Travel writer and Nice resident Jeanne Oliver has been writing about France for 25 years and her expertise and knowledge of Nice help the reader discover the city like a local.

The 218 info-packed pages are fitted into a light and compact format. Easy to carry around for the day! Or download on your Kindle. Maps and step-by-step instructions make getting around a breeze.

EXPLORE:

The Old Town, the vibrant heart of Nice with its crooked streets, cosy squares, baroque churches, bustling markets and jumble of pastel houses;

Castle Hill, a scenic park overlooking the sea with reminders of Nice’s earliest settlement and the final resting place of Nice notables;

Port Lympia with stately 18th-century buildings around a harbor;

Cimiez, the hilltop neighborhood where gladiators fought, Romans bathed, the Franciscans built a monastery and Queen Victoria held court;

Promenade des Anglais, the seaside walk lined with elegant hotels reflecting the British influence on Nice;

West Nice, the little-known neighborhood that was once a country outpost and aristocratic hideaway;

Promenade du Paillon a lush, watery landscape built over the Paillon river;

Quartier des Musiciens with landmark Belle Epoque and Art Deco masterpieces.

And discover Nice’s UNESCO-listed treasures.

Written by an insider, the walking tours include the local lore, legends and traditions that make up Nice’s unique culture. Learn about the food, festivals, saints and sinners that locals talk about.

Well-written and just bursting with facts and details that make the history and legends of the city come to life. I’ve visited the city several times, but not with this guide. Reading this makes me want to go back and visit again – but this time with all these fascinating details to hand, so I can discover the hidden gems I clearly missed last time! Clear directions, useful maps and fascinating anecdotes galore. Nice is a city that’s just perfect for wandering and whether you’re a first time visitor, or like me you’ve visited before, this is the essential guide to the sunny city.

Nice Uncovered: Walks Through the Secret Heart of a Historic City is available on Amazon.

The post Review: Nice Uncovered appeared first on The Good Life France.

Think of Nice and images of the glistening Mediterranean bordering the iconic Promenade des Anglais swim into view. Less well-known are the many sites and neighborhoods that achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in July 2021. According to UNESCO, Nice “reflects the development of a city devoted to winter tourism, making the most of its mild climate and its coastal situation, between sea and mountains.” Jeanne Oliver, author of Nice Uncovered: Walks Through the Secret Heart of a Historic City, explores the tourist heritage of Nice…

UNESCO-listed “Nice Winter Resort Town of the Riviera”

Tourism has defined the development of Nice for well over 200 years. And it’s this that has seen UNESCO recognise the “Outstanding Universal Value” of Nice’s heritage in terms of architecture, landscape and urban planning, and an area of 522 hectares shaped by the cosmopolitan winter resort which has resulted in a spectacular fusion of international cultural influences.

The first tourist was arguably Scotsman Tobias Smollett who praised Nice in his bestseller Travels Through France and Italy published in 1766. His British readers were intrigued and began visiting Nice in the late 18^th century. They first settled on the land west of Cours Saleya, which opened for development after the town walls were destroyed in 1706. Rue François de Paule was considered chic even before the Opera was built in the late 19^th century.

By the beginning of the 19th century the trickle of British visitors turned into a steady stream. They fanned out to what is now the Carré d’Or and clustered in a community around the Croix de Marbre. Stores selling products from home sprouted up in the neighborhood they called “Newborough”.

How Nice developed due to tourists

These early Brits avoided the crowded, dirty streets of the Old Town but they liked to stroll the rue des Ponchettes which bordered the square Cours Saleya which was turned into a garden promenade. However, to access the walkways, they had to cross a bridge which spanned the Paillon river and then make their way through the Old Town. In 1822 the Reverend Lewis Way of Nice’s new Anglican Church raised money to construct a path along the sea, easily accessible from their neighborhood. The path, Chemin des Anglais, was completed in 1824. It reached from the western banks of the Paillon river to rue Meyerbeer. Over the course of the 19^th century, it was extended west and eventually became the Promenade des Anglais.

A stroll west along the Promenade reveals spectacular examples of Belle Epoque architecture. The Villa Masséna, now the Masséna Museum, is a fine example of a private villa on the Promenade, while the Hotel Negresco heads a procession of elegant 19^th century hotels.

Nice’s 19th-century rulers, the Dukes of Savoy, quickly recognized the potential of the “distinguished foreign visitors” which included Russians, Germans, and Americans. From the mid-19th century onward, every urbanization decision taken was aimed at increasing the comfort and enjoyment of holidaymakers. Foreign tourists liked exotic vegetation? Let’s plant the Promenade des Anglais with palm trees! Foreign tourists liked gardens? The Jardin Albert 1er became a 19th-century seaside park, while the ruins of the old Colline du Chateau became a hilltop park with sea views.

Architectural style

The opening of the Nice train station in 1864 shortly after Nice became part of France in 1860, sparked the development of the Quartier des Musiciens. Boulevard Victor Hugo was the first street to be laid out and the rest followed in a grid pattern. Fabulous Belle Epoque residences such as the Palais Baréty were followed by a new style, Art Deco, in the interwar period.

The verdant hill of Cimiez already had a few Belle Epoque hotels even before Queen Victoria chose the Excelsior Regina Hotel as her preferred holiday spot in 1895. Within a decade the entire neighborhood was transformed from farmland to a playground for European nobility. The stately apartment buildings now lining the Boulevard de Cimiez were designed as hotels and followed contemporary tastes. When Orientalism came into vogue at the turn of the 20th century, minarets were chosen to adorn the Hotel Alhambra.

Another neighborhood favored by 19th-century Brits was Mont Boron, the hill between Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer. In 1891 they founded the l’Association Des Amis Des Arbres to protect trees and wooded areas against over-development. The Chateau de l’Anglais, built by Colonel Robert Smith was inspired by his tour of duty in India and brings a touch of exoticism to this forested hill.

Just as the British aristocracy congregated in Cimiez and Mont Boron, the Russian aristocracy followed Tsar Alexander II to the Piol neighborhood after he wintered there in 1864. The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, consecrated in 1912, testifies to the long Russian presence in Nice.

A world famous heritage site

The only part of the more than 500-hectare UNESCO-protected area that had little to do with tourism development is Port Lympia. It was vital to Nice’s export trade however and most of it does date from the late 19th-century.

Nice’s World Heritage designated area covers almost all the city’s highlights except for one surprising omission. The winding streets of Vieux Nice north of Cours Saleya are not UNESCO listed. Most of the baroque churches and pastel buildings date from the 18th century and thus are before Nice’s development as a tourist destination.

Jeanne Oliver is a travel writer who lives in Nice. She is the author of Nice Uncovered: Walks through the Secret Heart of a Historic City. Find out more at jeanneoliver.net

The post The UNESCO-listed Treasures of Nice appeared first on The Good Life France.

Stoke the fire and gather round the TV, popcorn et chocolat chaud at the ready. We’ve compiled our list of our favourite winter feel good films to watch and study French. We’ll start with our ‘winter warmer’ movies, before listing some Christmas classics to get you in the festive spirit!

Learning through film is one of the most effective ways to study a language. Not only will you learn ‘real’ French vocabulary in context, you’ll also have great fun as you immerse yourself in French culture.

Winter Warmers

Amélie – 2001

Amélie is one of French international cinema’s biggest successes. Following the death of Princess Diana, Amélie decides to help those around her by secretly orchestrating their lives. She soon realises she has been neglecting her own interests, and her quirky would-be lover in the process.

Populaire (Popular) – 2012

Rose applies to be a secretary at an insurance firm run by Louis. Louis soon discovers that Rose is an extremely fast typer, using only two fingers. He urges her to enter a speed typing competition if she wants the job, and soon he is training her to become the fastest typer in the world.

Les Émotifs anonymes (Romantics Anonymous) – 2010

Angélique, a master chocolatier, and chocolate factory owner Jean-René, are too shy to admit their love for each other. The film follows their awkward journey as their feelings develop for one another.

Intouchables (The Untouchables) – 2011

This comedy drama follows the story of a Parisian aristocrat and his live-in carer following a paragliding accident. A touching story about the bond formed between two men who would never have usually met!

Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (Welcome to the Sticks) – 2008

Despite living a comfortable life in the picturesque Salon-de-Provence, Julie has been suffering from depression for a long time. To help his wife feel better, Julie’s postmaster husband plots a move for the family. Hilarious and heart-warming…

Christmas Classics

Le père Noël est une ordur (Santa Claus Is a Stinker) – 1982

Two workers at a suicide prevention hotline on Christmas eve get the shock of their lives as a pregnant woman, her abusive boyfriend and a friend visit their offices.

L’apprenti Père Noël (Santa’s Apprentice) – 2010

Although Santa doesn’t want to retire, rules dictate that he must find his successor! An animated Christmas classic, follow the story of a young, shy boy in Australia who could become Santa’s next apprentice.

Un conte de Noël (A Christmas Tale) – 2008

A French family is caught in deep Christmas friction as the matriarch Junon asks her children and grandchildren if they are eligible to become her bone marrow donor.

Are you studying French? Why not learn French through news online with Newsdle? With new lessons published daily from beginner to advanced levels, you can access through their website and app!

Use discount code goodlife25 for 25% off your first subscription at www.newsdle.com.

The post 8 Winter Feel Good Films to Watch and Learn French appeared first on The Good Life France.

Taking a break from the City of Light and her dreaded math homework, Daisy heads to a rambling chateau in the Loire. She aims to help her Aunt Mill’s friend and fellow former spy, Felix, catalog his art collection. But when Daisy receives a copy of the Mona Lisa as a thank you gift from Felix, strange things start to happen. This Mona is not just any copy. It’s one of two perfect forgeries created to fool the Nazis during their hunt for the real Mona Lisa in WWII. Daisy’s best friend from the states, Lucia, a newly minted teen model in Paris to audition for the spring runway shows, thinks Daisy’s Mona is the real one. Real or not, it’s worth a fortune. And when Felix suddenly dies, his family accuses Daisy of stealing it. Once again, Daisy must navigate a world of crazy, scheming, frequently criminal adults, not to mention traveling ghosts, ginormous pigs, testy lawyers, former spies, and obnoxious fashionistas, as she finds herself trying to outwit them all to keep her beloved Mona.

Review

This is the first in the series of the Daisy Tannenbaum misadventures that I have read, and I’m definitely going to seek out the others now, though it doesn’t matter if you read this as a stand alone tale.

Daisy is charming, headstrong and caring. She has a wonderful relationship with her friends who join her on her quest to find the truth. Excitement, tension and mystery fill each page making it a thrilling read not knowing what direction the story will go in next! Just the right length for younger readers to enjoy. I read this with my ten year old son and he really liked it. He’s into all things historic and fact driven and enjoyed learning more about French history in the book. Then I gave it to my neighbour whose 14 year old said that she wants to go to Paris to see the Mona Lisa after reading this! And she’d like to go there with Daisy to have an action-packed adventure…

It’s a great book for teens and tweens and I must admit, I enjoyed it too! Daisy has a great character, fun and feisty and honest. The added French words at the end is great for checking if your French is right! Go Daisy!

Author J.T. Allen is award-winning screenwriter, who sold his first script while living in Paris then moved to Los Angeles and wrote several early drafts of The Lion King and The Preacher’s Wife.The first Daisy Tannenbaum misadventure, Daisy and the Pirates, started as a pitch for a Disney Channel movie. Allen loved the character, who was inspired by his two daughters, and wrote his first novel instead. Daisy in Exile, the second in the series, began as chapters for Daisy’s blog, “My Stupid Journal”.

The post Review of Daisy and the Mona Lisa appeared first on The Good Life France.

TV5MONDEplus the free on-demand platform for French shows and films brings you a packed programme year round. And the end of year schedule is packed with programmes to pique your interest and bring you guilt-free, binge-watching shows and films galore. You can access it for free here: TV5MONDEplus

Meanwhile on TV5MONDE the live TV channel, explore what it was like to conquer other lands with Napoleon, or be the first black woman in a major motion picture with Joséphine Baker. With Stéphane Bern, retrace the stories of famous people who have left their mark on history in much-acclaimed history series Secrets d’Histoire showing Mondays at 8pm.

• Secrets d’Histoire: Joséphine Baker la fleur au fusil – Mon 5th Dec
• Secrets d’Histoire: Victor Emmanuel II 1er roi d’Italie – Mon 12th Dec
• Secrets d’Histoire: Napoléon l’exile de Ste Helene – Mon 19th Dec
• Secrets d’Histoire: Marie de Bourgogne – Mon 26th Dec

And for the festive season why not have iconic actors Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michel Galabru and Michel Serrault beamed direct chez vous!

Burlesque classic films – Ces messieurs de la famille, starrring Michel Galabru et Michel Serrault – Thurs 15th Dec at 8pm & Les morfalous , starring Jean-Paul Belmondo showing Thurs 29th Dec at 8pm.

And classic Molière for the New Year with Le bourgeois gentilhomme with Michel Galabru on New Year’s Day at 1pm followed by Les fourberies de Scapin on Fri 6th Jan at 5:40pm

Watch TV5MONDE the streamed live TV channel via the Smart TV app (with catch up) or watch via live-stream here. Free and no subscription required.

TV5MONDEplus – guilt-free binge watching?!

If you’re searching for your next binge-watch, make TV5MONDEplus your next destination. With subtitles in French and English you have the added bonus of improving or learning French at the same time – guilt-free binge-watching! Bonne idée!

TV5MONDEplus is also 100% free and available on all mobile apps (iOS and Android), web devices, Smart TVs and Amazon / Roku sticks.

TV5MONDEplus has a large collection of dramas, documentaries and more from French-speaking countries around the world including Canada, Switzerland, Belgium and France – all of which you definitely won’t have seen on UK TV before.

Comedy and drama shows

We recommend these amazing drama series:

Les Simone: This comedy-drama follows the lives of three friends in their thirties, as they navigate the ups and downs of their jobs, social lives and everything in between. Maxim is seeking a new start out in Montreal, while Laurence continues to excel in her media career. Meanwhile, make-up artist by day and barmaid by night, Nikki, is determined to make sure the trio remain close friends.

Wilder: After returning to her isolated hometown in the Swiss Alps, police inspector Rosa witnesses a series of gruesome crimes that remind her of the tragic accident that killed her brother, plus 12 other children, 30 years ago. Determined to help the town’s residents seek justice, Wilder decides to stay for a while, hoping to finally put an end to the series of misfortunes that plague the village.

Amours Solitaires: In the era of social media, follow the romance by texts, between Simon and Maud, a courtship via mobile phone. An adaptation of the book by Morgane Ortin.

Terreur 404: 404 is the internet code for pages that don’t exist, the threshold beyond which everyday life slips into a strange unknown world. In Terreur 404 our worst nightmares are brought to life by some our most commonplace technology. (Award-winning best mystery / thriller series at several festivals)

Damoiselle: And what if beauty YouTubers had always existed? From ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages and occupied Gaul, our “Damoiselles” share their beauty tutorials with you and the camera, and strip the make-up off history as they do so! A darkly humorous glimpse of women’s lives down the centuries. And, for each period, a history consultant separates the episode’s fact from fiction in “L’Éclairage de Julien”. (Award-winning best French series at Marseilles Web fest).

The post Guilt-free binge watching French TV shows for free! appeared first on The Good Life France.

Only the next morning, Lily has more than a hangover . . . she has a whole new house – in France!

Seeing this as an opportunity instead of a disaster, she’s excited about finally moving to France, just as she and her husband always dreamed of. However, Lily is in for another surprise. Despite planning to move there for over 20 years, her husband never actually intended to go.

So begins a year in France, alone, renovating the gorgeous old farmhouse that is held together by wallpaper and wishes.

Will a year at the French farmhouse be just what Lily needs? Or could it be the previous owner, Frederique, that is the answer to Lily’s dreams?

Review

A great read that left me dreaming of being as brave as Lily, just taking the plunge and going off on an adventure to start a new chapter in life. The relationships between Lily and those she comes across in France, go from strength to strength and prove to survive through language barriers, falling plaster and love and heartache. There’s lots of emotions flowing through the book – all unique to the situation Lily finds herself in.

It’s an easy read at a gentle pace with likeable characters and a happy ending. Pure escapism.

I’m already wondering what will happen next…

French bookworm is a Francophile who reads books for fun.

The post  A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey appeared first on The Good Life France.

Each year there is a contest in France in which the French vote for their favourite monument. Every region puts forward a candidate and a TV Show features each monument and the public get to decide who the winner is.

It’s not an easy choice, more than a dozen truly magnificent venues are put forward each year. In 2022 the list consisted of:

The Cherbourg Transatlantic Maritime Station and the Le Redoutable submarine in Normandy

The largest visitable submarine in the world and the Transatlantic Maritime station, in its time, the largest construction in France after Versailles. An aquarium, exhibitions, permanent collection – it’s an extraordinary ode to maritime history. This was the winner of France’s 2022 contest for Favourite Monument of the French

The Rock and the Chapel of Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

The chapel built on top of a tall rock is nothing short of mind-blowing. How did they do it? 268 steps to the top, the work that must have been involved in building this incredible monument is simply astonishing.

The Château d’Azay-le-Rideau in the Centre-Val de Loire

A romantic 16^th century castle on its own island in the middle of the Indre river in the Loire Valley – the Chateau of Azay le Rideau is utterly irresistible.

The prehistoric site of Filitosa in Corsica

The 8000 year old megalithic site in southern Corsica is truly stunning. Statues-menhirs and monuments trace the footsteps of one of the earliest civilisations on the island of beauty.

Read more about Corsica

The Chapel of the Maison Saint-Yves in Brittany

The chapel, a jewel of art deco style, was opened to the public in 2017. In the lovely Saint-Brieuc area, it’s just another reason to fall in love with Brittany’s Cote d’Armor.

Fontenay Abbey in Burgundy-Franche-Comté

Founded by Saint Bernard in 1118, the Abbey of Fontenay is one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in France. Following Saint Bernard’s careful layout, visitors first explore the church, followed by the dormitory, the cloisters, the chapter house, the scriptorium, the warming room and the forge. It is one of the first French monuments to have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Fort of Schoenenbourg in the Grand Est

30 metres underground, 3 kilometres of galleries of the famed Maginot line a  vast fortified defence line built in the early 20^th century. A visit to this preserved section in Schoenenbourg near Riquewihr Alsace, speaks of the past.

The historic mining center of Lewarde in Hauts-de-France

Discover three centuries of the history of mining in France, a jewel of industrial heritage near Lens.

The Zévallos Habitation in Guadeloupe (Overseas)

In the overseas ‘department’ of France in sunny Guadeloupe, the heritage site and gardens are being restored and preserved.

The Castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte in Île-de-France

The Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte was commissioned by Louis XIV’s finance Minister Nicholas Fouquet. He lavished money on the design, employing the best artisans of the day. It took 20 years to build and Fouquet intended it to be good enough to house a King and invited Louis XIV to stay when it was complete. The King in a fit of jealousy threw Fouquet in prison – surely only by stealing could a non-royal build a better home than the King. Later Louis built Versailles. Never again would anyone outshine him…

The Rochefort Transporter Bridge in New Aquitaine

Inaugurated in July 1900, this is the last working ferry bridge in France. Travel back through history when you cross the River Charente on this extraordinary heritage mobile bridge near the historic city of Rochefort.

Saint-Martin-du-Canigou Abbey in Occitanie

Discover a thousand years of history at the 11^th century abbey built on a rock promontory near Perpignan.

The Robert Tatin Museum in Pays de la Loire

This weird, whacky and wonderful monument was the home of extraordinary French artist Robert Tatin. It features a walkway of giants, and the most incredible home which looks like it has been beamed to the countryside of Laval from an ancient south American site…

The Synagogue of Carpentras in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

The oldest active Synagogue in France, this 14^th century monument in Carpentras in Provence, is exceptionally beautiful and historic.

The post Favourite Monuments of the French in 2022 appeared first on The Good Life France.

Have you ever wondered why we say ‘pardon my French?’ We have, so we asked the French language experts at Newsdle, the news-based French learning app. It’s a fascinating story… here’s what they say:

The term “pardon my French” has been used regularly for almost 200 years. It’s used to excuse the fact that you’ve sworn, or are about to swear or use offensive language. It’s a widely used term, even in popular movies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! And you don’t have to speak French or even be a Francophile to use the phrase.

Earliest Use of the Phrase

One of the earliest recorded uses of the phrase was in a story published by Karl Von Miltie in 1831, in his book The Twelve Nights. Karl writes:

“My dear Mr. Heartwell, you are come to see me at last. Bless me, how fat you are grown!—absolutely round as a ball:—you will soon be as embonpoint (excuse my French) as your poor dear father, the major.”

Embonpoint is defined to describe persons who are considered larger than usual. In this instance, he is not apologising for the insult, rather for saying the insult in the French language. The phrase became more commonly used during the 19th century, however it did not make its entry into the Oxford English Dicitionary until 1901.

The Arrival of French Words in England

To truly understand the influence of French on the English language, we need to go back to the 11th Century. Following the Battle of Hastings in the 10th Century, when William the Conqueror invaded England, the French language became de rigeur.
Although William tried to learn English (at the age of 43), he soon gave up. Within 20 years of Norman occupation, almost all the religious institutions in England were French-speaking. The aristocrats brought with them large French-speaking retinues, and soon the language of the aristocracy became French. When the English nobility lost their estates in France in 1204 they adopted English as their main language as a source of national pride.

Eventually English did take over from French, but about 10,000 introduced French words are still used today. And there ae hybrid words which have evolved directly from French. For example, sabotage originates from the French word sabot, which is a wooden clog worn by French peasants. As industrialisation swept through Europe, angry peasants soon discovered that a sabot, when placed in machinery, would effectively bring the factories to a halt, thus sabotaging the factories. Even the word coupon, comes from the French verb couper, meaning to cut.

Intertwining of Languages and Origins of Pardon my French

Thanks to the intertwining of the French (and other languages), English subsequently evolved into a rich and versatile global language. ‘Pardon my French’ was originally used in England when someone used a French word, when speaking to someone who may not have had the social standing to understand French. However with conflict between the French and English led to the word being used to indicate that anything regarded as rude or uncouth was dubbed as French, regardless of whether it was or not!

Discover more fun facts about the French language and learn French as well as about all aspects of French life from culture to history, sports to gastronomy, through Newsdle’s fun and inspiring news-based app  and get 25% off with the code goodlife25

The post Why do we say ‘pardon my French?’ appeared first on The Good Life France.

With a wealth of online resources and tools, there has never been a better time to learn French online. Studying French through websites and apps allows you to study little-and-often, wherever you are.

Top Ten Tips to Learn French Online

Study with an online French graded newspaper

Studying French with an online French graded newspaper such as Newsdle is a great way to learn through engaging, authentic content. With new lessons published each day across website an app, there’s something for everyone!

Spaced repetition (SRS) software

SRS flashcards are a great way to learn and reinforce vocabulary. You’ll be tested more on words you remember less.
Tip: organise your words into groups to lighten the load!

Switch your email and phone to French system language!

Feeling brave? not switch your email and phone settings to French? As these are platforms that you’re already familiar with, you’ll get exposure to new vocabulary without feeling overwhelmed.

Meet a French language partner online

Studying with language exchange partners is a great way to practice your French language skills and make new friends in the process. There are loads of online platforms to help you find someone suitable. Just remember to take steps to stay safe online!

Get an online tutor

Study with the help of a teacher without needing to leave your home. This is a great option if you don’t get so much exposure to French language in your daily life.

Watch French TV and films online

You can use free tools such as YouTube or TV5MondePlus which is like French Netflix but free (download the app here: TV5MondePlus), or subscription service such as Netflix to learn French. This is a great way to expose yourself to accents from across the French-speaking world!

Listen to French podcasts on streaming platforms

A great option if you’re on the go! Study French as you travel, exercise, or relax through podcasts!

Try a learning French browser extension

Hover over words on websites for immediate translation for an easy win!

Use an online dictionary tool

Put your words and texts into an online dictionary tool to help decipher the meaning. Even better, find one that links to your SRS flashcards to build the new words into your daily study routine!

Learn to sing French songs!

Learning songs is a great way to learn vocabulary in context and have fun when learning French. Get those endorphins flowing with a French karaoke session!

If you want to learn French through a graded online newspaper, why not try Newsdle? There are new lessons every day from beginner to advanced levels, as well as loads of tools to support your language learning journey!

Use discount code goodlife25 for 25% off initial transaction amount through the website at www.newsdle.com.

The post What’s the Best Way to Learn French Online? appeared first on The Good Life France.

Headstrong Countess Joliette de Verzat prefers secretly managing her family’s Loire Valley château and vineyards to the cut-throat politics of Versailles. For nearly three centuries, generations of families have toiled to produce Château de Verzat wines, and their homes and livelihoods depend upon Joliette. But ancient laws block her from inheriting property – unless she is widowed.

Revolution erupts. Thousands of women march on Versailles. Caught in the battle, Joliette risks her own life to save her lover’s. She flees to Paris, blazing with hatred for aristocrats, where she discovers her illegitimate half-brother, Henri – the secret rightful heir who disdains the nobility to which he unknowingly belongs.

As insurrection mounts, Joliette faces heart-breaking choices. She must risk all that she loves and trust the people she has saved to save her.

Review

A wonderfully written story. Easy going to start with, then out of nowhere it picks up a  fast pace and becomes a mixed bag of emotions, suspense, romance, loyalty and determination all vying for top spot attention.

Debra’s attention to detail shines through in her writing. It puts you down in the underground tunnels of Paris. It takes you out into the vineyards under the beating sun. You’ll imagine yourself walking with the other ladies-in-waiting behind the Queen, and wondering how people must have really felt back then. Her descriptions of situations left me on tenterhooks wondering where the story would go next, all while hoping I don’t have to wait too long for the next book – I wasn’t ready for this one to end! Great characters, and great insight into their lives at a fascinating time of French history.

Steeped in history, Her Own Legacy is a hidden history lesson as well as a beautiful read. Perfect for those who love history, romance and and well written stories. My only criticism is that it doesn’t come with its own bottle of Verzat wine to enjoy while reading it! This is the first of three books in the series – and I can’t wait for the next one.

Available on Amazon and at all good book shops.

The post Review | Her Own Legacy by Debra Borchert appeared first on The Good Life France.