March 2012

Who is buying which property and where in France? Expats Radio interviews Suzanne Pearce from Suzanne in France Estate Agency. Who is buying what in France? The number of British buyers in France... Read More

Such a strange and indescribable feeling when you start to see the second line appear on a pregnancy test isn’t it…. a total mixture of fear and excitement… a sudden shocking... Read More

For 3 days every March, the lovely Calvados town of Lisieux plays host to the “Foire aux Arbres”, just as it has done for over 500 years – 2012 marks the 553rd time it has been held.  The centre... Read More

In the seventies, the need for an improved water supply for the town of Vire led to the damming of a valley fed by a little river, La Dathée. This is now a lake, of about 45 hectares, and has... Read More

When we bought our first house in France it had the lovely old oak beams I’d always dreamed of, however they were covered in nearly two centuries worth of soot and grime and I spent hours trying... Read More

With February’s big freeze behind us, it’s ‘positive thinking’ time. The global financial crisis has badly affected almost every business, but there are always solutions.   At the garden centre,... Read More

Well last month’s article was a great success and I’d like to thank all the readers who bought either the Indie Chick Anthology or one of my featured novels. This month I have another... Read More

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” is a well known quote by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. But how does that apply to your... Read More

Ok, I think we have all had dreams of moving from the UK to set up a little gite business or B&B in France, well we dreamed of it for quite some time, it seemed in theory quite an easy thing... Read More

When you work for yourself or a small business, advertising to potential clients and customers can be a costly exercise – and the area you target may not even be a relevant – ending... Read More

Château stays can be very rewarding and interesting “adventures”  — out of the ordinary and not something you are able to do in most countries of the world — but easily... Read More

Rosie the witch was a kind-hearted soul Who would give you her last sweet or crisp But one thing made her mad, which in turn made her bad Was if somebody laughed at her lisp There’s many a child,... Read More

Waiting for the Barbarians (J.M. Coetzee) **** ”I found Waiting for the Barbarians a surprisingly difficult read. I’m normally quite a fast reader, particularly when a text has really... Read More

One of the important decisions that you’ll be looking forward to making long before your actually wedding day is who to choose as your wedding photographer. In this article I am hoping to... Read More

As residents of France, you are obliged to declare all of your worldwide income and capital gains for tax in France. The tax year is the calendar year and there is no PAYE in France, so all... Read More

 Route de Condé (à 2 km du centre ville, sur la gauche) 14260 AUNAY SUR ODON 02.31.77.35.06 – Siège Social : 02.31.44.51.38   THE SCPA A bit of background. The SCPA (Société... Read More

A lot of English people complain that the French are rude, unfriendly, and unhelpful. A lot of our French friends and neighbours ask us why the English are so rude and ill mannered. A paradox,... Read More

Butter, cream, cheeses: Normandy is very much dairy country, to the extent that there is a unique breed of cattle – la race normande. They are essentially white splashed with either black or... Read More

How credible are you?  Recently, I was listening to a very interesting talk by Dinah Liversidge, a renowned business coach and speaker and she was talking about the importance of credibility.  ... Read More

I remember, about the age of 13, writing at school for an English exercise, that I would one  day live in France, after many fortnights being spent here for my childhood summer holidays. I was... Read More

‘Aux Acacias’, Lisieux Tucked away in a little side street at the back of the Place de la République (park up near the Médiathèque) is a little gem of a restaurant where you are always assured of... Read More

When spinning fleece it is possible to design a yarn exactly as you wish – thick or thin, smooth or bouclé. If you are a knitter and see a pattern that you think would be a good thing to make you... Read More

If you would like us to review your product, service, hotel, restaurant or tourist attraction for our magazine please let us know by filling in the contact form and giving us details – we... Read More