16.27 - French Worm-Holes Worth Falling Into
FRANCE AS IT HAPPENS—Four contributors, four corners of France: from couture to terroir to sacred architecture
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Bonjour mes ami(e)s !
It’s wonderful to have you back here with me today. 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: “16.27.a - Beyond the Cliché: Fashion, Faith and Foundations - It’s not too late to upgrade & read it←
À bientôt !
Warmly,
Judy - 11.7.2026
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 reminder that ‘The Writers Room’ now resides here →
a) Villa E-1027: Eileen Gray’s modernist masterpiece
by Suzanne Rietmeijer
Eileen Gray was a pioneer in the world of design and architecture, at a time when very few women were able to make their mark in either field.“
Long before the Second World War, she had already made a name for herself with her distinctive designs and furniture. But Gray was more than a designer. On the Côte d’Azur, she also created one of the most remarkable modernist houses of the twentieth century: Villa E-1027.
How did she manage to carve out such an exceptional place for herself? And what about Le Corbusier: did he play a part in her success, or is that a misunderstanding that has lingered for far too long?…” writes Suzanne Rietmeijer
b) French wine: Bourgogne et Beaujolais
by Eveline Chartier
The Bourgogne (aka Burgundy) and Beaujolais wine regions share a lot of history, although they have very different characters today. “
Discover the important elements that make them unique…”
c) The Rebel Who Became a Muse: How a Runaway from France’s Most Notorious Project Shaped Paris Fashion
by Judy MacMahon
I need to tell you about something extraordinary that I found out about late last year. You know how sometimes a story grabs you and won’t let go? This is one of those.”
On 11 December, a fashion auction closed in Paris. “
Model and muse Farida Khelfa sold off her entire archive—200 pieces spanning 40 years, including 92 Alaïa pieces. Museums had been circling. Collectors were salivating. But here’s what made me sit up straight: she donated half the proceeds to the RIACE Fund, which helps refugees and unaccompanied minors.”
Why does that matter? Because in 1976, at sixteen, Farida ran away from her traditional Muslim home in suburban Lyon and hitchhiked to Paris with absolutely nothing…”
d) La Grande Mosquée de Paris: a delight to visit
by Jenn Bragg
“…If you know me, you know I love different cultures, especially when different cultures exist together. For this reason, I really love the Paris Mosque, one of the largest in France. It was built in the 1920s and is located in the 5th arrondissement. In other words, it’s on a nice piece of real estate near the famous Rue Mouffetard and Jardin des Plantes on the eastern side of the Left Bank.”
This is interesting to me because you’re taking something relatively new — in terms of construction as well as culturally to France back then — and putting it in the middle of a very old part of Paris. I love that…” writes Jenn Bragg
2. Merci mille fois
“Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’, the newsletter of MyFrenchLife™ Magazine.”
Judy MacMahon
Merci mille fois d’être ici, mes ami(e)s. Thanks for being here.
This week, I handed you four worm-holes and four wonderful guides.
Suzanne Rietmeijer on Eileen Gray’s Villa E-1027.
Eveline Chartier on Bourgogne and Beaujolais. J
Jenn Bragg inside the Grande Mosquée de Paris.
And the full Farida Khelfa essay — a story I’ve been wanting to tell you for months.
I hope at least one of them pulled you somewhere unexpected.
And that, perhaps, is FRANCE AS IT HAPPENS this week.
Which corner of France surprised you most this week?
À bientôt,
Judy
judy@myfrenchlife.org
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