Simply French Living December 2021 Issue 4 by Simply Living France

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Merry Christmas Magical chateaus for sale across France The Top French Christmas markets to visit Growing your Christmas Dinner How to stay safe online Your Guide to the best Champagne and Canapés

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Editors Welcome ISSUE 4 – Christmas Dear Readers, contributors and clients, I offer you a very warm and heartfelt welcome to you all this holiday season. I always fondly recall as a child reading all the Christmas stories throughout December. My favourite was the ‘Little Match Girl’. On a freezing New Year’s Eve a poor young girl, shivering and barefoot, tries to sell matches in the street. To keep the vision of her grandmother alive as long as possible, the girl lights the entire bundle of matches. When the matches are spent the girl dies, and her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven. “The Little Match Girl” is a literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen. The story, about a dying child’s dreams and hope, was first published in 1845. Later in life I watched the Disney film and the story still had the same affect on me. The story humbles me. It’s a sad tale of the differences between those in poverty and those able to afford the trappings of the holiday season. If you’ve never gone without then you will have no idea what hunger, fear and loneliness can feel like, I don’t and I hope sincerely you never do. In this our very first December issue we go forward with hope. It is our hope that this winter and holiday season you all remember to reach out, give generously, not just with cash donations but also in person. Give your time, listen, understand, advise, chat and hug often. Open your eyes to the less fortunate and the vulnerable in your community. There is no greater holiday gift than to offer the hand of help, lift up and take care of those in need. This winter will see me in the UK for a few months whilst we get our very own French Wreck renovation off the ground and I will be most grateful for the chance to time spend with my family, especially after the pandemic lockdowns. I aim as I do every year, to concentrate on the quality of the time spent with those I love and miss during my time in France and not the amount spent on gifts. Going forward into the New Year, I wish you all whatever you wish yourself. Get busy making your dreams happen. Thank those that inspired you to make positive changes in your life. Keep your eyes open to the realities of the world we live in and take care of the planet we inhabit. Love each other, live well and laugh often. Thank you to our editing and admin team, this magazine exists solely because of you and the wonderful community we built together. From our temporary home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Donna Jones Holland Editor in Chief

Contents 01

Editors

Editors Welcome

Donna Jones Holland - Editor in Chief Maria Babbington -

LIFESTYLE 08 12 14 20 22 28 30 42 48

Tia Malcolm -

Christmas Markets

Business & Advertising Editor

Parlez Francais French Traditions Natural Berry Christmas Christmas Wreath Tutorial Napkin Art Simply Scandi Christmas Good Reads Kids Corner - Christmas

REAL LIFE 06 16 18 32 39 54

Creative & Production Editor

Spotlight on La Rochelle Reverse Advent

Contributors Pamela Gagiano Diana Phillips Simon Kellow-Bingham Sophie Howard

Christmas Movie Nostalgia

Leanne Broadhead Ingrid Burling Philippa Gratton Rebecca Claridge Mary Collins

Canning the Commercial The other side of Christmas Parenting Diaries

HEALTH & BEAUTY 24 38 40 44 46 47

Scent of Christmas Mens Fashion Christmas Jumper Festive Beauty Ice, ice, baby Agony Aunty M

ADVERTISING DISCLAIMER

BUSINESS 76 77 78

Staying Safe Online Q & A with Susan Editors Property Pick

GARDENING 34

The Market Gardener

KITCHEN 52 56 60 62 66 68 70 74 76

Kids Kitchen Champagne Season Canapes Simply Cocktails Hostess with the mostest Travelling Kitchener Vegan Christmas Xmas Treats Festive Recipes

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SPOTLIGHT ON LA ROCHELLE La Rochelle is a maritime city with a fascinating history. The Dukes of Aquitaine gave it free port status in 1130 after which, it became the medieval gateway to the Atlantic and home to the Knights Templar. Today it is one of France’s favourite west coast destinations. In the summer months, the quayside is a riot of music and noise as street dancers and other performers vie for the attention of holidaymakers. They range from solemn homages to Ernest Hemingway (true story) to joyful celebrations of gymnastic ability that can turn a ten-minute stroll into an hour of fun and fascination. Around the harbour-side the seafood restaurants do brisk business, catering for all tastes. My family enjoyed the range of ice cream shops. I have a penchant for pistachio and use it as a benchmark to discover which parlour sets the highest standard. The area is dominated by three medieval towers, which guard the entrance to the old harbour. The Saint Nicholas Tower has a gentle lean due to the failure of oak piles during construction. The Lantern Tower was a lighthouse and a prison while the Chain Tower was once a gunpowder store. Behind the harbour, the city is set out on a grid. The narrow streets would be impossible to share with cars, even without the archways to each side of the pavements which give welcome shelter from the summer sun or showers.

The shopping is second to none, with boutiques selling local specialities and international designer brands. The artisan chocolate shops are a delight, balanced by niche shops, some of which sell nothing but tinned sardines. Parking is limited in this district and while there is some free parking by the city walls, there is a large car park to the north of the harbour, close by the park and town beach. Here, things are more relaxed than in the town centre, the beach is a great place to while away some time, watching boats coming in and out and enjoying the sunset at the end of the day. Boat trips from La Rochelle will take you out to the archipelago of small islands in the bay, and also to Fort Boyard. The fort was begun as a strategic foil to British incursions in the 18th

Simon Kellow-Bingham Century, but by the time Napoleon completed it in 1857, advances in cannon technology rendered it obsolete. Today the fort is used for a TV show. Later, World War 2 military fortifications are open to the public. The deep water of the La Pallice made it perfect for the Atlantic nazi U-boat fleet. The submarine pens were featured in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Just north of the city, an almost three-kilometre-long bridge connects the mainland to the Île de Ré, an island boasting broad sandy beaches and sheltered coves. Ideal for a day doing nothing or take your snorkel, and chase the fish in the crystal-clear waters of the bay. With its mix of history, seafood and beaches its no wonder La Rochelle is such a hit with the French. See you there!

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Strasbourg Christmas Market

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Metz Christmas Market

MOVE OVER FRANKFURT, THERE’S A FRENCH MARKET IN TOWN! When we think about Christmas markets our mind immediately takes us to bockwurst, and Gluhwein and the wooden hut stalls of a Frankfurt Christmas market. French flea markets and brocantes are renown worldwide but their Christmas markets less so. However the oldest European Christmas Market was held in Strasbourg, France in 1570 and has continued to hold them annually. Strasbourg is thus nicknamed the Capital of Christmas. Not only home to the original Christmas market but France has some of the best European Christmas markets in some of the most beautiful cities. Without further ado Simply French Living give you the top Christmas markets, there’s definitely a few that made my bucket list. Which will you visit?

Strasbourg

26th November – 26th December

Held around the Strasbourg cathedral at 12 sites across the city, this market is a whopper! With a 30M Christmas tree and traditional decorations and lights adorning the city, it is beautifully charming. There are over 300 chalets selling food from the Alsace, toys, light, jewellery and local produce, there really is something for everyone. Each year the market chooses a country of honour, and has a special market dedicated to it.

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Colmar Christmas Market Metz

19th November – 31st December

Set across the city’s main 6 squares, the illuminations chase away the darkness of the winters day and light the way to the frozen fairyland. View the ice sculptures here before warming up with a mulled wine. Take a ride in the merry-go-round or walk through the magic forest before a visit to the market hall to stock up on treats.

Colmar

26th November – 29th December

Colmar’s beautiful old town is mostly pedestrian and has some stunning architectural treasures. When the Christmas market opens the whole town is illuminated to frame its beautiful heritage. The beguiling charm of this fairytale decorated city, hosts 6 markets across the city with plenty of Christmas fare to be had.

Amiens 26th November – 30th December As a relatively new market, opened in 1997, Amiens boasts 130 stalls stretched over 2km. As well as the beautiful lights and decorations expected at a Christmas Market, Amiens has a focus on the handmade and elements of nature. The surrounding shop windows are decorated with flower, vegetables and other natural displays.

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Reims Christmas Market Reims

26th November – 29th December

At just 45 minutes from Paris, this makes for a fabulous Christmas Day out, make sure you get an early start though as 145 stalls will take some doing. Gifts of glass, ceramics, wine and food available. The market takes places in front of the cathedral and surrounded by the illuminated medieval buildings, it’s truly a festive marvel. It also gives children their own kingdom and free ice skating, so is a popular family destination.

Lille 19th November – 30th December

Lille Christmas Market

When Mid November arrives a sense of magic is in the air in Lille. A winter wonderland with 83 chalets emerges on Place Rihour with a vast array of cultural products, not only from France but Canada. Poland, Russia and Native America.

Paris 20th November – 2nd January Festive markets have become the norm across European cities and it’s no different here in Paris. They are held all over the capital: in Place SaintGermain-des-Prés, Place de la Nation, on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées and in Place du Trocadéro. Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world and at Christmas is no exception. 9

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Parlez Français ‘Tis the season to be jolly and merry so here are a few French phrases to get you by in the festive season. Noël à Noël la veille de Noël le jour de Noël la Fête de Noël le vingt-cinq décembre un cadeau de Noël une carte de Noël une carte de vœux une bûche de Noël le sapin de Noël le repas de Noël les décorations de Noël offrir un chant de Noël la Fête des Rois chanter des chants de noël chanter des cantiques de noël un ange l’avent un calendrier de l’Avent une cheminée l’ église les illuminations les fêtes (de fin d’année) 10

Christmas at Christmas Christmas Eve Christmas Day Christmas holiday December 25 Christmas present Christmas card Greeting card Yule Log Christmas tree Christmas lunch, Christmas dinner Christmas decorations to give (as a present) Christmas carol Epiphany to sing Christmas carols to sing Christmas hymns angel advent advent calendar chimney church Christmas lights New Year

le gui la crèche le père Noël la musique de Noël une chanson de Noël un renne le marché de Noël réveillonner décorer le sapin un jouet, un joujou un ruban un berger un traîneau la neige une boule de neige un bonhomme de neige Noël sous la neige l’hiver un bonhomme de pain d’épice Meilleurs vœux la Saint-Sylvestre le jour de l’an La messe de minuit qu’est-ce que tu veux pour Noël? qu’est-ce que tu as reçu comme cadeaux de Noël mettre des cadeaux sous l’arbre

mistletoe Nativity scene Santa Claus Christmas music Christmas song reindeer Christmas market to celebrate decorate the tree toy ribbon shepherd sleigh snow snow ball snowman white Christmas winter gingerbread man Seasons greetings! New Year’s Eve New Year’s Day midnight mass what do you want for Christmas? What presents did you get for xmas to put presents under the tree

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING But wait--- that is not all. Here is a list of wishes and greetings you can use in this joyous season: Joyeux Noël! Merry Christmas! Bonnes Fêtes! Happy Holidays Joyeuses Fêtes! Happy Holidays Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année de la part de… Season’s greetings from… Bonne Année! Happy New Year! Bonnes fêtes de fin d’année! Happy Holidays!

Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee 11

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French Christmas Traditions How does your Christmas traditions compare to French? By Donna Jones Holland

In France, Christmas Eve is the main festive event and if you haven’t experienced it yet, you really must! The day begins with the lady of the house lining up at the fishmonger, butcher, baker and various other shops for those special supplies for a wonderful family Christmas Eve feast. Later, there will be a midnight mass church service. In the early afternoon, the family will help put up the tree, decorate the home with evergreens, then of course there will be the swapping of gifts and walking that large lunch or dinner off! The whole day is very family orientated and Christian led.

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The main Christmas meal, called ‘ Réveillon’, is eaten on Christmas Eve or sometimes very early on Christmas morning, after people have returned from the midnight church service. Dishes might include roast turkey with chestnuts or roast goose, oysters, foie gras, lobster, venison and cheeses.

The traditional Christmas church service is held on Christmas Eve in France. It’s known as the Midnight Mass and it usually begins at midnight or a few hours before. People come together in cathedrals and churches across the country to pray and sing carols (known as Chants de Noël). Santa Claus in France is called ‘Père Noël’. Like in any places celebrating Christmas, the French Father Christmas wears a red suit and hat with white fur trimming and a broad, black belt around his waist. He is tall and large, with ruddy cheeks and nose, bushy eyebrows, a white beard and moustache.

Traditionally, the ‘Père Noël’ likes to deliver presents to the well-behaved children after the Christmas Eve Mass. French children don’t hang stockings by the fireplace, instead they leave slippers or shoes – and if they’ve been good, they’ll be filled with treats overnight!

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reverse advent I started this about four years ago now, with a group of ladies who live in my area who donate to the local Restaurant De Cœur. The idea is to start filling boxes on the 1st of December and each day, pop an item of clothing or food in a box to donate it to any charity that helps people who are in a less fortunate position that you around Christmas. Early in December, I start raiding my cupboards. I pop tins, unopened pasta and dried pulses into the festive wrapped boxes. It’s amazing what I already have in my pantry and would never miss. Then, each week I would go shopping and buy more items to fill the box i.e. washing up liquid, personal products and I even popped washing powder in there too, until the last week.

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During the last week of December, I add in meat, fresh fruit and veg, well wrapped of course. We left it a little late the first year for handing in the boxes as the staff hours change on the lead up to Christmas but what we did do was leave it with our local Marie office and they made sure the boxes went to needy households. Now that I have become a little au fait with how it all works, I try to make up even more boxes throughout the year. This year I am going to get my little one involved and have him make up a box of toys he does not use any more, to give to other little boys and girls who (it is a sad thought) may not receive anything from Santa. I would suggest, if you do the reversed advent, hand the box in the week before Christmas when everyone is still at work.

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quae nesci offic tem ium quis dero maiorer itibus aut quid ma quiscia aliquam alitisint. Et alicturibus dolut aliaese quist, simus ut doloruntem que sum et aliqui velenim doluptur atur rempore quodige nihicab invellis ut quo occum quodisi consequ isimin rentibus es si optate is earchillam quoditem volest, ut quis nihicto tatur, invendi nem quas earum siti ad quatiatium hariam iumquia eperiti ad exerunt porum erum qui rem quam fuga. Reratibus esed mint est essita dolo vel ilitemolupti quam quatur, conet, sitatem fuga. Ut reped quiat harum lantotae nullita tiatia dis dolupta ditam facepreic te odi temolore venis ratur? Fugiatio blaccus

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Here is an idea of what to add to your box on a daily basis. December 1st - Box of Cereal December 2nd - Peanut Butter December 3rd - Stuffing Mix

December 19th - Pasta Sauce December 20th - Soup December 21st - Tinned Veg

December 4th December 5th December 6th December 7th December 8th December 9th December 10th -

December 22nd - Cleaning products December 23rd - Biscuits December 24th - UHT Milk

December 11th December 12th December 13th December 14th December 15th December 16th December 17th December 18th

Potatoes Macaroni Tinned Fruit Tinned Tomatoes Tinned Tuna Cake Mix Apple Sauce

- Tinned Potatoes - Cranberry Sauce - Tinned Beans - Box of Crackers - Packet of Rice - Pack of Oatmeal - Pasta - Flour

Sanitary products, pet food, baby products and any items that could be useful to those in need at a very difficult time of year, I’m sure would be appreciated in any donation.

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Christmas Mov G

rowing up, we always enjoyed those small yet memorable Christmas traditions. We would put up the tree just after my sister’s birthday, on the 14th. That day was filled with the best Christmas songs. Dad would get the LP’s out on the living room floor, the Pogues, Jona Lewie and Boney M to name a few. Mum would have baked something sweet, sugar cookies or melting moments (little thumbprint cookies filled with jam or chocolate). The tree was a beast despite being artificial, dressed in traditional gold, green and red. Mum was always so particular about her tree ornaments, she still is. The little instruments, golden cherubs, beautiful glass baubles, birds and bows (which us children had sat and tied), in red or tartan ribbon. There was always an angel on top of our tree. Are you an angel or a star topper person?

Dad was the ‘lights man’, he would weave them in and out meticulously, ensuring they were all evenly distributed. After the tree was decorated, we would sit together as a family and watch a movie and always, out would come the chocolate boxes. Back then, you were either a Quality Street or Roses fan. Roses were my favourite, I was so disappointed when the coffee chocolates were discontinued, were you? Mum always had the strawberry crème and Dad’s choice was coconut. Us kids weren’t really fussed and would eat any of them, although there were always lots of noisette triangles left over! ‘Santa Claus, The Movie’ with Dudley Moore was always a firm favourite, along with ‘A Wonderful Life’ and ‘Miracle on 34th Street’.

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING Being a family of seven, we didn’t go to the cinema often but we did always go on Christmas Eve. One year, I remember going to our local Showcase and watching ‘Jingle all the Way’ with Arnold Schwarzenegger, we laughed so much! It must have made a lasting impression on us all, because we still use lines from that film. That iconic line, “Put that cookie down.”, spoken using our best Arnie accent. Do you do that? Our living room back then was a good size and cosy, but on movie night we pushed together the two and threeseater green, leather chesterfields and all crammed in together. If we didn’t have a DVD or VHS that we fancied (gosh I feel old), then we would go to the local Blockbuster on the Chester Road and pick something. There was also a drink stop strategically placed next door, with all the supplies you might need for your film rental evening. Dad always went in to pick out treats.

Raspberry Ruffles were his and mum’s favourites so if we got a look in, we were lucky! Revels, Maltesers and salt and vinegar twisty crisps tended to be for us kids. I vividly remember getting the Radio Times at Christmas, but only ever then. Dad would get his scotch tapes out and we recorded any movies we fancied. Do you remember how long it took to rewind those things if you missed a bit, if someone went to make a cuppa or go to the loo? Also, if you had more than one movie recorded on the tape and had to find the beginning. Nightmare! I have such fond memories of struggles which the young people of today will never understand, just to watch a movie at home!

vie Nostalgia

By Maria Babbington

As we grew up a bit, we still watched the Christmas classics together and the magic of Christmas was kept alive by our parents for as long as possible. With our advancing years came the addition of films such as ‘Scrooged’, ‘Gremlins’ and ‘Die Hard’ (yes, I am one of those that consider it a Christmas movie), becoming part of our Christmas movie agenda. As my girls get a little older, I’m sure that ‘Love Actually’ will become a firm favourite. There are so many fab films we watched as a family at Christmas that I now watch with my own children. ‘Home Alone’, ‘The Grinch’, ‘Polar Express’ and ‘Arthur Christmas’ are all family favourites. I think my personal favourites are ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ (I never fail to cry watching that), ‘Deck the Halls’ for sheer comedy enjoyment and ‘Die Hard’ (because who doesn’t love ‘Die Hard’ at Christmas?). What is your favourite Christmas movie? Do you have any movie traditions? Have a fabulous Christmas with your nearest and dearest and don’t forget to stock up on the popcorn!

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Have a Natural Berry Christmas

Donna Jones Holland ditches the plastic Christmas dec’s and gives you an inspiartional au naturale look this festive season

h, the joys of the natural world, especially in winter when the evergreens happily gift us free décor for our festive homes. Apart from the obvious door wreath, which we’ve covered in this issue, deck your home in eco friendly holly, ivy, mistletoe and just about any natural plants or foliage and be smugly free of plastic décor this year!

Use some dried fruit slices, cinnamon sticks and home baked ginger biscuits to hang on your natural tree. Why not use our gingerbread recipe from our Kids Corner page? To dry your own fruit, if your dont have a dehydrator, cut your fruit as desired. Stir a mixture of 2 cups lemon juice and 3 tbsp salt in a bowl. Place your sliced fruit in the bowl for 20 min and then dry with paper towel. On a baking sheet, place a rack and arrange your sliced fruit, bake at 150 degrees for 6 hours. Cool completely before use. 18

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Twine your festive, natural garland with fairy lights for added ambience. Opt for a natural door swag, tied with a ribbon and decorated with pinecones.

Make a wooden or metal star and fill it with greenery to make a festive ball. Pine, Conifer, Juniper,Eucalyptus or Ivy would be ideal for this project.

Fill your vases with greenery but add fragrant eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme. Don’t forget beutiful berried foliage too, purple Callicarpa berries, Cotoneaster and of course Holly.

Tie your napkins with your cutlery and add some foliage, berries or cinnamon sticks to complete the festive feel. Mistletoe grows prolifically across rural France and makes a great addition to wreaths, garlands, table centrepieces, or tied in bunches and hung around the house, ready to steal a festive smooch. x 19

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Natural Wreath Tutorial In a bid to bin the plastic this year Simply French Living present a step by step tutorial by Alice & Lois for a homemade foraged wreath.

You Will Need:-

Ideal Greenery to use:-

• • • • • •

Bay, Holly, Cupressus, Juniper, Viburnum tinus, Red Robin (Photinia), Ivy, Eucalytus, Ligustrum, Yew, Box, Fir, Nandina, Mahonia, Mistletoe, Rosemary and Olive.

A metal wreath ring Green floristry wire Scissors or garden snips Greenery Berries or flowers Ribbon (optional)

You can find wreath rings in most craft outlets but they are readily available on amazon. If using Holly or any conifer variety, wear gloves. Conifer sap can cause skin irritation and Holly is very sharp.

Nandina, Mahonia and Photinia have a lovely red tinge.

Ideal Berries & Flowers to use:Mistletoe, Holly, Callicarpa, Rose hips, Iris berries, Euonymus Europaeus, Hawthorn, Ivy berries, Hyrangeas, Myrtus, Skimmia and Sarcococca confusa.

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Step 1: - Cut sections of branches. I found it best to use 3 sections about 5 inches long. Wrap the ends together with wire.

Step 2: - Section off some berries or flowers and attach to your branch section with wire.

Step 3: - Hold this section up to the wire ring and attach with wire.

Step 4: - Remember when adding new sections, to cover the wire completely.

Step 5: -Repeat until your wreath is full, then trim and secure with extra wire where necessary.

Step 6: -Add any ribbons or extra decorations here and hang with pride. 21

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The Wonderful Scent of Christmas Donna Jones Holland awakens the senses with those familiar evocative festive fragrances. Our resident botanical alchemist shares hint and tips for essential oil mixology at home as well as some festive mixes for your home diffuser.

ast September, I started making my own candles with 100% essential oils, clean burn, intense and pretty to boot. Until that is, dastardly covid rudely got in the way. Now, I’m so excited to retrieve my kit out of storage and soon. I so need my fix of essential oil mixology, botanicals and clean soy wax. Winter simply isn’t the same without them in my life. Last Christmas, my home was filled with those wonderfully healthy seasonal fragrances of orange, eucalyptus, cinnamon, pine and rosemary to name just a few. This year, I am loathe to have to buy any, because I simply don’t know what is in them even if they are much cheaper in ‘Primarni’! Many candle makers don’t 22

realise that essential oils mixed to the wrong ratios, can end up being quite poisonous! Also, there is a science to mixing a scent with top, bottom and middle notes to consider. If you are interested, it’s definitely worth signing up for an online course and/or reading some textbooks on the subject before having a go. Please wear gloves and mix in a well-aired room, be conscious of safety and cleanliness at all times. In winter, we shut all the doors and windows, have the central heating on and are often full of the snuffles. So why not make your own winter and Christmas oils and pop the mix in a diffuser? Also great for covering up spaniel botty burps! Introducing an oil diffuser into your home is the easiest and safest way to

start, they also make great gifts but obviously, if you are allergic to any of the oils, be sensible and don’t use them. I love lavender but I can only use it in my home in tiny amounts. If I overdo it, I get flushed and heady. Essential oils are measured in drops and you can buy the oils and pipettes online. Use 100% oils where possible. Here are a few winter/festive mixes to try:

Christmas Eve 2 clove, 1 ginger, 1 all spice, 1 cassia. The smell of festive cookies and spiced drinks.

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Snowy Days or Winter Nights 2 drops of each:- frankincense, cinnamon, orange and pine 2 clove, 2 cardamom, 1 white fir

Breathe Easy 1 pine, 1 bergamot, 2 eucalyptus A perfect blend to clear those sinuses when you have a cold.

Festive Market 2 drops each of:- Ginger, orange, pine, clove and cinnamon. All you need now is a glass of mulled wine.

Relax 1 lavender, 2 ylang-ylang, 1 camomile, 1 clary sage 2 grapefruit, 1 juniper berry and 1 rosemary Dont let the stress of Christmas get you down. Relax and get a good night sleep with this blend.

All Wrapped Up! Sophie Howard of Studio Lawson presents a mini masterclass of gift wrapping, that will make your gifts all the more memorable. The Christmas countdown has officially begun. You’re getting excited for family time and festive cheer. Mulled wine, mince pies and candy canes. Then you remember all the wrapping you have to do, panic and dread sets in and you don’t know where to start. This is where I come in. I just love wrapping presents but I realise I am in the minority here, so I’ve put together a few tips and tricks as well as some inspiration to get you through your wrapping pile. 1. Double Sided Tape Ever wonder why the wrapping you see on Pinterest or Instagram looks so neat? Double sided tape is the secret weapon. Get those crisp folds without the ugly sellotape showing.

2. Make It Personal Add a photograph of you and the person who is receiving the gift, something to go with the gift inside, or that shows a memory that you cherish. They’ll love the added personal touch.

photo credit:- www.boxwoodavenue.com

photo credit:- www.designandpaper.com

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Add Plants Plants make everything better. They clean the air, boost your mood and make your wrapping look super cute. Simply wrap your gift as you wish, tie with a ribbon or some string and finish with a sprig of holly, a fern or a piece of Christmas tree. So simple but so effective.

photo credit:- www.www.optimise-home.com

Double Ribbon Add a thicker ribbon or piece of fabric underneath a thinner ribbon. This is such a small detail that can make a huge difference. Something so simple can really make your wrapping look more thoughtful and beautifully put together.

photo credit:- www.camillestyles.com

Get Creative This is a great way to get the kids involved too. Wrap your gift in a plain paper and dab with a paint brush. Paint bows, trees, stars, whatever takes your fancy. A super fun way to add colour and pattern uniquely.

So, there you have it, my really simple tips to elevate your wrapping and make your gifts extra special. We’d love to see what you create, use the hashtag #SFLwrapping so we can see your beautifully wrapped gifts.

Sophie x photo credit:-www.clairekcreations.com

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Napkin Art and Tutorial Up your game with the festive table decorations this year, as Donna Jones Holland shares her favourite napkin art and a tutorial

Lets face it, when it comes to the Christmas table, we all tend to go all out. Out comes the special linen, candle holders, place mats, place cards and a floral table arrangement. Go big or go home, am I right? Napkins are an essential part of the Christmas table, and quite often wrapped around cutlery or placed in a napkin ring. Simple, elegant, yet ordinary. Why not give them a little of the spotlight this year and try some napkin art. There are some amazing ideas on pinterest and fab tutorials too, Here are a few that caught my eye and a tutorial for a Christmas tree, which also stands. Share your festive table pics with us on Instagram or Facebook using #simplyfestive

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Step one:- Fold your napkin into a layered square, tuck the bottom edge underneath. This should be on the fold.

Step two:- Turn over your napkin and fold every layer upwards, as above.

Step three:- Turn your napkin round so that the long point faces you. Tuck under the 2 outside edges to create a tree shape.

Step four- Fold each layer upwards, starting at the top and tucking each point underneath your last fold. 27

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A Simply Scandi Christmas There is something quite endearing about the simplicity of Scandinavian living. That ‘no faff’approach absolutely extends to Christmas too.

totally get the ‘Scandi’ vibe, light, bright, simple and cosy. I’m all for cosy in my life right now. If you think about how long and dark a Scandinavian winter is, you’ll understand why they opt for light interiors, no fuss with a stoic ‘less is more attitude’. However, the Scandinavians easily update their décor seasonally and never resort to commercial plastic decorations. Scandi design can sometimes feel like it’s a little too neutral for my design palette, but with a few dashes of gold and/or red, a few added textures and some candlelight, I can certainly buy into it. There are many ways to brighten up modern blonde wood interiors and during the winter it’s so simple to achieve.

plants grouped together with candle lanterns. Decorate without fuss, simple lit garlands and wicker decorations that stick with the woodland feel. Try dotting bowls of pinecones, simply wrapped gifts, herb wreaths, plain candles and fairy lights around the home.

Filling simple bowls with one colour of winter fruit can help achieve some festive hue against a caramel and cream backdrop. Think plump, festive clementines piled high in a wooden bowl for the ultimate orange pop or walnuts, spilling out of a low gold platter! You could leave the fruits in their store crate for added simplicity. Leave the stalks and leaves on for that added natural festive foliage touch. There’s truly little effort required to go from plain and functional to winter wonderland but keep it contained, remember less is more. There are so many ways to bring winter and Christmas colour into your pared back home. Add natural foliage,

Add metallic accent pots and vases to warm up a very light interior and group them together on mantle pieces and shelves.

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING Add just a couple of colourful, chunky knits and mix the textures, prints and patterns. Once done, stand back and remove some as necessary. You are adding a pop of colour and interest, not redecorating. Decorate the table using your nose as well as your eyes when setting the scene. Wrap up warm, get outdoors and get collecting all the fresh greenery you will need to create a green table. Use rosemary and eucalyptus to open up the airways and awaken the senses. Pick just one colour of crockery, mixed with mismatched plain glassware. Add plain linen napkins, interesting cutlery brought together with a little foliage or homemade, handwritten labels or star decorations. For a real festive ‘wow’, add a tall white vase filled with architectural deep red amaryllis. Pile festive books on your coffee tables. For your real potted tree, keep to one or two colours and decorations, letting the tree be the start of the show.

I think you’ve got this now, have a very happy Scandi style Christmas.

Donna 29

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CANNING THE COMMERCIAL IN CHRISTMAS Dear Santa… all I want for Christmas is you!

he pressure to upscale Christmas by falling prey to all those lists of high street Christmas adverts, can really make us want to run away and hide until the new year! I know I do and frankly, like many families, I have better things to spend my money on than gifts no one really needs. But how do we stay both sane and solvent in 2021 without feeling mean and Scrooge like? A really stripped back Christmas is at the top of my own wish list this year and this is being seriously aided by a December house move! I know! Who moves in December? No one! Erm, we do! Yes, we will reluctantly move into a property needing quite a lot of cosmetic work, right on top of the silly season and so, I just know I need to keep it real to avoid a meltdown both financially and emotionally. We are also pouring money into our French Wreck renovation in the New Year so I need to be super careful because I need a festive fortnight without bankruptcy! Thankfully, my children are 30

all grown up and able to understand the need to budget (I hope) but that won’t stop their lists getting out of hand, believe me! However, I do feel I can mostly ignore them and their lists these days, insert evil chuckle here. Over the years, I’ve also pared back our family and friends present list quite dramatically and I prefer to treat my nieces and nephews when I see them these days. Once they are past 18, they are off my list. It seems cruel but it is really necessary and you know we aren’t the only ones relieved by an ever-shrinking gift list! The best thing you can do, is keep the present list to your immediate family and one or two really good friends. Set the budget early on and shop in the sales where possible. We are supposed to be saving this planet, so make like you actually care and make your own cards, crackers and gift tags. If you knit, sew or craft, well, you are already winning!

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I know of many families that really break the bank in December, they fully re decorate and go shopping for new furniture! Seriously, there’s no need! One, you must be patient and wait for the sales. There is not much worse than paying full price for big ticket items which are on sale by Boxing Day! Two, up-cycle what you do have, chairs don’t have to match and neither does crockery. Be savvy with your winter style, it’s way more fun. Get out to those flea markets, second-hand furniture shops and brocantes and find your own damn style! With food and drink, plan your menus and don’t over buy. Truly, the shops are only shut for a couple of days, you won’t starve! It’s surprising how little food you need over Christmas and of course, if you do have leftovers then use them up, every last sprout, sausage and clementine! With decorations, make your own or stick to fresh foliage truffled from nearby woodlands. Make your gifts. Homemade chutneys, pickles and preserves always go down a treat.

This Christmas Eve we are going to give the gift of reading to each other and some festive (not expensive) pj’s for the wearing of! In the afternoon, we will prep Christmas day lunch then decorate the table and mantles with foraged foliage, candles and/or fairy lights. Later, I’m going to make Christmas Eve pasta and we

can sit near the fire playing games, watching movies or reading those new-to-us books. On Christmas morning, we will swap gift stockings, one personal gift, a jumper, socks, chocolate and a couple of silly presents, that’s it! Later I will make everyone pancakes and then we will walk off the impending heart attack with the dogs. After our Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, our hearts and bellies will be full, our bank accounts will still be in the black and all will be well! Make it happen, have a real not a wrecked Christmas!

Donna

THE MARKET GARDENER SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING

This month we head over to Chateau de la Coutere, for a 'How to grow your Christmas dinner' special with owner Leanne Broadhead

When it’s cold outside, what better job is there, than to snuggle up in front of a log fire and plan your growing season for the next year? As Christmas approaches, why not let the festive season inspire you? Plan now, to grow your own Christmas lunch for 2022. Some vegetables, such as celeriac and parsnip have long growing seasons, so patience is required. By planning this now, you won’t miss out. Here is a quick sowing guide to give you a head start. February - We make our first sowing of carrots from

mid-month, carrots can be stored at any time, but we sow our Christmas carrots later in the year as we prefer fresh, small, sweet carrots. If you would like shallots, cooking onions and pickled onions to be part of your festive spread, February is the perfect month to sow these. Mostly ready in July, you can then dry and store, or pickle and preserve for winter.

March - Parsnips and leeks are slow to grow and

take most of the season to reach maturity but are so worth it for the taste! We sow both from this month to have them available from early autumn but sowing next month will be ideal for Christmas. You can direct sow parsnips, but your leeks should be sown in deep module seed trays. April - Sow the hardy herbs you would like to accompany your meal. Sage, rosemary and thyme are all slow to germinate, but will give you an abundance, once they get going. Alternatively, take cuttings from existing plants and they will root in a few weeks on a windowsill. Why not also buy a small bay tree? It’s probably a purchase you won’t ever regret. 32

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May - Thin your parsnips now, and sow swede, Brussels sprouts, kale and autumn cabbages into large seed trays. Red, green and Savoy cabbages are all Christmas favourites in our house. Pot your herb seedlings or cuttings as these should now be doing well.

June - Plant out your herbs into their final growing position.

Leeks will be mature enough to plant out into 15cm deep holes. We multi-sow ours by grouping three together in one hole, then just water them in. The brassicas you sowed last month will be doing well, and after hardening them off, they can be planted out. I would advise covering them straight away with insect mesh netting and don’t remove it. It is easier than continually checking for caterpillars and eggs.

Monthly plant focus BROAD BEANS

July and August – During dry months, ensure to keep up with

watering. Although our minds are busy with salad crops and tomatoes in summer, this is an ideal time to plant your autumn carrots and beetroot varieties – think of beetroot relish and pickles to go with cold cuts of meat – delicious! Christmas wouldn’t be the same without roast potatoes, and this is the last opportunity to plant the varieties you want. They need time to mature before the first frost. If you plant them in sacks you can also bring them under cover at the sign of a first frost. If you live in a mild area, then outside in a sunny location should be fine.

September – we sow another crop of carrots and beetroot,

spinach, and quick growing crops such as turnips, radish, pak choi, lettuce and kohl rabi. September is a month to provide insurance for your autumn and winter produce needs.

October – You can lift and store some of your root crops that

are ready as a ‘just in case’ for Christmas if you wish, although many crops such as carrots and parsnips taste better after cold weather.

November - Leeks can be packed into compost and will store

well, this prevents trying to harvest them out of solid ground.

December – Merry Christmas, you have done it! One advantage

of growing your own, is you can harvest your vegetables as fresh as you wish in the run-up to the big day. Christmas Eve is an ideal time to pick your remaining vegetables and there’s nothing more satisfying then doing so. Why not get the family involved and start a new Christmas tradition?

This delicious crop prefers cool weather, so autumn and winter is a perfect time to start them off. They will grow slowly, right through the winter and you can sow and plant out from October through to February to ensure an extended harvest. Broad beans will only flower after the frosts have gone, so it’s an easy way to gain an advantage in the garden for next season. Autumn and winter sowings can provide a crop as early as May. There are many varities available but long pod varities such as:- Aquadulce, Imperial Green Longpod, Relon, Hylon and Imperial White Longpod are the best overall for high yield.

It is a privilege to present family and friends with abundant, fresh, tasty produce that you have grown yourself at this very special time of year.

Leanne YouTube – Lifeatchateaudelacoutere Instragram and Facebook @lifeatchateaudelacoutere

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Aquiae nonsequosa susa sequia non ed ut quis aped

4 X 4 X FRANCE

Maria Babbington talks us through off-roading and where to find the best places in France.

am a self-confessed Land Rover enthusiast. Even as a child, they always had a car that piqued my interest. After gaining my licence, the natural choice for me was a Land Rover II. I started small with the 3 door Freelander and absolutely fell in love. I took the car off-road every chance I could, took part in G4 challenges across the UK and ‘green laned’ all across the British countryside.

Over the years, as I grew older and had the responsibility of children, a family vehicle was required and so, I moved away from the 3-door sporty Freelander towards the family comfort of the Discovery and Range Rover models. Although these were considered luxury vehicles, they were also amazing off-roaders. The split differential of the Discovery meant tackling those ruts was easy peasy. The aptly nicknamed Chelsea tractor, (expensive 4x4 driven in an urban environment as a status symbol, whose only likelihood of being taken off-road is mounting the kerb on the school run), the Range Rover, despite all the bells and whistles, could still tackle the best of the courses I subjected it to. A pleasant surprise really, given the size and weight of the machine.

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When we decided to move to France and were expecting our fourth child, we opted to change to the seven-seat, Discovery 3. The next question was, could the off-road adventures continue abroad? After much research, here are the best off-road estates across France to test out your beast: Domain du Marquenterre - based in the northwest of France. It is located on a 1000ha site with a 40km track that takes you through dunes and forest, predominantly along the coastline and is one of the most beautiful offroad tracks in France. There are six 4x4 estates within that area so you could easily turn this into a week-long holiday, with a choice of accommodations available at Marquenterre. The other sites are: circuit De la Vilaine (62), Terre Bleue (76), Terrain de Gamaches (80), Terrain de Conty (80), Domaine du Tilleul (62) and Domaine Terre et Passion (80).

All Road Experience - based in Velizy-Villacoublay just outside Paris. It is situated in the heart of a wooded area on four hectares with a 10km track of ranging difficulty through sand, rock and earth courses. You can bring your own 4x4 to this site or they have a range of experiences available in their own 4x4 vehicles or even a Unimog if you fancy something a bit different.

Domaine de Thenissey – this amazing off-road estate is based in eastern France, just outside Dijon. On the 300ha estate of Chateau de Thenissey, there is a 20km track with slopes of various levels, rocky areas and quagmires where you will have a fantastic time with your 4x4. There are eight 4x4 centres across the Burgundy region; Circuit Dijonnais Tout-Terrain (21), Circuit Slide Control (58), Domaine de Foolz (10), Les Combes Grondées (71), Leisure Off Road (21), Terrain du Hameau de Bel-air (21) and Terrain d’Arcey (21). Race Rally 4x4 - based in Montboyer in the Charente, 16620. They offer 4x4 courses in their resident jeep if you fancy a bit of practice. A challenging natural course, set in hillside, leading down to a river with amazing terrain to conquer. They have options for complete beginners, professionals and other rally options on site. Espace Quilly - based in Loire-Atlantique and boasting 12 vehicles in its fleet, this is an ideal place for group activities. Your day starts out at their clubhouse, overlooking the lakes before going to the 4x4 holding area for a full briefing and then the adventure begins. The course offers everything you could wish for when it comes to off-roading and is accessible for wheelchair users too. If you haven’t been off-road before, do it! I promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Mens Fashion 2021/2022 T

his year, fashion has had to adapt to the post-pandemic society we are now living in, and the spring/ summer collection of 2021 saw its very first digital fashion week. Fashion houses have had to become more creative when showing their fall/winter collections for 2021.

Some designers went back to the stage for the fall/winter fashions and others opted for a more unique way of highlighting their collection by being 100% digital.

Here are some male fashion trends for fall/winter 2021/22. Leather is still timeless in terms of clothing and it feels like despite the rise of the eco-conscious vegan, leather will never go out of fashion. This year’s collection is focused more on the neo-matrix looks of the 1990’s. Very sci-fi indeed!

The catwalks were splashed with red this season and some of the designers didn’t hold back! I felt their designs had very 60’s to 70’s vibe.

A surprising feature, was the varsity jacket usually worn by football students in high school. This year saw it revamped and shown off on the catwalk.

Photo credit: - GMBH, Loewe, Casablanca GORUNWAY

Winter woollies are necessary in any cold winter climate. This year, the designs are bold and bright, quite geometric I would say. The turtleneck is a timeless way of keeping the cold out and looking stylish at the same time. Feels like the 90’s again, but brighter.

Photo credit: - Dior, Versace, Prada

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The other side of Christmas C hristmas is on its way, the most wonderful time of the year! Hard to imagine then, that Christmas is often the worst time of the year for many, isn’t it?

With Christmas, comes the extra financial pressure for many families who are already living in poverty. Imagine waking up on Christmas morning to a cold, damp home, no presents and an empty belly? Not quite how the media portrays the festive season, is it? Christmas is also often the loneliest time of the year for the elderly and vulnerable. Winter brings so many challenges for those who live alone and aren’t particularly mobile. It isn’t generally a fun time with family visiting, presents and home cooked treats. Physical and emotional abuse also increase over the festive weeks. The emergency services are swamped with calls for help and reports of domestic abuse can treble. What can you do to help? Give your time and volunteer at charity shops, shelters and soup kitchens. Donate, warm clean clothes, gifts, toiletries and blankets. Make a donation to provide needy families with food for Christmas. Put together boxes of festive food and drink treats. Pay for energy tokens throughout the year to help a family with their utility bills. Offer to collect medicines from pharmacies. Donate boxes of dried and tinned goods to collection points.

If you donate meat, remember to donate an energy card so that the family can actually afford to cook it. Listen and report signs of abuse. Make extra food over the festive period and gift to your elderly neighbours. Visit your elderly and/or vulnerable neighbours regularly. Help with cleaning ice and snow from driveways and entrances. Run errands for those in need where possible. Donate books. Report concerns to the social services or the police and ask for a welfare check if need be. Advise families and friends in need how to get help, not just emergency help but shelter, financial assistance, groceries and day centre help. Take your elderly neighbours along to Christmas concerts and shows. Look out for events and community gatherings that may suit your lonely neighbour. Wrap up some extra gifts and visit on Christmas morning with a flask of cocoa and a mince pie. Consider donating older phones, laptops and tablets to needy families.

For those that are lonely around Christmas time but are otherwise physically healthy, there is a ‘borrow my dog scheme’ in the UK, which might help provide companionship from time to time. Even during the festive season, there are many community events and gatherings to help people cope with loneliness at Christmas, such as community walks. Here is a list of charities to contact should you be concerned about a neighbour, child or friend: Abuesd women helpline 3919 Red Cross Helpline 0800 858 858 www.counsellinginfrance.com/helplines.htm 37

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The Christmas Jumper

Do you love them or hate them?

adore everything about them, colours, design, boldness, everything. Every year, we buy Christmas jumpers to wear as we cuddle on the sofa, overindulging and watching Christmas movies together. My family love them so much, that we have dedicated an entire day to the Christmas jumper. I am even hoping, in the not-too-distant future, to find matching jumpers! The thought makes me quite giddy! So, where did this Christmas jumper craze originate? It is believed to have started in Scandinavia in the twelfth century. Jumpers would be knitted to keep the icy cold out in the winter months, incorporating distinct patterns to distinguish the fishermen from different communities. Even though the Scandinavians wore the jumpers, they didn’t make them famous, we have skiing to thank for that. Skiing became ‘en vogue’ in 1918, after the war and influenza 38

outbreak. It was a way to get people to concentrate on their health and lifestyle. When affluent Europeans returned from the slopes in their colourful knits, it raised the humble jumper to a new level of luxury fashion. Not only were they stylish, warm and cheap, they were also customisable and a staple in most wardrobes in the lean post-war years. Since the 70s, Christmas jumpers have become very popular at home and at work. They were also on every runway of the 80s. Still as popular today, many celebrities have since jumped on the bandwagon with the debut of ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ in 2001. ‘Save the Children’ started the tradition of wearing jumpers for a good cause, launching on 14 December 2014. This year, ‘Simply French Living Magazine’ will be doing their bit, donning their Christmas jumpers, getting the community on board and raising funds for Save the Children. You can donate at the link below.

https://christmas.savethechildren.org.uk/fundraising/cjd210022826

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GOOD READS SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING

SNUGGLED WITH A GOOD BOOK BY A ROARING FIRE IS THE EPITOME OF WINTER NIGHTS. HERES A FEW WE RECOMMEND

Diana Phillips shares her current reads and festive cookbooks.

always want to have lots of new books to read, when I get time, during the lead up to Christmas. Sadly, I don’t always manage to sit in peace, but the thought is always there! I prefer ‘proper’ books, I just love the smell and feel of them, although I do confess to downloading several onto my Kindle too. Reading became a love of mine from quite an early age. Mum found me in floods of tears once because I didn’t want the book I was reading to come to an end, it was ‘Anne of Green Gables’! I enjoy reading a variety of books, biographies, historical novels, romances, travel stories and of course, cookery books.

My grandchildren enjoy reading too, Harry Potter is a great favourite and so are books by David Walliams, Tom Fletcher and Ben Miller to name but a few. On my Kindle at the moment, I have a varied selection. Historical romances based in Dartmouth, the wonderfully evocative books by Victoria Hislop, The Island etc. I went through a phase of murder mysteries, my favourite author being Minette Walters, especially ‘The Ice House’ and ‘The Sculptress’. She used to live locally and was a friend of an ex-teaching colleague of mine, several of my books by her are autographed too. Once I find a new author whose work I love, I am hooked and cannot wait to work my way through their books.

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Some of you might remember me mentioning the fact that my mum was often found reading her cookery books. Well, I am officially morphing into mum! My latest cookery book is ‘Butter’ by James Martin, I haven’t been able to keep my nose out of it since it arrived a few weeks ago. My very first cookery book, the Hamlyn All Colour Cookery Book, was a 21st birthday gift and is very well thumbed, notated and food splattered. Oh, and yes, I still use it. The one error we made when redesigning our kitchen recently, was omitting shelving for my cook book collection, so they are scattered on various bookcases around the house!

To me, a house is not a home without books. Picture books, easy-to-read books, reference books, (yes, I know you can look most things up on Google but. . .), family books, (I have a very battered book that belonged to my gran. It’s now so delicate, I dare not touch it), display books, (you know, the ones that look good on a shelf but rarely get opened), children’s books, travel books, map books, the list is endless. Happy reading!

Coming soon Simply French Book Club join our Facebook community to see more.

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FESTIVE BEAUTY This month Rebecca Claridge gives us homemade skincare, diffuser and room spray recipes, all with festive aromas.

nd just like that, it’s December already, this year has certainly flown by! I don’t know about you, but I am feeling very festive right now. At the start of December my tree will go up, and during the month I will add more decorations throughout my house. I love all the aromas that come from making festive treats. Our sense of smell is so powerful, it can invoke memories long forgotten. When I think of Christmas scents, I think of oranges, cloves, pine, cinnamon, cedar wood and others. A lot of these we associate with cooking, mulled wine, cakes and even our Christmas trees. This month, I have decided to focus on two DIY recipes involving some of these aromas, and a further two skincare recipes for the festive season, all of which can make wonderful gifts. The first recipe is a reed diffuser. How many times have you bought one, and not been too keen on the scent? Maybe you found it really lovely, but it’s run out and you haven’t been able to find a replacement? I have bought these before and found that when I want to buy a refill or new reeds, it’s almost the same price as the original diffuser kit. I started to look into ways of making one myself so that I could change the fragrance throughout the year. The biggest hurdle, or so I thought, was the reeds. I looked into what other people had used as alternatives, some people swear by twigs. I tried it and to be honest, it wasn’t very good. I tried drying them, peeling the bark off, even tapering the ends. But they became brittle, and they didn’t absorb any of the fragrance. Instead, I turned to my kitchen. How many of us have bamboo skewers laying around for use on the BBQ in summer? These are perfect for a reed diffuser, just cut off the sharp end and voila, reed sticks! 42

To make this super simple reed diffuser, you will need: •

•

• • •

A small bottle or jar (if you have an old reed diffuser bottle, that’s even better, just give it a good clean out beforehand). Essential oils of your choice (for a festive fragrance I like clove, pine, mandarin, cedar wood or cinnamon). Bamboo skewers Vodka Water

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING Fill your chosen bottle or jar with water and 1tbsp of vodka. Add the essential oils of your choice (Use 12 drops of essential oils to ¼ cup of water/vodka mix). Mix well to combine. Place one end of the skewers into the solution and allow them to soak. Then reverse the reeds so the opposite ends are submerged. Rotate the skewers weekly to keep distributing the fragrance. When finished, throw away the skewers, clean the bottle, and you are ready to go again. Have fun experimenting with different fragrances. The second recipe is a room spray. This scent won’t last as long as the reed diffuser, however you can make a few of them to change your house fragrance during the day.

For the festive room spray, you will need: •

• • • • •

A glass spray bottle (ideally dark blue or brown, as this slows the deterioration of the essential oils when exposed to UV light). 1¼ cups water 1tbsp vodka 4 drops pine essential oil 2 drops mandarin essential oil 1 drop cinnamon essential oil

Combine together in the bottle and mix well. Spray in a room 3-5 times. If you make one with only pine, you can use that to prolong or add scent to any Christmas tree. Try different combinations (orange, grapefruit, clove...) Now we move on to some festive body oils. These can be used on the body, hair and even in the bath. These both have a base of vitamin E oil and jojoba oil. They are light, easily absorbed and help protect the skin from environmental damage, conditioning the skin and hair, perfect for a light body oil.

Cinnamon, Clove and Mandarin Body Oil • • • • •

1tbsp vitamin E oil 60ml jojoba oil 3 drops mandarin essential oil 1 drop clove essential oil 1 drop cinnamon essential oil

Combine all the above ingredients, this oil will keep for up to three months. This can be used in the bath, or on damp skin. Both clove and cinnamon essential oils are strong. One drop may not seem a lot, but they are powerful enough to be used in small quantities. Clove is an oil which is derived from the buds of the tree Syzygium Aromaticum, the oil itself has a rich and appealing spicy aroma and is clear to pale yellow in colour. Cinnamon is extracted through steam distillation from the twigs and buds of the Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, a member of the Laurel family. The oil has a warm, spicy aroma, and is yellowish brown in colour. Mandarin, from the family Citrus Reticulata, is native to China and the Far East. Due to its popularity, it can now be found worldwide. In the USA it’s more commonly known as Tangerine. The oil is orange or amber in colour and has a tangy, sweet, floral aroma.

Cinnamon, Clove and Mandarin Body Oil • • • • •

1tbsp vitamin E oil 60ml jojoba oil 3 drops mandarin essential oil 1 drop clove essential oil 1 drop cinnamon essential oil

Combine all the above ingredients; this will need to be shaken well before each use, as the mica will settle at the bottom. It will keep for around three months. This can be used in the bath, however it will work better in hair and on the body, as it will give a delicate shimmer. Mica is a natural stone mineral with shiny flakes. When it is ground into a powder, it resembles fine glitter that has a shimmery pearl-like effect. It is available in many colours, and it creates a sparkle or shine effect, so it won’t be too heavy and creates a delicate glint. Make sure you use cosmetic grade mica. Frankincense is a gum resin that is extracted from trees of the genus Boswellia, which grows wild in North-East Africa and Oman. It has been prized for over 5,000 years, and was used by the ancient Egyptians. It smells sweet, slightly resinous and it has amazing anti-ageing properties. Myrrh is also a gum resin that is extracted from a small, thorny tree species of the genus Commiphora, native to the Middle East, North Africa and Northern India. It has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine, making it a prized ingredient for many. It has a smoky-sweet aroma, some say it even smells faintly of wood chips. 43

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ICE, ICE BABY Donna Jones Holland gives you an insight into the Ice bath trend.

onestly? I’ve not tried ice or cold-water swimming yet but it’s on my list of healthrelated exercises to try, and one I’m increasingly interested in. It’s not quite the same I know, but I did feel more invigorated during the long, snowy Toronto winters. I walked, sometimes slipped and often slid the dogs to a white (but normally green) space near our house, up to six times a day. We didn’t have a proper garden in Canada and so the walks, no matter the weather, were a necessary evil. I was healthier no doubt. Fitter, definitely. The walks weren’t particularly long but they were arduous. Lifting winter boots up and over the snow and trying to stay upright kept me in fine fettle. Everything just seemed to work better. My skin was glowing. My blood pressure was normal. I lost weight. I didn’t get cold very often, so I expect my circulation was the best it could be. I can tell just by looking at 44

the photographs we took, that I looked a lot younger. There’s a swimming pool outside our current house but it’s too cold to swim in now, or is it? Some would say not, but why? As we age, so do our poor old bodies and ice swimming is said to offer a range of health benefits such as; improving circulation, reducing stress, giving a natural high, helps with weight loss, mindfulness, decreases inflammation, amplifies libido, increases appetite, improves self esteem and boosts the immune system. Ice swimming has always been a tradition in northern Scandinavian countries during the winter months. Of course there are risks and you must consult your doctor in the first instance. Yes, you must be an accomplished swimmer and once you have the go ahead from your doctor, do look at joining a group that can help you get started safely and monitor your progress. Symptoms of cold-water immersion according to core body temperature 36 °C

Spontaneous shivering, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing rate 35 °C Confusion, disorientation, decreased muscle coordination 34 °C Amnesia 33 °C Cardiac arrhythmias, poor perfusion of the skin 33–30 °C Clouding of consciousness, spontaneous shivering stops, rigid muscle tone 30 °C Stupor or unconsciousness, diminished respirations, poor muscle tone, hypotension 28 °C Ventricular fibrillation, near absent respiration, vital signs near absent 25 °C Cardiac arrest, death

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING Caution is always advised when swimming in pools and seas near the polar regions in winter. The chlorine added to the water in swimming pools and the salt in the sea water enable the water to remain liquid at sub-zero temperatures. Swimming in such waters is much more challenging and dangerous. Cold water immersion can trigger involuntary gasping, rapid breathing or hyperventilating due to the “shock” of sudden immersion. This uncontrolled rapid breathing can quickly create a drowning emergency if you inhale water and cannot stay afloat. Cold water can cause a sudden spike in heart rate and blood pressure. Hypothermia and/or death is a real risk and so you must never swim unaccompanied. I might just stick to taking the odd dip in the pool in the south of France in November!

‘The Fabulous Aunty M’ Agony Aunt & Hypnotherapist Mary Collins is a multi-media journalist who has lived and travelled around the globe researching, exploring and creating projects pulled from her cultural encounters and genuine love for people. She has always aspired to be an “Agony Aunt” a person who can reach out to help others through hard times and rejoice in their successes . Having always focused on creating and directing for film, television and now radio, she has added hypnotherapist to her skillset, with over eight years of practical work experience . Mary created C.H.A.N.G.E Hypnotherapy (which stands for Creative. Heuristic. Analogue. Neuroplasticity. Generated - Energy). She works to strengthen a neuropathic environment which helps people (and believe it or not, animals) to move forward towards positive change and life value. Simply French Living Magazine welcomes Mary’s input as a freelance therapy blogger and radio presenter to bring answers and change for you! For more information check out : Time4Change.info Lifehakx.com

If you have anything you would like to ask ‘Aunty M’ in our January Issue then please get in touch at:submissions@simplyfrenchlivingmagazine.com

MAGAZINE

KIDS CORNER

Felt Snowman

DON’T FORGET • To write me a letter • To be kind • To leave some snacks for the reindeers and I • To hang your stockings • To come and visit me

You will need: Sheets of felt, fabric glue, Coloured embroidery thread, scissors, coloured paper.

To make your Snowman: Cut out 2 snowman shapes from white felt. On the first snowman, use your fabric glue and stick on some arms cut from paper or you can use brown pipe cleaners if you have them. Make a loop of thread and stick it at the top of the snowman. Put this to one side to dry. On your other snowman shape we are going to sew on some buttons, eyes and a mouth. Get an adult to help you thread your needle and make star shaped buttons on your snowman’s tummy. Now its time to embroider your eyes and mouth. If you prefer, you could use googley eyes for your snowman instead of embroidering them on. Once you have all of your details on the snowman, turn him over and add some fabric glue all around the edges. Stick him to the first snowman. The fabric glue will now hold the two pieces in place whilst you stitch around the edge of you snowman. Now you have a snowman that will stand the test of time and sit proudly on your christmas tree. Why stop at snowmen, why not try making a reindeer, an elf or maybe even Father Christmas. Have fun and be safe.

Save up those toilet rolls on the run up to Christmas, there are so many things that they can be used for at craft time with the munchkins.

DON’T FORGET Toilet Roll Characters

Super easy and lots of fun! Go mad with glitter, To send me your list some twigs for stickers, pom poms and even rudolphs ears. There are a few ideas for you Be kind above, my favourite is the snow man with pom a snack Rudolph & pomLeave ear muffs! What’sfor yours?

me on Christmas Eve Light up your village To hang stocking

Toilet Roll Wreath Get an adults help to cut down your tubes into small rings and paint them green. When your rings are dry, use a hole punch to make a small hole either side of the ring. Thread some wool through the holes and bring around into a circle. Tie a knot tightly at the end. Ask an adult to show you how. Decorate your wreath with pom poms, and lots of sparkly glitter.

Get an adults help to cut down your tubes into different heights. Use round circles and cut a slit from the edge to the centre and curl to make a cone. Cut out holes for windows and doors and decorate. Add battery operated tea lights et voila, an elf village!

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; “Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN! On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!” As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT!

Letter to Santa Dear Santa

From Address Send your letter to:- Santa/Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ Follow Santa’s journey on Christmas eve at:- www.santatracker.net 49

Kids Kitchen

No family Christmas table is complete withourt a gingerbread house masterpiece. Have some fun creating with this simple recipe

Ingredients For the gingerbread 250g unsalted butter 200g dark muscovado sugar 7 tbsp golden syrup 600g plain flour 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 4 tsp ground ginger To Decorate 2 egg whites 500g icing sugar Lots of different sweets and sprinkles

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a large bowl, then stir in the butter mixture to make a stiff dough. If it won’t quite come together, add a tiny splash of water. Put a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and roll about one quarter of the dough to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out the shape of the side of the house, then slide the gingerbread, still on its baking paper, onto a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings, until you have two side walls, a front and back wall and two roof panels. Any leftover dough can be cut into Christmas trees or little gingerbread men, if you like. Bake all the sections for 12 mins or until firm and just a little darker at the edges. Leave to cool completely. Put the egg whites in a large bowl, sift in the icing sugar, then stir to make a thick, smooth icing. Spoon into a piping bag with a medium nozzle. Pipe generously along the wall edges, one by one, to join the walls together. Use a small bowl to support the walls from the inside, then allow to dry, ideally for a few hours before attaching the roof. Using the icing, stick sweets around the door and on the front of the house and draw window and door shapes with the remaining icing.

Festive Treats These festive treats will certainly bring a smile to little ones faces. Strawberry Santas Cut the fat end of your strawberry flat and take off the tip to create Santa’s hat. With the help of an adult, scoop out some strawberry from your larger piece. Then, using a can of squirty cream, fill the hole up and add a little extra on the top. Put on Santa’s hat and either top with a mini marshmallow or a little more cream and some chocolate sprinkles for his eyes.

Mallow Snowmen Thread three large marshmallows on to a skewer. Melt both white and milk chocolate. Add a drop of orange food colouring to the white chocolate to pain on a choloate carrot shaped nose. Paint on arms with the milk choolate. You could be really creative and add little sweets or sprinkles for eyes and buttons. Attach using a dab of white chocolate.

Gingerbread man pancakes You can use store bought pancakes here if you wish, or whip up a homemade batch adding a little cinnamon and ginger to the pancake mix. Using a man shaped cookie cutter, cut a man out of a pancake. on a seperate pancake spread some chocolate or biscoff spread and layer you other pancake on top. Now is the fun part! Raid that sprinkles box for anything that resembles eyes, nose, buttons, or whatever you fancy using to dress up your gingerbread man and enjoy! Who said you can’t play with your food?

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING

PARENTING DIARIES PREGNANCY IN FRANCE

REAL LIFE STORIES

TIA MALCOLM

f you’ve ever been pregnant, you’ll know that all pregnancies are wildly different from one person to another, but the one contentious issue is that they can be good or bad, slow or fast, pain-free or hurt like hell. I must confess, and I wouldn’t generally condone this sort of action, but I really, really wanted a baby and so I stopped taking the pill without my husband’s knowledge! It was time and the years were slipping away! So, in February of 2016, I happily fell pregnant and my husband took it better than I expected! I was so excited but at the same time, so nervous because:

1. It was my first pregnancy and I had no clue what to expect. 2. I was suddenly pregnant in a foreign country, and I didn’t know any of the medical terms one would need to get through pregnancy! So off to the doctors I went, with an excited skip in my step! They advised me to make an appointment with the gynaecology clinic for my first scan, which would be in another 8 weeks. Life went on as usual and apart from feeling sick for about 10 minutes, everything seemed okay. Finally, the beginning of April arrived and I excitedly turned up to the appointment with my husband to hear the heartbeat for the first time. We waited and waited but unfortunately, it was not meant to be on this occasion. I had miscarried the baby at 10 weeks and had to go to the hospital there and then. They talked to me about what would happen and they gave me a pill to abort the pregnancy. Four hours later, despite a lot of discomfort, nothing had happened, so the following day, I went for a D&C. 52

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I know that if you have unfortunately experienced miscarriage, you may have felt just like me, that you had somehow caused the loss of the baby you were carrying. Was it because I had lied to my husband? Was it my age? Was it because I drank too much tea? Am I not meant to be a mother? The list was endless, and I needed to snap out of it because if I had not, I think I would still be sat on that sofa questioning and blaming myself to this day! I look back on this awful time and still wonder if I could have done something differently. If you have suffered a miscarriage and would like to talk to someone, there are various helplines available.

Counsellors in France www.counsellinginfrance.com This website has a list of different services to help in daily life. It was not until a few weeks after the miscarriage, when I started to talk to other women about it, that I realised I was not the only one, that miscarriage is quite a common occurrence. I often wonder why we do not talk more about it. We absolutely should talk about it because I thought it was a rare occurrence when it happened to me. The nurses involved were very compassionate and attentive, and they also offered me lots of advice on trying again. They said it should be a two-month process and that we needed to wait. OMG, do you know how long two months is when you are waiting? It was a bloody lifetime, but we listened to their advice and waited two months. By this time, I had downloaded an app to my phone that tracks ovulation. I had become a little obsessed with it all to be honest. I bought tons of books on how to conceive, what food I should be eating to stay healthy and I started to take folic acid. The two-month point arrived, and away we went. As you might say, back on the horse we got! I had to go to the UK for three weeks, to cover work in Devon and didn’t think of a possible pregnancy much. I lie. It was all I could think about.

Finally the day came when my phone app said I should be on my cycle! Mother Nature was a no show, my heart skipped a beat, but I didn’t want to get too excited! What if I hadn’t conceived and was just late? After all, it was only an app. So, I waited for a whole 24 hours before letting myself get too excited. Finally, morning came, and Mother Nature was missing. I had a massive grin on my face. Could I be? So that lunchtime, on my break, I went to the local supermarket to buy a pregnancy test and peed on the stick with so much hope. OMG, did it happen? Tune in to Issue 5 to see if it happened or not.

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING

champagne season has arrived BY PAM GAGIANO

“Le Champagne ne se boit pas, il se déguste. Il ne faut pas l’avaler goulûment. On doit le déguster avec mesure dans des verres étroits, a gorgées espacées et réfléchies” Colette, French author (1873 - 1954) The Champagne terroir is less than 160km east of Paris and is made up of the Aube, Marne, Haute-Marne and Ardennes departments. Easy to get to by train and car, with the best time to visit being harvest time in autumn. Reims is the well-known capital of the region where one finds the houses of Piper-Heidsieck, Tattinger and Mumm. The really fabulous thing about Champagne is, there really doesn’t have to be any particular ‘special occasion’ to enjoy a glass, or a bottle for that matter, of this very special nectar! So, every day can be a Champagne day........TODAY is the occasion.... life, love, sorrow, family, friendships, travelling or just ‘being’....... any time is perfect for this fabulous bubbly beverage. “Champagne” is a protected name and only sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region can be called Champagne. Not only this, it must also be made from the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier or Chardonnay grapes which are grown in the Champagne region, which accounts for 99.7% of the region’s grapes. Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Arbanne and Petit Meslier vines are also found here but are very sparse in number. Champagne has to get it’s bubbles by going through a second fermentation, in the bottle, after the first fermentation which is done in the barrel. 54

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There are 320 AOC districts in Champagne, which is divided into the five wine producing districts. These are Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sezanne, Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne. Reims and Epernay are the commercial centres of the area. Reims has a most beautiful cathedral which was the venue for all the French kings’ coronations and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region has survived many military invasions. The marauding armies would help themselves on their way through, resulting in the region becoming well known as a quality wine producing area ever since the early Middle Ages! The main grapes grown in Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, the latter being the most widely planted variety in Aube and Montagne de Reims. Pinot Meunier is the most favoured grape in Vallée de la Marne whilst the Côtés des Blancs is solely Chardonnay.

With barely 1650 hours of sunshine and an annual mean temperature of around 11 deg C, it is difficult for the grapes to ripen fully. These cool temperatures help to produce the acidity, freshness and crispness that Champagne requires. The soil is predominantly limestone, in particular chalk, which has excellent water retention properties enabling a regular water supply favourable for producing high quality grapes.

The making of Champagne, is in most cases, a complex blending of wine which is called ‘cuvée’, which indicates that the wine contains the first pressed and best quality grape juice, combining some strengths from each vineyard and various vintages. Around 90 percent of the champagnes are a blend of 2/3 red grapes to 1/3 Chardonnay. Very few are 100 percent Chardonnay, which are your blanc de blanc and even fewer are 100 percent red grapes, which are the blanc de noir. Rosé champagne is mostly made from a blend of red and white grapes. The Pinot Noir likes the cool climate and grows well in the chalky limestone soil. This grape adds structure, aroma and complexity. The Pinot Meunier gives fruitiness and florals whilst the Chardonnay gives the afore mentioned crisp freshness and acidity required for a Champagne.

“Come quickly .... I’m tasting stars!” - Dom Perignon

The harvest in Champagne usually takes place in September, but it is very much dependant on the weather, with provisional dates being determined in June. This is an excellent time to go on a tour of Champagne where one can experience the life of the wine maker and the exciting and fascinating harvest time. At the end of the harvest in Champagne, a celebration is held, la Fête du Cochelet, which has marked the end of the harvest since the Middle Ages! 55

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This feast features a table, laden with historical dishes of the local terroir and includes sausages and lentils, a stewed calf’s head or two and the famous Potée Champenoise, which is a meat (pork), bean and vegetable delight served on huge platters. It’s an enormously festive occasion in true French style with music, singing and dancing. The patron saint of cellar staff and the workers in the region is St Jean. There are some lovely stories surrounding the making of champagne, which brings to mind the legend of Dom Perignon (1638 - 1715), an almost blind Benedictine monk, who was treasurer and cellar master at the Hautvilliers Abbey.

He fretted over the fact that the wine they produced at the abbey was a bit insipid and pale and the King was favouring the wine from the neighbouring Bourgogne (Burgundy) region. Of course, as mentioned earlier, due to the cold climate, the fermentation process paused over the winter months and re-awakened in the warming spring, which resulted in the bubbles! The bubbles (bulles) did not please the brothers, so the cellar master attempted to alter the chemistry by blending several types of grapes and removing the skins. This led to the art of blending, however the wine still carried on with the fermentation after the bottling. With the bottles exploding all over the cellar, it was considered ‘une catastrophe’! Dom Perignon persevered and found he was enjoying the new lighter, bubbly wine. He experimented by using heavier glass and changing the shape of the bottle, he realised that the hemp and oil stoppers were now the problem and so ordered cork stoppers from Spain......this saved the abbeys’ reputation and the King and his court were absolutely delighted!

Dom Perignon tasting notes: Dom is always a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As a young champagne it is fruity, creamy and smooth. It develops over time with layers of complexity. Each blend of Dom always includes grapes from the original vineyard at the abbey, which is classed as Premier Grand Cru fruit. 56

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING cellar master started rotating the bottles by a little bit every day. This procedure is called ‘riddling’ and is still done today by the various Champagne houses.

Dom will always be a vintage Champagne, which means every bottling contains grapes from a single year with longer ageing times which gives the complexity and finesse for which it is known. Each vintage is aged for a minimum of 7 years. Dom Perignon P2 Plenitude Brut is a late release vintage cuvée, aged for 15 years in the cellar. Superb aromas of citrus and brioche with a lively and vibrant palate of peaches and oranges with a well-balanced creamy nuttiness lingering in the month.

The house of Clicquot perfected the procedure of disgorgement which involves uncorking the bottles during the second fermentation to dislodge the yeast which accumulates in the bottles. The bottles are stored neck down so the yeast settles in the neck, thereby facilitating the disgorgement when the cork is removed, the pressure expels the sediment from the bottle. An expert ‘disgorger’ then immediately replaces the cork without losing any of the champagne! Todays ‘methode champenoise’ is the culmination of these centuries old practices. The authentic French way of blending the grapes, the fermentation in bottles, the riddling and disgorgement of the sediment, these procedures, if strictly followed, give the right to using the expression ‘methode champenoise’ on their labels.

I have had the good fortune of enjoying this superb Champagne. Highly recommended! Moet & Chandon bought the brand name in 1937 and is today part of the LVMH empire.

The Veuve Clicquot tasting notes: Lemon/lime on the nose, lemon, vanilla and floral notes of apple with a mineral freshness, the richness of brioche and spice with a nutty finish. Délicieux! Almost a century went by before a young widow, Nicole Clicquot, started enhancing the fermentation process. She was just 27 when her husband passed away and taking over the ‘House’ was forced upon her. Thus, ‘The Veuve (widow) Clicquot’ came about. In an attempt to lessen the amount of bubbles in the unopened bottles, the

Here’s to a verry merry Christmas and a happy new year

Cheers, Pam x 57

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Tis the season to be jolly…

Canapés, Nibbles & Finger Food What better to serve with your festive cocktails or champagne than yummy canapés. I just love a party and the preparation that goes with into making it something really special! What better time to celebrate than now in the run up to Christmas and the holiday season? A canapé is a type of hors d’œuvre. It’s usually, as with finger foods and nibbles, bite sized morsels of deliciousness, generally made up of a base (small round of bread/toast, small Yorkshire puddings, crackers, vegetables (cucumber rounds, mushrooms, peppers etc) or pastry, wrap topped with a topping of your choice and garnished. Toppings are normally savoury such as meat, cheese, cream cheese, fish/shellfish, caviar, foie gras, savoury butters and pâtes. Spicy toppings are some sort of relish, curried fish or meat. Sweet/dessert canapés of figs or other preserved fruit, custard tartlets, fruit mince pies, small pots of chocolate mousse, mini doughnuts are some of the ideas that can delight you and your guests. The bread base can be toasted or fried until crispy, drained then built up with the topping of your choice. It’s essential to plan and have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to be assembled at the right time, remembering a bread and cracker base will go soggy if assembled too early! No one likes a ‘soggy bottom’!

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I love planning ‘substantial snacks and canapés’ and whether I have enlisted the help of a caterer for à larger gathering (pre covid) or making canapés for apéro, I feel the excitement building up, which culminates in seeing the delight on my guests faces. Christmas time, our staples are fresh oysters served in the shell, smoked salmon on cream cheese and blinis, mini burgers, roasted chicken drumsticks, foie gras, stuffed portobello mushrooms and prunes wrapped in bacon and grilled. There are of course crostini topped with tomato salsa or roasted grape and goats cheese toasts or rare roast beef and horseradish cream, sesame prawn balls or perhaps pea and mint croustades, cheese straws, a platter of crudité and accompanying dips and a cheese board. Blinis with a walnut, stilton and beetroot topping, too delicious! One can stuff dates with almonds or à cheese and nut stuffing. Quail’s eggs with celery salt and stuffed hen’s eggs. A few dips of houmous, guacamole, baba ghanoush and a herby cheese are also a great addition, not to mention à shot glass of gazpacho or Bloody Mary! Nowadays its ‘de rigueur’ to serve platters of sushi and sashimi and there is a large and fabulous choice available. Satay sticks with a peanut dip and vol au vents filled with creamy mushrooms or smoked salmon and asparagus or mini ham and vegetable tartlets, ‘amuse-bouche’ spoons filled with bacon wrapped Coquille St-Jacques, miniature portions of pork belly or pear with honey and gorgonzola and a pissaladiere can ensure your guests are happy and well fed. Hopefully this will inspire and help you with the planning of your apéro or drinks party this holiday season and beyond. Have a blessed, happy and peaceful season. Bon appétit Pam x

MAGAZINE

SIMPLY FESTIVE DRINKS

The Mince Chai Dirty Martini Bold London Spirit is shaken with Bitter Truth Pimento Dram, gingerbread syrup, chai tea syrup, pressed apple juice, egg white, citric acid & Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

Dirty Mince Chai Martini 60

MAGAZINE

SIMPLY FESTIVE DRINKS

The Bellringer A shot of Amaretto Disaronno is mixed with cranberry juice & blood orange syrup, then topped with Prosecco or Champagne to make a refreshingly fruity, fizz cocktail.

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MAGAZINE

SIMPLY FESTIVE DRINKS

The White Christmas An adult version of milk and cookies! Mix a shot of Rum Chata, a shot of vanilla Vodka and top with sweetened condensed milk.

White Christmas 62

MAGAZINE

SIMPLY FESTIVE DRINKS

Cognac King 2 shots of Cognac, 1 shot of creme de cacao and a shot of double cream and this tipple will have you feeling very festive. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg to serve

Cognac King 63

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The Hostess with the Mostest Are you looking for some new drinks to make a wonderful contribution to your festive table? You can easily debut some classy cocktails, mocktails or mellow punches to usher in that seasonal spirit. Food writer, chef and recipe developer Ingrid Burling offers inspiration.

round 20 years ago, I started serving a ‘Cocktail du Jour’ instead of an aperitif to my guests. They certainly served their purpose, getting the conversation flowing and ushering in many a silly dinner party. Playing with the classics is an easy way to start, so let your imagination guide you to some new culinary experiences.

Blueberry Mint Julep:

Hazelnut Snowflake:

Crush frozen blueberries, brown sugar and mint leaves to form an unctuous compôte. Drop crushed ice into a glass with a waistline, add the compôte and a shot of whisky then top up with ginger ale. Decorate with mint and berries.

Pour advocaat, brandy, frangipani, hazelnut liqueur and vodka over ice. Top up with heavy cream and soda, then decorate with whipped cream. Heaven has arrived!

There is nothing nicer than getting a bit merry at Xmas with friends and family around the fireside and enjoying a wonderful party. These cocktails are bound to work their magic on your guests. Some of them are really quite boozy and contain a deceptive amount of alcohol. Steady as you go!

Playing with the classics Below is my take on the American classic, the Virginia Mint Julep. I first served this at one of several 12-hour banquets with our neighbours. Having partaken of brunch at 11am, guests arrived at 2pm, ready for their starters and cocktails. Many courses were served – one every 90mins or so – with games in the garden in between, then hot chocolate at midnight and reluctant departures at 2am. They were wonderful fun, and best of all, we did not have to drive anywhere afterwards. Note to self: must restart these.

Christmas humdingers

Tropical Winter:

A refreshing and most elegant affair, the Blueberry Mint Julep combines blueberries, sugar, mint, whisky and ginger ale.

Butterscotch syrup, brown melted sugar, brandy, coconut liqueur and coconut cream. Shake the first four ingredients and pour over crushed ice. Top with coconut cream and a swirl of cream.

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The Strawberry Milkshake:

The Drifting Monk:

This makes a pint of cocktail, tastes like a Wimpy Bar milkshake and lasts a dainty woman all evening, but you can’t possibly drive after this. Blend advocaat, blackcurrant cordial, whisky, southern comfort, vodka and gin and pour over crushed ice. Top up with lemonade, shake and serve with striped straws. For the low-alcoholic version just use the advocaat, cordial, ice and lemonade.

brown sugar, coffee powder, caramel syrup, ginger syrup, cream, overproof vodka and ice cream. Melt the sugar, coffee, and syrups in 1 tbsp hot water to form a concentrate. Pour the alcohols into a tall glass, add the concentrate, stir and add the cream. Decorate this with vanilla ice cream and stem ginger.

Thoroughly Modern Millie: this flapper girl likes her beer, but wants it demure. Cover strawberries with a handful of sugar and a shot of brandy. Leave overnight in a covered bowl. The next day, place some of the mixture in a beer tankard, and top up with frothy blond beer. Serve with a pink straw. Not so ascetic: this Drifting Monk likes a spicy and deceptively alcoholic melange of coffee, cream, ginger and overproof vodka.

warmed chunky mugs or beer glasses decorated with a slice of lemon. The flavour should be spiced, mellow and slightly dry. Non-alcoholic version: follow the same recipe, but add more ginger and replace the whisky with clear apple juice.

Dappled Apple: brown sugar, caramel syrup, apple juice, cider and caramelised apple slices. Dip some thick apple slices in sugar and lay them on a silicone baking sheet. Blowtorch them until they are golden and allow them to cool. Warm all the other ingredients and pour into a glass. Decorate with an apple slice or two. Serve with feta, and walnuts that have been pickled in balsamic vinegar and lots of brown sugar. Who doesn’t like a hot toddy? The Dappled Apple presents caramel, brown sugar and

Punches Sometimes a warming winter drink is just what you need to provide comfort at the end of a long day or to hand to your guests when they have just driven through the snow to get to your house. For me, punches should be warm, mellow, and well-spiced. If they taste of caramel or fruit, this transports me to very happy place indeed.

Santa’s Sledge:

Something for the girl about town: the Thoroughly Modern Millie is a delectable concoction of strawberries, sugar, brandy and beer.

This is a manly mixture of fruit and booze for the Santa in your life. Orange juice, pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, melted brown sugar, 1 inch of freshly chopped ginger and whisky. Warm the ingredients, adjust to taste, strain and serve in pre-

warm cider in a very moreish union. A perfect partner for s’mores. My next article will be about comforting food to sustain you in the depths of Winter. In the meantime, wherever you are, and however you choose to celebrate, have a blessed, merry Xmas and a glorious New Year – and may there be many more.

The Travelling Kitchener SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING

Life between Belgium and the South of France often leads to adventures en route and making a meal from whatever is left in the fridge. Philippa Gratton does it in style and takes us with her on her travels.

A Covid Christmas

’ll be honest, why wouldn’t I? We don’t really have a traditional Christmas anymore. It’s always pot luck who turns up. With parents too old to travel or entertain, we stopped going to the UK for the festivities quite a few years ago. It’s cold and wet and the roads going up to the North East of England are awful. The last time we had a family Christmas was in 2018 in our house in France when we were joined by my daughter’s family, my son and his girlfriend and our lovely friends from the local chateau.

Son and partner couldn’t travel from London and in any case, it was her parents turn. When they grow up and have partners, we embrace the new situation but have to learn to share. It was the same situation for my daughter in Switzerland, it being the turn for them to entertain the in-laws. We see them plenty during the year and it’s often more fun to enjoy the good weather together. We began the preparations around the middle of December, getting into the festive season, ably abetted by a few bottles of fizz, the tree went up.

The sophisticated decor that is our hallmark. It was lots of fun, warm and sunny, and a great day. 2020 About turn!

An adult menu planned for two. In the event, we were the only ones in the family who got the Christmas they expected. My son had ordered a very nice goose and some wine from his wine club, to be delivered to his partner’s parents. My daughter had made the mince pies and stuffed turkey roll for her parents in-law from the UK… and then lockdown struck. No travelling! Son in London cursed his goose and dashed out for the last duck and my daughter, heaving a sigh of relief en Suisse, opened a bottle of Crémant de Bourgogne to mourn the fact that with four kids, they could have chicken nuggets, chips and pizza… I got on with our Christmas menu for two. Celebrations here in Belgium and in France really start the Réveillons de Noel, Christmas Eve. This is often an occasion for les plateaux de fruits de mer, fish dishes. I contented myself with a prawn and fennel bisque as entrée.

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING It’s basically a bisque made from fennel, prawns, their shells and a good fish stock. I used the liquor from moules marinière. It looks special with a swirl of cream, a couple of sautéed prawns and a sprinkling of dill.

As soon as night falls, we break open the bubbly and make the table complete with very sophisticated Christmas crackers.

With the venison, Dr Dick chased the moths out of his wine cellar and served a Château La Lagune 2009.

A small sole, pan fried and served with lemon butter caper sauce, asparagus and croquettes de pomme de terre made a relatively light main course.

A dessert of poached pears, homemade vanilla ice cream, butterscotch sauce and pistachios brought up the rear. Have to leave room for tomorrow…still the Big Day for us Belgo-Brits! December 25th …We took the opportunity for a walk in the countryside before tackling dinner. When à deux, we have Christmas dinner in the evening, the appeal of food, drink and jollity during the day is lost, feasting just sends us to sleep.

For the entrée, still on a fish theme, I made scallops Saint Jacques on creamy cauliflower purée with charred florets and curry oil. All can be made in advance apart from searing the scallops, but there’s no way I would do this for a family Christmas, I like to be hands off and prepared, no last minute stuff for me when entertaining after a few glasses

Followed by roast fillet of venison, red wine sauce, cranberry apples and gratin dauphinoise.

We finished off…well he did, I never got that far, with The Hairy Bikers individual Christmas pudding ice creams and butterscotch sauce. It’s from their Christmas book.

December 26th…We enjoyed the last of the venison, thinly sliced and served ‘tagliata’ style with rocket, parmesan shavings, lemon dressing and truffle oil. I bet you’ll find some frites lurking somewhere and homemade mayo, making the best of our meat leftovers. Now it was decision time. Do we stay here by ourselves in cold, wet Belgium or do we brave the autoroutes, covid testing, no hotels and all of the formal paperwork for travelling into France? We took down all of the decorations, (after all, who wants to see them in February?) and bundled ourselves into the car with a lasagna for en route overnight in a little apartment. It was a pity I had a square lasagne as we did think that the promised oven was more than just a microwave! The Massif Central was very difficult. Lots of snow and lots of cars without winter tyres being pulled off by the police. But when we arrived in the Hérault the sun was shining, we lit a nice fire and began thinking about what we were not going to be doing at New Year. 67

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Vegan Christmas A Special Dietary Christmas - Come as you are!

veryone deserves a great festive meal at Christmas, doesn’t matter the dietary issue, but it can be hell on earth for a host to be faced with, having to cook several dishes for one course! So for this feature, I am sticking to recipes that are all, meat, dairy and gluten free! It is the easiest way to approach those complicated holiday entertaining moments I feel, after all Christmas isn’t all about being tied to the kitchen! Lets start with a Christmas Eve curry!

Chickpea Coconut Curry in a hurry! 2 tins of chickpeas drained 2 large shallots finely diced A good handful of spinach Half a squash diced small Fresh or dried coriander and parsley 2 tablespoons of curry paste 1 fresh chilly diced A squeeze of two of lime 100 mls of coconut water 150 mls of vegan friendly veg stock (make sure it is GF friendly too) 100 mls of coconut cream Thai sticky rice to serve This is a one-pot dish, all in together in a large deep pan! Cooke for 30 minutes on a medium to low heat until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy. Serve with rice and lime wedges! For the meat and or fish eaters you could add pre cooked died chicken, tofu or prawns right at the end! This really is a one size fits all dish!

Aubergine Bruscetta Starter Slice your aubergine lengthways, brush with a little garlic oil, then top with pesto, olives, tomatoes, vegan cashew cheese mixed with Gf sour dough crumbs and fresh basil! Grill and serve!

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Dairy Free & Vegan Alternatives When a recipe uses yogurt:- for marinades or dips etc

Substitute for Coconut yoghurt. If its a baked recipe, you can use apple sauce.

When a recipe uses butter:- dependant on the dish there are various alternatives

Avocado Tahini Coconut Butter Almond Butter Olive Oil

When a recipe uses milk:- there is a range of alternatives

Oat Milk Rice Milk Hemp Milk Nut Milk Coconut Milk

When a recipe uses cheese - or if you just fancy some.

Cashew Cheese Almond milk Cheese Soy based cheese (not 100% vegan)

When a recipe uses yogurt:- for marinades or dips etc

When a recipe uses Egg:-there are a number of great alternatives

Pureed Tofu Ground Flax Seed Banana Vinegar & Baking Soda 69

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Brocolli Soup Starter Steam two heads of broccoli and blitz with a little roasted garlic oil and a dollop of pesto. Add hot vegetable stock and finish off with coconut creme fresh!

Cranberry Muffins 1 cup GF SR Flour 1 cup Almond Flour 2 tsp of baking powder (GF) 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup of maple syrup ¾ cup of coconut oil ½ cup of fresh orange juice ½ a cup of apple sauce Ring of one orange 1 teaspoon of all spice (optional) 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries Another All in one method! Mix all ingredients together, pour the batter ¾ way up your prepared muffins tins and bake in a medium oven for 15/20 mins! These are great served as a desert with coconut cinnamon ice cream!

Easy Christmas Sides for all I would suggest roast potatoes (do not use animal fat) and a colourful Ratatouille! Festive Gravy V GF DF Cook up 100 g chestnut mushrooms in a glass of white wine, garlic, a little water, onions, 1 starchy potato, soy sauce and seasoning. in a deep pan and let it reduce and blitz the mixture in the processor. You can add winter herbs and spices and even a dollop of cranberry sauce to sweeten! 70

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Tofu Stuffing Roll This one you should practice before hand and it saves in the freezer well! 800 g of tofu mixed smoked and plain 1/2 of GF flour 2 eggs or Flaxseed for Pepper Blitz in the processor to crumb not paste, then press onto prepared cling film on a tray and fridge. Make a stuffing with GF crumbs, mushrooms, sage, onions, herbs, spices, seasoning, egg or flaxseed, cornstarch and a little lemon zest. Blitz in your processor. Spread the stuffing on your tofu and roll tight. Coat the roll with a mix of oil, mustard nuts, egg*, turmeric, honey and seeds. Bake for 1 hour. Cool a little and slice.

Vegan Gateau Noix Noel            

200 g beetroot, cooked diced fine 200 g butter melted and cooled 200 g sugar 2 tbsp vanilla sugar 1 tsp of vanilla extract 1 pinch salt 5 eggs (M) or 2 bananas/ flaxseed 200 g flour GF 2 tsp baking powder GF 2 loaded tsp of mixed spice 80 g ground walnuts 200 g walnuts, chopped (save some for the top)  70 g chocolate chips  coconut milk, if required to loosen Decorate with homemade vegan/GF Christmas chocolate shapes! Again, a super all in one and you can grind your own walnuts in a coffee grinder if need be. Bake for 30 mins in a preheated medium heat oven.

Have a very Merry Vegan Christmas 71

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Xmas Treats

Diana Phillips talks us through her family Christmas treats list. Whats your favourite festive treat?

Christmas is definitely the time for lots of treats, and by treats, I mean things we don’t have during the year, at least not regularly. I asked my grandchildren what their treats would be and back came the answer, chocolate money, sugar mice and bubbles to blow! It got me thinking about the treats I used to find hidden in my stocking on Christmas morning, orange, chocolate money, sugar mouse, and a silly toy. Christmas stockings today are so very different, for a start they are rarely extra large socks, more often pillowcases!

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING Treats come in many shapes and sizes, my luxury treats would include a new gin to try, wonderful handmade dark chocolates that I might share, some extra soft socks, new slippers, and my favourite bubble bath. Of course, I would also add a new book, a cookery one and one to curl up in a chair to read (mind you, I do enjoy reading cookery books too). I never understood my late mum’s pleasure of reading cookery books until a few years ago, sorry mum, you weren’t as mad as I thought back then!

My daughter’s treats always include the current Take That and Gary Barlow calendars! Plus a new gin to add to her growing collection, a new perfume, maybe a new item of clothing, boots or shoes. To my mind, she deserves many treats,

His treats are slightly different, a new whisky to sample, the usual large jar of dark chocolate buttons, socks and possibly a new bit of technology! It’s the simple things.

I also like to spoil friends with a treat at this time of year; a jar of homemade chutney or marmalade often hits the spot. I have knitted woolly hats too! In fact, a treat is really a way to show someone you are thinking of them and want to make their day.

I also try to find something suitable for the two feline members of the family; they always have their own version of Christmas dinner to munch, plus a couple of toys. But just like small children, they enjoy racing around the house playing with rolled up sweet papers, the shinier the better.

My normal treat list would include someone else peeling the bucket of potatoes ready for the festive meal! Our family devour so many crispy, crunchy roasties that it takes quite a lot to satisfy them. The grandchildren also demand Yorkshire puddings, fluffy and all puffed up. Hurray for the double oven my daughter has so we can fire them up for the ‘Roasties and Porkies’. Another treat would be to have the oven cleaned for me . . .!

Have a very merry Christmas from the Phillips household across the pond in Hampshire.

Diana x

SI MPLY FRENC H LIVING

BUSINESS Staying safe online is getting harder and harder with hackers becoming much better at getting hold of your information. Tia Malcolm walks us through the best ways to keep your information secure when shopping online this Christmas.

STAYING SAFE ONLINE I am lucky, I have not been cloned or hacked, but then I am a very suspicious lady, and if it is too good to be true, it generally is. So, here are some tips taken from ‘WHICH’ magazine to help you stay safe while shopping online this festive season.

Step one: Always ensure that your PC has secure firewall and security software; this software is very important, making your computer impenetrable. Step two: Passwords are essential and need to be strong. It is kind of like building a fortress around all of your information. The stronger the wall, the less likely it is to fall. Step three: Make sure you always connect to a secure site and use a familiar site that starts with the http and has the lock icon closed. Step four: Never use free Wi-Fi and always make sure you connect via a private VPN (virtual private network).

The ‘WHICH’ website is an excellent tool to help you stay safe online, they helped 1.8 million people with advice to resolve online shopping issues and with understanding their legal rights. I hope you have found this article helpful. Please remember to stay safe, and if it is too good to be true, walk away or close the window. Stay safe

Tia x

Step five: Don’t always trust a good review on a shopping site. Most companies today will give out freebies so that people will leave a 5-star review. Do your research. If it has too many 5-star reviews, ask yourself why and be wary, because we all know, not everyone will like the products and perfect doesn’t exist. Also, check the negative reviews to see if there’s a common fault with the product. Step six: Watch out for those pesky scammers. Between April 2020 and March 2021, online shopping scams were up 65% from the year before, with a whopping £69.9 million lost to fraudsters. Be careful of deals on facebook market places and social media. If you are going to buy from eBay or Amazon, always check the seller’s profiles out, and the warning signs to watch out for are foreign sellers locations, strange businesses names and lack of content details. Step seven: Try to avoid buying fake products that haven’t been appropriately tested, they can sometimes cause you harm. Step eight: Getting the very best deal is quite hard, so do some research. During the Black Friday deals, 98% of products remained the same price or were cheaper in the six months after, so there’s really no need to rush to buy that special gift after all.

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Q&A WITH... Each month, we have a sit down with a business owner to find out a little about them, their business, products and why France! This month we chat with Susan, who has been a dear friend of mine for many years, so when it can to someone designing my wedding jewellery, it naturally had to be her! Q: What brought you to France? A: I came for a better life and a slower pace. My daughter was 6 months old when I moved here and now she’s 18! Q: Why did you chose too the deux serves? A: I live in the Charente It was the only place I visited in France and I knew I was going to live here after 1 night! Q: how long have you been doing wire wrapping? A: I first attempted wrapping or some form of it 15 years ago and gave up pretty quickly! I restarted in 2018 and it’s taken a few years to get to a point of selling my work. Q: Where did you get your knowledge about gems and precious stones? A: As an Intuitive, i find that the knowledge is within me. Q: Did you find it difficult to start? A: Yes! With wire, if you make an error, most of the time you have to start again. With silver plated wire, one slip...! Q: Where did you learn your craft? A: Mainly online, there’s a huge amount of information out there! Q: What’s your next jewellery adventure? A: Wedding tiaras, learning to solder and rings! They are very tricky but I have some beautiful faceted rock quartz to use. Q: What is the business called and how did you decide on the name? A: I called it Fille de la Lune because I feel very connected to the moon. Q: Where will you be able to purchase your beautiful jewellery?

A: At the moment, people can email me on sbgahan@icould.com or follow me on Instagram @soosiesuz. You can purchase my work direct from Le Nid Des Artistes in Massignac. A beautiful place where artisans can sell their work, you can have coffee and cake too! https://www.facebook.com/Le-nid-desartistes-431131727689583/ Q: What’s your favourite piece of jewellery to make? A: My intuitive bracelets. I love making them. I’m in love with blue opal at the moment due to the fact it reminds me of the sky. I love seeing my pieces on people and bumped into someone wearing a pair of earrings I made and I thought “why haven’t I made more of them?” I will be making lots of earrings in the coming weeks. Q: Has Brexit and the duties affected you? A: Yes. I cannot continue to order from a company I’ve used for years in the U.K. This has also affected sales and sending jewellery there. If it is over a certain amount, I cannot send it due to the customer paying fees when they receive it. Q: What inspires you? A: Everything! My children are a constant source of inspiration and amusement! Q: What do you love about France? A: The slower pace of life, the weather and cheese! I love cheese...I think a lot of people know that. Susan’s jewellery would make an amazing Christmas gift. Why not take a look at her page for that special someone in your life. 75

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EDITORS PROPERTY PICK THIS MONTH WE BRING YOU A SELECTION OF MAGICAL CHATEAU'S FOR SALE ACROSS FRANCE

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www.french-property.com Chateau in Béthune , Pas-de-Calais , Nord Pas de Calais Magnificent private mansion of 765m2 Ref A08847 €2,598,000 £2,212,795

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Chateau in Melay , Haute-Marne , Champagne Ardenne A beautiful, historic, building dating back to 1644 Ref 109988JBA52 €299,000 £254,667

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www.france.businessesforsale.com Chateau in Carcassonne , Aude , Languedoc Roussillon Remarkably rare 12th-Century Château Ref A09652 €989,000 £842,361

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Chateau in Vauchoux , Haute-Saône , Franche Comte A Chateau from the beginning of the 18th century Ref 117193JBA70 €680,000 £579,176

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Chateau in Cambayrac , Lot , Midi Pyrenees Castle with 10 bedrooms, sold furnished, with swimming pool Ref 93722NK46H €795,000 £677,125

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Chateau in Cotignac , Var , Provence Cote d Azur Magnificent 14th century Chateau completely renovated Ref 109192GWI83 €2,950,000 £2,512,604

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www.orpi.com Chateau in Condom , Gers , Midi Pyrenees Magnificent Château In A Beautiful Region Ref A09664 €1,365,000 £1,162,611

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Chateau in Trélissac , Dordogne , Aquitaine Superb 16th century property very close to Perigueux Ref A06452 €631,578 £537,934

Chateau in Draillant , Haute-Savoie , French Alps 2876008 Magnificent 14th century Chateau completely renovated Ref A08507 €3,065,000 £2,610,552

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Chateau in Termes-d’Armagnac , Gers , Midi Pyrenees Superb 18th century chartreuse with a view of The Pyrenees Ref A06996 €875,000 £745,264

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