life

My Hidden Places A new series about food producers and craft industries in our region This month : LE BISCUTERIE de L’ABBAYE. Lonlay d’Abbaye, Orne Read More

I always find this time of year a time to reflect, a time to enjoy the warmth of my home, read by the fire in the early evening, think and consolidate; learn from my thoughts and experiences over... Read More

Paul Nethercott Read More

The French, of course, are famous for their sense of style, whether it is the haut-bourgeois with their designer clothes, or the teenage girls in the cafe. For many, the ability to choose stylish... Read More

Joanna Reintjes explains what the key options are for accounting for furnished rental income in France and gives practical tips for tax choices Key points: Although non-residents pay tax at 20%,... Read More

South comes North Just south of Granville adjacent to a stunning 4-kilometre sandy beach to the east of the Bay of Mont St Michel lies St Pair sur Mer. Known also for the Casino which graces its... Read More

Increased pension contributions for self-employed people Contribution rates of the different schemes for basic retirement are subject to increases phased in over time. These increases were... Read More

Happy New Year to everyone and here’s hoping for a successful gardening year. After a very difficult year for gardeners, (low summer temperatures and so much rain) let’s hope we have a mo... Read More

There is a saying, “There is my side of things – and his/her side of things and the truth”. And as I write this short article I reflect upon these words. “No person is an island”. We all... Read More

French Wedding Style wedding blog launches the first English directory dedicated to couples planning their wedding in France. Destination wedding blog, French Wedding Style is proud to announce... Read More

Epiphany was yesterday, Sunday 6th January, in France which means another celebration in France after the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Now is the time that you will see les... Read More

Seafood platter and contented chatter Granville is a town blessed with restaurants and the choice is difficult. At the end of the railway line from Paris it was once a popular resort for the... Read More

As we enter the month of December each year it is easy to wonder just where the year has gone, how quickly it has passed and what we did or did not accomplish. The end of year finds us thinking... Read More

I will most probably get a few punches in the ribs for this? but here goes. For the carp angler fishing abroad seems to be somewhere on the list of to do's. France being the main destination. ... Read More

Although originally known in Roman times ( Balneleum) it’s fame as a thermal spa developed from the middle ages. Local folklore tells of how Lord Hugues of Tesse found that his favourite horse,... Read More

Twenty years ago, Christmas did not mean that much to the French. Of course, the church made a lot of the religious aspect, but celebrations were much more limited than in the UK. Where there... Read More

Living semi bankrupt in France wasn't the dream I'd fantasied about. Homesick and disillusioned, I knew something had to change, but what? Read More

Auto-entrepreneurs will continue to be exempt from payment of property tax in 2012. The government announced Monday, November 12th an extension of the one year exemption from business... Read More

Hyperemesis Gravidarum… wow that sounds serious, probably cos it is Latin and that is a serious language, so they tell me. Read More

CNIL: Messaging and protection of privacy on Facebook Following alerts from users and press reports in late September for the dissemination of certain messages prior to 2009 on the accounts of... Read More

As a retailer, maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I really do struggle with this business of putting Chrysanthemums on graves, to the exclusion of all else – like growing them in the garden. It... Read More

Inspired A century ago there was a railway from Granville to Avranches, close to the coast, taking holiday makers (particularly Parisians) to some stunning beaches. One of the longest, flattest... Read More

 “I like work it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours”  Jarome K Jarome Yes it is easy to sit around waiting for things to happen or waiting for the moment when everything is in... Read More

It isn’t every day that I get invited to visit and review a beautiful Château  in Normandy which has been in the same family for over a thousand years or that I feel like I’m stepping... Read More