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Culture

I Went to a Traditional French Catholic Wedding!
Bride at altar

I Went to a Traditional French Catholic Wedding!

Okay Okay, I know everyone’s thinking “what’s the big deal, it’s just a wedding,” right? Wrong! The reason I am

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“Chandeleur,” The Day of Crêpes… and Candles?

“Chandeleur,” The Day of Crêpes… and Candles?

Like every day, February 2nd is another day to celebrate France’s delicious gastronomy. Unlike every day, crêpes dominate the day.

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January in France: Fête de la Galette
galette des rois, a round puff pastry cake with paper crown on top

January in France: Fête de la Galette

The 1st of January marks a momentous occasion every year in France, and no, I’m not talking about the new

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Foreigner in France: My Top Five French Beer Brands
pack of 1664 beer with a no sign

Foreigner in France: My Top Five French Beer Brands

Put down that 1664, it’s time to try some other French beer!* Here’s my top 5 (in no particular order):

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Donating Blood as a Foreigner in France
Partagez votre pouvoir, donnez votre sang! banner

Donating Blood as a Foreigner in France

Today I wanted to talk about donating blood in France. Pandemic aside, treatments for new and pre-existing illnesses still take

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Americanized French Recipe: Bouchées à la Reine
photograph of bouchee a la reine served with green beans and mashed potatoes

Americanized French Recipe: Bouchées à la Reine

Are you ready to feel like a damn queen? If the answer is “yes,” you definitely need to try this

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Sephora France vs. Sephora USA

Sephora France vs. Sephora USA

If you are anything like me—which you probably are because you are reading this article—you are likely obsessed with Sephora.

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Thinking About Moving to France? 5 Things the Other Expats Forgot to Tell You

Thinking About Moving to France? 5 Things the Other Expats Forgot to Tell You

I have been living in France for over a year now, and let me tell you, expat life is not

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Getting Married in France (Twice!)

Getting Married in France (Twice!)

If you have read the about page you are aware that I have gotten married in France twice (to the

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When Someone Says “France:” The Most Popular Stereotypes About France Debunked
Images of French cliches such as the Eiffel Tower, croissants, and cheese

When Someone Says “France:” The Most Popular Stereotypes About France Debunked

Today I wanted to discuss some things that are not necessarily untruths about France, but are characteristic tropes of French

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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.

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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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