The magical melting pot of Paris.

03/06/23 • 28 min

Paris is a place filled with myriad cultures, religions, languages and nationalities. We tend to view France through the quintessentially French perspective of "chateaux, champagne et croissants", but there is so much more to discover with just a little scratch of the surface.

I spoke recently to Pakistani woman Fiza about her move with her family from Pakistan to Paris. She has family already living there which prompted France to be the country of choice for their emigration, but initially even with family support she found it difficult having no French when she arrived. Fiza moved to France as a young adult a few years ago and not long after, COVID hit and the country went into lockdown. Fiza then taught herself French through YouTube and watching French movies or television whilst she had to stay at home.
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I discussed with Fiza the differences of her Parisian life from when she was in Pakistan. The way Fiza describes her French world is so different from many other people living in Paris I have spoken to. There is a significant difference in the worlds inside and outside the périphérique, as there is also between the "leafier" arrondissements to the more working class areas. As foreigners we often don't connect with any part of Paris beyond the tourist sites.
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I was inspired by Fiza to try and view a different Paris on occasion in the future. She mentioned to me that her dream had always been to have a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower. She has now got to turn this dream into a reality.

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Louise Prichard is the host of the Loulabelle's FrancoFiles podcast.
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Previous Episode

Enjoying wine from The Other Bordeaux...

Tom Munro spent 20 years working for vineyards and wineries both in Australia and France. He now imports French wine straight from the château to our door! I know in my house everyone gets very excited when a delivery of a box arrives from The Other Bordeaux!

Tom's knowledge of wine is incredible. It is clearly a passion for him as he started making wine at home when he was only 9 years old!

Tom has been fortunate to live in France for quite a time and I loved hearing of his experiences during that time: the way each year's harvest had a song that connects him to it; the history he was immersed in; the way he finds the suppliers for his wines who have sometimes become life-long friends.
In this episode we chat about the evolution of French wine, the negative impact and surprise positive side-effect of climate change, suggestions for food and wine pairings and how to taste all 365 wine growing regions in France!
For now though, just pour one glass as you listen and drift off, dreaming of escaping to France as you sip!
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All subscribers registered for the LFF newsletter by Friday 10 March 2023 will be eligible to win.
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Next Episode

Château de la Carrière... the perfect escape.

Suzie Jackson has always had an affinity to France. She deliberately didn't make her first trip to Paris until her 30s as she was concerned she would be let down by the reality not living up to the dream. But there was nothing to fear, as Suzie's first French experience had her feeling like she had come home. For years then she dreamed of owning a property in France and spent hours Googling châteaux for sale. In 2014 she decided with her then husband, that it was time to get serious and booked a trip to France to view a number of different châteaux of various sizes and condition in the Loire Valley to get a better sense of what they could or should buy. The first couple of days were a huge learning curve with crumbling ruins, discovering the frightening cost of slate roof repairs, replacement electrics and regulations for historical monuments. Finding that quintessentially dream French property was not going to be easy. Then Château de la Carrière popped up and from the moment she drove up the driveway, Suzie knew they had found their French country home.
Château de la Carrière sounds like the kind of place that would be a wonderful stop in the middle of a European holiday. After travelling on a 6-7 week trip with my family and kids when they were quite young, a few days or a week to recharge is an important tip to consider. I love a break in the middle of a vacation when I can slow down, play cards or croquet, dip in the pool, potter in a potager or sit in a beautiful salon and read a book. Connecting to the building and the place at a leisurely pace sounds perfect to me.

Suzie loves to experiment with the produce from her garden. Nothing makes her happier than making dinner from the potager and bringing big buckets of flowers from the garden into the château. She also makes aperitifs when she has a houseful of people. I'd love to try her cocktails with her home-made tulip syrup, dandelion honey, rhubarb syrup or elderflower cordial... whatever is thriving in the garden when eventually I visit! I also now have a hankering to visit the local broccante markets that she described to me.

Suzie says that a château project is not for the fainthearted, but she also feels that the life she is living is her dream life. I think she's living my dream as well!