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Snippets of French history: Isadora Duncan, an American dancer.

Isadora Duncan was an American (1877 – 1927) who lived and died in France. She has her tragic place in history more due to her unusual philosophy and extrovert ways, in an era where conformity was more the norm and, unlike her counterparts such Coco Chanel, does not have a rags-to-riches story to tell, nor […]

Posted 12 years ago

“The Man with Green Fingers”

      If Greggo had had the good sense to mind his own business he’d still be alive today. Stella kept trying to push him off, but he insisted.   The Man with Green Fingers by Catherine Broughton, is a novel set in Cyprus.  Described by leading critics as “brilliantly written” and “a page-turner”, […]

Posted 12 years ago

In the souk, Marrakesh, Morocco

This amazing old crone (there is no other way to say it) had a stall at the edge of the souk, opposite where we sat down for a coffee.  It was impossible to judge how old she was, quite possibly not very old at all, for these people often live very tough lives and age […]

Posted 12 years ago

Snippets of French history: Diane de Poitiers 1499-1566

Before I start on Diane de Poitiers I must answer your questions about Henri II and Catherine de Medici and their “genitalia” problems.  We will never know for sure, but in those days – and till relatively recently – there were a lot of horrific misunderstandings.  I think we can fairly safely assume that the […]

Posted 12 years ago

Snippets of French History: Catherine de Medici 1519-1589. An Italian in France.

 Fontainebleau Born Caterina de’ Medici in Florence, to an Italian father and a French mother, both of whom died within weeks of her birth, Catherine of Medici grew to be arguably the most powerful woman in 16th Century Europe.  The Medici family were fantastically wealthy, essentially Florence bankers, but commoners.  Caterina’s French mother, however, was […]

Posted 12 years ago

Snippets of French history: Marie Antoinette. Famous French women.

In some ways Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793)  has gone down in history as a frivolous and spoilt woman who was executed because she allowed the people of France to die of starvation while she lived in great luxury. This is not the case at all.  One has to remember that it was the year 1770 when she, […]

Posted 12 years ago

Snippets of French history: hot air balloons.

There is a poster on the wall in one of the cottages here at Rochebonne that says something about the French being the first to fly, and yesterday a guest commented “but it was the Wright brothers!” Indeed it was.  The American Wright brothers were the first to fly (1909), they invented the aeroplane and […]

Posted 12 years ago

Oh Baby Excursions, Belize.

OUR GUEST BLOG TODAY COMES FROM KIM IN BELIZE Oh Baby Excursions Ltd is the only recognized Real Estate Tour Company in Belize. We have our Tour Operators License from Belize Tourism Board. Oh Baby Excursions is for all the people that have Belize on thier radar. We offer 7 day tour packages that are […]

Posted 12 years ago

Snippets of French history: Coco Chanel. Famous French women.

Gabrielle Chanel (1883-1971) got her nickname of Coco when performing in a bar soon after she left the orphanage where she grew up. She was the illigitimate and fourth child of a Parisian couple who married when Coco was about a year old.  Two of the seven children died as babies, leaving Coco with one […]

Posted 12 years ago

The National Autistic Society

  OUR GUEST BLOG TODAY COMES FROM THE NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY The National Autistic Society (NAS) is the UK’s leading charity for people affected by autism. The charity provides information, support and services, and campaigns for a better world for people with autism. More about autism and the NAS Over 500,000 people in the UK […]

Posted 12 years ago

Books now available on Amazon:

A Call From France
French Sand
Kefani: An African Childhood
The Man With Green Fingers
Saying Nothing