Since the very fi rst time I crossed
the Channel as a teenager, I've always
loved France. Now I couldn't
imagine living anywhere else! I could
write a book about my favourite
things - I may yet - in the meantime,
here's my top 20!
My
v�nc�FJoanna Legge
has been living in
France for almost
20 years.
One of my favourite recipes,
French apple tart!
Outdoor entertaining is one
of the many pleasures in France
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9. Luscious, open sweeping landscapes, breathtaking
scented fi elds of Lavender in Provence; fi eld upon fi eld
of sunfl owers in the Charente; magnifi cent lakes below
the French Alps.
Long relaxed summer meals in the garden as the sun
goes down - or seated around long tables beside a large
open fi re at lunchtime in the winter.
The joy of dining in France is taking the time to talk as
well as eat.
It's also about adopting the idea of living to eat, not
eating to live. The French eat smaller courses, then sit
and digest properly.
Expanding my culinary repertoire! Neighbours have
promised to show me how to prepare Foie Gras following
a long discussion about exactly how many minutes it
should be cooked à vapeur!
I adore Paris - it's a compact city to get around and just
so beautiful. I love visiting its food and fl ower markets
discovering new things around every corner.
The glorious ocean beaches of the South West Atlantic
coast. My absolute favourite is St. Jean-de-Cap-Ferret, a
beautiful bay opposite Arcachon not far from Bordeaux
- Arcachon, of course, is famed for oysters!
While on the subject of seafood, the sheer joy of
sharing a freshly caught plateau of Fruits de Mer while
overlooking the sea in a quaint old port in Bri
any -
heaven!
The beautiful gardens everywhere in France - my
favourite time is May when gardens are full of an early
summer bloom and heady with the scent of old roses.