Ramblings of a retiree in France
This is where I tell you all about some of my and my beloved’s favourite French brands. This week I’m looking at a relative newcomer. Indeed, the company only recently celebrated its second birthday. Established by Ning Li, co-founder of Made.com, Typology is a… Continue Reading “French Fancies: Typology”
While my beloved and I have been playing by the rules, evidently some of the local residents have not and, thanks to them, the lockdown measures have been increased! Nice and the surrounding area along the Riviera from Menton to Théole-sur-Mer (see map below)… Continue Reading “Further Lockdown Measures”
If you’ve spent any time in France, you’ve most likely seen a Picard frozen food store. Officially called Picard Surgelés, it’s France’s leading frozen foods specialist (1,000+ products) and one that I’ve wholly embraced. I particularly love their frozen organic prawns and Canadian lobster.… Continue Reading “French Fancies: Picard”
Today I’m looking at a French Riviera icon. Nothing else quite compares to the Palais Bulles. The “Bubble Palace,” as it’s known, is quite probably the most extravagant, eccentric and eclectic home down here. Set in Théoule-sur-Mer near Cannes, it was built in 1975… Continue Reading “The House where Pierre lived”
How time flies! It’s now just over a year since an 80-year-old Chinese tourist died in a hospital in Paris, and achieved the grim distinction of being the first Covid-19 fatality in Europe. Here’s what happened over the following 12 months. The man had… Continue Reading “A Year of Covid in France”
My beloved husband loves this brand of French swimwear, it’s his go to for swim shorts and has been buying them since the late 90s. I have lost count of how many pairs he possesses but he’ll typically buy at least one new pair… Continue Reading “French fancies: Vilebrequin”
Last week France’s health minister warned that new measures might be needed to deal with the new, more infectious, variants of the Covid-19 virus to avoid ‘an epidemic within an epidemic’. The major worry was around the new, more contagious variants of the virus… Continue Reading “Latest from Semi-Lockdown in France”
You may not have heard of Pierre Fabre unless you’re a rugby fan – the company sponsors its local rugby team in Castres where its story begins. Even so, you may not know what the company does, aside from making some of my favourite… Continue Reading “French Fancies: Laboratoires Pierre Fabre”
It’s only when you start looking into some of the area’s spectacular property-porn that you discover how many interesting people have spent time here. The villa La Vigie is one of those glorious, neoclassical wedding-cake style properties built aside the Mediterranean Sea in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin… Continue Reading “The House where Karl lived”
I adore all this company’s products, particularly its candles. This year Diptyque is celebrating its 60th anniversary, providing me with an opportunity to immerse myself in everything that has inspired the House since its creation. Introduction Diptyque’s roots are in a rebellious 1960s Paris… Continue Reading “French Fancies: Diptyque”
