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!
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- 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
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Category Archives: Portugal
Best Nine Instagram Photos for 2015
These are my nine most “liked” photos on Instagram for the year. Four are châteaux of the Loire and two are the flowers in my garden! Top: Chenonceau, Sully, my wisteria Middle: Grenada, foie gras and vouvray in front of our fireplace, Chambord … Continue reading
Posted in Flowers & gardens, Loire Valley châteaux, Photography, Portugal
Tagged instagram nine best
21 Comments
Travelling Highlights of 2014 and ideas for 2015
Venice, Germany and Lisbon, in that order, outside France, and Turquant near Chinon, closer to home. Venice comes first because of our wonderful gondola experience (which sounds very touristy I know) and all our other less touristy visits as it … Continue reading
Lisbon – an iconic tram, a hilltop castle, La Fontaine’s fables and a sublime view
It’s an intermittent fast day so we prepare a picnic to eat in nearby Estrela Gardens with their exotic trees and shrubs and 19th century bandstand, obviously a Saturday rendez-vous for the locals. There’s even an outdoor cinema. What a pity it’s in … Continue reading
Sintra – A Lovely Palace and a Yellow Monster
We’ve checked the weather and it looks like it isn’t going to rain. We walk down to Rossio Station to take the train to Sintra. We’re amazed to see the long queue of people, even at the ticket machines. We … Continue reading
A Marvellous Monastery in Belem, Lisbon
What I love most about travelling is coming across something that is totally unexpected, totally overwhelming and totally unforgettable. It can be the Rheinfalls in Germany, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Tasman’s Arch in Tasmania, the Cathedral in Reims, Plitvice … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Portugal
Tagged belem, belem tower, Casa da Cha de Belem, jeronimos monastery in Lisbon
10 Comments
Lisbon in the Rain and More Great Panoramas
After virtually no sleep during our first night in Lisbon due to a barking dog, jets constantly flying overhead, merry makers under our window, the arrival of the rubbish truck at 1.30 pm with much clashing and clanging and shouting, leg cramps from … Continue reading
Friday’s French in Portugal
My first contact with Portuguese was during my honours year of university in Australia when I studied and fell in love with Romance Linguistics, which is the story of how Latin turned into Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian. It … Continue reading
Posted in French language, Portugal
Tagged days of the week in Portuguese, Friday's French
5 Comments
First Impressions of Lisbon
When we arrived in Lisbon at 4 pm, it was 26°C, a welcome change from Paris. We walked from our home exchange on the western tip of Barrio Alto down to the Tagus and back to get a feel of the city. Here … Continue reading
Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Visiting Lisbon – Parliament House in Budapest – Being Polite in French
This week’s Blogger Round-Up takes us to Lisbon in Portugal with Jenny and John in Brittany, a place that is definitely on my shortlist while Adelina from Pack Me To visits the inside of the Parliament Building in Budapest which … Continue reading

Posted in French customs, French language, Hungary, Portugal, Sightseeing, Uncategorized
Tagged bonjour, lisbon, Parliament Budapest
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