It’s a rainy Sunday here. It’s been too
wet for me to go to the markets so I’ve spent the morning doing housework and
making soup ( it’s that kind of weather). Graham is abusing the referee in a
french rugby game on tv, so I thought I’d write to you about the books about France that we have enjoyed reading over the years we have been dreaming of this move.
For those who like to read about France and the experiences
of people who embark on the adventure of coming to live here we can recommend these
as amongst our favourite books. Some are considered to present a fantasy view
of France and the french and others are brutally honest about the difficulties
and their effect on relationships and personal growth. We have enjoyed reading
them all.
A Year in
Provence
- Peter Mayle – It was this book and the tv series by the BBC in 1993
(!) that first made me aware of this different lifestyle and attitude to living
in general. While many think the France presented by Peter Mayle is a little
fanciful, it is a fun read and we can see the basis of many of his characters
and situations in our experiences. Peter has also written a series of fiction
books based in France if you really love your “ french lit”. We have been to
Menérbes, the village where Peter was living when he wrote the first book. It
is a pretty hilltop village typical of Provence.
The Ripening
Sun – Patricia Atkinson – Patricia was
thrown in at the deep end when her husband bought a french vineyard, then soon
left her to fend for herself. Her attitude and determination is inspiring. She
lives within 15km of us at Gageac-et-Rouillac so we have driven past the
vineyard out of curiosity. Perhaps we will stop by one day and try her wines .
Bruno, Chief
of Police – Martin Walker – Martin has written a
series of books based on the character of Bruno, the local policeman in the
fictional village of St Denis. Martin has used the village and people of Le
Bugue in the Perigord region ( between Sarlat-la-Canéda and Bergerac) where he
lives part of each year as the inspiration for his stories. As Bruno loves to
cook and enjoys a good wine, there are always descriptions of him cooking his
favourite meals and references to his favourite vineyards and stories of their
owners. The characters are varied and the baddies are always caught in the end.
Tout Sweet – Karen Wheeler – Karen is a fashion writer who
decided to run away to France on her own. Her books ( 3 so far) may be more “chic
lit” in style but she tells her story well. She is based in the Poitou-Charentes
region about 200kms north of us.
Extremely Pale
Rosé – Jamie Ivey – Jamie and friends decide
to use a hunt for the palest rosé as an excuse to travel the length and breadth
of France, tasting all the way of course. Jamie eventually moved to France and
has written more books on his experiences. We are also exploring the variety of
rosés available here as we do enjoy them on a hot day ( or even a not so hot
day).
And of course, for those who love the french
style of home decorating, there is always our own Vicki Archer. Vicki is an Australian
who was living in London with her family when they decided to buy and renovate a
property in Saint Rémy de Provence. Her books , My French Life and French
Essence, illustrated with photos by Carla Coulson, are an inspiration.
There are many many more books set in
France, good and bad, biographical, fictional, historical that have informed us
and entertained us. Do you have any recommendations to share ??
À bientôt mes amis
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