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"Sandra and John Howard"John and Sandra Howard have been working diligently on their French since moving to the Dordogne a couple of years ago. They don't find it easy. But they persist, finding mastery of the language indispensable ...

You may have watched Benn and Amy Coley's French adventure on No Going Back. Many months down the line, their ski holiday business is thriving. Benn lets FrenchEntrée readers in on his local knowledge, and gives us his views and crucial information for the resorts in his region...

When Ros Weston returned to France with friend looking to buy a house, she realised that she too would like a place in the country where she had spent many happy times. Here's how she found her dream home in Finistere, Brittany

Doing well in school when you don’t speak the language is difficult enough. If you suffer from dyslexia, then the...

A former gîte complex owner writes about the day-to-day complexities and realities of running a holiday rental business in France…...

[IMAGE-MISSING]King Henri IV of France is reputed to have promised “A chicken in every peasant’s pot every Sunday.” He supposedly made the statement during his coronation address around the end of the 16th century. Four hundred years later, the French come close to his ideal. Today, each person in France ...

Survival tips for the new child Over the first few weeks of our children’s being thrown into the deep end...

Not content with buying their own vineyard in the Quercy, nor with winning medals every year for their Coteaux de Quercy wine, David and Sarah Meakin have teamed up with Stuart Jones and set up their own brewery...

Following traumatic personal circumstances, my daughter and I decided to build new lives for ourselves in France...

[IMAGE-MISSING]Bill and Rosalind spent 3 years trying to find their dream home in France. They couldn't find what they wanted and decided to build their own. In the first of a series of articles they describe finding their perfect plot and why they ended up much further south than they first expected...

There are all sorts of places to buy in the Dordogne but the classic target for British buyers has been the dilapidated old farmhouse with exposed beams and a few hectares of land, needing wholescale restoration to make it a dream home. But there are some indications that things may be changing...

Over three days in May Nimes becomes the Mediterranean focal point for olives. In 2004 15,000 visitors and 100 exhibitors made the event the largest olive-centred market in France. This is an event not to be missed by gourmands everywhere! "Nimes Olive Festival"

Lynn Beaumont & Tony Webster started ‘Open Door’ in Civray – or Association La Porte Ouverte to give it its official name – almost two years ago as a Drop-in Centre to support people affected by long-term illness, either as a sufferer or carer ...

Discover the unspoilt region of the Haut Languedoc where you will find the “real France” that for many typifies what France was always meant to be about. The Haut Languedoc has a landscape of stunning beauty, vineyards and sleepy, unspoilt medieval villages basking in the Mediterranean sunshine! "Haut Languedoc Property Guide"

Buying a home overseas can be a very exciting time. But it can also be worrying and an expensive process. To help you through this process – and help make your money go further, Moneycorp, the UK’s leading foreign exchange company, offers the following advice

"Pélou goats cheese"After sampling some extremely good goats’ cheese one day at one of the local fairs where you find tempting examples of locally made honey, jams, olive oils and more, I decided to investigate into how the cheese is made. The producer, or ‘fromagerie’ I discovered, is situated between Alès and Nîmes, and receives his milk from farms in the Cévennes.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s feasible to start a gite business in France, you’re not alone. Many people now say that the industry is ‘saturated’ and that it ...

Salads in France, and especially the Midi are much more than a few leaves of lettuce on a side plate. They can comprise a meal in themselves, or at least a separate course. When made with fresh local produce and the right French vinaigrette they are delightul starters for the meal ahead.

Salads in France, and especially the Languedoc are much more than a few leaves of lettuce on a side plate. They can comprise a meal in themselves, or at least a separate course. When made with fresh local produce and the right vinaigrette they are delightul starters for the meal ahead. "Salads and Vinaigrettes"

There are three kinds of dogs in France. Firstly there are the upper classes, the pampered and protected pooches, coiffured within an inch of their lives that trot obediently beside their mistresses in the elegant city streets. Then there are their country cousins, farm dogs and family pets living the outdoor, rough and tumble life on vast tracts of agricultural land in and around the little villages and hamlets. But it’s the third kind that are probably the most vulnerable...

Dozens apply each year for permission to marry dead people under a law created during World War I. Over the years, hundreds of requests have been granted

"Damp on upper floor"The town square in front of our house slopes gently down to where a stream flows underground. Under the slightly raised ground floor there is a cellar with open vents to the pavement outside...

Many people dream of moving to France, and as a general rule these dreams include derelict stone houses that within the year look like something out of the pages of House and Garden. It does happen of course but not very often...

[IMAGE-MISSING]Camelias really cannot fail to add a touch of class to any garden at this time of year. It was the monks in rich Buddhist and Daoist monasteries ...

This is the next recipe in our Charentaise series, a bit more adventurous but definitely in the Charente style - do let us know what you thought of it.

[IMAGE-MISSING]If buying an old stone house in the south of France does not appeal to you for whatever reason, then having your own house built for you is an option worth considering. The advantages of using a specialised company is that when it is finished you can walk into it without having to do any further work. You will also have all the technical and financial guarantees in place

Wouldn’t you like to escape from the rat race in the cold north with its cool damp summers and drizzly winters? Thinking of retiring to some glorious sun-drenched corner of Europe to enjoy a little peace and quiet?

New laws are now in force The recent changes to French Law mean that all privately owned swimming pools must...

The true gourmet visiting the Languedoc-Roussillon will want to know all about the local delicacies and culinary traditions. This gourmet tour of the region highlights the delicious treats and hidden secrets to look out for.

Chef Pascal Ledroit creates classy gourmet dishes in the upper floor "Maison Gayda restaurant" at the Domaine Gayda winery south of Carcassonne, using local and organic produce grown in the same soils as the Gayda wines that are served with the food. Here he shares one of his speciality dessert recipes, "Mille Feuille with Truffle Mousse", for you to recreate at home.

The passionate region of the Languedoc Roussillon delights in its strong culinary traditions which are attributed to the unique and diverse blend of its multi-cultural peoples. Here we showcase some of the chefs and restaurants which are putting Languedoc cuisine on the map, as well as some more traditional restaurants which are highly recommended! Bon Appetit! "Restaurants in Languedoc-Roussillon"

"truffle dog at Uzès market"This year it was my pleasure to attend my first truffle market in the Languedoc. Mingling among serious culinary connoisseurs searching for the best truffle at prices of 700 euros per kg, it was plain to see that a special breed of person is attracted to these events. Many sporting leather hats, the type worn by local horsemen, it was down to serious money making as the stalls under the mediaeval arches of Uzes town centre buzzed, customers seeking out the best deal and the best quality dealer.

I was half-watching one of those CSI programmes the other evening (yes, I know...) and it occurred to me that here at FrenchEntrée Languedoc-Roussillon, we help profile property buyers every day, matching their requirements to the right search areas. Over time we’ve seen patterns emerging, so to save you a lot of bother, here’s our "Languedoc property location profile match"!

The Bassin de Thau - a majestic salt water lagoon south-west of Montpellier - is a firm favourite for holiday makers and sea-dogs alike. And who would blame them? With access to acres of sandy beaches, some of the best seafood in France, and fantastic transport links, berthing here makes for an excellent investment. "Bassin de Thau Property Guide"

"Cottage near Rouffignac"Choosing an area to buy into will depend on particular wishes and needs, as well as your own personal taste. I recently met a couple at Bergerac airport who had been looking for a holiday home around Sarlat. I asked them if they liked woods...

"Uzès Truffles"Here is a guide to truffles in the Languedoc and Provence regions - some history, and some advice about buying truffles, about preparing them and some simple authentic truffle recipes from the region. Delicious!

For those who believe that the truffle only grows in the Périgord, think again. The black truffle is also cultivated in Provence and the Languedoc.

"Barn for conversion"In 1989 I bought a tumbledown barn between Verteillac and Ribérac for about £35,000 as a holiday home. I spent a year renovating it with the aid of a local architect and local builders. It provided five bedrooms, a bathroom and two shower-rooms. It was heated by ...

"Stone house: 293k"According to Peter Doyle at Century 21 in Bergerac, English buyers represent only 20% of those buying through their agency, spending an average of €200,000 apiece. It's impossible to predict what they’ll go for, since it varies enormously, according to their needs and wants. However, he has noticed a change over the past decade. "Ten years ago people wanted...

It's confusing enough when you look at estate agents' particulars in a foreign language. You'll soon find out that "renovated" may mean little more than the installation of a ...

After a year in which I stopped taking bookings due to the poor standard of caretaking, I moved to France to manage my own property and that of a friend who had also had unsatisfactory help. Fortunately our changeovers were on different days, as the houses are 25kms apart.

The passionate region of the Languedoc Roussillon delights in its strong culinary traditions, attributed to the unique and diverse blend of its multi-cultural peoples. From hearty Cassoulet stews to traditional Spanish paella, there is a rich mix of cuisine to suit every palate - made sweeter by the excellent local produce! "Languedoc Specilaities & Recipes"

If you have read the French press over the last few years, you will be aware that despite a sense of crisis among traditional vine growers, a new wave of talented, young entrepreneurs have come into the Languedoc-Roussillon wine trade recently - and are making a success of it! We take a look at what it takes to acquire a vineyard and to make it a profitable venture. "Investing in a Vineyard"

The elegant charm, excellent amenities and ideal location of Pezenas continues to draw interest from property investors looking to have the best of everything the Languedoc-Roussillon has to offer and accounts for why the local property market has weathered the recent economic crisis better than other areas of France. "Pezenas Property Report"

If you're renovating an old house, you will have to use older style materials that work with the methods and original materials

The separation of church and state has an impact on school and public administration. France is a secular state, but what are the implications of "laïcité" in everyday life?

With all the fuss over school dinners in the UK, and headlines such as “Not fit for a dog” in...

My daughter, Lily, was born on 29 September at the Clinique des Emailleurs in Limoges. I was not resident in France at the start of my pregnancy and for three full months straddled the two health systems of England and France. As a result, I now have a fair insight into some of the differences between the two systems and can provide some (hopefully useful) information to those who find themselves embarking on having a baby in France....

La Ferme de Laubicherie is a very special place to stay. The Chambres d’Hôte, at Lanouille near Limoges (Dordogne), are catered for with a traditional Table d’Hôte...But the most special thing about this farm, and the reason for my visit, is the micro-brewery.

When considering what materials to use in your renovation project, take the time to find out about those that were used when your home was built...

When starting your renovation project, take the time to find out about the tools that were and, in most cases,...