French la Vie https://www.frenchlavie.com French la Vie Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:48:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://www.frenchlavie.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/poppy-1-150x150.png French la Vie https://www.frenchlavie.com 32 32 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/06/22/creating-a-home-with-old-things/ Creating a Home with Old Things https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958277993/0/tongueincheek~Creating-a-Home-with-Old-Things/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958277993/0/tongueincheek~Creating-a-Home-with-Old-Things/#respond Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:00:22 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85467 My friend Laurie’s Italian cousin is renovating her family home in a more contemporary style. Her aunt had lived there before, and the house was filled with old things—everything from jars and dressers to trophies, kitchenware, buffets, nightstands, bed frames, and countless other treasures. Even the old tile floors are being removed. She invited us […]]]>

My friend Laurie’s Italian cousin is renovating her family home in a more contemporary style.

Her aunt had lived there before, and the house was filled with old things—everything from jars and dressers to trophies, kitchenware, buffets, nightstands, bed frames, and countless other treasures. Even the old tile floors are being removed. She invited us into her home and encouraged Laurie to take whatever she wanted.

We tried to convince her to keep some of the pieces, telling her how beautifully old furniture and vintage objects can complement a contemporary home. But she wouldn’t hear it.

In a way, that’s fortunate for me because I love old things, and I happen to live in a country overflowing with them. At the same time, it’s bittersweet to watch old homes be stripped of their historic interiors in pursuit of something modern. But things change. Styles change. Life changes. I understand that.

One thing I’ve come to realize after living in France for nearly 40 years is that when you’ve spent your entire life surrounded by centuries-old buildings, antique furniture, and history at every turn, it’s natural to crave something new—something that speaks a different aesthetic language.

Laurie brought home a dresser, a buffet, a light fixture, and some shelving. But the piece that meant the most to her was her great-aunt’s wooden cutting board and rolling pin. There was still flour clinging to the cutting board from the last time gnocchi had been made on it.

We carried them down the worn stone steps through the village to Laurie’s home, a place lovingly filled with the beautiful leftovers of things that other people no longer wanted.

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958277993/0/tongueincheek~Creating-a-Home-with-Old-Things/feed/ 0 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/06/21/a-different-view/ A Different View https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958254980/0/tongueincheek~A-Different-View/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958254980/0/tongueincheek~A-Different-View/#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:00:11 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85464 We often see a window from the outside: the sill, the geranium in its clay pot, the lace curtain.  We imagine the life inside through what we can see.  Imagine looking from the inside instead.  We would see more than a room.  We would see the feelings people carry, the paths they have walked, their […]]]>

We often see a window from the outside: the sill, the geranium in its clay pot, the lace curtain. 

We imagine the life inside through what we can see. 

Imagine looking from the inside instead. 

We would see more than a room. 

We would see the feelings people carry, the paths they have walked, their joys, losses, hopes, and fears. 

Seeing through another person’s heart could help us understand each other with greater compassion.

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958254980/0/tongueincheek~A-Different-View/feed/ 5 Weekly Top Posts: 2026-06-21https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958240403/0/tongueincheek<ol><li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958027604/0/tongueincheek/~Back-in-Italy">Back in Italy</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958018436/0/tongueincheek/~Claire-Sparkle-Style">Claire Sparkle Style</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958066544/0/tongueincheek/~Today-He-is-Seven">Today He is Seven</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/957995372/0/tongueincheek/~Guess-Who-is-New-in-Town%3f">Guess Who is New in Town?</a></li> <li><a rel="NOFOLLOW" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958102550/0/tongueincheek/~A-Celebration-in-the-Cantina">A Celebration in the Cantina</a></li> </ol><Img align="left" border="0" height="1" width="1" alt="" style="border:0;float:left;margin:0;padding:0;width:1px!important;height:1px!important;" hspace="0" src="https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/i/958240403/0/tongueincheek"> Sun, 21 Jun 2026 04:00:01 GMTtag:feedblitz.com,2026-06-21:tongueincheek/2026-06-21T04:00:01-00:00 FeedSplice by FeedBlitz https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/06/20/photos-from-italy/ Photos from Italy https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958236212/0/tongueincheek~Photos-from-Italy/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958236212/0/tongueincheek~Photos-from-Italy/#comments Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:00:25 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85456 the old Italian village perched up in the mountains — the stone steps lead the way up and up and up.]]>

the old Italian village perched up in the mountains — the stone steps lead the way up and up and up.

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958236212/0/tongueincheek~Photos-from-Italy/feed/ 7 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/06/19/34/ 34 https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958218272/0/tongueincheek/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958218272/0/tongueincheek/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:00:01 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85442 Happy Birthday Sacha. and many more. oh how I wish you lived closer- Though your happiness is my happiness, near or far, wherever you are xxx photos via Sacha and friends]]>

Happy Birthday Sacha.

and many more.

oh how I wish you lived closer-

Though your happiness is my happiness, near or far, wherever you are xxx

photos via Sacha and friends

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958218272/0/tongueincheek/feed/ 6 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/06/18/quote-for-the-day-2/ Quote for the Day https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958176356/0/tongueincheek~Quote-for-the-Day/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958176356/0/tongueincheek~Quote-for-the-Day/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:32 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85438 ]]> ]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958176356/0/tongueincheek~Quote-for-the-Day/feed/ 3 https://www.frenchlavie.com/2026/06/17/the-hot-chocolate-in-italy-is-so-thick-that-a-spoon-can-stand-straight-up/ The Hot Chocolate in Italy is so Thick That a Spoon Can Stand Straight Up! https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958134101/0/tongueincheek~The-Hot-Chocolate-in-Italy-is-so-Thick-That-a-Spoon-Can-Stand-Straight-Up/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958134101/0/tongueincheek~The-Hot-Chocolate-in-Italy-is-so-Thick-That-a-Spoon-Can-Stand-Straight-Up/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:00:37 +0000 https://www.frenchlavie.com/?p=85433                 

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 ]]> Plus, it sticks to the spoon!

Chocolat pudding for breakfast.

]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958134101/0/tongueincheek~The-Hot-Chocolate-in-Italy-is-so-Thick-That-a-Spoon-Can-Stand-Straight-Up/feed/ 5