I wanted to find out how a girl from Alaska found herself designing couture corsets in Paris, and Loanna’s story is one of absolute determination and creativity. She told me that when she was twelve years old, she saw a program on haute couture with Karl Lagerfeld.
Justin and I sat quietly in the middle of the square and watched the sun rise as night became day over the Eiffel Tower. It was a moment I’ll never forget. As the birds started singing, we danced across Trocadero square and all I could think was wow, THIS is our home now…
It is impossible to imagine the City of Lights without its Eiffel Tower but few are aware how very close it came to not being there today.
At one end of Rue Principale a huge cauldron bubbles merrily stirred by a man on a ladder with a very long spoon. This is the local liqueur - the Licquoise - much loved by the huge crowds that have congregated close by. Close by a pen is filled with noisy birds - the famed turkeys await their big moment...
When a virgin arrived at the doors of the church at Verchin for her wedding the bell tower was so astonished that it leaned over to look and when it arose, it was twisted! It is said that the bell tower will only unwind if such a strange thing occurs a second time…
When I look back on it now, I really don’t know how I saw past the crappy tiled floor, the dire breeze block walls, the patches of damp and gaping holes in the roof, the corrugated iron roof and doors and the rickety ladder to the first floor…
“Translation is about recreating an experience you have reading, which necessarily means some kind of adaptation to get the reading pleasure across... I was frustrated in the translation because in English there are not nearly as many common words for wine barrel as there are in French.”
I could hardly believe my eyes as I drove through a huge archway and into a walled town. Montreuil-sur-Mer is encircled by high ramparts complete with a citadel, and is full of amazing old buildings and beautiful houses.
Along with most of the expats in the group, I had heard of Astérix, but knew nothing of any use to add to the passionate discussion that ensued. However, the French people seemed to know everything about this appealing character and his merry band and quoted him verbatim!
I live in Pas-de-Calais and I freely admit – we don’t have the heat of the south and we don’t have the vineyards of the Loire. We do have splendid beaches, ancient buildings, fabulous architecture, charming little villages and a cultural heritage that it would be hard to beat.
Come with us to experience French life beyond the cliché.
Magazine – Events – Experiences
Wherever you live, if you’re a francophile or French and you’d like to join our team of Contributors then we’d love to hear from you – check out our submissions page. We’re also constantly seeking savvy interns – please check on available internships
