By Jemma: It’s all about the ants. I’ve never forgotten the advice from one of my earliest writing teachers. You can go on a glorious picnic – the food, conversation, and the weather all perfection – but you have no story until the ants arrive. They invade your blanket and …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: I couldn’t write this post until things had been resolved – or mostly resolved, as the case would be. Even then, I didn’t know if I should bother. It’s France. Everyone expects home maintenance problems. And how can anything be a problem, really, if we’re talking …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: French Lessons has survived a summer that one local friend dubbed “un agenda de ministre.” Even for us non-government ministers, the French expression seemed an appropriate way to characterize our schedule in a country where public spending(as a % of GDP) continues, shall we say, to …

Contributor blog post by  Jemma: French Lessons has stumbled on Hogwarts School of Miraculous Strings, and it’s right here in the heart of the Côte d’Azur.  How surprised and charmed – and humbled – we are . . . “The cello matter is more complicated than I thought,” a local friend emailed …

Contributor blog post by French Lessons Blog: French Lessons welcomes Rachael for the second year running as our annual guest contributor. Last summer she explained how she dealt with her impounded car at the local fourrière. This year her automotive theme continues, as does her – ahem – fast wit. A …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: Lolo and I stand on a sidewalk in the easygoing town of Juan-les-Pins. We’re debating. The store sounds young to me, like the name of an aspiring rap artist. At last, we open the glass door of Banana Moon. “Bonjour!”  I say to the shop’s sole …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: “Moi, je veux prendre le penne au pistou,” Lolo says to the waiter in fluent, properly French-accented French. Her order is no surprise. Pesto penne is one of my 13-year old’s favourites. The wiry waiter turns his gaze to Philippe, who sits beside me at …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: When we arrive in France’s Riviera this summer, Lolo doesn’t have a swimsuit. It’s not because she forgot to pack it. She simply doesn’t own one that fits. My new teenager is growing like the queues of passengers waiting for the next French train that’s actually …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: Let summer begin! It’s not just that the calendar has sailed past June 21, varyingly known as the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and France’s Fête de la Musique, when entire cities put on their dancing shoes. Non, another sign of summer – at …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: Lolo has adapted completely to Toronto’s time zone. Which would be brilliant news, except that she is still waking up in Antibes. Theoretically, my pre-teen could obliterate all jet lag as we close up our Côte d’Azur home, Bellevue, and leave this beloved region for more …