14.09 - March Madness 22% le Bulletin subscription reduction - Moving to France, Films, Books, Women #iwd2024...
This is a very full le Bulletin edition: Find out how to subscribe & get more value for less. Thinking of Moving to France then read this. A French Film review + an important Book Club announcement.
March Madness: I’m offering you a gift of a 22% reduction on annual subscriptions during March ‘24.
I’ve been working crazy hard on MyFrenchLife Magazine and le Bulletin newsletter for some time now… and francophiles around me have been responding positively. You’ve all been kind and generous with support in words and subscriptions. Some are even telling me that:
le Bulletin is getting better and better”
Here’s what that “crazy hard work” looks like:
for 42 consecutive weeks, I’ve been writing two le Bulletin editions, each, and every week.
And Substack tells me:
You've published 42 weeks in a row. That's longer than 94% of writers.” Putting me in the top 6% of substack writers for consistency.
So, I thought that it was time for me to create a special offer - a ‘reduction gift’ for those of you who enjoy reading this le Bulletin & would love to access the PAID content where I speak privately to PAID supporters.
The newsletters for paid subscribers have the letter ‘a’ following the numbers - eg: the edition 14.08.a is written with paid supporters in mind.
Consider whether you’d like to join this special group of Francophiles. I’d be grateful if you would - merci mille fois
This is your FREE le Bulletin, the weekly newsletter of MyFrenchLife Magazine
Bonjour, I can’t tell you how happy I am to count you as a reader of le Bulletin.
This is a long read, so if you’re reading this as an email, rather than on the App, then please press ‘download entire message’ in the email or the three dots at the base […] as it may be truncated Or, you can read the post directly here.
Merci. Judy - 9.3.24
1. This Week’s Featured Contributor is Jacinta Bayard
Here is how Jacinta introduces herself:
I grew up with a deep curiosity about my surname, its French origins and history. I've always loved France and dreamed of living there one day. In 2022 a business opportunity allowed my family to move to the South of France. Recently I started writing about this experience.
Now let’s read this new article as Jacinta continues her series of articles as she takes us through her decision to move to France and how it went from there…
2. Moving to France: a 5 suitcase adventure two years ago - by Jacinta Bayard
I always find when you are getting ready to depart on a holiday the days seem to pass slowly. Then two days before departure, time races with so many last-minute things to do, select what makes it into the five suitcases, bills to pay, take the dog to the in-laws, old clothes to throw out, that then you wish you had another day or two.
Our Moving to France, trip was two years ago, yet it feels just like yesterday. This is what I wrote about the experience at the time.
The trip was going to be particularly interesting, as not only are we leaving for three months, but we are travelling amid another Covid outbreak (omicron). It is apparently less life threatening than the previous strains but it makes getting on a plane challenging. Declarations are to be signed, international COVID certificates printed, and then the Rapid PCR test five hours before departing.
At least once we get on the plane we don’t have to quarantine in France. It has been two years of work and living life in a familiar routine, familiar places, the beach, beautiful home. Idyllic really but to grow you need to expand your horizons.
For our girls, four and five years old, my dream is for them to learn French and experience French culture like a native. After all, they are half-French. I know my husband is ready to go. He has been ready to expand our business for 2 years and now wants to get his feet on the ground.
For me, I am starting to get a bit excited. It was twenty-five years ago that I spent some time in Nice (40 minutes from Le Tignet where we are staying) and now I am going back to live with my husband and two daughters. For me to live overseas was always a dream. While I have travelled widely the opportunity to live overseas has never presented itself.
Moving to France: The day had finally arrived
My eldest daughter woke up at 4.30a.m, backpack-ready, and was very keen to get our new adventure underway. We were not being picked up by my father-in-law until 9.00 a.m. and there was still a lot to do. More boxes were to be stored in the roof and perishable items in the fridge were to be removed. I wanted the house to be generally presentable for any future tenant. By the time my father-in-law arrived, I was feeling rather exhausted.
The trip over the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a highlight for the girls. The express freeway had been cordoned off for an event, so we had to weave our way through the city. I was able to show the girls the big office where I was doing some work with a client, the Opera House, and even the restaurant where Papa and Mama had their first date.
My husband said to the girls:
When she met me ten years ago that was the happiest day of Mama’s life”. To which I replied, “It certainly was and I am grateful every day”. My father-in-law laughed.
We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to have our COVID testing done.
We had managed two years without having a COVID test so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The girls were a bit scared and both sat on my knee to have the tests administered. I was impressed by how professional they were, the whole process only took five minutes.
The wait for the result was two hours.
Torture.
Like waiting for an exam result.
Pass: you get to board your flight.
Fail: you are back home to self-isolate for seven days and another 14 days before you can fly again.
With young children, time tends to pass quickly as they are hungry, want to go for a walk, go to the toilet, and ride on top of the suitcase trolley ready to be checked.
The next minute a text message chimes through… We were all COVID-positive, except for Louane.
My husband had said to me at the airport, after this news, that while we are not travelling today, there is a reason why, and there will be a silver lining. Typically, I would have been more upset, but I was tired and thought that perhaps a two-week rest and reset in the sun by the pool, saying goodbye to the only home our girls had ever known was what we all needed.
Two weeks did seem like a long time and then… but just like that, we were off to the airport again.
Documents were checked, our five bags were ready (I was sure we would have to pay for excess luggage) and this time our tests were negative.
Sipping a glass of champagne in the lounge, I knew our months of preparation were about to become a reality. I let myself feel excited again. The excitement was not just for a holiday this time, but a real living experience one from which we may not be returning for a while.
For as long as I can remember I had wanted to live overseas. Now was an opportunity to experience for myself a real French life with my husband and two daughters.
Flying out of Sydney I did not feel sad at all, not even a tiny bit.
[You can follow Jacinta’s Move to France here on MyFrenchLife.org and specifically on Jacinta’s MyFrenchLife author page.]
Have you ever considered moving to France? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. You can read more articles like this.
3. New articles on MyFrenchLife™️ Magazine
Stay in touch by reading the new articles & don’t forget there are >3000 fascinating articles in our archive - this sounds like an amazing immersion opportunity to me - a rainy day and a chance to get lost in France.
Alliance Française French Film Festival - AFFF2024 ←
From 5 March to 16 April, Australia-wide (a subset of these dates in each city)
The President’s Wife ←
Directed by documentarian Léa Domenach in her debut film
Film review: A fascinating peep into the lives of President Jacques Chirac and Bernadette Chirac. How Madame Chirac’s plan to upstage her husband unfolds is smart, funny, and surprising. This is a film that sneaks up on you – much better than advertised! Read and Discover more…
4. MyFrenchLife™ French Book Club #bookclub
ANNOUNCEMENT: ARE YOU INTERESTED IN READING WITH US NEXT MYFRENCHLIFE™ FRENCH BOOK CLUB PICK?
'The Postcard' by Anne Berest is our new Spring read. It's been recently translated by Tina Kover and was first published under the French title 'La Carte Postale' in 2021.
We expect to start reading by 15 March until the end of April
An eerie postcard found by the narrator with only 4 names on it in the early 2000s (those of members of her family who died at Auschwitz in 1942)takes her to a family mystery by delving into the past.
#europaeditions #anneberest #frenchliterature #bookclub
If you’d like to read with us - please find all the information you require by clicking the button below.
What to expect in our Book Club:
If you’re considering joining but you’re wondering what our Book Club is like and what other members think of it - here’s your answer.
This week I’ve started to release several video snippets recorded during our last Book Club LIVE EVENT online with members right across the globe in 6 timezones.
How to not miss out:
You’ll follow our Instagram account to see more of these @MaVieFrancaise and you can also subscribe to our YouTube account @MaVieFrancaise and be notified when new videos are published - the choice is yours.
And… even if you’re not interested in our Book Club, it’s time to check in on our Instagram account @MaVieFrançaise and follow us - did it look like this last time you were there? We’ve been celebrating #iwd2024 - look at all these talented women! - See you there soon.
5. Merci mille fois
Thank you for finding us, subscribing, and reading le Bulletin, the luscious immersive newsletter of MyFrenchLife Magazine. I’m glad that you found us - you’re very welcome here! And thank you all for providing subscriber support.
Merci
Judy

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Plus plein as the French might say, though "plus" with the s sounded !