Travel Blogger Kylie Lang lives in the Charente region of France and travels extensively around France, finding the medieval villages time forgot. She uncovers secrets about the cities at the top of everyone's French bucket list, a local Francophile living the French dream in rural France.
🏴 Wait, You Can Get 75% Off a Paris Hotel? Tell Me This Is Real
|
Bonjour Reader, How's your week going? Mine has been spent doing something I absolutely love — hunting down the best Black Friday travel deals for 2026. And let me tell you, I've found some absolute corkers. We're talking 75% off select hotels through Expedia's flash sales and 40% off hotels on other platforms. But here's the thing: these deals run through Travel Tuesday (that's December 2nd), so you've got a small window to snap them up before they're gone. I managed to get a 5-star hotel in Paris for under €150 last year, so trust me when I say these sales are worth paying attention to. Of course, I couldn't just stop at travel deals. I've also been exploring the heartbreaking story of Oradour-sur-Glane, just an hour from where I live, and getting into the Christmas spirit with everything from the traditional Bûche de Noël to the most magical Christmas experiences in Paris and Annecy. So grab yourself a coffee, settle in, and let's snag some travel deals. Fun French Fact!The Eiffel Tower Grows Taller in Summer Planning a Trip to France this Christmas?The BEST Black Friday Travel Deals in 2025If you’ve been waiting to book your vacation, November is the best month. Why? Because that’s when you’ll get the best Black Friday Travel deals. I’ve put together a list of Black Friday travel deals for France and other countries around the world. And I’m updating it daily as the deals are released.
Step Into the Belle Époque Era at the Musée des Arts ForainsFor ten magical days each winter, the Musée des Arts Forains throws open its doors and transforms into a living Belle Époque fairground. You can step back in time to when Paris was the entertainment capital of the world.
How the Bûche de Noël Evolved into a French Christmas ClassicAs my American friends get ready for Thanksgiving, here in France, the Christmas meal plans have already begun. The food in France during the festive period goes into overdrive, and one of the big parts of that is the desserts.
And a little bit of French history...The Story of Oradour-sur-Glane and the Massacre That Shocked FranceThe story of Oradour-sur-Glane, a village not far from Limoges in southwest France, is absolutely heartbreaking. The Haute-Vienne was part of Nazi occupied France, so the village was used to the constant threat of the destruction that followed the SS soldiers. But the events of June 10, 1944, took this to new heights and will never be forgotten.
Christmas in Annecy is Like Stepping Into a Magical Winter WonderlandSpending Christmas in Annecy is like stepping into a winter wonderland. Can you imagine anything more magical than a Noël des Alpes? Lake Annecy is frozen over and twinkles in the winter sun. Add to that the snow-capped mountains, hearty Alpine food, and the proximity to the Alps, and you will have all the makings of a fantastic Christmas.
9 Ways the French Can Tell You’re An American, and What To Do Instead So You Don’t Look Like a TouristOne of the things I love about going to a different country is the cultural differences. We’re all unique, and it’s something to be embraced and enjoyed. Having said that, sometimes it’s nice to feel like you blend in and look the part.
Kylie x |
Life in Rural France
Travel Blogger Kylie Lang lives in the Charente region of France and travels extensively around France, finding the medieval villages time forgot. She uncovers secrets about the cities at the top of everyone's French bucket list, a local Francophile living the French dream in rural France.
Bonjour Reader, How was your weekend? One thing I can say is that life in France is never boring. Not sure if you've heard, but there's talk of the French turning their backs on the baguette. It seems that the younger generation prefers sliced bread, American style, over the traditional baguette. What????? I hear you scream, and I’m right behind you. Meanwhile, today is Armistice Day, and therefore a public holiday. We observed a two-minute silence, and I attended Mass at the local church in...
Bonjour Reader, I hope you've had a good couple of weeks. I've had two very busy weeks, and as so many people have been on vacation, I haven't sent my usual newsletters. But, like the rest of France, I'm back with a vengeance. It’s the period in France they call La Rentrée, which means "the return" in French. It marks the end of the summer holidays and the start of the new school year. It happens in early September, with the exact date varying each year. You may not know this, but France...
The 'French Connection' The best news from Life in Rural France Bonjour Reader, Did you know that today is National Croissant Day 🥐? And, contrary to popular belief, the French didn't invent the croissant, it actually originated from a different country in the 17th century. My husband says I'm full of useless information, I prefer to think of it as being the font of all interesting facts in France. I'll leave you to make your own mind up. Anyway, I've written a fun article all about the...