16.01 - Mystics in Montmartre, emotional truths, and why we stay—this week's French connections
In this FREE le Bulletin we'll dive into articles fresh from Paris—sacred pilgrimages through Montmartre, the surprising guilt of living abroad & why France continues to enchant us after all this time
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 !
In this newsletter, you’ll find these wonderful fresh articles taking you to France beyond the cliché,
Don’t miss the PAID subscriber edition of le Bulletin in your inbox: “16.01.a - The Stories Behind the Storytellers.“ It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←
À bientôt !
Warmly,
Judy - 10.1.2026
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 →
Introducing new contributor - Patricia Russo, writing from Paris.
Patricia introduces herself:
I’m a Mystic, Muse, and Spiritual Teacher guiding women into their hearts on a journey of Softening.
Beyond everything else, I’m a writer. (A poet mostly, and I say this because I feel like I see the world through the eyes of a poet.)
I’m a self-published poet, I write what my heart feels and I share it with the world. Because I’m writing for me, it is part of my healing journey, and when I share I often receive notes back that something I shared inspired someone or helped them to heal too.
Writing is magic like that; it helps us to connect to each other; to soften…”
I now have the pleasure of introducing you to the first of Patricia’s articles we’re publishing here.
MONTMARTRE: A Pilgrim’s, Artist’s, and Sacred Feminine Seeker’s Guide→
by Patricia Russo
“There are always two kinds of travelers: those who want to see the world and those who want to change their lives.” - Phil Cousineau, The Art of Pilgrimage
Montmartre is both a hill and a threshold, a place where seekers, artists, and mystics have wandered for centuries. Once a rural village, it became the heartbeat of Parisian bohemia, home to poets, painters, and dreamers who saw the world differently. But Montmartre is also older than its cafés and cabarets. Beneath its cobblestones lie the ruins of ancient temples, silent wells, and the whispers of something sacred.
Whether you come as a pilgrim, an artist, or a sacred feminine seeker, Montmartre offers more than a view—it offers an invitation…” writes Patricia Russo
a) Only One Promise →
by Mark Jespersen
Only One Promise is a nonfiction book recently written by Kim and Mark Jespersen. Mark did most of the writing, but Kim was always at his side listening, editing, arguing, and supporting the work. The manuscript is currently with a potential publisher and, hopefully, will one day be available in English and French. On croise les doigts.
b) The 3.5 Emotional Stages of Living Abroad→
by Shelby Chambers
My therapist told me I don’t have to feel this way, but I think I’ll have to pay her to tell me a few more times before it really sticks: I feel very guilty for living abroad.
As with most crimes, I didn’t start out feeling guilt. No, for a few years I was thrilled that I got away with it. I also didn’t expect to stay for as long as I have, so I never thought I’d have to deal with the consequences of my actions. I’d likely be back before anyone missed me, or before I missed anybody. Not that I ever put an end date to the French experiment; I always said we’d stay two years minimum to give it a real honest try, but also was careful to never set a maximum so that I couldn’t be held to it. It turns out that after six months I couldn’t imagine ever moving back to the US. Oops…” writes Shelby Chambers
c) 14 Things I Love About Living in France →
by Victorine Lamothe
I hold dual U.S.–French citizenship, and today I’m celebrating France’s national holiday: le 14 juillet, or, as many anglophones call it, “Bastille Day.”
On this day in 1789, revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison, a symbol of royal tyranny, launching the French Revolution and giving birth to the national motto: liberté, égalité, fraternité. Today, it’s fêted with fireworks, military parades, and a general air of joyful rebellion…” writes Victorine Lamothe.
2. a) Get your link NOW MyFrenchLife™ BookClub EVENT Friday & Saturday 16 & 17 January, 2026→
URGENT: If you plan to attend, we need your email address to send you the online event link. Without the link, you’ll not be able to attend.
Mona’s Eyes by Thomas Schlesser - Discussion will be in English.
We’ll discuss this book on Friday, January 16th & Saturday 17 January, 2026- depending on your location.
SELECT and NOTE Your timezone - perhaps set a reminder :)
UK - 7pm Friday 16 January.
France - 8pm Friday 16 January
US Eastern - 2pm Friday 16 January
US Central - 1pm Friday 16 January
US Mountain - 12 noon 16 January
US Pacific - 11am Friday 16 January
Australia/Melbourne, Sydney - 6am Saturday 17 January
New Zealand - 8am Saturday 17 January
RSVP essential - Access by Link only
Mona’s Eyes participates in the tradition of interaction between Art and Literature:
→As a preamble to this discussion, you may want to think about the favorite artwork or artist you read about!
Jacqueline Dubois and Judy MacMahon
b) RSVP→Next online #Bookclub Event: 7-8 February 2026
Mark your diary and RSVP now
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 you’ll find a collection of Keith’s reviews of Mark’s books.
Timezone details are provided on the RSVP form - Watch this space.
Here is our FORM ← RSVP with your email address, so closer to 7-8 February, we will send you the online event ACCESS LINK.
Judy
3. Merci mille fois
“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon
Chers amis (dear friends)
I’m so grateful you’re here with us as we begin this new year together. These stories remind me exactly why we gather like this each week—to keep discovering the France that lives beyond the clichés, to share the messy and magical realities of actually living this life, to connect with kindred spirits who understand.
Patricia’s mystical journey through Montmartre, Shelby’s brave honesty about expat guilt, the promises and pilgrimages, Mark’s lost letters and new book—this is the diverse conversation I always hoped we’d be having as we start our 16th year together.
Our book club meets online in just 7 days (16/17 Jan), and I’d love to see you there - RSVP (above) to get your event access link.
And don’t miss our next #bookclub event announcement and author conversation, 7 February - RSVP above.
À bientôt, mes amis,
Judy x
judy@myfrenchlife.org
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Many thanks for your endless research and fabulous articles Judy, I loved "Only One Promise is a nonfiction book recently written by Kim and Mark Jespersen." especially, what a wonderful find, one I have always dreamed of and never had such luck! I will be looking out for the book!
Have a great weekend xx
Yes. France draws one in. So much history, beauty, attitude. In about 1965 I went to Paris to study architecture and although my life is in London now, I have never left Paris.