Cottage & Countryside Living
a weekly journal from France
“Paris is always a good idea"- Audrey Hepburn
Bonjour!
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last news letter. Lots been happening here. This past week was our 14th wedding anniversary. So we decided to take a break from renovations and garden work and head to Paris to celebrate. It's only a 2.5 hr train ride from where we are in Normandy landing us at the Gard du Montparnasse in the 6th. This was the first time we have been back to Paris since 2015. So much has changed in this beautiful city yet so much has still stayed the same.
We stayed at a lovely little hotel on the Il St Louis- an island right in the center of the Seine River right near Notre Dame. With us only having a short time to stay in Paris, we decided to just take the day and walk about & enjoy the parks, neighborhoods, architecture, shops and of course cafes. Our favorite parts of Paris are the 6th & 7th. We've been to other parts but we found them a bit overcrowded even in the off-season. So staying in the 4th was a bit of an adventure yet we kept finding ourselves meandering back to our favorite spots that we knew & love.
For us, Paris is a walking city. Yes you can cab it or take the metro (super easy) but we love to walk it. It's a great way to discover a quaint little cafe or restaurant, a quirky little shop or some beautiful building off the beaten path. So that's exactly what we did....walk, walk and walk. It was an amazingly beautiful 2 days filled with sunshine, flowers & trees all in bloom, and fountains just starting to be filled. We would tuck into a cafe here and there for either a noisette pick-me-up, some nibbles or a bubbly libation. Of course I had to visit my 2 favorite macaron shops: Laduree and Pierre Hermes. (yes not all macarons are created equally) The hubby found a great little comic book shop in the 6th where we were able to grab a few bits for his collection. We found lots of cute shops that luckily ship so in case we don't make it back for a bit we can still have a bit of Paris sent to us in the countryside. We also took a very long stroll along the Seine. We find it the best way to get through the city without the crowds. Plus on a warmer day (which it was) the breeze off the Seine keeps you cooler.
We had a wonderful dinner at a quaint little bistro near our hotel and a lovely lunch at our favorite brasserie on Rue Cler the next day. Then it was back on the train to the countryside and the kitties. We are so fortunate to be able to head to Paris anytime we'd like. 24 hours was definitely not enough time and we are already trying to plan another visit. Most likely in the Fall as we have this cottage to finish up for holiday rentals, the new house to move into and the flower farm to get started.
We also have been busy with the renovation. I have been in wall repair/wallpaper hell removing all of the old popcorn ceiling style wallpaper off our MDF interior walls. Needless to say it has not been fun, my skin is itchy from the wood shavings and it takes a day for the walls to dry so I can then start the next step. But the end result has been worth it. We are still in limbo for the remainder of the kitchen due to the new window still not here. Hoping that it comes in the next week or 2 so we can get this completed. We have our first booking at the cottage at the beginning of June so everything needs to be completed for our guests arrival.
We also had the hubby’s appointment for his OFII physical. Because he is a UK citizen, he was required to have his done by a GP versus the government offices were mine was. It took us a bit to find him one but we found a very nice English speaking GP about an hour from the cottage that was accepting new patients in the lovely village of Balleroy-sur-Drôme. It’s a picturesque village with a beautiful chateau (sadly it was closed that day) so after the appointment we decided to meander a bit further north to the village of Bayeux.
This village was the first town liberated by the Allied troops in WWII. As you walk the streets you see a mix of medieval & modern buildings, quaint cafes and shops, and Parisian style homes. It is also home to the famous Bayeux Tapestry that depicts the Battle of 1066 where William the Conqueror of Normandy becomes the King of England. This is one of the many towns I’m taking my May tour group to during their week here in Normandy.
We have another busy week here working on the renovation, getting plants in & getting the garden situated, finishing up our taxes, and maybe actually getting the chickens (TBD). Plus adding more vintage finds to the online shop.
Hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!
À bientôt xo
Jenna
Sunday Saves
things that caught my eye this week…
Everything to plant in April – plus garden jobs to tick off for the month
‘I don’t wanna be French’: What’s with the viral anti-French trend on TikTok? Locally the French are getting a kick out of this. We have a grocery store chain that did a funny video of showing how good the food & wine is here while flaunting the “free healthcare card”. It was a good one LOL.
How France is still littered with unexploded bombs from the World Wars Living in Normandy this has definitely crossed my mind when working in the garden here at the cottage especially knowing the Battle of Mortain was a 10 min drive from here. The most I have found has been a golfball.
What I packed for my quick trip to Paris
Speaking of Paris, Diptyque’s City Candles are available again! But only until the 21st. Of course the Paris one is a favorite.
French April Fool’s Day Traditions (Poisson d’Avril)… a little late but still a good read :)
Everyday Parisian is having a birthday sale on her print shop. Use code BIRTHDAY to save $10 off your order.
This duvet cover from Antrhopologie is one I am considering for the guest cottage here in Normandy. (It’s currently 50% off!!!)
It’s strawberry season here in France. From desserts to the plants, strawberries are everywhere. I even saw listings of Facebook Marketplace for crates of them for as little as 15 euro. Here’s Everything you need to know about French strawberries.
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That blue pottery !!
I admire how you have a vision and actually do it !
Lovely newsletter & so descriptive. So excited for the May tour and seeing these Normandy (and surrounding) countryside! Also!! Impressed with all you have done at the cottage. Creating a flower farm too! So happy for you! See you in a few weeks!