Five go to Normandy (and then there were 4!) France on a one-way ticket?
So, it’s my son’s 14th birthday today! His first birthday living in a different country. Who would have thought? I remember saying to him in Year 2, walking to school, one day we might live in France. In fact, I remember saying it to his teachers (who were glazing over no doubt) and still being there in Y5 and then Y6 in primary. Then onto secondary Y7, Y8… Continue reading “What If?”
Okay so I know Christmas has been and gone and it all feels like a distant memory but I wanted to share these wonderful pictures of the lights at Beauchêne.
Beauchêne is in the Orne region of Normandy – we live in the Manche region. However, like a lot of things here, it was only a 35 minute drive away and we were told that we must see these Christmas lights. Continue reading “Beauchêne Christmas Lights”
That would be getting yourself some electricity here in France. Now, our house did not have any water, electric, mains drainage or a telephone line. Am I selling you the dream yet? We don’t live off the beaten track or a few roads off the main track. We live on the track. We are the last house in a village of over 500 residents and it’s on a main D road. Positively urban in Normandy terms. Continue reading “The Magic Roundabout”
Well not entirely. The hobs are gas and the oven is electric. Having spent months cooking with a crappy gas oven which had one setting = #1 burn this has been an absolute delight to cook with. I cannot tell you how frustrating it was to cook with a gas oven. I don’t really see the point of having a top and bottom shelf in a gas oven. The middle shelf is your only hope of something remotely resembling what it’s meant to and just estimate an hour for everything. 20 minute pizza = one hour, 15 minute cupcakes = one hour. So yes, this bad boy has been a very welcome addition to life in France. I hadn’t realised people have so much oven envy until I popped a picture up on my facebook. Continue reading “Now We’re Cooking With Gas!”
If you’re moving to France with kids then you need to get yourself acquainted with stationery and lots of it. I’m not talking about your light weight WH Smith range I’m talking about hard-core stationery that you never even knew existed! If you’re into a bit of stationery then you will love France. I’d go so far as to say you will need a stationery cupboard at home. There I’ve said it. They don’t mention that on their renovating forums now do they?
Literally translated this means ‘meal’ and is a social event in your commune/village. During the summer months, you will see many a sign for Repas, practically in every village you drive through. They’ll have bunting out, a big banner telling you the date it’s on and what they will be dishing up. Maybe moules and frites, jambon and frites, porc and frites (seeing a theme here) and so on.
Now, I didn’t know what to expect at a Repas, if truth be told turning up for one can be a little daunting for a newcomer and one that doesn’t speak much French at that. But I would recommend it to anyone looking to settle and integrate into the community. Continue reading “Repas”
Now, when I say in French we are going to the ‘zoo’, I get really puzzled looks . Much the same way I do when, just when I think I’m rocking this French malarkey, I churn out a sentence and the person I’m speaking to crumples their face up like a piece of paper whilst taking a few steps backwards. There is no disguising that they just don’t get what I’m saying. Not at all. Continue reading “Zoo de Champrépus”
Now most people’s mobile phones are surgically attached to their hands. You don’t leave home without it. It’s your little computer, social contact, entertainment centre and if all else fails it can make phone calls. When moving to France, I did not consider for one moment, that obtaining a mobile reception would be a problem. In my ‘moving to France’ to do list, this did not even feature. Continue reading “Mobile Woes”
I think it might have been about 12 am when I gave my husband a nudge – and not in a good way as he would say – “I just don’t want to ruin their lives!” were actual words that uttered from my mouth before we moved.
My main concern (and I am sure it is for most parents) was how would the children adjust? How would they manage switching from the UK school system to a French one? I’m not going to lie, on occasions, it did keep me up at night.
Our Normandy Life 