14.26 - Adventures, Adventurers and me
This free le Bulletin newsletter explores extraordinary adventures through France + articles about Pays Basque, Becoming French, A Wine Guide for the Loire Valley, Striking in France and more...
Bonjour readers,
Welcome new and long-time subscribers. This is the FREE version of le Bulletin newsletter. I hope that you enjoy it!
In this free edition, you’ll enjoy many deep & rich stories from MyFrenchLife Magazine Contributors and hear about their experiences, tips, and recommendations, on how best to experience France beyond the cliché
The le bulletin for paying subscribers has an even greater resource of writers, which includes all of this and more from >80 amazing writers—a weekly explosion of France… Would you like to join them (?) it would mean a lot to me and you’ll delight in the increased depth of immersion.
Please consider upgrading to an annual subscription. Merci.
Judy - 29.6.24
Are you adventurous? Would you call yourself an Adventurer?
The starter’s gun has been fired.
A few people in the MyFrenchLife Magazine/le Bulletin Newsletter ecosystem have embarked on an adventure this week. (I’m sure there are more, but I only know about these… )
If you (or someone you know) have set off on an adventure (in France) recently, make sure I know about it.
But it started me thinking about adventures…
“The world is not in your books and maps, it is out there.”J.R.R. Tolkien
But shall we start at the beginning?
What is an adventure?
How certain must success be?
Must it be exciting or physically dangerous?
Must it be planned?
Do your adventures inspire others?
Can you have an accidental adventure?
Enough teasing…
Am I an adventurer?
I don’t regard myself as an adventurer, however I do regard myself as an entrepreneur. I take risks (calculated risks and sometimes just mistakes), my projects are planned, there can be huge and fulfilling successes or failures, it can be exciting, but there is no physical risk… so in my view, I am not an adventurer.
You can accompany me over the next few months, as I follow (virtually) these adventurers in France.
Barrie and Jojo Thomson — Cycling adventure:
Firstly, Barrie and Jojo Thomson of Feasts and Fables. (You’ll also find them in the le Bulletin FranceStack Library for francophiles).
This week they set off:
- to ride their bicycles from their small farm in SW France
- to talk at what is referred to as ‘the celebration of life, movement and community’, The Love Trails festival in Wales…
- and back, pedalling 800 km in 10 days.To me, that’s an adventure!
Map credit: Barrie Thomson This is how Barrie describes an adventure:
”We love that ‘adventure’ takes many forms. It’s personal. One person’s red line is another’s challenge; for some, a trip around the block is their huge undertaking. There are folk who need targets; heights, lengths, depths, miles per day. Sponsors, write-ups, kit lists fuel the industry of adventure but we love that it is whatever you want it to be … you find your own boundaries and you push against them. You seek out the thing that makes you uncomfortable knowing that afterwards, the sense of achievement will redefine your limits. Tomorrow we set off to cycle from France to Wales (and back again). It’s a pretty long way and it’ll be hard work.It’s what we call adventure…”
Jennifer Andrewes — Walking adventure
On Monday, Jennifer Andrewes sets off on a solo walk of 2500km on the historic Via Francigena route from Canterbury UK through France, Switzerland, and Italy, to arrive in Rome on her birthday after 110 days.
You can read my article and interview with Jennifer about her challenges: The Via Francigena and having early onset Parkinson’s Disease.
Image public domain Wow, that is certainly an adventure!
Jennifer has established a private FB group where you can purchase a pass to travel with her virtually, daily communication et al… What a fabulous idea! (just $1/day)
Jennifer says:
Dear supporter, I invite you to join me, a NZ-based writer and pilgrim living with early-onset Parkinson’s, as I walk approximately 2,500km from Canterbury to Rome on the historic Via Francigena route across England, France, Switzerland, and Italy, over 110 days from July to October 2024.In this private group, at the end of each European day, I’ll post a summary of my experiences and observations from the day’s walk, along with accompanying photos, links to sights of note, maps, and route details for the following day.
Walk or journal along with me virtually, in your own time, in your own neighbourhood as you reflect on your own past or future experiences. Comment on my posts to share your thoughts and insights.
A ticket to walk with me and entry to this group is NZD110 - or a dollar a day. (A croissant with your morning coffee). I will send payment details when you join this group.
Thank you for your support, which will fund the production and publication of a book about my Camino experiences. A percentage of proceeds will also go to Parkinson's NZ, a registered charity." You can find the Group here.
As we wish Barrie, Jojo & Jennifer well on their adventures, I’d be thrilled to hear about your adventures from the past or the future - drop me a note:info@myfrenchlife.org
Judy
Speaking of Adventure: Did you know about these famous French Explorers/Adventurers?
”The Pantheon has 37 people classified as French explorers born between 380 BC and 1910. Of these 37, none of them are still alive today. The most famous deceased French explorers include Jacques Cartier, Jacques Cousteau, and Pytheas. As of April 2024, 2 new French explorers have been added to Pantheon including André Thevet, and Louis-Gustave Binger.”
Source: Pantheon World
Now… below you’ll find what’s been happening this week at MyFrenchLife Magazine and le Bulletin.
1. Follow us on Instagram → @MaVieFrançaise
Our Instagram is bursting with news, views and articles, video chats, poetry, introductions to new magazine contributors… and more… follow us and join in @maviefrancaise … See you there soon, I hope.
We have a special guest Jennifer Andrewes who will be ‘guest-posting’ on @MaVieFrancaise once a week… starting soon. An inspiring woman, undertaking an amazing challenge. She’ll be popping into our Instragam each week providing intimate details of her progress. I’m excited and looking forward to hearing from her on our Instagram, I imagine that you are too.
3. My FrenchLife Magazine — Discover new articles below↓ ↓
Escapades:
→ What to Buy and What to Try: Pays Basque - Part 1
by Traci Parent
Gastronomie:
→ A (Painless) Beginner's Guide to Uncorking French Wine: The Loire Valley — Part 2
by Karen Bussen
Reportage and Société:
→ Striking: a way of life in France — what should we expect during the Paris Olympics?
by Jennifer Bragg
Vie Française:
→ Becoming French: Fingerprints, Tears and Reflections
by Jacinta Bayard
Un grand merci - Thank you to all MyFrenchLife™ Magazine Contributors!
CLICK THROUGH & read all the new articles on MyFrenchLife Magazine ↓
↓ Just click the image below to read all the new articles ↓
CLICK THROUGH to read the recent articles on MyFrenchLife Magazine HERE
5. “Merci mille fois - Thank you for reading le Bulletin”—Judy MacMahon
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What a lovely post! I recognized instantly the beach of Biarritz & its casino. I have a mini-adventure of my own about that very location... I'll add it here later, after my leisurely Sunday morning breakfast outdoors. 🙂
Judy, this is so lovely and celebratory. Thank you so much - even more so because we’ve been so wrapped up in the miles … and the meals … and the deep sleep after the miles … that we haven’t been in contact as we planned! Desolé!