peter mayle based in France

[eleanor2]

have any of you wathched a year in Provence.well peter mayle wrote it.he has also written other books, i think all based in France.i havnt actually read one yet.i am taking a book called hotel pastis with me when i go.will let you know how i get along with it.

[jazzactivist]

I read A Year in Provence and Hotel Pastis a few years back, eleanor, and enjoyed them both as a light read. They don't show any great insight into France or its people, but as a fun holiday read they are fine. I love books that are about people going to live ijn different countries and trying new experiences, but prefer ones that are more than just the story of their domestic lives. One with a bit more interest is Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes - about two young sisters who decide to go and live on a olive farm in Liguria, Italy. Summer is a lovely time for reading this type of book and letting our fantasies run wild...

[dragonfly]

I've not read it Eleanor but hope you enjoy it. I am reading 'The house at Riverton' and enjoying it better than Kate Moretons other book (can't remember what it was called, the one in three different times).

[eleanor2]

the secret garden i think d.f
jazz i like reading books about where i am on hols cus it gives you more of a feel for the place.helps your imagination to run wild.

[jazzactivist]

I agree eleanor. I like to start the book before I go to get m in the mood, and then read it while I'm there too. I love to spot the plants and buildings that the author describes in the book. Do you ever make the food that is described in the book you are reading? I do, and I find that tasting it makes the story really live.

[Crocus]

I've also read a book by an author who took a year of, went over to France and lived there for a year to get inspiration for a book she was busy writing. It was most interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. I'm sure I mentioned this book on here somewhere - I'll have a look.

[Crocus]

I found it and copied it on here:

"I've just started to read a book "Deep France", by Celia Brayfield. It's classified as "Readable Non Fiction" and it's about Celia taking her 3 cats and computer and travelled to the South of France. She took along her student daughter as well and they just kept on driving south, eventually ending up in a little village in the region of Bearn, "the most romantic, remote and rustic region of France"."

[Ivy]

I read some of his books, they are quite funny and a good pass time. Unfortunately they are all in German otherwise I would post them to you.

[eleanor2]

i have been buying some from charity shops ivy.i have saved them.i like to take one french book each time i go.have run out of joanne harris for now.one lovely r.m reader has posted me lollipop shoes but it hasnt got here yet.so i am going to start my peter mayle.
jazz i want to try the recipes one day.....really want to make buckwheat pancakes.

[eleanor2]

i am quite enjoying reading this book. a few strange characters.an ex wife who seems to be taking the ultra mick out of her ex husband.but certainly showing you being rich isnt always fun.

[eleanor2]

finished the book:it was tres bien:a bit of escapism from real life:not to be taken seriously i think:but a good read

[Pippa]

Thank you whoever recommended Deep France by Celia Brayfield, enjoyed by me and passed on and enjoyed by friends. If you want another 'living in france' book may I recommend C'est la Folie by Michael Wright and now the sequel which I have just read Je t'aime a' La Folie, only out in hardback at the mo I think, a lovely read, I like his witisisms (is that a word). All the books mentioned here are positive experiences of living abroad and not expats slagging off the locals.

[Crocus]

Hi Pippa, I think it was me who recommended this book - it's a lovely book actually. I was searching for more of her books in our library, but there weren't any on the shelf, maybe it's just out, but will have a look when I next go. I'm glad you enjoyed the book, it's quite interesting. I will copy the book and writer you suggested above, and will have a look.

[jazzactivist]

I found Deep France in a charity shop yesterday and bought it, crocus and Pippa. It looks really interesting. I'll look forward to reading it after I have finished the current one which is "One Man and a Narrowboat: slowing down time on England's waterways" by Steve Haywood. I am eally enjoying it, as it is about a man who follows the route of the first couple to ever travel the canals for leisure purposes in 1939. I also read a really funny one about a couple who take their narrowboat across the English Channel to navigate the French canals which are very different to the English ones as they are really wide and still used by big cargo boats. It is called "Narrowdog to Carcassonne" by Terry Darlington. The dog refers to their pet whippet.

I usually like to eat the food and drink the drinks that are mentioned in books that I am reading, and if there are recipes too all the better. The writer Margaret Forster said it is something she does to get into the mood of any book she is writing - eating what her characters would have eaten. I munched my way through The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love as an experiment, as there were lots of descriptions of Cuban food, and I was hooked! However, I am going to draw the line at the spam and baked beans in the one I am reading!

[souter girl]

I read Michael Wright's column "C'est la folie" every Saturday in the newspaper - love the anecdotes and will probably get" Je t'aime" etc once it is in paperback. Being a dog person and a francophile, I will look out for "Narrowdog" - sounds promising

[Crocus]

I'm sure you will enjoy the book Jazz, I really enjoyed it because it's a true story. I really like 'readable non-fiction'. I again will enjoy "One Man and a Narrowboat" as we love narrow boats. Will have a peep in the library. Thanks! x

[Pippa]

There are some lovely recipes in Deep France for you Jazz and get yourself a bottle of Pastis in if you read the Michael Wright books, needless to say no Ricard to be found locally here.

[eleanor2]

THIS BOOK SOUNDS GOOD.WILL BE LOOKING FORWArd to finding it at the library.i have found 2 french cook books in charity shops today.cant wait to get time to read them.

[jazzactivist]

I am sooooo disappointed, as I have just read in the Lancaster Guardian that I just missed seeing Terry Darlington, his wife Monica and their narrowdog, Jim, at Tewitfield Marina near here! OH and I were there last weekend, and seemingly the Narrowdog team were there on Wednesday. Oh, I would have loved to have had a chat, and patted Jim. They were travelling on the Lancaster Canal and are now on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and the latest book is being written about these travels - called "Narrowdog to Wigan Pier". I tried to get OH to spend the day chasing them down to Preston, as a narrowboat only does 10 miles per day, but he thought it would be too embarrassing!

[eleanor2]

i saw this couple on a programme.they were being interviewed on a programme about the canals a while back.they sure are accomplishing magnificent feat of travel on a narrow boat.