The Blog - Vivre ma France
Since moving from a beautiful, yet cold, Montreal in La Belle Province to a sunny little region known as Montpellier, la France has transitioned to Ma France - an adventure that has been documented with you, my dear reader. My journey has grown from creating a home in a Haussmannian apartment within a new country to the evolution of a community of new friends, colleagues and clients - both locally and internationally!
The inspiration I get from experiencing new sights, trying different cuisines and taking in new cultures translates into my everyday life, whether throwing a casual mid-week get together with friends, or hosting an all-out bash for a corporate dinner event.
Here in the sunny wine region, Sud de France, l’Occitanie, I am living out my life's mission: Bringing ease into event planning for the people - so that together we can craft their most memorable events. Whether teaching my friends how to set a formal table for their next dinner party including folding elaborate napkins or becoming a trusted advisor to a newly engaged couple by helping them meticulously plan the wedding of their dreams: My joy is to share my talents in making life a little bit sweeter and celebratory for all.
Follow me into wine country as we visit different vineyards and learn about wine production. Then I will take you back home and teach you how to pair the perfect wine to go along with a carefully curated menu for your home celebrations. Then recreate your adventures by following my online restaurant reviews and recommendations via VivreMaFrance at Trip Advisor.com.
You may occasionally see affiliate links included within my posts, allowing me to make a small commission from any sales coming from the blog. Please remember that I only post about vendors I trust and use myself - all opinions, reviews and recommendations are authentically my own.
So whether you are looking to find daily inspiration from la vie en rose, or you are ready to work with a trusted professional on crafting a wedding beyond your wildest dreams, I want you to join me. See the beauty of the south of France and beyond through my own eyes and experiences.
Vivre Ma France!
Leo’s List of Restaurants for 2019
As an event planner and foodie, I have spent three decades planning cocktails, parties and dinners and I can tell you that there are four basic elements that need to be aligned in order to have a great dinner in a restaurant. The space needs to have a nice flow and make one feel comfortable. Many…
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A New Year: Looking Forward
It can be daunting tying big life changes to a specific date, like the 1st of January, but no doubt, there is a huge burst of energy available around the New Year to support you in making and keeping new habits and changes in place. “With the new day comes new strengths and new thoughts’,…
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A French Christmas
Christmas time in France is quite spectacular and is indeed the biggest celebration time of the year. While other countries have their traditional Christmas meals and foods, their importance often seems on the same level as things like carols, films, decorations, and so on. But in France, family and food are what seems to make the…
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The Gift of Giving
Giving gifts is a complex and key part of human socializing. It helps to define our relationships and strengthen bonds with family and friends. We are social creatures, living in groups, sharing and taking care of each other. To many, the most pleasurable thing you can do is to give a gift to someone you…
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The House of Maille
Ask any cook what is the one condiment that they always use, and most will say mustard. In my adopted country of France, that would be Dijon mustard. Made from the seeds of the mustard plant, they can be mixed with creams, wines, vinegars and even water to create sweet and spicy little concoctions that…
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Domaine Montrose, the Rosé Specialists
Domaine Montrose is a beautiful vineyard near the Mediterranean run by father and son Bernard and Olivier Coste. Situated in Côtes de Thongue, a small region in Southern France near our home in Montpellier, they are experts in focusing on what is important in life: family and friends, sharing and life’s pleasures. During harvest season…
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Paris, the City of Light
Paris seemed as far away as the moon while growing up in rural Canada. Even when I attended fashion school in Toronto, I never thought that I would ever make it to Paris, let alone become quite familiar with the city. Paris is my most favourite city, hands down. Why? Because it has everything I…
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Pont du Gard, a Roman Aqueduct
When living in the south of France, you are surrounded by such ancient history it is sometimes hard to fathom for a north American. The region around Nîmes (formerly known as Nemausus in Roman times) was notably one of the busiest and prominent regions of Roman Gaul, from which still remains numerous vestiges and monuments…
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High Time for Pie Time
I am the ultimate pie Queen. Taught by my mother at an early age, I’ve been making pies for over four decades and still love the experience, both in creating and consuming pie. Today, it’s high time for pie and I am going to share with you some of my pie hits and pie-catastrophes, as…
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Château de Fougères & Les Miserables
During our first year in France, my husband had the opportunity of an interesting contract in Central Brittany (Bretagne), in Western France. We spent 4 months in this region, a large peninsula with a rocky coastline stretching from Normandy and the Loire valley into the Atlantic Ocean, home of the Celts and with a heritage,…
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