French Escape

  It’s a difficult balance. I love where I live in Menton (as you may have guessed if you’ve read the blog before) but I realise the things I miss every time I return  to England.  I miss Book group, John Lewis and garden centres that sell all sorts of nonsense as well as plants. A drink in a pub.  Mature cheddar cheese. Bare trees, green fields, fog that turns the world into a black and white film. Englishness… even  the hard-done-by moaning overheard on the train, and especially the crazy run up to Christmas. With short visits I never quite feel settled. It’s hard having to make complicated arrangements to meet up with family and friends, I don’t want to always be rushing from place to place and person to person, knowing that I can’t fit everyone in.   I am a tourist, viewing the country through different eyes, treating myself and having far too many meals out (although is there such a thing as too many...?)  A visit to look around the London shops w...

 Christmas is coming, although here in Menton Father Christmas seems very casual about it. A forest of decorated Christmas trees has shot up all over the town and crèches in prominent positions await the baby Jesus.  I've joined in the preparations and my kitchen has been smelling very Christmassy this week, I've been making mince pies. I love making them, it makes me think of our mum who made dozens of perfect mince pies at this time every year. This year I've cooked quite a few myself, standard size and mini, for the library and the church.  The French don’t seem to know what to make of them but it doesn’t stop them being enjoyed.  Yes, I made some more flapjacks too - full of flavour from the local honey from Olivetta Am I the only person who still has Tupperware containers to store their baked goods? This week, I learnt about another author who loved Menton: Robert Louis-Stevenson. A fascinating and amusing talk by Martin White, president of the European Cultural...

Menton is very quiet in November.  Many shops and restaurants are closed for annual holidays, a brief respite before the influx of tourists at Christmas. Father Christmas has already put in an appearance with some rather unusual animals. He looks a bit overdressed in the sunshine. The huts are ready for the Christmas market in December and decorations are going up all over the town. I never tire of the view of the old town from the beach—it's even better from the sea—especially with a backdrop of sunshine and blue skies The sun still has some warmth but  there is now a chill in the air and the beach cafes are closed and protected, ready for winter storms. You would think with all this peace and quiet I'd have done lots of writing but instead I have been making the most of wandering around the town without the hoards of tourists impeding my way. I could never begrudge other people who love Menton as much as I do, but it’s nice to have space.  Just for the record, I have st...

I missed writing my blog, so I'm back.  I wilted a little in the heat of the summer and sharing Menton with the thousands of tourists—vital to the economy but wearing on the soul (my own and the soul of the town)—is exhausting. After a rainy October, November is giving bright warm sunny days and cool pleasant evenings.  I apologise that this is more photos than words (I promise I will omit my holiday snaps from the Costa Brava).  My mind is full of ideas for my new book, a sequel for Hidden. In October I gave a talk in the St John's English Library in Menton to introduce  Hidden . I was overwhelmed by the numbers who attended—we ran out of chairs and had to bring a pew from the church—and I continue to be touched by the positive comments from those who came, bought the book and have read it.   For reasons that belong in another story my books didn't arrive in time for the talk but that didn't mean I didn't sell any! Life in France has settled into a very pleasan...