Books On Living in France
 

My wife and I love traveling to France, and I personally have read about forty books written by people who have purchased homes there, and told their stories. Curious if there are others here who have also went this route, and would like to share titles.

Will get my trip report up by Monday....

I guess this book qualifies..."Almost French: Love and a New Life In Paris" by Sarah Turnbull. It tells the story of the author's challenges and adventures in settling into her new life with a new man in Paris. It's quite entertaining, and she talks more about living there than the romance part of it.

French Dirt
At Home in France
On Rue Tatin

Edmund White's <i>Our Paris</i>. (Not about purchasing homes, but about living there).

One I recently finished and was recommended on this board is From Here You Can't See Paris by Michael Sanders. It's not about buying and restoring a house; I'm a bit sick of those. It's a slice of rural French life about a village and a restaurant. I highly recommend it.

The French Life-Vicki Archer.
The olive Farm-Carol Drinkwater.
I assume you have read Peter Mayle's
A Year in provence that brought this type of story alive again but it was Lady Fortescue who started it in the 30s
with her book, Perfume in Provence.

Sorry, the title is Perfume FROM Provence. I gave my copy away long ago but I believe, it took place in Opio.

These are a what I have read....

Books of France



A White House in Gascony, by Rex Grizell
A Walk Across France, by Miles Morland
A House in the Sunflowers, by Ruth Silvestre
A Village in the Vaucluse, by Laurence Wylie
A Pig in Provence, by Georgeanne Brennan
A Piano in the Pyrenees, by Tony Hawks
A Bright Sun & Long Shadows, by Val Littman
A Place in Normandy, by Nicholas Kilmer
A Farmhouse in Provence, by Mary Roblee Henry
A Harvest of Sunflowers, by Ruth Silvestre
A Summer in Gascony, by Martin Calder
A Perfect Circle, by Susie Kelly
A Walk in the Vineyards, by Thomas Mathews
A Month of Sundays, by Ira & Barbara Spectror
A Chateau of One’s Own, by Sam Juneau
At Home in France, by Ann Barry
Bananas in Bordeaux, by Louise Franklin Castanet
Best Foot Forward, by Susie Kelly
Bon Courage, by Richard Wiles
Bon Chance, by Richard Wiles
Butterflies on Mimosa, by Eleanor Francis
C’est La Folie, by Michael Wright
Cast Off, by Jan Murra
Deep France, by Celia Brayfield
Deep France, by William Glover
Dordogne Adventures, by Eric Line
Floating Through France, by Barbara Euser
From Here You Can’t See Paris, by Michael Sanders
Home & Dry in Normandy, by George East
I’ll Never Be French, by Mark Greenside
Lilac & Roses, by Peggy Anderson
Maison Therapy, by Alastair Simpson
Mourjou, by Peter Graham
Ou’ est le Ping? By Grace McKee
Reflections of Sunflowers, by Ruth Silvestre
The Olive Farm, by Carol Drinkwater
The Ripening Sun, by Patricia Atkinson
The French Way, by Ross Steele
The Duck With a Dirty Laugh, by Ann Loader
The Bells of St. Paradis, by Ann Loader

Okay....I am crazy!

Are you only looking for books about people who buy houses and moved to France or just books set in France.

Honestly, pretty much anything that has to do with living there, and dealing with life as it is there.

Mine are all packed away because it looks like "the move" to France is actually happening. However, you might like Kristin Espinasse's "A Day in a French Life" and I second the recommendation for "On Rue Tatin." Stephen Clarke's "A Year in the Merde" is amusing.

We have all the "how to books (retiring, building a home, living and working, etc." by David Hampshire and others. They are somewhat repetitive, primarily geared to UK movers and they go out of date very, very fast. We picked up as much info from expat web sites and official government sites.

Am saving your list--wow.

I always thought the classic in this area to be "French or Foe", by the late Polly Platt:

http://www.pollyplatt.com/

Taking to heart her rules for interacting with the French changed our experience of France.

Larry

The only ones that I know of that you've missed are Draine and Hinden's A CASTLE IN MY BACKYARD and Greene's FRENCH SPIRITS. Both great. And what about Peter Mayle's many wonderful books?

The only ones that I know of that you've missed are Draine and Hinden's A CASTLE IN MY BACKYARD and Greene's FRENCH SPIRITS. Both great. And what about Peter Mayle's many wonderful books?

I have read them all, and just haven't update my list.

I also have about ten more titles to add to this list. Indulge me with all this. My wife and I love traveling to the country, and wish we could spend months, if not years there. This is our way of doing that without the money we will never have....

Peter Gethers' <i>A Cat Abroad</i> (the sequel to <i>The Cat Who Went to Paris</i>).

Buying a piece of Paris- A memior Elle Nielsen
The Magic of provence- Yvonne Lenard
Instructions for Visitors- Helen Stevenson

One very moving one is Windows on Provence by Bo Niles
I'm like you Barnum that's why I subscribe to Cotè Sud
and Maison Mediterraneè