"The prospective new mayor lives down the road from me, we chatted about the village once and he always says ‘hello’; that gets my vote!" Patrick Owen headed for the urns for the first time since moving to France. read more

Expatica France is pleased to offer a historical and cultural tour of Paris from City of Light expert Thirza Vallois. We continue our tour in the seventeenth arrondissement, highlighting sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. read more

Expatica France is pleased to offer a historical and cultural tour of Paris from City of Light expert Thirza Vallois. We continue our tour as we enter the seventeenth arrondissement, including the work of the influential Pereire Brothers. read more

Today Basil Howitt asks how can tourism be developed to compensate for the agricultural decline in the Languedoc-Rousillon read more

Basil Howitt mourns the changing landscape around his village in the Languedoc-Roussillon as fields of vines are destroyed to reduce wine production. read more

I bring Tadpole's gourmet dinner - sweetcorn (canned), green beans (frozen), mini pasta shapes and a slice of cheese - through to the living room and set it down on her little table. read more

“Knees and toes!” Tadpole pleads. Meaning that I’m supposed to sing ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’, her current favourite song. I comply, a little out of breath from pushing her buggy, laden with my shopping, uphill. read more

Our blogger La Petite Anglaise explores whether or not speaking more than one language means having more than one personality. And is that a good thing? read more

I detest the way so many French people I have met seem to think that drinking and driving is acceptable behaviour. They don’t say so in so many words, but their actions speak loudest. read more

I sometimes worry that Paris is not the best place for a Tadpole to grow up - polluted air, crotte covered pavements and the lack of a garden being my usual arguments in favour of a move to the countryside... read more

Basil Howitt continues his tales of strange goings-on down south but if you are just about to sit down to lunch or dinner, spare a thought for the gonads of the lesser-spotted sea-urchin. read more

There is something really rotten in the state of Perpignan but it's not a powerful local cheese - it's the socks... read more

Basil Howitt tracks :) the progress of the France-Spain line from the Puffing Billies to the high-speed TGVs. read more

Basil Howitt continues to keep us abreast of goings on in the Languedoc-Roussillon region - How Poor is Poor? How Rich is Rich? read more

Oyster Cures and Truffled Lunches read more