This past weekend may have presented the last occasion for dining on the garden porch, our covered terrasse!, here at Le Papillon for the season, but I made sure to seize it. The breeze blew a bit heavily at times, but not yet describable as ‘wind’, and I went about savoring my Sunday ritual of a breakfast. Complete with French thè, homemade croissants made with French butter, and the sun’s beauty that provided just enough warmth to permit me to sit near my garden and enjoy being outside.

Over the years, from the very beginning of TSLL’s postings, sharing ideas for incorporating touches of French culture into our daily life has been ever-present. In fact, there are nearly 300 posts focused on this category.

With la rentrée beginning a new season of life in many ways, a new start of the year, yet another topic frequently explored here on TSLL, if we don’t find ourselves in France at the moment, why not make sure we have sprinkled our daily life with touches of France?

Admittedly, I have a feeling many TSLL readers have already done this many times over, just as I have. However, our life changes, our routines changes, evolves, other dreams and responsibilities step up the priority list, and we may unconsciously step away from or let go parts of our life that we so thoughtfully curated to remind us of our love of France. Not because we didn’t enjoy or like these details and ways of life, but they might have been pushed aside. And still, there may be more ways we can add a bit of magic that seems to enliven our everydays when we know that it speaks, reveals, what we love about a culture we fondly treasure.

So, I’d like to begin by sharing my list. A list of ways that, at this moment, in my daily life here in Bend feels like my France away from France. May it inspire you, remind you, and invite you to embrace your inner Francophile even more.

1. Two outdoor bistro sitting areas

This is my way of bringing the terrasse culture to my everyday life. A place to sit, to read, to dine, to work, all while facing outward, while being outside, toward my neighborhood, sometimes chatting with the neighbors who walk by, sometimes pulling my sunhat a bit lower over my forehead and typing away as they pass by.

The furniture is French as well, sturdy, rust-resistant Fermob, that while with each order I had to wait quite a few months, as the colors I preferred weren’t in stock, the wait was worth it. Well-made and comfortable. View one bistro set in the tour of my Bird Garden.

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2. Growing sunflowers and welcoming sunflowers into the home

I know, I know. People everywhere in all sorts of cultures and gardens grow sunflowers, but let me explain. Sunflowers remind me of Provence, and my time there was quite special back in 2018. So I sow them directly each May, and come August and September, they share their beauty. When I want some more sunshine in the house, I welcome a few inside, as I did with the stunner you see below just this past weekend.

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3. My afternoon tea is always French

For me, it is the little things in my daily life that, when chosen with intention, bring my mind to France and provide a warm hug of sorts. And while I begin my days with English tea, my afternoon tea, made with loose tea leaves, is always French. (Explore all of my favorite teas here.)

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4. An afternoon goûter is savored

Speaking of pausing in the afternoon, while the British receive credit for giving us good inspired reason to ritualize this afternoon delight of tea, the French and their after-school treat for children isn’t just for children! Non, non! We adults need an afternoon sweet treat as well, a goûter. And while in moderation and in consideration of our health, pairing a hot cuppa in the afternoon after staring at the computer for most of the day is a ritual I gladly welcome into my daily routine. Sometimes a biscuit (a Hobnob or two!), and other times some fresh fruit, this ‘reward’ really does feel like just that, and it helps to get back at it if there are still tasks to be done after the afternoon respite.

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5. Visiting the farmers’ market each week as I would the grocery store

This is a must-do task, and while it can sometimes be viewed here in the States as a tourist thing to do rather than a grocery visit (as some prices are higher than grocers), wholeheartedly, this is my grocery run. My receipts from the grocers when our local farmers’ markets are open are far less, as more fresh produce is welcomed home, and these markets last dependably for nearly six months. Oh, how I miss it when the season forces them to close, but I prioritize this weekly visit above nearly all else (even moving appointments around this day and time) to ensure I can go and pick up my veg and fruit for the week.

~I’ve been enjoying this melon each morning with breakfast all week. SO juicy and sweet!~

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6. Watching French television series and movies

At least a couple of times a week, I watch an episode of a favorite series on the MHzChoice streaming service or find a French film to watch on FranceChannel (this was the most recent film I watched on this streaming platform). Just last weekend, my film of choice (and it is a hoot! I highly recommend – learn more about the show and film here) was Dix Pour Cent: Le Film.

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7. Changed my IG feed to primarily French accounts and French language

This initially happened by complete accident this past August when I was exploring IG for details on French gardens (this post was the final result). Following having viewed more than a few French accounts, the system thought I preferred French content (I definitely love it!), and my feed immediately changed – all of the language changed to French in my profile, buttons, etc., and the accounts that randomly fell into my feed were French instead of American. I was quite pleased! Wanting to keep it this way, I officially changed my preferred language to French as well in IG (sometimes you have to go through your phone’s settings from IG, or you can often do it right in the Profile settings on IG), and I am loving the daily reminder of various French terms.

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8. French soap, the traditional Savon Olive de Marseille cube

I haven’t used any other soap for nearly eight years now. No more fancy body washes, no more special face soaps (although I do use a cleansing balm in the evening, along with micellar water – see my skincare routine and preferred products here). All I use and something that is always stocked and placed in the shower or near the bath are French traditional Savon Olive soaps. Find out where I buy all of them (I usually buy in bulk once a year) here.

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9. Using a French hair pin

Since being a teacher and wanting my hair up and off my face, but wanting it appear professional, yet offer variations, I first used three large bobby pins. Easy enough to do, but three pins meant some juggling, so when I finally learned about a French hairpin (5″), and made of acetate (not metal, as my hair is fine), I found the solution. I always have a few at-the-ready (purse, vanity, travel tote, etc.), so that if ever I want to just pull my hair back, I can do so in a jiffy and feel at ease that my hair looks presentable.

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10. Reading a book about France, or set in france, or involving France in some way

Whether a biography about an intriguing person, (many in the recent past have been French painters and are mentioned in my recent book Savoring the Sojourn), a book set in France whether in a piece of fiction or history reference, a cookbook, or this new book about the French lifestyle (shared in last week’s This & That post), I try to always have at least one available to pour through and sweep me away to somewhere in the country of France.

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11. Enrolling in a French language class (in-person or online)

As many long-time TSLL readers know, I have journeyed through French language classes, sharing the nine-part series of all that I learned (view it here). This is a wonderful way to step into the culture when you cannot be there in person, all the while challenging your mind and making you all the more motivated to book a trip tout de suite!

Having reached B1.3, my goal has always been to reach B1.4 level, which means I have one more class to take (FR301). As I put together travel plans for next year, my intention is to enroll this winter for this course so that when I next hop on a plane to head France’s way, I will have had a bit of a refresh and hopefully improved a bit as well! (Learn all about where I take my classes in the 9-part series mentioned above and linked here.)

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12. Cook with the seasons, without recipes (as much as possible), and dance in the kitchen

Many of you have reached out asking about new cooking episodes returning to the blog, as this was the first summer when no new episodes were shared since they began in 2018. However, as I was head-down bringing my new book to publication, this summer was wholly dedicated to that. Also, when I launched the Intro to French Cooking class last August, that marked the culmination of the annual cooking show, as I shared all the techniques, plus many new recipes and ideas, in this class. While I may share a holiday video for a special recipe once a year, and I look forward to sharing recipes as posts throughout the year as inspired. For now, the online class is yours to explore and is full of ideas, and it really is how I cook and enjoy eating on a regular basis through the seasons.

Rarely does a recipe come out, but they are absolutely inspiration. I will take what I love about a recipe that involves fresh produce of the season, work with what I have in my épicerie/butler’s pantry, and make something that is simple yet full of flavor. And you can too! That is exactly what I teach you how to do in this course because you absolutely can do it. Talk about a delicious way to welcome the French culture into your daily life! ☺️❤️🇫🇷

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13. I enjoy French cheese

On a fairly regular basis (weekly), I go to our local grocer that stocks quite a few great French cheeses (they also know I have a predilection for French cheese and thankfully will point out any new ones that arrive) and pick out a small chunk of a French cheese varietal. Enjoyed on its own or with slices of baguette, or (please don’t get angry) with crackers (our French professor scolded us for doing this- sacrilege, I know! But I confess, I still do it). Add some grapes, a cold glass of water (no wine for me anymore except on special occasions – here’s why), and it is a moment I savor.

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14. Walks in the parks and seeing regulars along the way to chat with

Nelle and I walk each morning, some place different each day of the week in or near Bend. The weather and our schedule determining where we end up. But we do like to return to our favorite parks and paths. From parks with old, stretching-tall-to-the-sky pine trees and gorgeous elderly maple and oak trees, to off-trail destinations that wind through the woods, I delight in the sights and tranquility while Nelle romps about and meets her friends. I too see familiar faces, so there will be a chat every now and again as we recognize each other solely by our dogs. Acquaintances only, but a familiar and friendly face. That is daily joy and something I saw quite a bit of at each of the parks I visited both in the city of Paris and out in the countryside – locals walking their favorite routes and pups along to stretch their legs and feed their curiosity.

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Intentionally choosing elements of our daily life that remind us of a culture we love and hold dear has the ability to infuse our everyday with more appreciation, more joy, and more to delight us. While this is just an introductory list (here is a list I shared back in 2022 that shares a few more ideas), in whatever way you would most enjoy sprinkling a bit of France into your life, let today be the nudge to do so (or more of it!).

Have a wonderful start to the week and bonne journée.

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