Insights into the French way of life and European travels by an Australian living in the Loire Valley
Header photo: Blois in spring, 2016. All photos on website copyright by Rosemary Kneipp unless specified otherwise. All rights reserved.Sign up for the latest posts below and don’t forget to click the confirmation email link:
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- Friday's French – se rappeler, se souvenir, mémoire, souvenir | Aussie in France on Friday’s French: se rappeler, se souvenir, mémoire, souvenir – part #2
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Category Archives: France
Happy New Year for 2021
“The best laid plans of mice and men …” John Burns never said a truer word! We started the year with lots of travel plans and the first was a trip to Crete in March to break the winter blues. … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging, Closerie Falaiseau, Cycling, France, Germany
Tagged cycling in France, living in France, living in the loire valley
5 Comments
Happy New Year 2019
This is my absolute last chance to write my New Year post and wish you all a wonderful 2019, as tomorrow is the first day of February. I have an exciting year ahead – I am going to retire on … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging, Blois, Cycling, Cyprus, France, Germany, Poland, Uncategorized
Tagged cycling in germany, cycling in Poland, new year wishes
19 Comments
A City Break in Angoulême
We haven’t had a break since we went to New York in September what with having to fill the coffers again after our three months’ holiday in 2016, digging the trenches for the automatic watering system and Jean Michel’s varicose … Continue reading
Posted in Accommodation, Architecture, City breaks, France
Tagged angouleme, le saint andré
8 Comments
French-Style Primaries
The first time I voted in the French presidential elections in 2007, there were no primaries. In 2012, the main parties held their own primaries but it was an internal vote and you had to be a party member. This … Continue reading
Posted in France, French customs
Tagged benoît hamon, françois fillon, french politics, French primaries
12 Comments
Discovering Canal Saint Martin in Paris
We’ve come to Paris for a long week-end to celebrate a friend’s 60th birthday, organised by her daughter as a surprise. As usual, we’ve fitted in a few medical appointments, as there is a severe lack of specialists in Blois, … Continue reading
Posted in Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, France, Home exchange, Paris, Sightseeing
Tagged bastille market, canal saint martin district, le bataclan, velib
9 Comments
Why it’s so great to cycle in France – Experience France by Bike
I have just read a post by Maggie Lacoste on her blog “Experience France by Bike” and I wanted to share it because it so exactly explains why I love cycling in the Loire Valley. I’m sure you’ll agree with … Continue reading
Posted in Cycling, France
4 Comments
Cycling along the Loir – Vendôme to Lavardin: troglydytes and murals
Before I begin, just a little note to say that I really am talking about the Loir and not its cousin, the Loire River. We’ve been to Lavardin before – on a cold winter’s day in December last year during … Continue reading
Troyes – A Taste of Late Mediaeval France
We are on our way back to Blois from our cycling holiday in Germany and are looking for a stopover in France. There is nothing interesting midway but Troyes is about 3/5 of the way which is fine. We book … Continue reading
Posted in Accommodation, Architecture, Cycling, France, Sightseeing
Tagged cycling in troyes, rood-screen Saint-Madeliene's troyes, troyes
7 Comments
I Have Not Disappeared
I do not understand where all my time goes. When I lived in Paris, I had lots of time for blogging. Now that we live in Blois, I don’t seem to have any spare time at all! I do keep … Continue reading
Posted in Closerie Falaiseau, Cycling, Flowers & gardens, France, India, Italy, Life in France, Loire Valley, Travelling
Tagged cycling in Italy, flooding in the Loire
7 Comments
A Monumental Afternoon
We’re in Amboise in front of the Church of Saint Denis, waiting for our friends Susan and Simon from Days on the Claise. We’re here for a purpose. Susan wants to see some artworks in the church that she has … Continue reading

Posted in Art, France, History, Loire Valley
Tagged babou family, mise au tombeau saint denis amboise
17 Comments