Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today. Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.14.a - La Curiosité Est Contagieuse“ - a huge edition! It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 11.4.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”

Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) Rocamadour: The wonder of Fromage – unveiling one French cheese at a time
by Emily Monaco

“Enter any French cheese shop, especially in spring, and you’ll notice that the chèvre section is particularly robust.

Producers of fresh goat cheeses make them all over France and in all shapes and sizes, from the truncated pyramid of Valençay to the suggestive Sein de Nounou (nanny’s breast), from the imposing 1-kilogram Gabarre to teeny Pélardons, Picodons, and Crottins de Chavignol, all of which would easily fit in your pocket.

But of all of them, Rocamadour may well be the tiniest. At just 35 grams, it’s one of the smallest AOP cheeses, but it looms large in terms of its crowd-pleasingly nutty flavor and uniquely oozy texture…” writes Emily Monaco.

Read the full story→

Leave a comment

b) Say It First: A love letter to “bonjour”
by Victorine Lamothe

Sometimes, I like to think it sounds like a cat purring—low and rumbling, especially at the end, where that deep-in-your-throat French R rolls like velvet. Other times, it’s lighter: two soprano syllables that lift into the air like gossamer.”

I’m talking, of course, about the word bonjour: the French word for “hello.”

I’ve never properly counted how many times I say it in a day, but it must be at least ten. That’s hundreds, maybe thousands, of bonjours each year. It’s the sound that separates silence from an encounter. It’s the tiny ceremony of recognition. When I open the door to a boutique in Paris—the creak of the hinge, the tinkle of a bell, the click-clack of shoes against tile—it’s the bonjour that makes me visible to the shopkeepers. Sometimes I say it first; other times the employee does. But whoever begins, the other always echoes it back. It’s call and response. A duet of civility…” writes Victorine Lamothe.

Read the full story→

Leave a comment

c) How To Get Stuff Done In France
by Shelby Chambers

Something happened this weekend that made me realize I might actually know how to get stuff done in France.”

On Saturday, we dropped by the Aquarium Tropical over at the beautiful Palais de la Porte Dorée, as many deep 12ème parents tend to do when it’s soggy outside. As we rolled up to the entrance, I noticed a sign that said “AQUARIUM COMPLET” next to the security guard. “Hey, aquarium complet” I whispered to my husband. Without discussion, we both went into Parisian Persuasion mode. We were still going to make it inside that aquarium.”

“Oh, uh, so the aquarium is full?” my husband asked calmly (in French, translated for your convenience).

“Yes, it’s full.” The security guy answered…” writes Shelby Chambers

Read the full story→

Leave a comment

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you so much for supporting my work and reading ‘le Bulletin’.

Merci mille fois d’être ici, mes ami(e)s. Thanks for being here.

What I love about this week's three pieces is that each one finds the France that doesn't make it onto postcards.

Emily Monaco is slowly, deliciously working her way through the AOP cheeses of France, and this week she arrived at the smallest of all of them, a 35-gram wonder from the Lot.

Victorine Lamothe wrote a love letter to a common, well-known word, and somehow made me hear it differently.

And Shelby Chambers reminded me that there is an art to living in France, and it is partly stubbornness, partly charm, and partly knowing when to whisper complet to your husband and go into Parisian Persuasion mode.

À bientôt,
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Thanks for reading ‘le Bulletin’! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Share

‘le Bulletin’ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support us, I personally ask you to consider becoming a free or annual subscriber.

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It’s the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings whenever suits you, wherever you live.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Here’s what you’ll find today:

1. This week’s SPOTLIGHT: Down the Rabbit Hole: Welcome to the Collection

2. This week’s ‘What’s happening in ‘MyFrenchLife™ Magazine’ - a selection of fresh articles.

3. The Writers’ Room - MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributor Profiles, where you’ll learn more about our contributors than others know!

4. You can also find the free newsletter ‘‘16.14 - →here, on Saturday.

Warm regards
Judy - 11.4.2026

1. SPOTLIGHT: Down the Rabbit Hole — Welcome to the French Culture Collection

There’s a particular kind of curiosity that doesn’t resolve. Mine is insatiable. Incurable, if we’re being honest. You pull one thread and find seventeen more underneath it. You file a note, then another, then a folder, then a folder inside a folder. Years pass. The questions don’t go away. They get more interesting.

That’s how this Collection began. Not as a product. Not as a content strategy. As an accumulation of things I never stop thinking about the why’s of. Why France treats its film directors like philosophers. How a white dress nearly brought down an industry. What it means that a street newspaper hawker in Saint-Germain-des-Prés has been shouting the same word for fifty years and France just made him a knight.

I’ve been filing these questions for years. Now they have a home.

The French Culture Deep-Dive Collection.

No clichés. No Eiffel Tower romance. No beret-wearing stereotypes. Just the France that argues, contradicts, refuses to simplify, and occasionally pulls off the most magnificently botched heist you’ve ever read about.

It’s been quietly growing for months now, the Collection, I mean. Fortnightly, at least, a new piece lands. And I think it’s time to show you what’s in it and what’s behind it.

A few pieces are free, including this one. The rest are exclusively for Annual subscribers and Mighty Supporters, because this kind of research takes time, and time is what your subscription makes possible.

If you’re already an ‘Annual subscriber’ or ‘Mighty Supporter’: everything below is yours. Installez-vous (make yourself at home). Every last delicious word of it.

If you’re not yet? Oh, but you will be.

Three pieces to start. No subscription required. Consider them a gift or a dare.

The Beautiful Impossibility of French Culture (French Film Series #1) opens the Collection where France itself begins: with contradiction as a philosophy. The piece I’d press into the hands of anyone who asked why France is worth this much attention. Start here. Everything else follows.

I Fell Down a Literary Rabbit Hole at Chanel is exactly what it sounds like. A rendez-vous littéraire rue Cambon (a literary gathering on rue Cambon), a fashion house that takes books more seriously than most publishers, and one writer who didn’t come up for air for quite some time. A rabbit hole with exceptionally good taste.

Paris After Hidalgo — because before you meet the new mayor on his bicycle, you need to understand what twelve years of Anne Hidalgo actually built. The bike lanes, the cleaned Seine, the debt, the car wars. The Paris that exists now because of decisions that outraged half the city and thrilled the other half.

Read any of those and you’ll know exactly whether this is your kind of France and your kind of Collection.

Spoiler: it probably is.

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.13.a - Château Dreams, Sacred Nights and a Spring Arriving Before You Can See It.“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 4.4.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

Introducing new Contributor: Valerie Rivera

Valerie introduces herself:

Hi! I’m Valerie Rivera — a retired Air Force veteran, twin mom, Stanford MBA, and professional offsite facilitator turned small-town France storyteller.”

These days, I’m gently deprogramming myself from a lifetime of productivity and rediscovering the quiet joy of presence. I’ve traded checklists and deadlines for shutters and market days.

From our petite ville near Saint-Émilion, I write about the humor, surprises, and small joys of starting over in France — from navigating la belle langue and the local brocante scene to learning how to slow down enough to savor the moment.”

Welcome to our talented Contributor team, Valerie, we’re looking forward to ‘reading’ you often :)

Here is Valerie’s first contribution.

---

My first in a quarterly series is live! I’m calling it “Seasons in the Southwest.”

It’s the perfect excuse to capture the flavors, the scenery, and the vibe of my life in France… things that otherwise might not make it into a post.

a) Seasons in the Southwest: Early Spring
by Valerie Rivera

Notes from the in-between, when printemps has not quite arrived

The rain — which had been falling for a record 36 days in a row — stops just as quickly as it started. Sun peeks through the clouds. The river waters recede, and their flooded banks begin to dry out. This is a typical series of events as spring struggles to break forth from the gray winter days, though an inundation like this hasn’t been seen in 25 years. And while it’s still early, the migration of the cranes around the third week of February — squawking and filling the sky with a mesmerizing formation — makes you realize you’re almost there. Spring is coming. You can feel it before you can see it.

Please help me welcome Valerie→Read the full story→

Leave a comment

b) The Most Sacred Experience in Paris
by Patricia Russo

A Night of Adoration at Sacré Cœur

I’m always just a little bit stumped when someone asks me what my favorite church in Paris is; not surprisingly, because there are nearly 200 churches in Paris. Even though I’ve lived here for seven years, I am constantly discovering my newest “favorite church” each week.”

But when someone asks me for my opinion on the most sacred experience in Paris, which has come to be my most recent expertise as the Founder of Sacred Paris, I do not hesitate for a second…”

I will never forget, and it never gets old, the first time…” writes Patricia Russo.

Read the full story→

Leave a comment

c) Chromo-cartes: clever advertising in 19th-century France
by Jenn Bragg

The 19th century saw many changes in Paris. Perhaps the biggest change was the massive modernization push under Baron Haussmann that lasted nearly 20 years. This is the Paris we know today.

During that century, the middle class grew, and many urbanites had more money to spend. That meant shopping was no longer just for the very rich. Then, in 1852, a new department store — Au Bon Marché, said to be the world’s first — revolutionized the way people shopped…” writes Jenn Bragg.

Read the full story→

Leave a comment

d) Restaurant Review: Helen, Paris 8
by Claude Kolm

Helen (not Hélène) opened in 2012. In 2015, the restaurant received a Michelin star, which it still holds.”

It is located on a quiet side street just off the avenue de Friedland in the eighth arrondissement, north of the Champs-Élysées and south of the Parc Monceau, an area where few tourists ever wander. Certainly, there’s little about the restaurant from the street that would attract the attention of a casual stroller…” writes Claude Kolm.

Read the full story→

Leave a comment

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you so much for supporting my work and reading ‘le Bulletin’.

Merci mille fois d’être ici, mes ami(e)s. Thanks for being here.

If you’re enjoying the FREE edition, there is a lot more waiting for you in this week’s PAID le Bulletin newsletter. It’s not too late to upgrade and join us there.

Four writers this week, four very different corners of France, and yet something runs through all of them: the quiet satisfaction of finding what you weren’t quite looking for.

Valerie didn’t go to Saint-Émilion to write. Patricia didn’t expect adoration to become her expertise. Jenn followed a chromolithograph down a rabbit hole into 19th-century commerce. Claude turned left off the avenue de Friedland and found something worth remembering.

That’s the France I’ve always loved best. The one that turns up when you stop rushing past it.

À bientôt,
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Thanks for reading ‘le Bulletin’! This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Share

‘le Bulletin’ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support us, I personally ask you to consider becoming a free or annual subscriber.

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It’s the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings whenever suits you, wherever you live.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Here’s what you’ll find today:

1. This week “16.13.a -Château Dreams, Sacred Nights and a Spring Arriving Before You Can See It-

2. The Writers’ Room - MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributor Profiles, where you’ll learn more about our contributors than others know!

3. This week’s ‘What’s happening in ‘MyFrenchLife™ Magazine’ - a selection of new contributors and fresh articles.

4. You can also find the free newsletter ‘‘16.13 - →here, on Saturday.

Warm regards
Judy - 4.4.2026

Read more

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Here’s what you’ll find today:

1. This week “16.12.a - New Voices, Old Streets and the Magic of Living With a Language”

2. The Writers’ Room - Let’s get to know the Contributor team one by one.

3. This week’s ‘What’s happening in ‘MyFrenchLife™ Magazine’ - a selection of new contributors and fresh articles.

4. You can also find the free newsletter ‘‘16.12- →here, during the weekend.

Warm regards
Judy - 28.3.2026

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.10.a - .“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 21.3.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) Leavers Lace and Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, Calais
by Caroline McCormick-Clarke

Image credit: Caroline McCormick-Clarke

Lace, Fashion, and Lingerie at the City of Lace and Fashion, Calais

Traditionally, Lace can be described as a natural textile made of fine threads of silk, cotton, linen, or wool, interwoven into a net tulle and typically decorated with patterns…” writes Caroline McCormick-Clarke.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

b) Point of view interiors
by Kathryn Ivey

Designing your home from your personal point of view will always be on the IN list”

I remember the first time I walked into the home of a former boss and instantly felt comforted, surrounded not only by beauty but by a marked point of view. I was working as a design assistant, and her office was in the lower level of her home. As I passed through her dining room, painted in a sumptuous carnelian red with a pair of screens upholstered in an antique Italian fabric flanking two corners of the room, I followed the notes of classical music softly emitting from a radio located in the adjacent kitchen. “

There was a Jacobean antique eat-in table with the morning newspaper and a coffee cup still lingering from breakfast. Past the table, a pair of French doors opened out onto her small, charming garden. An energetic Irish terrier suddenly bounded around the corner…”

Read the full article here→

Leave a comment

c) Haute-Savoie: Mountains, Lakes, and the Occasional Fondue
By Nick Garnett

Hmmm, I’ve never tried eating Fondue whilst swimming.

Where is Haute-Savoie?

Haute-Savoie sits in the far eastern corner of France, pressed up against the Swiss border like it’s trying to escape from the rest of the country. It’s part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, one of the post-2016 mega-region creations. I live in the Limousin, well, I did, because it was dissolved in the same geographic pogrom. Perhaps it really is trying to escape and reclaim its lost identity. Sorry, I digress.

The department shares its eastern border with Switzerland - specifically Geneva, which is so close to parts of Haute-Savoie that thousands of French residents commute there daily for work. To the south, you’ll find Savoie (the non-Haute version), and to the west, Ain. Italy is just a mountain range away to the southeast.

This is proper Alpine territory…” writes Nick Garnett

Read the full article here→

Leave a comment

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

Bonjour mes ami(e)s, every time I sit down to put le Bulletin together, I’m reminded of how lucky I am — lucky to have found such extraordinary voices to share this journey with me. This week, Caroline took us deep into the intricate, luminous world of Calais lace, a story I genuinely didn’t want to end. Kathryn reminded us that a home with a true point of view is really just a home that knows itself — and isn’t that something we’re all reaching for? And Nick — well, Nick made me want to pack a bag, drive east, and eat fondue in the mountains immediately. No apologies.

This little corner of the internet we’ve built together — it means everything to me. You, reading this right now, are exactly why I do it. France is endlessly generous with her stories, and I am endlessly grateful to the writers who help me tell them, and for you, who show up week after week to receive them.

And if today’s edition left you wanting a little more France beyond the cliché — well, there’s a reason for that. 😉 The paid edition of le Bulletin, ‘16.10.a- What does France smell, look, and feel like right now?’ is waiting quietly in your inbox, and if you’ve already upgraded, you will be able to immerse yourself completely — and if you haven’t yet, it’s truly not too late. Consider it your own little French wormhole this week.

À bientôt, mes ami(e)s.
Warmly, always

Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché with our talented contributors, and

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.10.a - .“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 14.3.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a)The Restaurants of Wrath
by Betty Carlson

Throughout last summer, the French tourism industry was taking stock of how la saison was shaping up…or down, in the case of the French restaurant business.

The previous year, industry news had been dominated by recruitment difficulties and trouble housing summer hospitality workers.

In 2025, the problem wasn’t so much finding restaurant staff as keeping them busy. And restaurant owners’ tempers started to rise to a slow boil,…” writes Betty Carlson…

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

b) The Email of Paris Recommendations I Send to Everyone
by Shelby Chambers

“…A few times a quarter I get the classic DM requesting Paris recommendations. Maybe an old colleague will be in town for a few days and wants to eat like a local. Perhaps a friend from business school is passing through and wants to know where they can get a great cocktail in Paris. Or a friend of a friend of my parents wants activities recommendations even though they already booked a hotel near the Arc de Triomphe and nothing I say is going to save their trip at this point.”

I take Paris recommendations extremely seriously because I don’t want to ruin someone’s vacation or let them down or cause them not to like me anymore. I always reply with a heartfelt, overly detailed set of restaurant, monument, museum, leisure time ideas, all with too much context and too many caveats. (Yes, I know over-explaining is a trauma response. No, I’m not going to work on it.) It’s likely that no one even reads these lists I make, but at least I know if their vacation sucks, it won’t be my fault…” writes Shelby Chambers.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

c) Why Poetry, Music, and Literature are the best tools for French Pronunciation
by Morgane Andersson

“If you’re learning French, you’ve probably heard the usual advice:

“Study IPA. Drill nasal vowels. Memorize silent letters.”

And sure, those have their place.
But what if the secret to truly speaking French, with beauty, with emotion, with flow, lies elsewhere?

Let me present you with a different path. A softer, more powerful one:
Poetry, music, and literature.

We learn to speak by listening. By repeating. By feeling the sounds.

This is how children learn. This is how actors train. This is how language becomes not just accurate, but alive.
And this is why I believe:

French pronunciation is best learned not through drills, but through immersion in rhythm, sound, and meaning…” writes Morgane Andersson

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

---

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

Mes ami(e)s, what a week to be a lover of France.

Betty had me nodding along with a kind of bittersweet recognition, because anyone who has watched the French restaurant world up close knows that behind every beautiful terrace is a story far more complicated than the menu suggests. She tells it with such honesty and warmth. And then Shelby… oh, Shelby made me laugh out loud, genuinely. That particular mixture of helpfulness, anxiety, and sheer love for Paris? I felt that in my bones. I think many of you will, too.

And Morgane. I want every single one of you who is learning French — or dreaming of learning French — to read her piece slowly, with a cup of something good beside you. She reminded me why language is never just language. It’s music. It’s feeling. It’s the reason a poem can teach you something that a grammar book simply cannot. I am so glad she is part of our little world here.

This community — you — continue to be the reason le Bulletin exists and the reason I keep showing up every week, grateful and full of things I want to share. There is, as always, a little more waiting for you in the paid edition of 16.10.a —A Quieter Summer, Paris Secrets & a Writer Who Nearly Chose Springsteen Over France, consider it the next course. 😊

Avec toute mon amitié
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Here’s what you’ll find today:

1. This week “16.10.a - A Quieter Summer, Paris Secrets & a Writer Who Nearly Chose Springsteen Over France.”

2. The Writers’ Room - MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributor Profiles, where you’ll learn more about our contributors than others know!

3. This week’s ‘What’s happening in ‘MyFrenchLife™ Magazine’ - a selection of new contributors and fresh articles.

4. You can also find the free newsletter ‘‘16.10 - →here, on Saturday.

Warm regards
Judy - 14.3.2026

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.09.a - The Kind of Week That Makes You Fall in Love With France All Over Again.“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 7.3.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) The Most Sacred Experience in Paris
by Patricia Russo

An Invitation to See the City Through Three Lenses

Paris has always been a city of seekers. Pilgrims, artists, mystics, all drawn here by something beyond explanation, something that whispers to those who are listening.

There is the Paris of postcards and itineraries, the city of landmarks and guidebooks. And then there is the Paris that reveals itself slowly, intimately, to those who walk with intention.

Here, in the Sacred Paris City Guides, I invite you to step into the city not as a tourist, but as a pilgrim, an artist, or a sacred feminine seeker: three lenses, three ways of experiencing the same streets in profoundly different ways.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

b) The story of Île de la Cité and Hôtel-Dieu in central Paris
by Jenn Bragg

If you visit Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, you will no doubt see the Hôtel-Dieu nearby, on the north side of Île-de-la-Cité. The word ‘hôtel’ in this case refers to a shelter, because that’s the purpose it served, as God’s Shelter.

But first, some history.

Hôtel-Dieu was constructed in the 7th century by the Bishop of Paris at the time. Its location is significant because the early version of Paris, once called Lutèce, was centered on Île de la Cité. It was considered a major religious and political center that saw everything from public executions to coronations…” writes Jenn Bragg.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

c) Favorite Vacation Destinations of the French
by Keith Van Sickle

Where do the French like to go on vacation? Let’s ask the experts.

Les Entreprises de Voyage is an organization that represents thousands of French travel agents and tourism professionals. Each year, it publishes a report on the most popular winter and summer destinations for French tourists. What does the 2025 edition tell us?” writes Keith Van Sickle.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

d) French Film Reviews: Cycle of Time (C’était mieux demain) + The French Job (Les Règles de l’art)
by Cynthia Karena

AFFF 3 March - 22 April — The Alliance Française Film Festival tours Australia in 2026.

Cynthia reviews both of these popular French Films.
Read the full reviews here→

---

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

bonjour mes amis

Patricia Russo, this week, offers something I find genuinely rare — an invitation to experience Paris not as a destination but as a revelation. Her Sacred Paris City Guides ask us to choose our lens: pilgrim, artist, sacred feminine seeker. Whichever you choose, I promise you will never walk those streets quite the same way again. And Jenn Bragg takes us even further back — all the way to the 7th century and the extraordinary Hôtel-Dieu on Île de la Cité, God’s Shelter, still standing on the same ground where Paris itself was born.

Keith Van Sickle rounds out the week with characteristic warmth and insight, following the French on their favourite holidays — because if anyone knows how to do leisure properly, it is the French, and Keith knows how to tell that story.

To you and all other wonderful free readers: merci, as always, for being here. And if you haven’t yet read the PAID edition this week — “France Doesn’t Give Up Its Secrets Easily — But This Week, We Got Lucky”. And the Writers’ Room alone is worth the upgrade.

À bientôt, dear friends.

Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org
PS: What is the Writers’ Room? The Writers’ Room is a paid, exclusive feature on individual MyFrenchLife Contributor profiles, offered one-by-one. Contributors interview each other about their lives rather than their work. I’m loving it, and both Contributors and subscribers are too. Why not give it a try?

P.P.S. One final recommendation from me this week — Cynthia Karena's two new film reviews are well worth your time. The Alliance Française Film Festival opens across Australia on 3 March, and Cynthia has reviewed Cycle of Time (a witty gender-swap comedy with a French twist) and The French Job (inspired by a real, still-unsolved heist at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris). Lovely reading — and even lovelier watching.

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.08.a - The Kind of Week That Makes You Fall in Love With France All Over Again.“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 28.2.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) Where the Weeds Know Your Name
by Keith Christiansen

Chickweed in France - a humble spring herb, a new country, and the old practice of eating what’s underfoot

When we moved to France, I didn’t expect to find chickweed (mouron des oiseaux) waiting for me. But there it was—sprawled along garden paths in Brittany, just like it had been in Brooklyn, popping up in community gardens and through schoolyard fences. This piece is about that small plant and the larger things it opened up: food, medicine, folklore, and the way we learn to see nature. There’s a salad recipe, a soup I still don’t fully trust, and a few thoughts on what it means to know the plants where you live.

Chickweed starts to show up in April here, mostly on sunny stones with southern exposure, but it’ll be coming in the next few weeks.

I’ve also included some App suggestions…” writes Keith Christiansen.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

---

b) 20 Streets of Paris #2: Rue Saint-Honoré
by Pierre Guernier

Second Episode—A journey of discovery through Parisian history, one street sign at a time - Let’s go!

Think you know Rue Saint-Honoré? You know its designer windows, its discreet doormen, and the quiet hush of serious money. But do you know why it carries the name of a saint who watched over bakers? What revolutionary crowds once surged along these same stones? Why this single street once connected the hunger of Les Halles to the grandeur of Place Vendôme? Pierre Guernier does — and this month, he’s peeling back the gilded surface to reveal the centuries hidden beneath. Fair warning: you’ll never glance at a blue street sign here the same way again…

Read the full article here→

Leave a comment

---

c) 36 Things
by Victorine Lamothe

What I’ve learned about Paris in 36 years

I turned 36 in January last year —an event that called for some reflection in more ways than one. For me, birthdays have always been moments for taking stock, for pausing to consider what I’ve learned after another trip around the sun. Paris has been my home for nearly four years, but my relationship with this city began long before that: as a teenager from Louisiana spending summers in France; then as a university student; and now as a permanent resident. Like an onion, Paris reveals itself in slow layers.

What follows is a collection of insights—both good and bad—on my relationship with this endlessly complex city, one for each year I’ve been alive.”

Read the full article here→

Leave a comment

---

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

Bonjour mes ami(e)s

I never tire of weeks like this one.

Keith Christiansen spots chickweed on a Brittany garden path and turns it into something far larger — a story about home, habit, and the quiet joy of knowing the plants underfoot wherever you find yourself.

Pierre Guernier continues to astound with 20 Streets of Paris, this week revealing everything Rue Saint-Honoré has witnessed and refused to forget.

And Victorine Lamothe gives us thirty-six truths about Paris — one for every year she has been alive, earned across a lifetime of knowing this city in all its complicated, layered, irresistible glory.

Thank you, as always, for being here. This community grows more extraordinary every week, and it is because of every subscriber.

And if you are curious about what our PAID subscribers are reading this week, it is very much worth a look. The Writers’ Room alone is worth the upgrade.

À bientôt dear friends,

Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org
PS: What is the Writers’ Room? The Writers’ Room is a paid, exclusive feature on individual MyFrenchLife Contributor profiles, offered one-by-one. Contributors interview each other about their lives rather than their work. I’m loving it, and both Contributors and subscribers are too. Why not give it a try?

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes ami(e)s !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.07.a - From Rodin to Royal Scandal: Your Weekly French Deep Dive .“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 21.2.2026
   

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

“There are many talented Contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes.
We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) The Siege of Calais and Auguste Rodin’s Burghers of Calais
by Caroline McCormick-Clarke

The Hundred Years’ War: the Siege of Calais and the Burghers of Calais as portrayed in opera, paintings, and Rodin’s renowned sculpture.

I first came across Auguste Rodin in late Summer 1987 in London, where I was completing the final part of my M.Sc. in Geophysics at Imperial College. It was a summer of U2 and Madonna concerts in London and geophysical fieldwork in the wilds of Snowdonia, Wales. I was soon to start my training and 28-year career in education, having decided that the oil and gas exploration industry was ultimately not the career for me. Whilst I loved travel (still do), I desired a home of my own, love, and a family, where I could put down my own roots.

A fellow student and friend took me to the Tate museum, where I stood in awe upon encountering Rodin’s The Kiss.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

b) Film Review: Australian French Film Festival 2026 is on! — Ozon
by Cynthia Karena

It wouldn’t be a French Film Festival without a François Ozon film. The Stranger (L’etranger), is Ozon’s vision of Albert Camus’ novel about an unassuming expat under trial for murder in French-colonised Algeria. What an unmissable mix – Ozon and Camus!

French stars

Impressive French stars such as Isabelle Huppert, Laure Calamy, Daniel Auteuil, and Marion Cotillard are always worth watching. Huppert features in The Richest Woman in the World (La Femme la Plus Riche du Monde). (Note that Huppert will be in Australia in March for her solo stage performances of Mary Said What She Said at the Adelaide Festival.)

The film is based on the real-life scandal of Liliane Bettencourt, the billionaire heiress to the L’Oreal fortune, when she befriends Pierre-Alain Fantin, a dandy writer and photographer in Paris. Family and friends are not happy that her attention and money are focused on someone other than them.

Laure Calamy is in The Party’s Over! (Classe Moyenne ) andWhat is Love? (C’est Quoi L’amour?), Daniel Auteuil is in A Private Life (Vie Privée), and Oscar-winning Marion Cotillard stars in The Ice Tower (La Tour de Glace).

Read the full article, there’s much more→

c) The Queen Who Wore Her Underwear in Public
by Judy MacMahon

[PART OF OUR FRENCH CULTURE DEEP-DIVE COLLECTION YOU’LL FIND HERE]

A white dress that looked like underwear sparked outrage, collapsed industries, and helped fuel a revolution. Marie Antoinette proved fashion has consequences. We keep forgetting.

So Alexander Fury’s written this piece in the Financial Times comparing Marie Antoinette to Kim Kardashian, and honestly? I think he’s being too kind to both of them. Because what Marie Antoinette did with fashion wasn’t just about being famous or controversial or excessively wealthy. She accidentally changed the entire world through what she wore. And two hundred and thirty-two years after her execution, we’re still so dazzled by the pretty dresses that we miss what actually happened.

The V&A is currently showing a massive exhibition about her, which closes in March 2026. Manolo Blahnik is launching a whole collection. When a diamond that passed through her hands came to auction in June, it sold for nearly fourteen million dollars—double the estimate. We cannot stop looking at her, talking about her, buying things connected to her. But we keep telling ourselves the wrong story.

The Scandal Nobody Understood…

Read the full story→

What are your thoughts on this? I’d love to hear from you.

Share your thoughts

2. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

Bonjour mes ami(e)s

France keeps doing this to me. Just when I think I know her, she hands me something extraordinary. This week, it was Caroline McCormick-Clarke taking us all the way back to the Hundred Years’ War — and then to a summer in London in 1987, standing before Rodin’s The Kiss for the very first time. That kind of writing, where history and personal memory intertwine so beautifully, is exactly why I love what we do here.

Cynthia Karena rounds us out with the Australian French Film Festival, and I defy anyone to read her piece and not immediately want to buy a ticket. Ozon and Camus. Huppert and Cotillard. It’s almost too much richness for one festival. Almost. Did you know that this is the largest French film festival outside France? The festival spans 9 weeks across 18+ cities and 40+ venues nationwide: 3 March – 26 April 2026. The 36th edition, last year, achieved a record-breaking 198,893 admissions!

And then Judy — well, I wrote that one myself ;), and I’ll admit it got away from me in the best possible way. Because Marie Antoinette’s scandalous white dress is one of those stories that keeps unravelling the more you pull at it. Intriguing! Fashion, revolution, power, consequence. She deserves every word!

À bientôt, mes ami(e)s. Judy x

Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Today at a Glance: Your PAID weekly newsletter

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes amis !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.06.a - The Writers’ Room, Book Club Magic & Reading Culture: Your Weekly French Fix.“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 14.2.2026
   PS: ❤️ Happy St Valentine’s Day ❤️

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine: new articles

Marie G. Gundersen is the founder of Parisian Sundays, an editorial project exploring Paris and French culture through essays and photography. Her work focuses on everyday rituals, local habits, and the evolving character of the city — observing how Paris changes while holding on to its traditions.

Marie has lived in Paris and now splits her time between Oslo and regular stays in France, where she writes and works independently after a career in tech marketing.

---

Please help me welcome Marie to our Contributor Team.
Below is her first article.

a) France: A Country of Readers
by new Contributor—Marie Gundersen

Cheese, wine, joie de vivre – and books. There’s a lot to love about France, and one of my favourite aspects is the presence of reading in everyday life. For centuries, literature has been a core part of French culture, and you can still see people reading everywhere: in parks, cafés, on terraces, and on the metro — sometimes even while walking.

They are rarely reading on tablets or phones. The physical book continues to dominate. According to figures from the French publishing sector, 420 million books are sold each year…” writes Maris Gundersen.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

b) Drinking Less in a City That Drinks
by Victorine Lamothe

When I picked up French journalist Claire Touzard’s Sans Alcool (Without Alcohol) at a bookshop in Belleville, it was out of sheer curiosity. I hadn’t seen many French voices entering the conversation about drinking less, especially compared to the English-speaking world.
Every January, my feeds flood with discussions about Dry January, moderation, and sobriety experiments, but this year in Paris, January looked like any other month.
Bars were full.
Smokers clutched glasses of wine at frozen terrasses.
Life rolled on, unbothered…,” writes Victorine Lamothe.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

c) Cognac & the Fishing Dinghy
by Nick Garnett

“Where do you take the relatives when they’ve come to visit you every Summer for the last ten years?”.

You run out of ideas, don’t you?

This year, 2025, we had a bit of a revelation, “let’s just take them where we want to go ourselves rather than creating a ‘where have they been before’ Pinterest style ‘places to visit’ board”.

We decided on Cognac. We’d never been there before, but had often driven through on the way to the Atlantic coast, catching glimpses of Chateau in the distance, and of course, the giant Courvoisier tanks used for blending and storing both the eau-de-vie and blended liquor.

We decided to make a day of it ..” writes Nick Garnett.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

---

3. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

420 million books sold annually! Can you believe it? While the rest of the world scrolls on phones, people in France are still buying actual books by the truckload. Meanwhile, Victorine’s sitting in Belleville wondering if she’s the only one thinking about drinking less, and Nick’s discovering that the best days are the ones you don’t overthink..

These little contradictions are what make France endlessly fascinating to me. And I’m so glad I get to share them with you every week.

A huge welcome to Marie Gundersen, who is joining our fabulous Contributor team

See you in your inbox soon, dear friends.

Thanks for being part of this,
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Consider upgrading your subscription

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes amis !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.04.a - .“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 7.2.2026

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine new articles

“There are many talented contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes. We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) France, where print is not dead
by Kathryn Ivey

I recently read that I am a part of a niche generational group called the Xennials. Those born in the late 1970s and early 1980s are a cross-over group who sit between Generation X and the Millennials, not quite identifying fully at either end of the range.”

According to Wikipedia, “Xennials are described as having had an analog childhood and a digital young adulthood. They are almost exclusively the children of baby boomers and came of age during a rapidly changing period that was the 1990s.” When I read this, it made complete sense…” writes Kathryn Ivey.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

---

b) 24 Hours of Spirit in Paris
by Patricia Russo

An interfaith pilgrimage through the city’s sacred sites.”

Within a single day, you can encounter nearly every great tradition of the world: Catholic vigils, Buddhist mantras, Hindu pujas, Islamic hammams, Jewish song, Marian chapels, and interfaith silences.”

Together, they weave a living temple across the arrondissements.”

This guide offers one possible way to spend 24 hours moving through all of them. It is not about rushing or collecting, but about entering the rhythm of devotion.”

Choose what resonates, pause often, and let Paris meet you as a pilgrim...” writes Patricia Russo..

Read the article in full→

Leave a comment

---

c) French Book Recommendations From AI—Be Careful What You Ask For
by Keith Van Sickle

I love reading in French and am always looking for book recommendations. So I thought, why not use AI? Maybe I’ll get some good ideas. And I did, but it wasn’t as straightforward as I had hoped.”

Getting Started
I’m not an AI user, and I wasn’t sure how to pose my question, so I googled it and got an answer from Google’s AI. In other words, AI was helping me use AI...” writes Keith Van Sickle.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

3. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

Chers amis (dear friends)

This week reminded me why I love what we do here. Kathryn is defending print like it’s a sacred art (because it is). Patricia is mapping a spiritual journey I want to take tomorrow. Keith is proving that even AI can’t quite capture the French soul ;)

These aren’t just articles—they’re invitations:

To slow down. To look up. To remember that the best things in life refuse to be rushed, digitised, or simplified.

Your free subscription connects you to these stories every week. But remember that there’s more waiting for you in the PAID edition—” Deep-dive French culture articles”, exclusive features, our “Writers’ Room” Contributor profiles, and conversations where you meet the humans behind these words.

Come join us? We’d love to have you.

À bientôt, mes amis,
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo

Bonjour, my dear friends and subscribers, both new and long-time.

Un grand merci (a big thank you) for being part of this wonderful global family of Francophiles. Your support enables me to continue growing and improving MyFrenchLife™ Magazine and the le Bulletin newsletter, offering more to this growing global community.

Read more

Today at a Glance: Your FREE weekly newsletter

Bonjour mes amis !

It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today, at the beginning of a new year! Bienvenue !

1. In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,

2. Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.04.a - .“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←

   À bientôt !
   Warmly,
   Judy - 31.1.2026

1. MyFrenchLife™ Magazine new articles

“There are many talented contributors to MyFrenchLife Magazine and I thank all of you for sharing your experiences with us in such an engaging manner.
You take us right across France & deep into many worm-holes. We delight in discovering
and learning more about France beyond the cliché”
Merci
Judy

Our list of valued Contributors →

---

a) 20 Streets of Paris #1: Rue de Rivoli – Napoleon’s Grand Boulevard
by Pierre Guernier

NEW SERIES: First Episode—A journey of discovery through Parisian history, one street sign at a time - Let’s go!

So you think you know Rue de Rivoli? You know where to shop, or where not to shop, which café has the best terrace, and how to navigate the arcades when it rains. But do you know why it’s called what it’s called? What Italian battlefield earned a place on this Parisian street sign? Why Napoleon himself dreamed this street into existence? Pierre Guernier does—and this month, he’s revealing the layers of stories hidden beneath those elegant arcades. Fair warning: you’ll never walk this street the same way again.

If you walk through Paris with your eyes fixed on the shopfronts, you might miss the quiet stories written above them. Look up for a moment—the blue enamel sign reads Rue de Rivoli, a name that carries the echo of cannon fire and the ambition of an empire. Beneath its graceful arcades, history and elegance march side by side, as they have since Napoleon dreamed of reshaping the city in his image.

Few streets in Paris capture such grandeur as Rue de Rivoli…” writes Pierre Guernier

Read the article in full→

Leave a comment

---

b) The story of the Grande Boucherie & Tour Saint-Jacques
by Jenn Bragg

If you go to Paris and find yourself in the 4th arrondissement not too far from Chatelet, you’re likely to see Tour Saint-Jacques. At 54 meters, or 177 feet in height, it’s a lone tower that has all the hallmarks of church design. But it’s not a church; it’s just a tower that was once part of a church that is now its own monument.”

Let me take you back to the year 1190. (That is not a typo.)”

That’s the year King Philippe Auguste built a wall in Paris to fortify the city against the potential of invading ships coming up the Seine…” writes Jenn Bragg

Read the entire article→

Leave a comment

---

c) The Grand Old Hotels of Hyères
by Betty Carlson

Some call it the original French Riviera town.

Although gritty Hyères now represents anything but the cliché of the Côte d’Azur, the city was one of the area’s first winter tourism destinations, going back to the late 18th century when aristocratic English families started to escape hibernal gloom there.

From the town center, you can’t see the sea, and the nearest beach is an hour’s walk away. But no matter — this was an era when tans were considered unseemly and the point of a Mediterranean holiday was simply to soak in the clement climate.

As time went on, Nice, Cannes, and other seaside locales gained favor, leaving Hyères centre with an intriguing architectural heritage: its former palaces, or luxury hotels.

I set out to see what had become of them.

Read the full article→

Leave a comment

---

2. REMINDER: Only days to go
RSVP→In Conversation with Mark Greenside - online #Bookclub Event: 7-8 February 2026

You are invited to attend this free event.
Mark your diary & → RSVP now - Registrations will close 48 hours before event

In 1992, at the age of 47, Mark Greenside bought a house—almost by accident—in a tiny Breton village. He has lived there ever since, splitting his time between Brittany and California.

With self-deprecating humor, Mark has written three entertaining books about his life in France. In his latest, I Am Finally, Finally French, he reflects on his three decades in Brittany—what he has learned, how he has become part of his community, and how life in France has changed him.

Join us for a lively, fun conversation with Mark about what life is like in a small Breton village. He will be joined by MyFrenchLife contributor Keith Van Sickle, himself a part-time expat in France, and our own Judy MacMahon.

Here is our FORM ← RSVP with your email address, so closer to 7-8 February. Registrations close 48 hours beforehand… we will email you the online event ACCESS LINK within 48 hours before the event.

Here you’ll find → a collection of Keith’s reviews of Mark’s books.

Leave a comment

3. Merci mille fois

“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon

Chers amis (dear friends)

Pierre, Jenn, and Betty—three writers who aren’t just telling you about France, but asking why.
- Why does that street have that name?
- Why does that tower stand alone?
- What happened to those grand hotels?

Pierre Guernier walks Rue de Rivoli and sees beyond the elegant arcades to Napoleon’s ambition, to an Italian battlefield from 1797 that still echoes through Parisian stone. Jenn Bragg stands before Tour Saint-Jacques and asks the question most tourists never think to ask: Why does this church tower stand completely alone? Then she takes us back 836 years to Philippe Auguste and finds the answer. Betty Carlson travels to explore Hyères and discovers something far richer than pretty beaches—the ghosts of grand palaces where English aristocrats once wintered before Nice and Cannes stole the spotlight.

This is what makes MyFrenchLife™ different.

Our Contributors are researchers and wanderers who read the old documents, walk the forgotten streets, and care enough to share their discoveries with all of us. Not clickbait. Not surface-level tourism. Just thoughtful, history-rich storytelling that stays with you.

Thank you for being the kind of reader who wants substance, who appreciates the layers, who understands that France becomes so much more fascinating when you know the stories beneath what you’re looking at.

Don’t forget—our conversation with Mark Greenside is coming up on 7-8 February! After 30 years in a tiny Breton village, Mark has stories and insights that only come from truly living French life. Keith Van Sickle will be hosting what promises to be a warm, funny, deeply engaging chat. RSVP now—registrations are flowing in, and you won’t want to miss this.

If you’re enjoying these deeper explorations and want even more, but you haven’t upgraded to PAID subscription yet. Maybe now is the time… I’d be grateful and you’d love it.

And… I hope that you enjoyed the three new deep-dive French culture articles this week - there are some really good things happening in France :)

Thank you for being here, for reading with curiosity, for being part of this wonderful community of Francophiles.

À bientôt, mes amis,
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org

Leave a comment

Please consider upgrading

Here’s how you can stay in touch & personalise your le Bulletin experience, and deepen your French connection.

🔓 Here you can UNLOCK EXCLUSIVE FRENCH STORIES:
Become an annual member and save! Enjoy exclusive, intimate glimpses into France and French lives delivered straight to your inbox.

Unlock Exclusive French Stories

⭐ How you can BECOME A CHERISHED MIGHTY SUPPORTER:
If you love le Bulletin, you can help us share more stories of remarkable French women and authentic French experiences. Plus, enjoy special perks!

Become a Mighty Supporter

🎁 Perhaps you’d like to SHARE THE INSPIRATION:
Gift le Bulletin to friends and family who admire the strength and spirit of French women. It's the perfect way to share your passion for France.

Gift le Bulletin

💡 And don’t forget… you can always EXPLORE THE ARCHIVES:
Discover even more inspiring stories in our complete newsletter archive. Perfect for satisfying your Francophile cravings at any time that suits you, wherever you live, and at any time.

Add us to your address book: info@MyFrenchLife.org -
Copyright © MaVieFrancaise®- MyFrenchLife™️. All Rights Reserved. -
le Bulletin is the Newsletter of MyFrenchLife.org

MyFrenchLife.org - Come with us to experience France beyond the cliché.
*Photo in the le Bulletin banner at the top of each newsletter © Annewill Stroo