A Year in Villefranche sur Mer - Moving to France

Day 871 (Monday) 28 th October 2019 It was bright and sunny this morning but by lunchtime it had clouded over a bit, which was a bit sad for the passengers on the cruise ship. We went to the mansion to get it ready to close up for the winter, which is such a shame – I really don’t understand why people don’t come here in the winter. This is the neighbour’s roof garden and this is the hall – the whole house is rather splendid I found a very interesting website about eating in France – it’s rather long so I will post it over a few days. I hope you enjoy it… Eating out in France: how much does it cost? Compared to the UK, French restaurants generally offer excellent value. When eating out, most people opt for a "menu", rather than choosing à la carte (dish by dish), though this is normally possible too. In 2019, average rates for a "Menu du jour" (menu of the day) in traditional restaurants tend to be normally in the range of 14...

Day 870 (Sunday) 27 th October 2019 We got up early again this morning to watch Wales lose against South Africa; it was so close and so utterly disappointing – I really wanted to have a northern hemisphere final! But to cheer myself up I sunbathed on the balcony reading my book, it was 38 degrees in direct sunlight and my flowers are looking good And Badger enjoyed a lazy afternoon as well. 10 things you need to know about French etiquette Understanding French etiquette and social norms can help you settle into life in France and avoid making an unfortunate faux-pas Good manners are generally considered important globally – but do you know the social etiquette particular to France? 1.      Saying hello No matter who you speak to – in a shop, bar or wherever – it’s an unwritten law that you begin with the magic words “ Bonjour Monsieur/Madame ” or, if it’s evening, “ Bonsoir ”. When you are introduced to someone, ...