Pancake Day 2013 is only 4 days away for you ladies and gents in the UK, and this year I’ll sadly be missing the annual pancake-toss competition with my housemates for the first time. Living in France, I managed to experience their equivalent; La Chandeleur, or, le jour des crêpes, [...]

Living in my little south-of-France student bubble, it’s not uncommon for huge world events such as the politics over gay marriage to completely pass me by from time to time. However, one thing that I have studied, read about in the newspaper and been quite shocked by these last few [...]

Hitch-hiking was the best way to travel for me back in the ’70s. I’d pack a rucksack and sleeping bag and head for the nearest motorway service station. I always picked the height of summer, July or August, and went for it. I’d save around fifty quid for the trip. Most of [...]

Everyone else is asleep. It’s almost eleven o’clock, but I can’t sleep. I lie tossing and turning in my bed. Above me on the wall are framed verses from the Quran. Even I know the characters Allah Akbar, ‘God is Great’. I smile. Is it his will that I am able to [...]

Set high up on a hill, Carcassonne’s ancient walled city is Disneyworld-perfect. This fairytale collection of drawbridges, towers and atmospheric cobbled streets was reputedly the inspiration for Walt Disney’s The Sleeping Beauty, and it’s a must-see on any trip through this part of southern France. Its medieval core, the cité, [...]

When Peter Mayle spent his famous “Year in Provence” he seemed to get lots done, have a great time, and integrate in the community in just a few short months. Quite an achievement, but a question that crops up quite often is ‘How long does it really take to adjust to [...]

Despite new trends, hype and marketing, tradition has never been stronger. In France, good food still means authentic cooking by using natural products from diverse regions. This is how we celebrate human being by offering the best food to all our senses. Cooking home-made food and eating at the table [...]

My friend is coming to visit from the UK soon and I have decided I need to impress her by cooking some typical French cuisine ( I hope she realises all the effort i’m going to!!). So I am going to practise the following dishes on poor, unsuspecting friends here , and [...]