Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2025 i My French Country Home

Dear Readers, There’s something comforting about the return of fall after the high notes of summer. The season’s quieter rhythm encourages us to reconnect with the familiar and take stock before diving into the rush of year‑end holidays and gatherings with friends and family. We’re very excited to share our September/October issue and introduce you to some of our newest French finds. Our Discovery Guide focuses on Collioure, a jewel on the southern coast that famously inspired Henri Matisse and other early 20th century artists with its vibrant landscapes and ethereal light. Join us on a visit to the olive groves of Provence, where Joanna Maclennan’s images bring to life the annual harvest of this quintessentially Mediterranean fruit. We continue to indulge the senses with exquisite recipes from Jeany Cronk…

Biennale de la Danse in Lyon A must-see on the international cultural calendar, the Biennale de la Danse returns September 6 to 28, for its 21s t edition. For three vibrant weeks, the city of Lyon celebrates the best in contemporary dance, bringing together groundbreaking choreography, talent and the joyful pulse of movement across the city. www.labiennaledelyon.com La Gacilly Photo Festival Every year, the charming village of La Gacilly in Brittany transforms into an open‑air gallery featuring large‑scale images displayed against a storybook landscape. The 2025 edition spotlights work by up‑and‑coming British photographers, inviting visitors to reflect, wander and connect through these breathtaking compositions. Until October 5. www.festivalphoto-lagacilly.com Sargent: The Paris Years This exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay — the first in France dedicated to the revered American painter –…

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Chez Simone @restaurant.chezsimone  7 rue Mailly, Bd du Boramar, 66190 Collioure A convivial tapas bar perched above the beach and with an unobstructed view of the Collioure church, this is a perfect spot for lingering over a leisurely gourmet lunch or sunset apéritifs. The pared‑down menu changes regularly according to the seasons, but always with an inventive accent on regional classics. Le Menje Ecaille @menjeecaille 29 Résidence Torre d'en Sorra, 66700 Argelès‑sur‑Mer A short drive north up the coast takes you to this slow‑food temple overlooking a quiethamlet of fishermen’s cottages. Amid its considered‑yet‑quirky 1970s décor, chef Renaud Caspar offers everything from luminous ceviches and roasted octopus to meats and farm‑fresh vegetables from the hinterland — all paired with a fine selection of natural wines. Hostellerie des Templiers  www.templiers-collioure.fr  2…

“A gift to be savored” A mong the stars of the late garden, dahlias reign supreme. Their generous blooms come in a dazzling array of shapes, sizes and colors — from creamy whites to fiery oranges and deep burgundies. So long as you keep picking them, dahlias will continue to flower until a hard frost finally brings their season to a close. If you’re fortunate, you may still find a few final roses clinging to their stems, softened by the cooler air. These, too, deserve a place in your bouquet, along with crocosma and the bright orange sulfur cosmos. Don’thesitate to add a whimsical touch from the potager — sprigs of blackberries give texture and body. To create an easy display, consider using a group of mismatched vessels. Here, we’ve…

Sargent and Paris By Stephanie L. Herdrich Metropolitan Museum of Art Press Even if you don’t make it to the dazzling exhibit at the Musée d’Orsay this fall, you will enjoy this richly illustrated volume that traces John Singer Sargent’s formative decade in the City of Light. Essays by leading scholars illuminate the muses and mentors (and scandals!) that forged his unforgettable style. French Country Cottage in Bloom By Courtney Allison | Gibbs Smith In the fourth book of her beloved series, French Country Cottage, Courtney Allison shares her passion for flowers through dreamy photography, vintage touches and heartfelt tips. From garden to table, discover how to bring romantic charm and floral beauty into your home, one enchanting arrangement at a time. The Last Empress of France: The Rebellious life…

As I have mentioned (several times), I love my little village in the midst of the Rambouillet forest, 45 minutes west of Paris. But I haven’t told you about two of the reasons why it makes me happy to live here. Both involve quintessentially French celebrations. One is the summer fête de village, a festive evening of food, entertainment, games, often dancing and always fireworks thathave terrified every dog we have ever owned. The other is the late spring kermesse de l’association Saint‑Éloi Notre‑Dame du Chêne, or a sort of open‑air brocante and picnic created to raise money for the upkeep of our tiny church and the adjacent cemetery with headstones dating back to 1708. Village festivals are part of France’s ancient rural history organized to celebrate the cultural traditions…

Eric Martin is a photojournalist noted for his work in Le Figaro Magazine. Our latest “Discovering Guide” spotlighting Collioure is seen through his talented lens. www.ericmartin.smugmug.com @photoericmartin Tish Jett is an author, a journalist and a former editor at the International Herald Tribune and American ELLE. She pens our regular “Just Between Us” column. @tishjett Franck Schmitt is an author, photographer, chef and journalist. He created and photographed the recipes for cooking with saffron and also shot the images of Cordelia de Castellan’s magnificent garden.  www.franckschmitt.fr @franckschmitt_photographe Céline Chollet is a watercolor artist based in eastern France. She created the illustrations that accompany our feature on the gargoyles of Paris.  @chollet.celine We are delighted to have the following talented writers and photographers contribute to this issue. Jeany Cronk co-founder of…

A loof and dramatic, the gargoyles of Notre‑Dame have guarded this beloved French monument from both the elements and the devil himself — so they say — for more than eight centuries. Part beast, part architectural flourish, these stone creatures peer and pout from the cathedral’s rooftops or lurch from the flanks of its flying buttresses. They have weathered revolution, restoration and fire, and straddle a strange threshold: between function and fantasy, humor and horror. While commonly called “gargoyles,” only a fraction of the 200 figures earn the name. True gargoyles — from the Old French gargouille and Latin gurgulio, meaning “throat” — are functional water spouts, part of the 12th century design to divert rainwater from the cathedral’s fragile limestone. They also served a symbolic purpose: with contorted faces…

Joanna’s new life began initially in Paris, but in 2014, the couple moved to rural Normandy, exchanging city life for an ivy‑clad longère — a traditional stone farmhouse with airy outbuildings that once sheltered apple presses and dairy churns. The new home was larger than their previous Parisian address, and, while in search of furniture to suit the space, a friendly neighbor offered a quintessentially French solution: rise early on Sundays and scour the local brocante fairs. Joanna began accompanying her friend each week, initially hunting only for delicate porcelain flowers to brighten the windowsills. But, almost without realising it, she was gaining an education in antique tableware. Among trestle tables piled with tarnished silver and wicker baskets, she spotted her first terre de fer plate — its soft white…

How did your business begin? Our business was born from a deep desire to create our own path — to shape a life around something that truly resonated with us: a blend of travel and spirituality. In 2015, we opened our first boutique in Lyon, under the name Bonnesoeurs, and began developing collections of products inspired by religious art, which we have made in India. Tell us about your family background and your travels. We come from a family of artists and entrepreneurs — free‑spirited and always on the move. From a young age, we followed our parents’ footsteps along the roads of India, a country to which they had both an emotional and professional connection. Those early experiences shaped us deeply. Over the years, India has remained a boundless…

Athome in Provence by Jeany Cronk Hardie Grant Books With a deep appreciation for local ingredients and the pleasures of gathering around the table, her dishes celebrate the slow rhythms and vibrant flavors of life in Provence. We are delighted to feature a selection of recipes from the book that were inspired by the varied landscapes of the region from vineyard feasts and market‑fresh lunches to chic city bites and breezy seaside fare. Roasted Charentais Melon and Burrata with Espelette Pepper Vinaigrette Serves 4 Ingredients: • 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for roasting the melon• 1 medium-to-large Charentais melon, sliced and rind removed• Juice of ½ lemon• Pinch of Espelette, Cayenne or Aleppo pepper, plus extra to taste• Splash of red wine vinegar• Pinch of light brown sugar• Pinch…

The story begins in 1885, when two young apprentices, Louis Drucker and a certain Monsieur Leredde set out to master the art of rattan craftsmanship in Lyon. Their shared dream brought them to Paris, where they opened a tiny 24 square meter (258 square foot) workshop on rue des Pyrénées in the 20th arrondissement. It was there that a simple piece of sidewalk furniture began to take shape, eventually becoming one of France’s most beloved design traditions. When Leredde left the company after WWI, Louis’ wife, Madame Drucker, came aboard, adding her artistic touch to the rattan creations, introducing colorful combinations that caught the eye of designers, decorators and café owners alike. Business boomed, and the workshop eventually moved to Béthisy‑Saint‑Martin in the Oise region, though the company’s offices remain…

Originally from Brittany, Julie moved 20 years ago to Nantes, a vibrant university town near the mouth of the Loire River. Its rich history, wealth of green spaces and dynamic cultural and culinary scenes have earned Nantes a reputation for a high quality of life. It was here thather zeal for interiors ultimately found its outlet. Julie and her partner, Patrick, bought their first property in 2010. “It was just 35 square meters (377 square feet) in need of a complete renovation,” says Julie. The project marked the beginning of a personal and professional journey thathas since spanned several homes — each one larger than the last, to accommodate a growing family that now includes five children. The experience of do‑it‑yourself home renovation — not to mention all the accompanying…

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