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:
Loire Valley Accommodation!
Stay in our beautiful 400-year old Renaissance house in the Loire Valley. Click on Gîte Loire Valley above. Accommodates 2 to 4 adults. 3-night minimum stay.Live like a local and improve your French!
-
Recent Posts
-
Popular Posts
Categories
Recent Comments
- Cycling along the Neckar in Germany #2 – Horb – Rottenburg – Türbingen – Bebenhausen | Aussie in France on Cycling along the Danube – Regensburg and the Altmuhle
- Cycling along the Neckar in Germany #2 – Horb – Rottenburg – Türbingen – Bebenhausen | Aussie in France on Cycling in Germany #5 – Bad Schandau to Pirna along the Elbe
- Une semaine au Pays Basque – One week in the Basque Country – Artyfixe on Architecture on the Basque Coast
- Jacqueline on Friday’s French – livret de famille, fiche, fichier
- Rosemary Kneipp on The Road to Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and the Moonlight Gardens
Sites to visit
Archives
Meta
Category Archives: Mushrooms
Bamberg – A World Heritage Site in Germany
My Australian friend Jane first told me about Bamberg a couple of years ago but although it’s still in Bavaria, it’s a lot further north than the Danube. However, my iPhone says that the shortest route from Melk to Blois … Continue reading
Posted in Accommodation, Architecture, Art, Germany, Mushrooms, Sightseeing
Tagged bamberg, what to see in bamberg
7 Comments
Why I love the market even when it’s cold or rainy #1
We go to the fresh produce market in Blois every Saturday in Place Louis XII no matter what the weather. You never know what you’ll find! We arrive any time between 10 am and 11 am and park in the … Continue reading
Posted in Blois, Life in France, Mushrooms
Tagged chambord brocante, saturday market in blois
14 Comments
The Truffle Fair
We’re up at the crack of dawn (well, for a Saturday anyway) to join Susan and Simon from Days on the Claise at our first truffle fair in Touraine, a couple of hours away. Not chocolate truffles, but the mythical … Continue reading
Thank Goodness for Friends and Neighbours
The weather is revolting. When it’s not raining, it’s grey and overcast and I can’t remember the last time we saw any sun. The adjustment to retirement is proving far more difficult than anyone imagined so I am truly grateful … Continue reading
Posted in Blois, Food, Les Grouets, Life in France, Mushrooms
Tagged gougères, Les Grouets, mini-croissants
14 Comments
Weekly Blogger Round-Up – Wild Mushrooms – Fest Noz in Brittany – Napolitan Novels
This Week’s Blogger Round-Up starts with a logical follow-up to Monday’s post on Forbidden Mushrooms. Susan from Days on the Claise talks about what mushrooms are safe and explains how to pick them. Next on the list is a description … Continue reading
Forbidden Mushrooms
The last few times we’ve been mushroom picking, we haven’t had much luck because of the unusually mild autumn. The last time we were in Blois State forest we came across a group of forest workers and one of them … Continue reading
Cycling to the Rendez-vous du Chocolat at Château de Villesavin
We can’t believe that it’s mid-October and the temperature is going to be 25°C in the afternoon! Absolutely unheard-of. We can’t wait to get out on our bikes. It’s also the 9th Rendez-vous du Chocolat at Château de Villesavin so … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Food, Loire Valley châteaux, Mushrooms
Tagged rendez-vous du chocolat villesavin
9 Comments
Wild Mushroom and Onion Quiche
I am a sporadic cook at best these days. When my children were at home, I used to cook a lot more but most of the time, I serve up the same old dishes that are easy and quick to … Continue reading
The Joys of Mushroom Picking with 4 safety tips
I’ve already written extensively about my love of mushroom picking here on this blog but following a recent comment on Facebook by Judy McMahon, I wrote a guest post for MyFrenchLife on how to pick mushrooms safely. How to pick mushrooms safely … Continue reading
Friday’s French: confondre is confusing!
Confusing is a word we use quite a bit in English to mean that something is unclear and difficult to understand. e.g. “The information he gave me is confusing.” If I confuse John and Paul, it means that I wrongly … Continue reading

Posted in French language, Mushrooms
Tagged confondre in English, confusing in French, French language
15 Comments