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An Update

Posted on January 16, 2023June 19, 2025 by Rose Joly

Hello everyone,

I am writing to let you all know that I am still here! Yes, I have been a bit lax and have let FCG go over the last year; however, it was for good reason, I swear!

What could be more important than FCG and you, I hear you asking?!

Firstly, my health. At this moment, I have an undiagnosed illness which is causing me chronic fatigue. Every day, I have to take a nap or I simply cannot function, and by nap I mean two hours of sleep, or I am down for the count. If I don’t get the nap in, it will mess up my schedule for the following days. I will talk about this more later in a dedicated blog post about healthcare in France.

Second, I started a business! In October of 2021, I officially created a business here in France. As you may recall, I have a Masters in stained-glass conservation and heritage management and that my husband is also trained in stained-glass (this is how we met!).

Ever since we met and began planning our lives together, we have dreamed of creating our own stained-glass studio. I am happy to say, after nearly four years of talks and dreams, I made it a reality! Welcome Joly Vitrail to the scene! Our little pepite has grown considerably over the last year and I am so joyful, we joined an association located in Dreux called Terre d’Artistes where we offer weekend stained-glass courses.

New for Twenty Twenty-Three?

Happy New Year!

I am not going to lie, I am not sure what the year holds for FCG, BUT I will say that I do have some posts in the works and I really would like to get more content out there. As well, I would like to take some time to work on Instagram and creating more TikToks (yep, we’re on there too @French_Countryside_Guide!). Of course, this must be juggled with the business and my health problems, but I am going to try my darndest to do my best!

So sorry for the prolonged absence.

Bisous,
Rose

Little snapshot of why I’ve been gone the last year:

@jolyvitrail

Enfin, mon projet perso termine! 🪴 Panneaux pour les portes d’un meuble de cuisine dans des tons de vert et rose. 😍 #vitral #stainedglass #vitraux #madeinfrance #handmade #faitmain #artisan #timelapse #artisanat #meuble #decoration #meubledeco #GradeUpWithGrammarly

♬ Summer day – TimTaj

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Salut! I’m Rose.
I’m an American married to a Frenchman living in the countryside of France. I’m here to fill you in on life here, from administrative paperwork to weird customs to underrated places to visit.

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I really loved the lines of this architecture. T I really loved the lines of this architecture. 

The Chapel of the Visitation, located in Le Mans, is one of very few Regency-style buildings in western France. 

Listed as a historic monument, this chapel was built between 1723 and 1737, it was initially created for the convent of the Sisters of the Visitation, a religious order for women founded in 1610. Founded in 1634 in Le Mans, the convent was not established on this site until 10 years later.

During the French Revolution, in 1797, the convent became state property and the sisters were expelled. The buildings were converted into a courthouse, a prison and a gendarmerie. It was not until 1991 that the courthouse was moved and later, in 1995, the prisoners began to be transferred to a newly built prison (a long process that lasted until 2010). The chapel itself, however, returned to worship in 1804.

Undergoing its first complete exterior restoration in 1864, the chapel saw the addition of the large wrap-around staircase with balcony. 

 #MonumentHistorique #church #architecture #blog #americanexpat #historicalmonument #history #frenchblog #historicalplace #expatlife #travelinfrance #travel #expatinfrance #cultureblogger #liveinfrance #americaninfrance #lifeinfrance #France #frenchcountrysideguide #frenchpatrimony #frencharchitecture #frenchhistory #Francetravel #frenchchurch #chapel  #LeMans #Chapelle #FrenchRevolution #Frenchpatrimony
Beautiful frosted glass contrasts with the golden Beautiful frosted glass contrasts with the golden tones of silver stained curves. Stained-glass designed by Fabienne Verdier in 2018.

 #church #architecture #history #frenchblog #travelinfrance #travel #expatinfrance #France #hiddengems #frenchcountrysideguide #frencharchitecture #frenchchurch #eglise #tourisminfrance #stainedglass #frenchstainedglass #vitrail #vitraux #fabienneverdier #champagnetourisme #aube #aubetourisme #routeduvitrail #nogentsurseine #travelblog #expatblog #Francetravel
Constructed on the site of a former salt storehous Constructed on the site of a former salt storehouse in 1670, the greniers à sel (salt storehouses) are a beautiful reminder of Honfleur’s maritime history. 

Originally a trio of stores, only two are extant; the later of the stores, built in 1699, burnt down in 1892.

Designed to store the salt necessary for fishing (herring and cod), they were one of the largest open salt stores in Normandy. It is likely that the stones creating its walls are the remnants of the city’s old fortifications. 

Sold as national property during the French Revolution in 1791, it was not until 1806 that the state transferred ownership of the large salt storehouse (at 500m2) to the town of Honfleur. At this time, it was used as a butcher’s shop and then reinstated as a salt storehouse up until 1908 where it was later sold. The town repurchased the store in 1949.

As for the small salt store (at 381m2), it remained private property until 1952, when it was purchased by the town of Honfleur. 

Both of the storehouses were classified as historic monuments in 1916.

Pictured is the exterior pathway between both of the storehouses that connects them together.

 #MonumentHistorique #architecture #blog #historicalmonument #history #frenchblog #historicalplace #expatlife #travelinfrance #travel #cultureblogger #americaninfrance #lifeinfrance #frenchcountrysideguide #frenchpatrimony #frenchhistory #france #Frencharchitecture #Francetravel #travelblog #Honfleur #Normandy #Normandie #greniersàsel #greniersàseldhonfleur #stonework #masonry  #expatinfrance  #expatblog #travelblog
Stained glass designed by Maurice Rocher (dating t Stained glass designed by Maurice Rocher (dating to 1973) located in the Chapelle de l'Immaculée at the Basilique Sainte-Anne d'Auray in Morbihan, Bretagne.

#bretagne #brittanyfrance #breizh #brittany #BZH #Morbihan #baiedequiberon #sainteannedauray #auray #travelblog #vitraux #stainedglass #Francetravel #expatblog #France #Frencharchitecture #frenchcountrysideguide #frenchpatrimony #travel #travelinFrance #cultureblogger #historicalplace #architecture #monumenthistorique #historicalmonument #church
More, just because. #bastilleday #14juillet #pris More, just because.

#bastilleday #14juillet #prisedelabastille1789 #prisedelabastille #fireworks #feudartifice #frenchcountrysideguide #blog #americanexpat #history #frenchblog #expatlife #frenchcountryliving #travel #expatinfrance #cultureblogger #liveinfrance #americaninfrance #lifeinfrance #frenchhistory #france #frenchvillage #expatblog #travelblog
Such a wonderful night. Such a wonderful sight. # Such a wonderful night. Such a wonderful sight.

#bastilleday #14juillet #prisedelabastille1789 #prisedelabastille #fireworks #feudartifice #frenchcountrysideguide #blog #americanexpat #history #frenchblog #expatlife #frenchcountryliving #travel #expatinfrance #cultureblogger #liveinfrance #americaninfrance #lifeinfrance #frenchhistory #france #frenchvillage #expatblog #travelblog
Happy 14th! #bastilleday #14juillet #prisedelabas Happy 14th!

#bastilleday #14juillet #prisedelabastille1789 #prisedelabastille #fireworks #feudartifice #frenchcountrysideguide #blog #americanexpat #history #frenchblog #expatlife #frenchcountryliving #travel #expatinfrance #cultureblogger #liveinfrance #americaninfrance #lifeinfrance #frenchhistory #france #frenchvillage #expatblog #travelblog
The other side. c. 1230 South portal. #cathedral The other side. c. 1230
South portal.

#cathedral #bourges #cathédrale #unesco #cathédraledebourges #unescoworldheritage #unescoworldheritagesite #sculpture #stonework #sculpturesurpierre #MonumentHistorique #architecture #historicalmonument #history #frenchblog #historicalplace #travelinfrance #travel #cultureblogger #lifeinfrance #medievalarchitecture  #frenchcountrysideguide #frenchpatrimony #frenchhistory #france #Frencharchitecture #Francetravel #expatblog #travelblog #closeup
Down the countryside lanes. #travelblog #expatbl Down the countryside lanes.

 #travelblog #expatblog #frenchvillagelife #Francetravel #frenchvillage #france #countryside #frenchcountryside #frenchcountrysideguide #lifeinfrance #americaninfrance #liveinfrance #cultureblogger #expatinfrance #travel #frenchcountryliving #expatlife #frenchblog #americanexpat #blog #middleofnowhere
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