Fiona Alderman: The Capital of Christmas
After 5 weeks of riots and strikes throughout France we are now once again on a high state of alert.A few days ago the beautiful city of Strasbourg was also hit by a terrorist attack.When people were enjoying this historic Christmas market they were suddenly taken by surprise. The President Mr. Macron is not very […]
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Thursday, December 27, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from Rural France – From Strikes to Yellow Jackets
The French do like to have strikes and really they are quite effective.However this month it has touched us locally in France Profonde. Firstly, the post office.This is a tragic one unfortunately.A woman post mistress in Sarlat killed herself after enduring months of harassment which went largely ignored by her superiors. She kept making complaints […]
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Friday, November 30, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Superstitions French Style
I thought I might talk about something different this time .Why not? I am sure every country has its own personal superstitions and I think we can learn from them. 1. The first one is about la baguette. Something very important in daily French life, if you can’t afford a baguette things are bad. Simple […]
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Monday, October 29, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: A Snapshot of Salignac
A busy month again but it is now the end of the season. Visitors are leaving and the exodus of cars and camping vans are noticeable on the roads heading Northwards and everywhere of course. It has been a strange time with tourism though .It was deemed to have fallen even during August, normally the […]
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Saturday, September 29, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s Blog: A Shower at the Chateau
A shower at the chateau There has been so much going on here the last few months that I hardly know where to start? From hospital visits to leaking boilers it has been a test of the French language in all its wonders. We have had a boiler problem for a while now, but it […]
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Monday, August 20, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from Rural France: Red Gates and Rendezvous
This month has been a busy one.We have had numerous appointments for doctors unfortunately. The French word is rendezvous which has a different meaning in English and rather makes me smile.A secret liaison comes to mind? However there is nothing secret in the amount of time we have spent recently in waiting rooms.Too much. […]
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Thursday, June 28, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman, Blogging from Rural France – A Sweet Story
Tarte Tatin (Image by Loslazos [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons) There is a famous French dessert called Tarte Tatin, which I love.I wondered about its origins? Apparently it was named after two sisters, who ran a hotel in the 1880’s and within it a fine restaurant.It was called Hotel Tatin about 100 miles […]
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Saturday, May 26, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France – Works in Progress
After a very long winter we are finally into Spring and waking up to the sound of…… machinery. Yes, Salignac is starting to move again with re-openings and renovations. I mentioned last month about the ruined house next to the Convent? After nearly two years of the whole road being blocked and barriers everywhere they […]
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Tuesday, April 24, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: The Crusaders’ Convent
It is one of the most beautiful and also one of the oldest buildings in Salignac, probably built in the 13th century. It is South facing onto the street and consists of six huge arched doorways and three pairs of gothic style windows on the level above. All of this topped by great wooden beams […]
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Monday, March 26, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman. Blogging from Rural France – the story of Nutella and more
This month’s headlines here were surprising. The brand Nutella, which manufactures a very sweet chocolate spread, recently had huge discounts at a popular chain of supermarkets. From costing 4 euros it was reduced to just over a euro, leading to stampedes in the aisles! I couldn’t believe it when it was reported on the local […]
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Friday, February 23, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from rural France: A new year in France
Meilleurs Voeux I wish everyone a very happy New Year and as they say in France “Meilleurs Voeux” with an additional et” Surtout la santé” Health is very important as we all realise and when you don’t have it it is certainly a problem. We personally have encountered a lot of health issues in the […]
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Sunday, January 21, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s blog: The French Elvis
Johnny Hallyday – The French Elvis Presley For the French, Johnny Hallyday is a National legend. He sadly died at the beginning of December and it was as if a member of one’s own family had died, so immense was the love for him. It seemed to transcend all ages too which is remarkable. He […]
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Monday, January 1, 2018 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Quiet times in rural France
I was walking in the village, and thinking how unusually quiet it was? Particularly so, as all the businesses seemed to have taken their annual holidays at the same time. The butcher, the corner shop, the two cafés and even the doctor were all closed. . Life goes on though. I had spotted a huge […]
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Wednesday, November 22, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from Rural France: Round and around the villages
It’s another strange month here, why you ask? With unusually wonderful weather, which is very welcome, at the end of October, we haven’t needed to sweep the chimney or gather in the annual wood for the fire – certainly good for the fuel bills! During one weekend here, we havesomething called “Les Rondes des Villages” […]
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Thursday, October 26, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: One September in Salignac
Another crazy time here in “sleepy” Salignac. Everyone thinks it’s a doddle living in a beautiful French village but in fact it it’s like everywhere else I think. From shouting neighbours , dogs and cats wandering about, seemingly abandoned even though I know most of where they live , to people taken into the psychiatric […]
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Monday, October 2, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from Rural France – An unusual meeting in Salignac
A strange month this has been. In continuation with the last one with people acting very peculiarly. I met a young man who has brought a bright light to the village – he is an artist and very talented too. He recently painted the shop front of a new boutique called “Senteurs é Moi “ […]
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Tuesday, August 29, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France: Le Tour and the yellow jersey
Le Tour and the yellow jersey On Tuesday the 11th of July, starting from early in the morning, the crowds came to watch the famous cycle race, Le Tour De France. This year it was in the Dordogne and passed by us by just half an hour. We were going to go but eventually watched […]
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Tuesday, August 8, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: What’s Happening in Salignac
A green cleaning When people say to us how lovely and quiet living here must be, I laugh and say you are joking! So many different changes from one day to the next. New shops opening including another boulangerie that has created a fuss, neighbours shouting at each other and a lot of uncertainty in […]
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Saturday, July 1, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s blog: Two churches – a wedding and a funeral
It’s been a busy month with one thing and another. We’d been invited to a wedding locally as I mentioned last time. The weather was glorious, sun shining and no rain for a change. At precisely 4pm the bells of the church sounded and Blandine, the bride , arrived with her sister the bridesmaid. She […]
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Thursday, May 25, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman, blogging from rural France, Two pots in Salignac, Politics and Paris in the Springtime
Two pots in Salignac I am reading this and thinking have I done this correctly ? The French language versus English and sometimes I look at it and I get confused with the grammar .Let’s go!! Last month I sent a photo of the pots that I didn’t know what they were. I found them […]
Sunday, April 23, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: A Spring Wedding in France
Spring Wedding in France We are very lucky to have been asked to a French wedding next month. It’s the first time for us and we want to be sure we follow the correct procedures. They are a young couple living in the next village. I used to look after their two and a half […]
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Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s blog: The Muse of St. Germain
This month on my list of tributes to famous French people, is Juliette Greco. Born in Paris to parents that were often absent because they were affiliated to the Resistance during the War and then captured by the Gestapo, the young Juliette spent much time with her grandparents. After the War however, she was a […]
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Thursday, February 23, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France in the New Year
New Year in France, A King’s cake Happy New Year to everyone.They say Bonne Année here and always with” et surtout la santé” which means, above all good health. Many people however, have been struck down this holiday season with all sorts of nasty viruses and colds, myself included, that Christmas was spent in a […]
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Saturday, January 21, 2017 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from Rural France: Santons in Salignac
Santons in Salignac Little clay figures that are made in Provence, a labour of love for the many workers that originated from the first nativity scene, it is believed, created in 1223. Amazing. They were made for Christmas crêches and depicted the general life of a rural Provencal life. The word “santon” means little saint […]
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Monday, December 26, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s blog: No Hallowe’en in France
No Halloween in France The French really don’t “do” Halloween at all. The vast commercialism in the USA doesn’t happen here . This year for the first time I saw some glimmers of it in our small village. I received a little note through the door, politely asking would it be okay to knock on […]
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Wednesday, November 23, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blogging from Rural France: The Colours of the Dordogne
We live in the Department of The Dordogne (24) in the Aquitaine Region of SW France and in the Perigord Noir! Still following? It is a lot to take in I know. The word Dordogne means a long river which is a tributary of La Gironde and is made up of a hilly area,with medieval […]
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Thursday, October 27, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France, Pat's Home Page Blog
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France –The last of the summer sandals
I have been packing away some of my summer clothes and shoes and looking at my favourites, the espadrilles. So comfortable to wear and they look pretty cool too. I see everyone wearing them, men and women, and their simple but effective shape is most attractive. Originally worn by the peasants in the Pyrenees region […]
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Tuesday, September 27, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman ‘Ze French Touch’
What is it about the French that they have a je ne sais quoi about them ? From early years the children even have a confidence and look that is completely unique to the French. Watching a family with small children in a café, they are all talking animatedly and include the children in conversation […]
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Tuesday, August 23, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: After Brexit, Frexit?
What will be next after the shock of the referendum? A month of talks, deals and political suicides we wonder what is coming here for us in rural France. I have had rousing conversations with French friends who are very well informed on the subject and who wondered if we might return to Scotland. I […]
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Monday, July 25, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France, Riots and Renovations
Riots and renovations France is still under maximum security alert with continued terrorist threats and, because it is also the start of the Euro 2016 football season, tensions are running high. What a month La Belle France is having! Whether it is either strikes, travel disruptions, floods or petrol shortages, we in the South West […]
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Sunday, June 26, 2016 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
