My Four Seasons in France
A Year of the Good Life
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4.8 • 16 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A little over ten years ago, Janine Marsh and her husband Mark gave up their city jobs in London to chase the good life in the countryside of northern France. Having overcome the obstacles of starting to renovate her dream home – an ancient, dilapidated barn – and fitting in with the peculiarities of her new neighbours, Janine is now the go-to expat in the area for those seeking to get to grips with a very different way of life.
In the Seven Valleys, each season brings new challenges as well as new delights. Freezing weather in February threaten the lives of some of the four-legged locals; snow in March results in a broken arm, which in turn leads to an etiquette lesson at the local hospital; and a dramatic hailstorm in July destroys cars and houses, ultimately bringing the villagers closer together.
With warmth and humour, Janine showcases a uniquely French outlook as two eternally ambitious expats drag a neglected farmhouse to life and stumble across the hidden gems of this very special part of the world
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Praise for Janine Marsh’s My Good Life in France:
'Warm, uplifting, and effervescent ... Janine's voice and humor bubble right off the page, making you want to pack your bags and visit her fixer-upper home in rural France' – Samantha Verant, author of Seven Letters from Paris
'If you've ever dreamed of discovering "the real France", you won't want to miss this delightful book' – Keith Van Sickle, author of One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence
Customer Reviews
Living the French Country Life
The charming village comes to life season by season with humor and a kind of neighborly interaction that most of us only dream of.
The rich and colorful descriptions of the author’s home, pets, village and the towns and fairs and day trips prove just as enchanting—-even the small and not so small challenges facing expats make you want to book a flight and do the same! I loved every season and every page and hope there is another book to come as I have grown very attached to this village and its residents!
My Four Seasons in France by Janine Marsh
Loved progressing through her year in Northern France. Her descriptions of food and customs are excellent, I could almost imagine the scene.
Janine is a talented writer. I have read her first book as well and look forward to any other literary works. If you love to travel, eat and meet people, you’ll enjoy this book.
A wonderful trip to northern France
My Four Seasons in France is an entertaining read and one I found most useful while sheltering in place during the covid-19 pandemic. I limited myself to a chapter a day, which provided me with a virtual 2-week holiday in the north of France. I stayed with the author and her husband, Mark, in their old, remodeled farm house with the blue shutters. I interacted with their chickens, which reminded me of my own much smaller flock. With Janine as my guide, I traveled the hills and vales from Calais to Boulogne-sur-Mer. I met several of the locals, including Jean-Claude and his wife Bernadette, Madame Bernadette who served me scrumptious cake in her kitchen, Claudette, Jean-Claude’s mother-in-law, who lives in a 200 year old house at the top of the hill, and the Bread Man who delivers fresh baked baguettes three times a week. A Bread Man! Oh, what I would give to have fresh bread delivered to my door! Speaking of baking, we visited many boulangeries, and although the trip was virtual, I may have gained few pounds. It was a delightful trip, and I look forward to my next visit.