Contributor blog post by Jeany Cronk @MirabeauWine  As we know well from having read Peter Mayle’s tale of life and construction in Provence, nothing (apart from buying baguettes and Rosé) is ever easy in this neck of the woods. We do forget that construction is mostly a nightmare, wherever you are …

A new Barefoot Blogger friend is moving to Uzes! Just like me, she’s tossing away most of her worldly possessions in the US and she’s starting all over in France. Unlike me, she has some familiarity with the French language. Never mind she had French in high school. At least …

When the Barefoot Blogger decided to run off to France, I learned the hard way how to do some of the basics: rent an apartment, open a bank account and obtain a visa. If you’re contemplating a move to France, hopefully some of this will help. If I can do …

There’s a special event being held next week to bring together women from across the area who want to promote their activities, whether they have a business or a club or a blog. Dynamic Rebecca Ronane recently launched Network Provence to reach out to local women.

Serengo is a new magazine being promoted in the Aix news kiosks for women over 50…and here’s the cover. I was rather amazed that the strapline to attract readers is Osteo-arthritis – 8 ways to calm the pain. Oh dear. By coincidence, after seeing this yesterday, I met Rebecca Ronane …

Buying Real Estate in France In London, the conversation during after-work drinks inevitably turns to house hunting frustrations. There is always someone drowning their sorrows after just having been outbid at the last minute. No surprise that the English adopted the satisfyingly resonant Yiddish expression gezumph to name the devastating …

Tip Nº 1 – Viewings and Negotiations House purchase negotiations are a delicate process anywhere in the world. Tempers quickly flare, and communications can break down because of misunderstandings or hurt feelings. When you don’t speak French fluently and don’t know the ins and outs of French customs and the …

Whether you are a visitor or a resident in France, you may need to visit a post office. The system is surprisingly efficient given the fact that it is operated by a heavily unionized workforce. La Poste does offer a large number of services online –  here is the website. …

You don’t know how many times the Barefoot Blogger has to pinch herself to believe she is really living in France. It’s more than a dream come true. It’s pure heaven. It’s not fair to brag about what a good time I’m having, but … just saying. Take a look …

Friends ask “how’s your life in France.” Yes, it’s very different from my life in the States. Some of the simplest things in France are the most unusual and most complicated. Here are just a few of the differences. 1 Cemeteries Cemeteries in France are above the ground 2 Stairs …