know that I love writing with our news, I love sharing parts of ..read more

A short story It was an hour after dawn when the young man opened the front door and went down the little drive from the house, past the clutch of bright red roses on the wall and the hollyhocks by the little gate. Clinking it shut behind him, he crossed the cobbled road and walked purposefully down the side-street to the river.  It was a morning of golden light; steam rose off the current under the far bank and the swifts and swallows screeched as they swept up and down the cool green mass of water that flowed, slowly and stately, to the great ocean in the west. His backpack slapped on ..read more

As any of you who have followed me over the years will know, I love our potager. I am absolutely no expert but I’m a willing amateur gardener, happy to take as much advice as anyone can give me and learning all the time. One of my biggest pleasures is providing healthy organic produce for the family. Maybe it is my motherly instincts kicking in, but sitting down to eat the simplest of foods; some salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, maybe some carrots or green beans, perhaps aubergines and courgettes, I’m not fussy. But knowing that I have grown them, harvested them and that they are now sitting ..read more

Come and join us this weekend, Live from France in our courtyard for our Virtual Brocante. Today and tomorrow, 29th and 30th May. From 1pm French time onwards. Every item has been hand picked and carefully sourced here in France. Cut price worldwide shipping, everything sent priority, tracked and signed for. Every purchase enters you into our raffle for a chance to win one of three raffle prizes. Free French Market Bag with every purchase over 250 euros (excluding shipping cost). Ask as many questions as you want via email frenchlife17@gmail.com or direct message on instagram @ourfrenchoasi ..read more

So now we’ve got to that time of year. When we think about moving outside into the garden and for want of a better term, exterior decorating. I like to think of our garden as very much a continuation of the house and a really good indoor/outdoor flow is absolutely vital. In winter I like bringing the garden inside with whatever greenery is still available but once spring arrives it’s time to fling open the doors and let the inside out. Our outdoor areas are very much an extension of the house and I remember my mother in law always told me to think of the garden as a series of different rooms ..read more

Thank you so much for all of your fabulous comments, private emails and messages in response to last weeks post. Honestly, I was overwhelmed by the good wishes and the encouragement. It was very humbling to read how much the blog means to so many of you. I promise I will answer each and every one of you in turn. But now I find it is Sunday again, how do the weeks turn around so fast? The days fly by merging into one another. Most importantly I wanted to write again this week. Just a few short words and a lot of photos. The weather’s been strange, after the heatwave of March, April has remaine ..read more

After a long silence I’m back. And back with some pretty big changes. We have bought a new house! Just 20 minutes down the road. And I have to admit that with the enormous work involved in moving and with the deteriorating situation with covid in France and some distressing news with friends not coping with the pressures of life in these times I had to take a break from the blog which I hope you will understand. However, despite the fact that we are now in lockdown number three here we remain very upbeat and positive for the future. I’ve really missed writing and filling you in with all the n ..read more