High Heels & Cobblestones

High Heels & Cobblestones Just me navigating the move to rural France after 8 years in Singapore.

The trials, tribulations and challenges of moving from an 'always open' city to a sleepy mediaeval French cobblestoned village where shops close for lunch and on Sundays.

23/09/2025

Morning walk! I still went out despite the lashing rain and single digit temperature but it was horrible. My feet were wet AND cold. Time for an upgrade to a waterproof walking shoe. A cuppa tea and a hot shower sorted me right out.

18/09/2025

It’s super important to keep up with health checks as we get older. Smear tests, mammograms, blood tests, the whole shebang. I’ve just had my first mammogram in France and it was nowhere near as uncomfortable as it was in Singapore.

16/09/2025

When the village gives you marrows, there’s only one thing for it! Marrow chutney! I made it last year and it was so delicious that I’ve ambitiously quadrupled the recipe! It took me 6 hours from start to finish from chopping the marrows, working out the quantities and boiling it all down into a rich, sweet, savoury goo. 20 pots of marrow chutney in my store cupboard. Done.

15/09/2025

Every Saturday one of my 3 girls decides what cake I’ll attempt to bake and this week it is LEMON MERINGUE PIE! I’ve never made one before, the recipe has a gazillion steps but I’m nothing if not committed!

14/09/2025

After months of paperwork, phone calls, more paperwork, sending my birth certificate to the FCDO in the UK to get it apostilled, then photocopied by the local Mairie and sending more documents to the government, today I finally received my French Carte Vitale!

10/09/2025

French Lycées are super intense. I’ve just been to the welcome evening for parents at my eldest daughters new Lycée and was shocked at how extreme I found it. I felt super anxious in the environment and I’m a weathered 49 year old who has been through education systems. My one role and goal this year is to keep her on track without adding to the stress the Lycée lays on thick. Any advice out there?

07/09/2025

Saturdays in our cosy French home are for baking a cake. Every Saturday a new recipe and it’s a fun tradition that we’ve all come to look forward to. This week it is Mary Berry’s red velvet cake with mascarpone buttercream icing.

It may have taken all day in between feeding the kids and the cats and the washing but finally the fruits of labour are ready and it is delicious!

05/09/2025

Autumn is on its way in rural France and despite the nip in the air it’s still sunny and beautiful. A morning dose of sunlight is proven to support mental health, as is movement. So go on, get up, go for a walk and seize the day!

04/09/2025

The washing machine tax is when you get to keep whatever you find in the washing machine! Today I found €2 so I’m gonna buy myself a lotto ticket! Fingers crossed!

04/09/2025

La Rentrée isn’t just “back to school” It’s a new season, a time to set goals for the rest of the year and the chance to enhance your autumn wardrobe. I picked up this cute tshirt from Bershka and these cute earrings from Gémo and then curated a whole cherry vibe around them with my makeup and perfume. What are you doing to switch up the seasons? Solinotes

02/09/2025

La Rentrée est arrivée! It’s back to school for my eldest and youngest girls. The elder starts her new Lycée today which is a huge milestone. It feels like yesterday I was dropping her off at nursery! Blink and you’ll miss it.

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West Mersea

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