Last week’s guest post from Claire – the Multiples Of Two Packing Plan – really resonated with the Distant Francophile community. And why wouldn’t it? Who doesn’t love picking up advice from fellow travellers. Well, luckily for all of us, Claire has generously agreed to share another of her packing lessons – thank you so much […]
Janelle
440 posts
The other day, one of my closest friends and I got to talking about the importance of grooming. We both agreed that while there are a few blessed souls out there who can look spectacular with assistance only from a hair tie and a little lip gloss, the rest of us have to work somewhat […]
Happy Bastille Day Everyone. July the 14th sees the French celebrating their national day. Some French will join the crowds that descend on Paris to see the parades and the fly overs, which deliver jet streams in shades of blue, white and red. Others will use the holiday to escape with family and friends. French […]
This might sound silly, but creating Distant Francophile has brought all sorts of artistic joy into our lives. We spend way more time than you might imagine discussing topics and the associated photographs that might be worth sharing. But the whole creative process is not my favourite part of Distant Francophile. In fact, it doesn’t […]
I’ve been travelling for work a lot recently. Which means I’ve had a stack of time to think – the only upside of delayed flights is that they provide valuable thinking time! Top on my list of ‘thinking topics’ has been how the French dedication to style forms the foundation of all that that they […]
You don’t need me to tell you that you can find some of the best sweet treats on the planet in a French pâtisserie. Small, exquisitely crafted and absolutely delicious, enjoying a cake or pastry created by someone who knows what they are doing is almost the ideal way to Frenchify your Friday. This is […]
There is only one thing for it. I’m afraid someone is going to have to run an intervention. Yep, I’ve done it again. I’ve purchased (yet) another guide book. For Paris. A city I’ve travelled to more times than I can remember. Of course, in my own defence, I was always going to buy this […]
I always look forward to July. It is a fun month for the Distant Francophile team, with many of our friends and family celebrating their birthdays this month. And on top of all the birthdays, there is Bastille Day to consider – always a good excuse for an evening with a French flavour. It’s just […]
Previously on Distant Francophile….we’ve discussed the Parisian adoration of wearing black. People watch for any length of time and you will definitely see a lot of black. When you are in Paris black is favoured shade for coats, tops, boots, jeans and just about every other item of clothing you can name! But watch for […]
I’ve been thinking about inspiration this week. If you spend any time at all reading Distant Francophile you’ll know that I am a big fan of taking inspiration from all things French. In fact, it is the premise of this entire blog. If you suddenly decide, as I did, to look up the etymology of […]
Although I couldn’t tell you exactly who it was, I remember someone telling me once that macarons – those gorgeous jewel-like French sweet treats – were just a passing fad. That was about 10 years ago now. At this point in time I’m prepared to make a call and say that whoever they were, they […]
It is time to Frenchify Your Friday, and we have Distant Francophile reader Anita to thank for this week’s idea. You see, it was Anita who, via a comment in response to our Managing Your Withdrawal Symptoms After A Visit To France post, reminded me of Google Street View. Here’s how Anita articulated the idea: […]
Last week’s post about my complete lack of anything that even resembles a capsule wardrobe certainly got the conversation flowing. Thank you so much to all of you who contributed your thoughts and tips – they really were amazing and very much appreciated. We’ve completed our wardrobe makeover now and while I (still) have many […]
I was reading an article earlier in the week regarding some of the differences between the French culture and other cultures. It was a well researched piece, full of interesting facts and figures. One difference jumped out at me. According to the writer, the French don’t eat out as often as some of the rest […]
I’ve never written about this before but I am a big, big fan of goal setting. While I don’t go as far as reading my goals every day, I do write them down. And I am very happy to talk about my goals with the special people in my life. I remember very clearly the […]
It’s a long weekend here in Melbourne and yesterday, completely on a whim, Scott and I decided to rip out and replace the insides of our built-in-robes. This decision prompted me to think about three things: Renovations – no matter how minor – always take longer than you think they will. Yep, we’ll be lucky […]
To Frenchify Your Friday this week, we are recommending you spend a little time in a park. Or a garden. Either will do the trick. The French love their parks and gardens. This sentence is unsurprising on so many levels. Firstly, public French outdoor spaces are simply gorgeous. Secondly, and probably more importantly, with French […]
Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to discover so many fellow bloggers who are as fascinated as I am with the French lifestyle and the French woman’s sense of ‘joie de vivre’. One of these is New Zealand’s Fiona Ferris. I became aware of Fiona’s work thanks to Tonya Leigh’s French Kiss Life site. For […]
You are probably aware – either via the news or the astonishing Instagram photos – that the rain has been bucketing down in Paris. To say that it has been a rather damp start to the Parisian summer is a bit of an understatement really! With so much discussion going on about the Parisian weather […]
Winter has hit Melbourne in a big way over the last couple of weeks. We’ve had rain, fog and some decidedly chilly temperatures. The minute this sort of weather arrives, my mind immediately turns to things like cashmere scarves, open fires and that most Parisian of treats, hot chocolate. Now judging by the sheer number […]