French la Vie

Filling Up The French la Vie Thank You!

 

 

I am passionate about old things and enjoy sharing my experience and connections with others. When you come along on a French la Vie, you will meet like-minded people who create with and collect antiques. We will be inspired by visiting private homes, shops, and studios in the Provençal countryside. Meeting the French in their intimate, off-the-beaten path to shop and dive deeper into the French lifestyle of charm.

This truly is a one-of-a-kind journey.

 

REVIEW 

"While I did find some treasures to bring home, my primary attraction to this trip wasn’t the shopping but the French Life aspect of the trip.  I loved staying at Corey and Yann’s house and enjoyed the friendly meals shared in the beautiful settings.  Visiting collectors and artists in their homes was a highlight for me.  As a tourist, it is a rare treat to get to experience the home life of native residents.  Each home was unique and reflected the interests and discerning eye of the owner.  The days were packed yet leisurely with unhurried visits and relaxed meals.  I would say that this trip is a feast for all the senses – the sea of treasures at the brocantes, the picturesque narrow streets, the delicious food, and the sounds of the mistral wind and church bells.  I can conjure these up in my mind and relive the pleasures of this trip."

Dina Lindquist, Oregon

FLV May 2022

 

 

 

French la Vie Brocante

Dates for 2023

Brocante adventures in Provence.

Four guests - maximum:

April 18-25th - Two places remain

May 3-10th - Two places remain

May 24th-31st - Sold Out (with one reserved)

June 27th-July 4th... Sold Out

September 5th- 12th - Sold-Out

September 26th - October 3rd - Two places remain

October 12th- October 19th Sold Out

 

Thank you so much! I am happy many of you want to join me in Provence!

xxx

 

 

Where to Go Antiquing in France, How to Find the Brocantes

Where to go Antiquing in France

(A Repeated Post because it is that time of year again.... when I start receiving many emails asking me, "Antiquing in France."

1.

Where to go antiquing in France? If only I had a dime for every time someone asked me that question! I use an online site to find out about antique fairs in France. It is in French, so that I will break it down for you today. Most French antique fairs happen on Saturday or Sunday. However, others do occur during the week as well.

I've included the link and how to understand it below.

First - Click on the link below:

ANTIQUING IN FRANCE

------------------------------------------------

2.

- On the "Where to go antiquing in France website," the first thing you need to do is click on the sign that says:

Calendrier des
Manifestations

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

3.

- When you click on it, it will open up and look like this:

Calendrier des
Manifestations
• Février
• Mars
• Avril
• Mois suivants

The first three words are MONTHS. They are starting with the present month. The last series of words says: Mois Suivants which means = Following Months. Click on the month you will be in France, or the month you want to go to antiquing in France.

------------------------------------------------

4.

Choisissez votre région

You will come to the page above when clicking on the month (mois). Next, click on the region of France where you will be and want to go antiquing.

Paris is in "Ile de France".

When you click on the region of your choice, a slew of towns and cities with fairs, brocantes, and antique markets will appear in order according to date. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.

An example of what that will look like is below:

 

DIMANCHE 20 FéVRIER 2011 (Sunday 20 February 2011)

04 (04)			CERESTE (entre Manosque et Apt) (Cereste town between Manosque and Apt)
			GRAND VIDE-GRENIERS BROCANTE - sur les Places di Village - 8h à 18h - Extérieur - Entrée gratuite 80 exp. (Professionnels + Particuliers + Habitants + Association) Tel : 04-92-76-66-55 - 06-79-83-12-55 ORG: "LIFRAT"

First, it will have a weekday. (I have listed each item in red alongside the French text so you can see where and understand the listing better.)

Then, the area code number of each region of France, 04, is the area number of Cereste. Then it will have the town or city's name, in this case, Cereste (when a town is small, it often will say which two larger towns it is in between.), which is between Manosque and Apt.

GRAND VIDE-GRENIERS BROCANTE  (Description of what type of antique market.) Large Garage Type like sale Grand Vide-Greniers Brocante means: Large Empty out the Attic Brocante (please do not let me explain that word, God I hope you know me by now.) - sur les Places de Village (Where it is located. Usually in the center of town, or large parking lot, or nearby field.) - 8h à 18h  (The time of the market. It always starts earlier then listed.) - Extérieur  (If it is outside or inside.) - Entrée gratuite (How much, if anything, it costs to enter.) 80 exp. (Professionnels + Particuliers + Habitants + Association (This part means: How many dealers are signed up, and what type of dealers will be at the fair. In this case, every type of dealer will be there, Professional, plus small weekend dealers and people from the town, since everybody is allowed to sell at a vide de greniers if it is in their hometown.) Tel: 04-92-76-66-55 - 06-79-83-12-55 (The phone number in case you need to call.) ORG: "LIFRAT" (The organizer of the fair.)

Next Week, The French la Vie

 

 

Next, a week of antiquing and a one-of-a-kind experience begins as I invite my guests to a world where history and artistry intertwine. I hope you will tag along as the French la Vie delves into the colorful French markets and cherry-picked brocantes. Also, my enthusiasm for "very old stuff" led my next group to experience France in a delightful, unforgettable way. With that said, those who have joined me and those coming next week share a discerning eye and a love for all things antique and French.

Each day, I aim to give each of them a discovery, a forgotten tale, and armfuls of memories to take home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for the next group, we are full of anticipation and in full-throttle mode. As we swing open our doors to welcome each one of our guests, I can't help but feel a sense of shared anticipation and wonder. Coming to Provence isn't just a destination; it's a portal to the essence of French life and culture, or at least I hope so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the days leading to the group's arrival, we're bustling with preparations, keeping an eye on the details that every corner of our home radiates charm and character, setting the tables with fresh flowers, brocante treasures finding their perfect spots, and an ambiance steeped in the romantic magic of France— every corner needs a look over as I aim to make our home a mini museum of curiosity and give our guest the feeling that they can find what they see in our home in the days to come antiquing.

 

A bit stressful, I might add. I do not want to disappoint my guests.

 

 

 

 

When in France, I extend a special invitation to my guests, one that goes beyond the typical tourist experience. Together, we visit the homes of local antique dealers, delving into the very essence of the French lifestyle. These exclusive visits provide an intimate opportunity to step behind the facades. Within these private homes, we have a peek into their lives, style, and what they collect, and we can shop if we want. Each home carries its own unique narrative.

 

 

 

So here I go again, praying I give them a genuine experience... Diving in garages, warehouse, studios, shops, homes and a public brocantes.

 

 

I hope you will join me one day.

 

Now, back to cleaning and cooking and making sure everything is ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hidden Gem, Off the Beaten Path, Tell me about France ...

 

I am often asked about France. It makes sense, given that I live here and write a blog about it. When I travel to a new place, I like to have a few facts about the place in my pocket, too. A good restaurant, a must-see or do sort of thing, where to stay... a few starting bits so that I have a foot on the ground when I arrive.

The main question I am asked (outside of brocantes and where to stay) is about the secret spots, the hidden places, the off-the-beaten track, the real "France." I have thought about that question for a while. Imagine a secret spot, some hideaway, where few tourists have been, a place that captures the French essence. Somewhere where someone could go and feel France embracing them in one juicy double kiss to the cheeks.

  

 

 

The Hidden Places in France...

Behind the iron gate, inside the kitchen, on the other side of the garden wall, deep down in the wine cellar, inside the turret...

When you are in France, it does help to know that wherever you are is most likely knee-deep with wonder and awe. With France being the most visited country in the world, what secrets remain? In Paris alone, there are over fifty million tourists a year...

"6,100 streets in Paris
13,260 crossroads
3,000 km of pavements
33.7 km of Boulevards des Maréchaux around Paris 
4.4 km of Grands Boulevards (between Place de la Madeleine and Place de la Bastille) 
9,884 benches, 107 clocks, and 1,856 bus shelters
109 Wallace drinking fountains 
 2,417 km of sewers..."

Via Paris.FR

 

 

Secret places in France... 

I like grocery stores. And old-style cafes, bakeries that are not famous, and sitting at the counter sipping on something, usually a hot chocolate.

Over ten years ago, I remember turning on the internet for the first time and instantly typing words such as:

France,

French,

Brocante,

Antiques,

French Antiques,

Undiscovered France,

Touring France

 

and not one single thing popped up; instead, a blue screen stared back.

Now, anything, everything, whatever we are searching for is ours within seconds.

But then again, the places that are not on the internet are the ones you might want to discover.

 

 

How do I answer the question I am so often asked?

The first time I went to France was with my cousin Linda. My cousin was living and working in Germany when I arrived. Linda asked, "Do you want to go to Paris? I need to go shopping."

So we went to Paris.

Linda shopped. I tagged along.

We didn't see any of the sites other than take a drink on the Champs Elysee. We walked along back streets and into little shops; we rarely saw a tourist, and the monuments we saw were from a great distance. We searched for a crepe suzette. My first experience in Paris was magical.

Paris was fantastic, and the train ride was equally mesmerizing. I was hooked.

 

Years later, my parents visited me when I married and moved to France. We walked every single day from sun up to sunset. Each morning before heading out, I would say, "Let's focus on Pain au Chocolat," "The perfect rose," or "The best garden bench," and off we would go without any other agenda.

What does this have to do with off-the-beaten trails and secret spots in France?

Not much.

 

 

 

 

Discovering a place is about going with your shoes off, with your hands ready to reach out. It is about closing your eyes and breathing with your heart. It is about getting lost and finding what you are looking for. Discovering a place is seeing the beauty in the minor details: Holding beauty because you see it and not because someone has told you where to look. The secret spots, the hidden places, the off-the-beaten path... they don't exist per se. Instead, I think people want to experience France of their dreams. They want to wake up to what they have read about or dreamed about, and we want to have more to carry back than a souvenir; we want to fill our hearts.

They need a brocante.

What am I saying? Forget that. 

 

 

Some of my favorite places in France:

First and foremost, all brocantes

La Boutique De L'Antiquaire: 9 Rue du Grand Pré, 84160 Lourmarin

Vox Populi

Reves d'Argile

Aurelie Alvarez

Domaine Lucien Jacobs

Jouvaud 

Walk along the beach in Countainville 

Any Market in France

Chez Gilbert

All Trocantes

Maison du Empereur

Chez Paul my favorite restaurant in Paris

Saint Baume

and so many more... 

 

What makes a place come alive?

The people you meet and the experiences you share.

Friends who open their doors with their hearts.

 

 

If you want to discover a place, let it soak into you and take root. Expect the unexpected as a gift. If you're going to find that secret place, that off the beaten path, where tourists don't go, if you want the place that you dream about, be it the cobblestones, the church bells, the croissants with butter-filled happiness, the berets, the baguettes, the movie set imagery than come to France with your five senses as your guide. Trust yourself to find what you are looking for; leap.

If you want to be one of few and not one in thousands,

Then explore France in the countryside, in the middle of France.

Drive aimlessly.

 

 

France. 

Add your French favorites in the comment section.

A Wonderful Group Arrived

Thank you for your messages yesterday. 
I do not know why I am fortunate to have kindness and generosity shown to me, I am amazed by it, and thankful for you xxxx

The group arrived, wonderful and happy!

 

Join Me on a French la Vie

 

Our Last Day of the French la Vie in Cassis

 

 

Dede

 

Delise

 

 

Cathy

Yann in a tee shirt that Terry from the last French la Vie

made for us.

 

Debbie

 

Yann’s Brocante Purchase

A huge contemporary painting.

He officially has the Brocante Bug (well, that might be wishful thinking on my part).

He has been with the French la Vie every step of the way. He is a big help and adds so much fun to the mix by teasing, carrying packages, driving, giving motorcycle rides, and so much more, like assisting with buying, translating, and finding stuff!

I think he might take over!

 

 

 

 

Very Full Days... Waking Up Early to Start at it Again!

 

Another enjoyable day was spent sharing Provence with the French la Vie.

I have so much to share and stories to tell, but by the time I come to put it all down on my blog, I fall asleep typing. I can imagine one day, I will hit the post button to my blog, and all you will see is

"q aced fqflqjhcq" type sentences and an upside photo.

I am falling asleep with dreams of tomorrow's journey playing in my head.

 

 

 

 

 

French la Vie: Off the Beaten Path, Straight to the Heart of the French

Today we visited two brocante friends I have known since I started brocanting in France over thirty years ago. 
Friends Meeting Friends.

We went to their homes for a private visit and shopping. The French la Vie is a unique way of traveling, one where you step into the authentic lives of my French friends, sharing a personal experience that most travelers only dream about.

We had the most delicious, delightful lunch at Regina and Gerald’s, five courses, homemade! The highlight among many was a lobster bisque that took over 16 hours to make. My generous friends opened their homes to my groups, giving them a taste of French culture and hospitality. We rolled  out of their home to Christine’s home,

One open heart to another. 
We visit at least ten personal friends’ homes, shops, and other favorite places in a week. French la Vie leads the way when the expression off the beaten path is used.

For more information (Ina), don't hesitate to get in touch with me:

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

 after another

French la Vie… Happy Place

French la Vie 2023 Dates

 

Hello!

I am a Franco-American married to a Frenchman and have lived and breathed the French lifestyle and brocantes for over thirty years in Provence. 

I am passionate about old things and enjoy sharing my experience and connections with others. When you come along on a French la Vie, you will meet like-minded people who create with and collect antiques. We will be inspired by visiting private homes, shops, and studios in the Provençal countryside. Meeting the French in their intimate, off-the-beaten path to shop and dive deeper into the French lifestyle.

This truly is a one-of-a-kind journey.

 

 

 

 

French la Vie Brocante

Dates for 2023

Brocante adventures in Provence.

Four guests - maximum:

April 18-25th 

May 3-10th

May 24th-31st

June 27th-July 4th... Sold Out

September 5th- 12th

September 26th - October 3rd

October 12th- October 19th Sold Out

 

 

 

Includes:

Eight days and seven nights

Private room shared bath.

In my home.

Includes to and from transport from Marseille.

It begins on the first day at 11 am and ends at 8 am on the last day.

All transport within our stay.

All breakfasts, cafe breaks, and dinners.

(lunches are not included, though; we will dine together in my favorite places.)

Visits to private homes, studios, shops, and brocantes
At least 19 various addresses.

Guidance translations, negotiating,

And with packing and sending purchases home.

---

Does not include

Travel insurance

Airfare

Health insurance

Lunches 

Nor packing materials or shipping costs.

 

 

 

Cost

4000 Euros

2000 Euros non-refundable deposit

And final 2000 euros non-refundable deposit a month before starting date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will wander through villages often on cobbled streets,

though we will not be climbing steep hills,

nor thousands of stone steps.

Nevertheless, you must be able to keep up with the group.

Please bring your smile and positive attitude to share with others.

 

 

 

We will stop by two Provençal markets that will fill your senses!

Color, fragrance, a landscape of texture and taste.

Honey, Lavender, Provencal tablecloths, Cigalles, Olives, Linens, Baskets, Wine, Cheeses...

 

 

 

Private Tailored Groups

If you would like to organize a private group, it is possible too.

No matter the size of your group. 

I can create a unique tailored group for couples, a group up to six, and for larger groups,

I have teamed up with Red Shed Tours with their Provençal and Brittany travels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One must be in good physical shape and able to walk and carry their purchases on average 5000 steps daily. 

We will not be climbing steep hills,

nor thousands of stone steps.

Nevertheless, you must be able to keep up with the group.

Please bring your smile and positive attitude to share with others.

 

 

Sending your Treasures back Home

Whether your purchases are souvenirs filling your suitcase, boxes full of smalls, or home furnishings

We can help you manage to send your parcels back home. 

We have plenty of options at various price points depending on your needs.

We have connections for shipping boxes to containers.

Nothing is too big, too small, and nothing is impossible except sending the Eiffel Tower.

 

 

 

For more information or questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me at:

[email protected]

and or follow me on

Instagram 

Facebook 

My personal blog 2005 -

Superhero Brocanteurs

The AMAZING FOUR, Patricia Conte-Lynch, Barbara Willis, @Gloria McKinnon, and Vintage Supply Co. are True brocanteurs! Three of them endured not having their suitcases for the ENTIRE TRIP, one of them had their flight canceled, losing a day of our adventures together, we endured a heatwave, a van that wouldn’t start after dinner far from home base, and yet none of them lost their focus or joy! Brocante Trueheart's! Also, a shout out to Valarie Gerlach Jolly for introducing me to Patrica, Barbara, and Jeanette. 

I have found many beautiful things at the brocante, but nothing compares to the joy I have seen in sharing this experience with others.

Lavender Fields

French la Vie… Good Friends, Good Finds, and a Crazy Goof

 

We are doing the brocante scene with other passionate brocanteurs and buzzing conversation about what we have found, what we have seen, what we have missed, what we have learned, and where we are going. It is refreshing and deep gratitude to share after years of covid restrictions, aggressive politics, gun violence, and war: a breath, a natural breath of fresh air. 

 

Photo by Patricia, who is with me on the French la Vie.

 

 

Barbara and Gloria

This is the fourth time joining me on the French la Vie.

I think that means that they LOVE the brocante

Maybe just maybe as much as I do.

AND they must like hanging out with me.

No, I did not bribe them to join me.

 

 

Jeanette and Patricia

These ladies, the four of them, literally can shop without dropping.

Our van was one stuffed potato. Packages everywhere:

Under our seats, on our laps, bulging out of the trunk, no room to move your legs, nor turn your head...

Happy, happy, happy place smack dab in the middle of the van stuffed with brocante heaven.

These women have shops and or give classes using antique textiles.

this is how they wanted their French la Vie Adventure to be:

Brocante FULL Throttle.

I am thrilled to step on the pedal at full speed.

 

 

 

 

 

And then our driver finds E.T. to bring us back to reality.

Good laughs.

good friends,

good food,

full van,

deep sleep,

ready for tomorrow.

 

 

French la Vie Adventures in Brocanting this Week

 

The group is here!

All four of them have been with me before

So we have the same passion, or some would say craziness, for the brocante.

I hope to post photos, but our days are long, full, and delicious.

What do you look for at the brocante?

 

 

 

 

When You Come to Provence

 

 

If you come to Provence take time to be time to let Provence get under your skin and into your heart. Provence is a place to wander, taste the countryside, soak in the sounds, and follow your thoughts until they are just a mountain of softness and valleys of delight.

Provence is spread out like a quilt of many colors starting with the sky and everything between it and the blue sea, from the olive trees, vineyards, tiled roofs, confit pots, cigales, and rosé, and rows of lavender and stone walls.

Let me lead the way come I will give you a key to open the source of sweetness that is Provence.

 

 

Opening hideaway places, and visiting private homes and artist's studios.

 

Discovering the history behind antiques, culture, and the Provencal lifestyle.

 

 

 

With time to wander in places worthy to paint and feel poetic.

 

 

Sip Champagne in the middle of the afternoon while the cicadas sing.

 

 

 

Impromptu picnics, and moments to just be in the moment.

 

 

To go to as many brocantes as you would want without worrying about how to take your purchases home.

 

 

Meals with my friends, meals at restaurants, and at my home, where the feast is friendship.

 

 

 

To be inspired.

 

 

Throughout every moment to be surrounded by happy places.

 

 

To feel at home in a foreign land.

 

 

 

 

 

Where history connects you to a never-ending story.

 

 

 

 

Under a tiled roof, comfy-cozy wonder goodness.

 

 

 

Transportation provided, I wish it were this,

with a linen canopy and fluffy, oversized pillows to soften the bumps.

Transportation so you can enjoy the scenery without reading a map, or missing a turn.

 

 

 

May Poppies,

June Lavender,

September Grapes,

October, pumpkins,

Everyday beauty to discover.

My favorite time of the year is anytime there is a brocante.

 

 

 

I am planning 2023 dates for the French la Vie.

But first, if you have a group that wants to join me (four people)

or if you want to do a private couples visit let me know

so I can set the dates for you before planning other dates.

 

 

 

Please share.

And if you are in Provence just come by and say hi!

French la Vie Brocante Adventures

 

 

 FRENCH la Vie dates for 2022 and very soon 2023

One place remains open for 2022

The dates for the French la Vie 2022 filled quickly there is one place that has come up.

We are going to have fun and I bet you won’t want to go home.

xxx

The dates for the FRENCH la Vie 2022

I look forward to sharing the love of antiquing and more adventures with you! 

 

 

April 21st - 27th, 2022 FULL

May 24th - 31st, 2022 FULL

June 10-14th, 2022 FULL

September 6th - 13th 2022. one place remains

October 6-13th 2022 FULL

Dates for 2023 will be announced soon.

4000 Euros for one week in Provence includes:

Private room shared bath.

Breakfast and dinners included.

Helping with packing purchases and arranging to post.

Transport to and from the airport, and our travels within France.

2000 Euros non-refundable deposit to secure your place.

The final non-refundable payment is one month before arrival

 

Dates for 2023 will be announced within the week.

 

 

 

For more information email me at

[email protected] 

 

Twins in Antique Nightdresses

 

We found a pair of recently dyed navy antique nightdresses.

Mine is in cotton and Cindy's is in linen.

Nightdresses in white are very easy to find at every brocante.

I wish someone would dare and pay me to find 500 in a month.

What makes these two so unusual is the oversize eyelet sleeves.

We bought and modeled them.

Cindy is such a fun-loving person modelling is my new gig.

 

``

Living the Joy of Shared Happiness

How many brocantes did we go to each day?

Three or more.

How many villages did we visit?

At least two a day.

Do you have to buy to enjoy the brocantes or join you?

Only if you want to there isn't any obligation. If you come with your group we can tailor it to your desires.

How many are in a group?

Maximum four per group unless it is a private group.

Do you have any dates available?

Two people backed out in September so I have two openings

September 6th to the 13th, 2022.

Dates for 2023 will be announced soon.

 

My new friends.

I am going to miss this bunch!

They loved the brocante maybe more than me!

No, just teasing. But seriously close.

 

(Photo by Cynthia.)

Why not have oysters at the brocante.

As long as I do not have to have oysters that is fine with me.

Yann was our chauffeur! My hero.

 

Even considering the delicious lunch was three hours long, we are having an ideal time!

Though all of us preferred to be out and about. The extra-long lunch was due to Mother's Day in France.

Thankfully, the meal was worth the wait, and the company was like being with old friends.

 

xxx

 

 

 

 

 

Filled Full

 

Our senses are filled full

with inspiration

creativity

 new and renewed friendships

shared meals

discovery

learning

simply by experiencing Provence through the lens of the brocante.

to travel by this means is to engage in conversation

by holding an old object in one's hands and asking 

how much?

then the story unfolds and often a connection is made.

I am so grateful that the brocante dealers I have met over the last thirty years living in France

have opened their arms, homes, studios, warehouses, and addresses

for me to share with my blog readers and those who join me on the French la Vie.

 

The French la Vie would be just another sightseeing/buying experience if it wasn't for the connections I have made at the brocante and if those wonderful friends didn't open their hearts and friendship to me to share with you.

I am grateful for the brocante journey!

 

Poppy Stop

Poppies in France 

come in May

I knew we would find a field 

and we did.

After poppies come the lavender

and sunflowers.

 

I have so many photos to share of our brocante adventures

but little time to post and write.

But I will soon 

 

xx

French la Vie Brocante Bug Bites

serious situation 

brocante bugs are attacking

buyers are unaware. 

 

 

refreshments for those who have been bitten 

so that they might honor their new friend.

 

 

instigators

We met at a brocante over 25 years ago. 

`

 

Bitten badly

 

 

happiness is a side effect

 

 

so are wonder and awe

 

years of living with thé brocante bite

It still feels new and going strong.

 

French la Vie

 

Our French la Vie Brocante journey started off with a perfect day. We visited four places from Marseille to our home.

The women feel like I have known them for years but have literally just met. That is what is so awesome about this experience

is the bond that is created for a passion of seeing beauty in the ordinary, and sharing the joy in discovering history and culture while at the brocantes.

 

We came to our home and each guest settled into their rooms.

The sweetest compliment, "If today were the only day of our time together it would already be more than I expected."

 Here is to showing these four lovely women a wonderful week. I am so honoured to show them my haunts.

 

Now off to bed as the day comes early and we have many people and places to go!

Follow my stories on Instagram or French la Vie Facebook for more photos.

 

Pottery and roses from my friend Mo.

Happy Place

Thank you, AtlasVintage Carole, for the photo. 

Three years ago, this photo was taken on the last French la Vie.

Then Covid turned everything upside down.

Last week I teamed up with Red Shed Tours leading a group of 12 women around

Provence and the brocantes.

Back in the saddle feels better than ever.

The next group arrives on May 24. They have waited three years!

Finally, we will meet and create stories and find things that tell us their stories.

 

 

French la Vie Journeys for 2022

 

 

 FRENCH la Vie dates for 2022 

 

Thank you thank you thank you! The dates for the French la Vie 2022 are full. We are going to have fun and I bet you won’t want to go home xxx

 

For the love of brocante and discovering Provence through the lens of  antiquing.

 

 

April 21st - 27th, 2022 Full 

 

May 10th - 17th Full

 

May 24th - 31st, 2022 FULL

 

September 6th - 13th 2022. FULL

 

October 6-13th 2022 Full

 

If you want to have a private week experience or with a group of friends please contact me for details.

 

One week with the French la Vie includes

-Meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner,

-Private room and shared bath,

-Transport to and from the airport and to the places we will visit,

-Guidance around the brocantes and how to get your purchases back home with you.

3750 Euros for one week.

 

What to expect

Fun

Overload of inspiration

Delicious meals

Meeting artisans and brocanateurs,

Walking, stairs, being outside, visiting private homes in quaint villages,

wishing you had brought fewer clothes to have more room in your suitcase, and full days of exploring.

 

 

 

For more information email me at

[email protected] 

You won't regret one minute!

 

Beating my Drum French La Vie

Come see Provence, those villages that are worth a thousand photos, where cobblestones make you wish you had worn walking shoes, and shutters of blues that you want to take and stuff in your suitcase but you know you cannot. Where walking through one village after another you are transported into some magical place that inspires your breathing into song.

 

 

French Breakfast. The real deal. Where eating baguettes and croissants with butter and jam never added weight to anyone. You see the French la Vie meals are the cherry on the cake because that is where friendships bloom amongst the guests and the conversation takes us to another glass of wine or simply time to smile at the carefreeness of it all.

 

 

 

Those backroads, stone houses, olive orchards, lavender rows, where nature winks at you as you follow the brocante sign to another village. 

 

 

Pops of color

Pop.

Eye Candy.

Splash.

Smile.

Lick it up.

Happy Provence.

 

 

 

Brocante

Big and small.

Metal and paper, and Pottery and textiles, Paintings and watering cans, and literally everything under the sun and someone who knows how to negotiate for it and how to get it home for you, and even if you do not buy a single thing you still enjoyed every minute of being in a living museum.

 

 

Where those who come to the French la Vie come again and remain friends.

Even if they buy everything I love.

 

The dates are set for this coming year for the French la Vie even though this is January I am starting to plan the path ahead. The first French la Vie is in April which is literally tomorrow the way time goes by.  Antiquing in the way of brocante is high on the list it is the engine of the entire week, but it is not the only thing that we do while in Provence. Going to the brocante is a wonderful way to dip into the culture and history of France. The objects have a story, and those stories led to other stories simply because most of the objects are practical home items but not just practical like a piece of tupperware, the objects are handmade, and the stories start there. We will visit artisans' homes, studios and friends of mine who have created poetic homes and lifestyles to inspire. And of course, we will visit places that make Provence what it is... Charming.

Here is a listing of available dates for the French la Vie 2020

Please join me on:

 

April 7th - 14th over Easter 2020 ... Two places remain

 

April 28th - May 5th, 2020... FULL

 

May 12th - 19th ... One place remains.

 

September 8th to the 15th... FULL

 

September 29th to October 6th... Three places remain

 

For more information please send me an email or click here.

 

[email protected]

When You Come to Provence

 

 

When you come to Provence take time to be, time to let Provence get under your skin and into your heart it won't take long. Provence is a place to aimlessly wander, to taste the countryside, to soak in the sounds and to follow your thoughts until they are just a mountain of softness and valleys of delight.

Provence is spread out like a quilt of many colors starting with the sky and everything under it. The blue sea, the olive trees, vineyards, tiled roofs, confit pots, cigales, rosé, rows of lavender, stone walls, painted shutters, scented foothills of rosemary, thyme, pine, and oak.

Let me lead the way, come on I will give you a key to open the source that is Provence.

 

 

Opening hideaway places, visiting private homes and artist's studios.

 

 

 

 

Discovering the history behind antiques, culture and the Provencal lifestyle.

 

 

 

With time to wander to places worthy of painting, and writing poetry.

Or simply weaving this way and that throughout villages.

 

 

 

With time to sip champagne in the middle of the afternoon and have...

 

 

 

Impromptu picnics, and moments to just be in the moment.

 

 

 

To go to as many brocantes as you would want, without worry about how to take your purchases home.

 

 

 

Sharing meals with friends, meals at restaurants and my home where I will cook for you a feast of friendship.

 

 

 

 

To be inspired

 

 

throughout every moment and to be surrounded by happy places.

 

 

To allow you to feel home in a foreign land.

 

 

 

 

 

History connecting you to a never-ending story.

 

 

 

 

Under a tiled roof, comfy-cozy without a care in the world.

 

 

 

Transportation provided, I wish it were this, with a linen canopy and fluffy chunky floral pillows to soften the bumps. Transportation so you can enjoy the scenery without reading a map, nor missing a turn or a sight to remember long after the days have gone by.

 

 

 

May Poppies,

June Lavender,

September Grapes,

October, pumpkins

Everyday landscapes to discover.

My favorite time of the year, May for flowers, Winter for calm, June for a touch of summer, October for the markets...

The weekends for the brocantes.

Today because it is what I have.

 

 

 

 

The dates for the French la Vie 2020

 

Please join me on:

 

 

 

April 7th - 14th Easter 2020 ... Two places remain

 

April 28th - May 5th, 2020... SOLD OUT

 

May 12th - 19th ... SOLD OUT

 

September 8th to the 15th... One Place Remains

 

September 29th to October 6th... Three places remain

 

 

 

If these dates do not correspond with you I am open to adding another week to create a private tour

for you and or two to three more friends of yours. 

 

For more information email me please:

[email protected]

 

 

 

Please share.

And if you are in Provence just come by and say hi!

 

French la Vie Road Trip

 

 

After a wonderful visit with my daughter, son in law and grandson my friend @seeninprovence and I hit the brocantes in Paris. We had to take a taxi van to a rental car as we accumulated so many good finds. An unexpected road trip back to Provence, with a stuffed car, late in the evening we found a very charming manoir to spend the night. Breakfast was delightful, delicious by a roaring fire. Serendipity. Joy. I had to dance!

 

 

 

We stopped which added more time to the several hour journey... of course, we had to stop at a few brocantes along the way.

 

 

 

And because of this adventure, I am thinking why not offer a French la Vie Experience to Paris and create a road trip.

A Full Day's Worth of Brocante Addiction

 

French la Vie antiquing with Lisa, Patricia, Gina, and Jeanette. They literally only stop to eat and sleep. These ladies have the Brocante Bug far worse than me and you know how bad that must be.

I think I am going to start, or maybe I have started a Brocante Addiction Group and the only cure is not more cow bells but marathon antiquing. I have to train!

 

Favorite Finds during the French la vie

 

Kindred spirits when I meet people who read my blog and travel to France to share my passion.

The ease and happiness amazes me, that I can meet people and we feel we know one another and instantly start talking about our lives.

The French la Vie went to Cassis and even though it only has one brocante vendor everyone managed to come away with their arm's full.

 

 

 

 

Lisa, Jeanette, Patricia, and Gina.

 

 

 

 

 

A private brocante and breakfast at my friend Kristine's home.

 

 

 

Most pople come alone to the French la Vie and become instant friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SO much beauty.

An overload of wonder.

Brocante Bug Bliss

 

 

Brocante, I know and you know that I have the brocante bug bad. It is an illness I live with daily. Love it. Every aspect of it. It doesn't matter the side effects it brings: Big, small, tattered, worn, under cover, early mornings... it is worth it.

It doesn't matter what the brocante brings, it fascinates my imagination, makes me giddy, jump out of the car before it even stops giddy!

Or in other words it makes me nutty.

 

Thankfully I live in France, where my brocante bug can have a daily fix if need be.

 

 

 

1900s Trivet Tray

 

 

 

Puzzle cubes made with old engravings.

 

 

 

 

French Antique pot de creme.

Chocolate not included.

 

 

 

 

 

 

French Brocante Religious Statues.

My monastic days inspire what I am drawn too.

 

 

 

 

1800s French Tinted Map Engravings

 

 

 

1800s romantic engravings for yesteryear.

 

 

 

Hand woven linen towels from the 1800s.

 

 

 

Glass relic holder with angel design top.

 

 

 

 

Large wooden base, iron stamp to use to print on fabric, to create a monogram.

 

 

 

Antique pocket watch case with chain.

Not gold, not precious... practical.

 

 

 

 

 

1800s French antique hand made fine lace.

Made by loving hands, never used.

Created for the pleasure of creating, not for a purpose.

 

 

 

 

Pink covered box with folded pieces of paper that have chaton crystals (chaton crystals are used in jewelry making.) stored in them.

 

 

 

 

Le Mode Journals from the 1920...

Similar to American Home Journals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

French antique baby pink silk covered jewel box.

 

 

 

 

French letters from 1833

 

 

 

 

 

French 1850s prayer card.

That is one long-held prayer.

Passed down over and over in one prayer book after another.

 

 

 

1800s fine damask towel.

 

 

 

Holy water bedside font.

 

 

 

1800 velvet covered prayer book with engravings inside,

Do you think I like religious items?

 

 

 

1800s linen flour sacks. Tight weave helps prevent the flour from escaping.

 

 

 

French antique clay marbles,

handmade.

1900s.

Before cat eyes.

Oh Brocante Bug I love the infection or affection you have given me!

Pavillon de Galon Gardens

 

 

Guy and Bibi the owners of Pavillon de Galon have created an enchanting garden in Cucuron a small village close to Aix en Provence. I was fortunate to go there today while helping with the Red Shed Vintage Tour. Isn't it a sign of happiness when you leave a place and your mind still overflows with images and wonder? The scent alone was one of the most magical moments that I will remember for years to come. Every sense was caressed: Sight, Touch, Smell, Hearing, Tasting and the sixth sense of spiritual wonder beyond words as it should be.

 

I posted plenty of photos and videos in my stories on Instagram. 

Pavillon de Galon

Guy's guided tour of their labor of love their garden was a poetic masterpiece, he painted and planted words that literally bloomed before us. Enchanting! 

 

 

 

 

Summer's End

 

Summer is a royal feast for the senses. The color of the season surprises me over and over again, it never grows old, nor ordinary or expected. The season's gift is appreciated. Oh, that Provencal blue sky against the golden wheat. Gasp. It is the first time, isn't it? Do I smell baked bread?

I know I do.

The earth soaks in Provence: thyme, lavender, rosemary, fennel and certainly the Mistral stirs it then with ease, passes through the air, tangles with the rain soaks within the rocky clay soil to the roots soaring to the vines... and the wine flows with the scent of it all.

Abundantly.

Abundant life.

Pleasure under my feet and above my head.

French countryside wealth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will miss this summer it was one of the best.

 

 

Join Me in France

 

A month ago I listed the 2020 French la Vie Journeys and am grateful how fast most of them have filled up. There are a few spots left so I am listing them here in case you are interested or know of a friend who might be.

On the French la Vie Journeys we will focus on the brocante though there is so much more that we will experience.

 

The French la Vie starts in April until October. I have two more groups this season and then a pause until April 2020.

During that pause, I will restart my Brocante Online. I had to put the Brocante Online on the side as I could not manage to lead the groups, helping my friends with their home in Cassis, buying for my clients who have shops and cuddling a baby. I thought I had more energy, stamina, and time than I actually did. Somewhere in that vast plan, I forgot that I needed to have a life and sleep.

A friend mentioned early on, "That is a packed year ahead ..." I should have listened.

My parents often said to me, "You cannot keep burning the candle at both ends."

They were right.

 

Loving what I do is the reason.

I simply cannot get enough of the brocante,

of living in France, of experiencing the lifestyle it offers, of embracing the beauty that is literally everywhere.

 

 

 

 

Living full throttle but wanting to push the pedal, even more, is a paradox for an introvert. I know how to be an extravert but love to be alone and gather my energy in those times. That is another thing I forgot to do was give myself time to breathe and be alone.

Maybe that is why today I took a two-hour nap at ten this morning.

 

 

 

The dates for the French la Vie 2020

 

Please join me on:

 

 

 

April 7th - 14th over Easter 2020 ... Three places remain

 

April 28th - May 5th 2020... SOLD OUT

 

May 12th - 19th ... One Place Remains

 

September 8th to the 15th... One Place Remains

 

September 29th to October 6th... Four places remain

 

 

 

If these dates do not correspond with you I am open to adding another week to create a private tour

for you and two to three more friends of yours. 

 

Hopefully, we can see each other next year,

 

Corey

 

 

 

 

 

Brocante Heaven

 

Several months ago at the flea market here in France, I was digging through a box, pulling out one piece of antique linen after another. I love moments like this... a cardboard treasure chest and nobody around to watch me drool over my discoveries. Then as if the French flea market fairy landed at my feet the dealer said to me, "I have a whole attic full."

My mouth dropped, my heart skipped a beat, but I managed to compose myself to ask, (in French with my twangy American accent,), "Can I come to your home and take a look."

"Sure." She beamed back, rubbing her hands together, as I hugged my heart.

The flea markets in France are like being a kid in a candy shop. Imagine chocolate corsets, lollipop linens, sweet sheets, and boxes after cardboard boxes full of other tempting treats. You never know what you’ll find, but one thing is certain you will find a paradise full of amazing treasures, and the invitation to dream. 

 

From the very first step into the French flea market, one feels they have gone back in time. The vast array of antiques is overwhelming. There is something for every age and pocketbook. It is as if Marie-Antoinette and Louis the Sixteenth are standing by your side smiling, as you rummage through tabletops of painted porcelain dishes, silverware, monogram linens, and tea sets that seem to beg you to sit down and eat cake.

 

First lesson when buying antiques:  See with your heart. Buy what you like, what has value to you.  Any piece will become more valuable with age. But not every antique is going to make your heart sing. Some of us find peeling paint attractive, others like the smooth feel of a rich patina, yet others find the sleekness chic. What is your style? 

When I arrived at the antique dealer’s house she took me up to her attic it was stuffed full of faded grandeur. I nearly wet my pants I was that giddy. "Is this the stairway to heaven?" I asked. The dealer was very kind she said, "Take your time, open any box you want. I'll be downstairs.

Antiques come in many sizes, shapes, textures, and styles. It doesn't have to be a gilded 18th-century mirror to be valuable. Some elements make a piece authentic: The original mercury glass, the patina, the bold hits of age. Some clues to look for are is it has a story, a history, the quality of the product, the material it is made out of, the rarity, and the condition it is in. But the bottom line is... Does it have value to you? 

France’s culture creates the ordinary into the extraordinary. In the faded grandeur of peeling paint and rusty iron, the history of time unwinds. When you see something you like on a stand, the first thing to do is say, "Bonjour Monsieur or Bonjour Madame.” to the dealer(s) then ask if you can look at the object of interest. Turn it around, look on the back, the sculpting, is it regular or slightly uneven? Are the colors washed with age? Can you see how the piece has been used? For example, a drawer handle will be worn, grab it and feel the softness of usage. 

There is plenty to say, to learn, to know, to love about antiques. 

Thankfully, France has a rich past with antiques where things were kept, guarded, and passed down. Over the years I have seen plenty of things bought, sent off, and or recycled.

This is what I love most about France (Well not counting Yann, Chelsea, Sacha, Martin, and now Gabriel.) the antiques that have given me avenues of learning about the French culture, lifestyle, and beauty. 

In the end, I bought some linens... and then called some friends to come over who deal in linens on a grander scale than I do. Everyone was happy.

The Magical Kristin

Twenty five years ago I met Kristin at a brocante, she had a stand there and I bought a stack of bowls from her. We have been friends ever since. Both of us have remained crazy for the brocante. Though Kristin is magical as my friend Allison said, "Kristin lives as a real-life Beatrix Potter character. Certainly, as night falls she transforms into a mouse, and her home a storybook."

Kristin loved this thought of Allison's.

To understand you have to meet Kristin and enter her home. Every French la Vie group has visited her and everyone wants to return. Here are a few photos that barely capture her universe.

 

An Antique Dealer's Treasure Trove

 

 

The French la Vie group went to the home of an antique dealer friend of mine who opened up her trunk to show us some of her favorite antique pieces. Above is a calligraphy piece where the intricate details of the script were beyond anything I have even seen in calligraphy.

Each piece she showed us was more beautiful than the next. 

 

 

 

(an example of a men's garter)

 

A folder for a map.

 

 

 

 

a piece of hand-painted wallpaper

 

 

 

Embroidery silk crest.

 

The trunk held much more but I became enthralled with what I was looking at and intent listening to what she was saying

that I stopped taking photos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Few Snaps of What we saw Today

 

Preparing for the Next French la Vie

 

 

Preparing for the Next French la Vie

 

 

Bonjour Provence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provence is waiting for you, and so am I.

 

xxx

 

 

 

Brocanting Happily

A small town not far away from where I live had a brocante today. When we first arrived we were unfortunately greeted with vendors selling used clothing and toys which isn't bad if that is what you are looking for, but in our case, it was far from what we had expected. Nevertheless, part of brocanting is the hunt so off we trodded hoping to find our pot of gold. One thing is certain if you go to small-town French brocantes you will see plenty that you do not want, but when you do find something you want the reward will be the price. 

We left with armfuls and very pleased with our morning hunt.

 

Allison, Sarah, Deanna, and Sue hamming in up with not century-old pottery pots of

Olives, pickles, mustard, and honey.

I hope you will join me one day.

xxx

French la Vie

 

The beginning of the French la Vie Journey with Allison Wood Sue Comporato, Sarah Lammey Webb and Deanna Bailey. What a sign of friendship made when a group returns for a second time! We ended the evening at a local wine bar where Deanna, a wine expert led the wine through red white and rose. I hope you will join me one day for an unforgettable journey through Provence. Thank you, Deanna, for the photo please note all the glasses are empty does that mean I drank it all by myself? 

Second Time Around

 

 

 

 

Spent the afternoon with my friend Mo, one of the most creative generous souls I know.

The French la Vie Group wanted to see Mo again as they visited her the first time they came to Provence with me.

Imagine the connection to someone, their craft, the invitation to know Provence off the beaten track and to want to do it again.

One love feast after another, a constant circle of love.

When you come to see me, let's go see Mo who lives a few miles away.

To see more of her amazing black clay pottery glazed in white follow this link:

http://revesdargile.canalblog.com/

 

Want to Visit Provence?

 

 

If you come to Provence take time to be, time to let Provence get under your skin and into your heart. Provence is a place to wander aimlessly, to taste the countryside, to soak in the sounds and to follow your thoughts until they are just a mountain of softness and valleys of delight.

Provence is spread out like a quilt of many colors starting with the sky and everything between it and the blue sea, from the olive trees, vineyards, tiled roofs, confit pots, cigales, rosé, rows of lavender and stone walls.

Let me lead the way, come I will give you a key to open the source of sweetness that is Provence.

 

 

Opening hideaway places, and visiting private homes and artist's studios.

 

 

 

 

Discovering the history behind antiques, culture and the Provencal lifestyle.

 

 

 

With time to wander in places worthy to paint and write poetry about.

 

 

 

 

Sip Champagne in the middle of the afternoon while the cicadas sing you to dance.

 

 

 

Impromptu picnics, and moments to just be in the moment.

 

 

 

To go to as many brocantes as you would want, without worry about how to take your purchases home.

 

 

 

Meals with my friends, meals at restaurants and at my home, provided with as a feast of friendship.

 

 

 

 

To be inspired.

 

 

throughout every moment to be surrounded by happy places.

 

 

To allow you to feel home in a foreign land.

 

 

 

 

 

History connecting you to a never-ending story.

 

 

 

 

Under a tiled roof, comfy-cozy wonder goodness.

 

 

 

Transportation provided, I wish it were this, with a linen canopy and fluffy chunky floral pillows to soften the bumps. Transportation so you can enjoy the scenery without reading a map, nor missing a turn.

 

 

 

May Poppies,

June Lavender,

September Grapes,

October, pumpkins

Everyday beauty to discover.

My favorite time of the year, May for flowers, Winter for calm, June for a touch of summer, October for the markets...

The weekends for the brocantes.

 

 

 

 

The dates for the French la Vie 2020

 

Please join me on:

 

 

 

April 7th - 14th over Easter 2020 ... Three places remain

 

May 12th - 19th ... Two Places Remain

 

September 8th to the 15th... Two Place Remain

 

September 29th to October 6th... Four places remain

 

 

If these dates do not correspond with you I am open to adding another week to create a private tour

for you and or for two to three more friends of yours. 

 

***

 

Seven days, 3500 Euros includes everything

(transport, lodging, meals, drinks, excursions, adventure...) 

except for airfare, insurance, and personal purchases.

 

 

 

 

Please share.

And if you are in Provence just come by and say hi!

What Do I Look For at the Brocante

 

 

When asked what I look for at the brocante I answer I look for anything that speaks to me, I look for things for our home, to sell, to give, to understand, to admire...

Medals.

But the thing is once I start looking at one thing it leads to another and then another and then it takes me on a quest to find one older or more unusual, which leads to stories... it just doesn't stop. The deeper I go into the brocante the more curious I become and the more I discover.

It is a wonderland of a rabbit hole to fall into.

 

 

Like a key that opens up a drawer to a chest where linens have rested and in between the linens are pressed flowers and postcards, stamps, letters received or never sent, and candy boxes with buttons, and cards, then there are books, and unfinished sewing projects with the thread and needle still attached, and a needle case, or a notebook with sketches, and a box of pastels.

 

 

 

An unsigned painting with tears in just the right places that at first glance it looks like insects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and broken element like pieces of a puzzle, "Where did this come from and where does it belong?" 

 

 

 

 

 

The brocante feeds my soul: Teaches me about history, art, faith, creativity and the beauty of everyday life and living.

What do I look for at the brocante?

EVERYTHING.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lavender Fields Forever

Cathy came on the French la Vie with one thing high on her Bucket List to see the lavender fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such a magical day. Full of purple and perfumed air.

Field after field of rolling humps of lavender in neat rows.

A day well spent and a sweet farewell to a wonderful week spent with

the French la Vie.

I will miss you.

 

 

French La Vie Journey Surviving the Heat

 

 

The colors of Provence. Enchanting. Today I was reminded why I love this country, this landscape, this life... beauty in many ways surrounds me.

I am grateful.

What a pleasure to share what I see and live with those who come on the French la Vie journeys with me. Today we went to two brocantes, then went to Cassis where we took a boat ride out to sea we were revived by the air and water! Later Yann took our guest on a motorcycle ride in the Saint Baume mountains. Tomorrow we are going to visit the lavender fields by Valensole. 

Yes, the heat has been daunting but what has kept us going has been the good things: Friends, lovely meals, the brocante, the landscape, visiting villages, stepping into churches and dipping our hands into fountains and tons of laughter over silly antics by Yann.

 

 

 

 

 

 

French la Vie Summer Outings

 

 

Oh, Provence who knew you could show my hometown Willows in the Sacramento Valley

how to hit 113 degrees!!

My God for once I had to say, “It was Hot!”

Thank goodness for air conditioned cars, ice-cream, plantain trees, good friends and the desire to seize the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French la Vie Summer Outings

 

 

Oh, Provence who knew you could show my hometown Willows in the Sacramento Valley

how to hit 113 degrees!!

My God for once I had to say, “It was Hot!”

Thank goodness for air conditioned cars, ice-cream, plantain trees, good friends and the desire to seize the day.