The Walks of Provence
There’s nothing wrong with Nantes. We lived there for ten years and survived. But if you enjoy a good country ramble of the up hill and down dale variety, Nantes is of much use to… The Walks of Provence
Death of the Gypsy Woman
I used to smoke. Ten years, maybe, when I was young, until I decided enough was enough. As I recall, I tried a number of different brands, depending on how cool they were deemed to… Death of the Gypsy Woman
A Riot of a Time
Ramadan ended a few weeks ago. Due to the lockdown it was tougher than usual. Staying at home to fast all day, and the celebratory meal when darkness finally falls had to be eaten without… A Riot of a Time
Out, damned spot!
Hunkered down in our bunker, from which we venture once a fortnight in our hazmat suits to get rations, we haven’t yet – touch wood – been attacked by the virus. If I do get… Out, damned spot!
Capers in the Commune
Readers of Truffle Trouble will know that it’s set in two villages, Bordumont and Sagnac, in the beautiful Luberon region of Provence. Both villages are fictional and so, fortunately, are their respective mayors, Gandroux and… Capers in the Commune
It’s a Dog’s Life
Zizou the truffle hunter We don’t have a dog now. Last year, when the world was different, we travelled a lot, and a dog is about as conducive to travel as a broken leg.… It’s a Dog’s Life
Getting to grips with the flics
15 keys to One Green Bottle. N° 7: The gendarmes. ‘And the police?’ asked Antoine. ‘Who’s in charge? We’re deep in gendarme territory here.’ To someone not French, that might seem a little opaque. Gendarme… Getting to grips with the flics
Employment Guaranteed
I’m not very good at recognising celebrities. Not that I come across many, of course, but even if I did, I’m not sure I’d recognise them. I once saw the Archbishop of Canterbury waiting for… Employment Guaranteed
Intelligence and Manners
France has the only two things towards which we drift as we grow older – intelligence and manners. Some might disagree with that assessment by F. Scott Fitzgerald. There’s not much of either in evidence… Intelligence and Manners
Would you like to be a literary judge?
Before we started The Rabbit Hole over at the Writers’ Co-op, I edited three anthologies called the Book a Break. They contained stories selected from submissions to a literary competition I ran, which attracted a… Would you like to be a literary judge?