Welcome to the 11th edition of my monthly newsletter! Each month, I intend to share a personal round up of the past weeks to give you a glimpse into my French life. I also share links I love, seasonal recipe inspirations and try to answer some of the questions I’ve received through social media as well.
Feel free to let me know in the comments if you enjoy this monthly gazette, and perhaps what you would like to read about next month!
July, for the most part, felt very different around here. When we arrived back in France two years ago, that first summer was extraordinary, and not in a pleasurable way. We had abnormal and extreme hot temperatures that are very uncommon in this area, and had some seriously negative affects on farmers and the environment here in general. This summer, we’ve had rain, clouds and some generally colder weather.
That said, the month ended on a warm streak, with sun and heat – around 30°C, which is still warm for this area. But we were finally able to go to the beach, and suntan and swim! The ocean was a little colder than usual, but we braved it and once you were finally in it felt absolutely great!
The beaches closest to us for public use, are Toulhars, Port Maria, Kerguelen and Locqueltas, in the town of Larmor Plage (the city I grew up in, where Marc and I first moved to, and where my parents remain). It’s just a 5min car ride from us in Lorient, and we almost always visit Toulhars beach. It’s a busy, but beautiful beach, with some beachside houses and apartments along the coastline. A little further down, maybe a 5min walk, is Port Maria beach, where you’ll find some bakeries, cafés, restaurants and a delicious ice cream shop. It’s great for families!
Enjoying ice cream by the beach on Bastille Day
One thing I always appreciate about beach culture here is, despite the cliché that the French are very critical and judgemental – something we admittedly can be at times – you will find people of all ages, all sizes and of all backgrounds enjoying themselves, judgement free. If you’re alone, with a large group of friends, with family and children, topless or fully clothed, people are focused on themselves and the simple pleasures of the beach. It’s great for those who may be a bit self-conscious.
Along with the long-awaited wonderful weather, came us finally being able to grill! Marc absolutely loves grilling, as it reminds him of life back in Canada. French people aren’t the biggest grillers you’ll find, but we do still enjoy it on occasion. Despite this, we took the chance to have a lunch gathering with my parents where we enjoyed some grilled pork belly, Andouillette (Breton tripe sausage), chipolata sausages (very popular here!) and some chicken and veggie skewers, which we call “brochettes”.
To accompany the meats, we had a few delicious and refreshing salads – including a watermelon and feta salad, carrottes râpées and celery root remoulade. For dessert, we had a buffet of ice creams and sorbets from a local producer, Les Loups Givrés, all of which were absolutely delicious. The flavors included blood orange, passionfruit, lemon, cassis, dark chocolate, milk chocolate and pistachio. Spoiled!
Marc and I also took a nice, short road trip to the city of Vannes a few weeks ago, to visit their renowned Saturday market. I love the market here in Lorient and Larmor Plage, but the market in Vannes is just a whole different level. Countless vendors and stalls selling everything you could ever want or need from a market – meats, fish, cheese, fruits, veggies, multicultural delicacies, honey, flowers, baskets, artworks, clothing, shoes. It’s like you’re transported to another place.
We took our time as we always do to explore and buy what we needed, checked out a few shops, then stopped for an absolutely delicious meal at Bistro Le Châtelet. Reservations are definitely required here in the summer, as we saw more than a handful of visitors get turned away due to being full. This is definitely a local hotspot, which tourists obviously want to be a part of.
Fish and chips from Bistro Le Châtelet
Marc was craving their fish and chips, which is a specialty of theirs. It was a French take on the dish, and was definitely “lighter” tasting, and the chips were phenomenal! I opted for a lighter dish and took a tuna tartare, which was full of flavor and super fresh. We started the meal by sharing a herring and potato salad, which was super delicious and big enough to share, alongside some freshly cut baguette. Super yum!
Breads from the bakery, a mini-croissant and a praline brioche.
And, of course, we can’t forget the Opening Ceremonies and commencement of the Olympic Games in Paris. While I have absolutely no intention of going to the games, I am trying to follow along, especially in regards to the events I am interested in.
The day of the ceremonies was marred by a widespread outage of the rail system, which ended up being a coordinated attacked believed to be in protest of the games. The news stated that approximately 8 million travellers were left stranded by the outage, which has since been rectified. I personally expected a widespread strike of rail workers, but not this.
That said, Marc and I did manage to sit in front of the TV the entire evening to watch the ceremonies. Maybe I watched a little more intently than he did, except for when Gojira came on stage. If you watched the ceremonies, they were the (French) metal band that played alongside opera singer Marina Viotti, to perform the song “Ah! Ça ira” from the windows of the historic Conciergerie. This building was a former prison where Marie-Antoinette was kept, who you may have seen depicted in the scene without her head.
Delicious and utterly buttery “gâteaux bretons” at the market
There were ups and down during the ceremonies, plenty of clichés, and I know some of it was quite controversial to some religious groups. But overall, despite running for around 4 hours, it was all worth it to see the lighting of the Olympic Flame and to see Céline Dion put on an absolute spectacle from atop the Eiffel Tower.
For those who may or may not have seen it, Céline performed a flawless rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à L’Amour,” a song she wrote to her late lover Marcel Cerdan. Many think she sang it as an ode to her own late husband, René Angélil, but regardless both of us were amazed at the performance. And today, the news stated that the city of Paris wants to keep the Olympic Flame cauldron balloon as a permanent fixture. So, perhaps if you’re travelling there in the future, you’ll be able to see it in person!
What did you all think of the opening ceremonies? Are you excited for the games or any events in particular?
The peaceful Blavet river in Southern Brittany
New articles added to the blog in July:
Peak tomato season at the market!
10 recipes to make in August:
- Fresh Tomato Velouté
- French style Zucchini Fritters
- Savory Tomato Corn and Gruyère Galette
- Stove-top Ratatouille
- French-style Stuffed Tomatoes (tomates farcies)
- Apricot Flaugnarde
- Blueberry Peach Galette
- Alsatian Blueberry Tart
- Fresh Apricot Crisp
- Peach Crème Fraiche Streusel Tart
Favorite questions of the month
Are you for or against the Olympics in Paris?
I truly appreciate what the games represent, and seeing amateur athletes who spend their lives training for these events rewarded is a pleasure to see. But Olympic games come with a heavy environmental impact to cities, with immense financial and social costs. Money with which I think cities like Paris could put to better use, for infrastructure and social programs. I am neither for or against the games, as I appreciate both sides of the coin, but it does ensure I go nowhere near the city of Paris while it’s happening!
Is it common to pack a picnic or bbq on the beaches in France?
Yes and no. What a great and unexpected question. You will absolutely find people packing lunches, drinks and snacks to bring to the beach. But unlike what I’ve seen occasionally at Canadian beaches, I can’t say I’ve ever seen an open flame at a beach here. And typically, animals are also prohibited from the beaches during the summer months (not the other seasons, typically). So, yes, pack a basket with some things to eat and enjoy hours at any of our countless coastal beaches! Just make sure you clean up after yourself afterwards.
Audrey, I don’t often see or hear you discuss wine. Do you have a favorite style?
Wow, after all these years someone has finally asked! Believe it or not, I am not really a wine drinker. It’s not that I don’t drink alcohol (though I really drink very little of it), I just don’t enjoy it the way many others do, and neither does Marc. That said, Marc does typically have wine at a restaurant or if we’re eating with guests. But he prefers his beer or mixed drinks.
However, I will indulge in Champagne or Crémant d’Alsace, which is a protected sparkling wine made in the Alsace wine region of France, during special occasions. If you’ve never had Crémant d’Alsace, I highly suggest it as a more cost effective alternative to Champagne – in fact, I prefer it to Champagne!
Working on my foccacia recipe, which I will be sharing with you soon!
22 comments
I enjoyed your article immensely Audrey. Thank you. I love reading about simple pleasures. I will definitely try your recipes.
Much appreciated, Julie! feel free to ask any questions or leave a comment on any recipes you try, it helps a lot! Merci 🙂
Another wonderful newsletter. I enjoy the photos, recipes and your sharing of local travels and experiences.
Thanks for reading, Shawna! So glad you’re appreciating the content.
Like you, we watched all 4 hrs of the opening and are avoiding Paris at all cost. I felt Céline’s performance was the crowning glory to the opening, especially when you know the suffering she’s gone through to come back.
We also prefer Clairette de Die to champagne.
Agreed, Liz… Was great to see Celine make that comeback in such a huge fashion. She couldn’t have done it any better. Clairette de Die is delicious too, absolutely. I know it’s blasphemous to say, but there are so many really good and much less expensive sparkling wines in France that I prefer to Champagne. But to each their own! That’s just our preference.
I love your news letter!! It is very interesting, especially when you add some pictures of the small beautiful towns near when we you live. I was in Marseille in May and so loved it. Next time I would like to visit small towns and enjoy strolling down the streets and eating at local cafes.
By thr way, I have French heritage and cook many French dishes but I can always learn new ones from you and add them to my cooking/ baking lists. Merci beaucoup!
Thank you so much, Nora, I’m glad you enjoy the read 🙂 Marseille, my absolute most favorite city in France! I can’t wait to go back, but there’s so much more we need to explore first.
Please continue sharing your new experiences with us. I can’t wait to go back to France and next time I would like to go to Provence.
I’ll be happy to keep sharing, Nora! And I hope your wish comes true, Provence will be waiting 🙂
Hi Audrey,
Love your newsletter! I know a bit of controversy surrounds the Opening Ceremonies; however, I must say, except for a few parts, it was absolutely spectacular! Yes, Celine was just stunning, but there were so many moments that simply took our breath away. That mechanical horse! Anyway, Vive la France! and the freedom that exists in that beautiful country.
Merci, Chip! It was a beautiful, albeit long ceremony, that had more positives than negative in my humble opinion. In the end, it’s just a reason to celebrate us all uniting for a very brief moment in time, which rarely seems to happen anymore.
Bonjour, Audrey,
I love reading about your life in France and I do hope to visit one day!
I missed the opening of the Olympics although I did see the repeat of some of it on our local news that night but I heard all about the controversy surrounding it and all the upset surrounding religious practices but I believe it was an ode (athough it was taken a bit too far!) to Bacchus who is the Roman God of Food, Wine and basic revelry.
Thanks, Audrey, for your delicous recipes. One of my favourite desserts is the very moreish Clafoutis which my mother used to make a lot.
Thank you so much, Angela, and I agree overall with your assessment. The thing is, someone will always be upset and unhappy, so it is what it is… I tried to enjoy the ceremonies for what they were, and not nitpick at the things I disagreed with. But again, I understand the importance of religion to many, so I don’t want to downplay that outrage either.
So glad you enjoy the clafoutis, I’ve eaten a lot of it this summer. Maybe too much 🙂 If that is even a thing, and I don’t think it is.
I enjoy your writing so much. I feel transported back in time, I can almost taste the delicacies you are experiencing. You see, you could eat the same thing here in a different setting, it would not be the same. I have been away from
France for 58 years, went back twice to show my children where I was born, leaved all over the USA. The closest I could be to France has been Paris LV lol….The baguettes, croissants, French cuisine look similar but its not the same, What is missing is breathing the air, absorbing the sceneries, the people. I cannot go back but once in a while I find people like you who take me right back. I am 87 yrs old and I sample many of your delicious recipes. Only one spice missing. France, the magic word. Thank you so much for giving me happy vivid memories. I am looking forward to your next story and recipes to try. I was also glued to the Olympic, Tour de France and the internet that takes me back .in time.
Beautiful to hear, Aline. I am thrilled that my words, photos and recipes can bring you back those wonderful memories. And I know exactly what you mean about that “one missing spice”, I felt it all the time when living abroad. Everything still tastes great, but when you’re there, where that food was created, in the region it was created, with the ingredients from that place, food always just tastes magical.
Hoping you’ll get back to France again soon.
Hi Audrey,
I’m Joanne from Australia and I absolutely love your monthly gazettes and delicious recipes from your website. Thank you for the time and effort you put into making such quality products for us all to enjoy. I think the Olympic Games have been wonderful and the opening was absolutely spectacular! I can’t wait to see what the closing will be. Well done France, you have done an amaziing job!
All the best to you and your family.
Thank you so very much for all your support, Joanne, it means a lot. I’m glad my recipes and writings are part of your day 🙂
The closing ceremonies should be wonderful as well, though not sure it will top the opening. The “bridge” to Los Angeles should be interesting to see, so I’m looking forward to that!
One of my favorite television series is Agathe Koltes, which is filmed in Vannes. I’m looking forward to going there next month when I’ll be staying in Pont Aven. Thanks for the tip on the market there. I’ll look for you!
Have a great trip, Celeste! Usually a perfect time of year to visit, the weather looks like it should be ideal and markets are full! Soak it all in, it’ll be lovely.
Love your site: photos & all the articles! I plan on re-creating Rick Stein’s Secret France trip next year—2025–driving from Dieppe to South of France, stopping to eat (&drink🍾💃) at the small towns along the way. So just added Vannes to my list, the Saturday market & lunch at Bistro Le Charleston.
I’ll have to look into all the stops along his voyage, but this sounds absolutely wonderful Julie! No matter the path, visiting from the North to the South will give you so much history and a real look at how different France is from region to region. No doubt you’ll absolutely love it! Best of luck.