Real Talk: How the French Do September

Also, Please Help Me with My Garden and Why Your Summer Fling Won't Last

Coucous mes chères étoiles filantes (Hello my dear shooting stars) !

I made a wish, and you came true. If you’re here for the first time, bienvenue. I’m Karen, a lifelong creative living in Paris after moving here for love and marrying a French guy in 2022 at the age of 54. I share my adventures, passions—and even my struggles—as a mid-life transplant on a sweet and sweeping new journey.

To all you constant stars who light this intriguing path we’re exploring together, ça fait très plaisir de vous revoir (it’s such a pleasure to see you again).

If among you there are any confident gardeners, please do scrollll all the way down ⬇ because j’ai besoin de votre aide (I need your help) with our jardin à la campagne (our country garden).

Your Advice Please: Growing La Flâneuse

Before we get started, I wanted to thank you for the many marvelous comments and messages you send. I’ve even had the chance to see some of you in Paris and online at our creative meetups. This is exactly what I’d hoped for, and I want to make sure I’m giving you more of what you like. So…what would you like?

Should I add more of my favorite spots for varying activities and products and hotels/restaurants in France? Would you like links and references for learning French and/or moving to France yourself? More about working as an author and what it’s like to publish books? Something else? I’d be really grateful for your thoughts in the comments or you can always message me, avec grand plaisir.

Qu’est-ce que t’as fait cet été ? (What did you do this summer?) Raconte-nous tout dans les commentaires (tell us everything in the comments below)

Summer on La Seine. Isn’t she magnifique ? Photo by Bruno Storchi Bergmann

It’s La Rentrée en France—Back to School and Back to Reality

Nearly all French kids will return to school next week (the 2nd is the first official day all over the country), though we don’t have a holiday weekend such as Labor Day leading up to it. But the spirit of reentry that takes over the country is palpable and exciting. Already lots of businesses and restaurants are reopening, and we’ve been greeting our neighbors and the owners of our local cafés and shops with “Vous allez bien ? Et les vacances ?” (How are you? How was your vacation?) Tout le monde est bien bronzé (everyone is tanned) and well-rested after a holiday period which plays a key part in the rhythm of life in France.

Certain television programs have taken une pause estivale (a summer break) and will soon return. My fave is Quotidien, or Daily, which is a panel-style chat-show study in all things French, from politics to linguistics to humor, films, books, music, etc, hosted by the eternally impish Yann Barthès. You can learn the names of the députés in l’Assemblée Nationale, and you can get to know all the comedians, rappers and movie stars, too.

Heck, even dear Timothée Chalamet made an impressive French-speaking appearance this year to promote his Dylan pic, Un Parfait Inconnu (A Complete Unknown) ! Génial ! (Cool!)

Monsieur B took me to see the show live once, and you can get free tix if you like—although be warned, there are no subtitles and all the people speak French 🤩

Summer Lovin’, Had Me a Bla——mmmmm Byyyyeeeee 💔

I absolutely adored this Note that

Jane Bertch

posted recently. It’s a screenshot from French TV morning news about summer loves, and how it’s now time to snap out of it 😆

The concept hits especially funny for me as I had a French summer love in the middle of the pandemic in Paris. I never went back to reality and now I’m married and I live here. So don’t lose hope!

My translation is below the picture, including the hilariously opposite headline topic at the bottom of the screen. Also you should definitely subscribe to Jane’s substack.

Traduction/Translation:

SUMMER LOVES: WHY ARE THEY SO STRONG?

RETURN TO REALITY

• With ‘la rentrée’ comes a return to work, daily constraints, and distance

• Beautiful dreams give way to routine

• Links (to your love) grow weaker]

Fun French Insider Note: See the second headline at the bottom of the screen? I just can’t help but giggle at the unfortunate juxtaposition of the topics—from l’amour (love) directly to la mort (death).

Here’s what the headline on the bottom of the screen says:

BODIES IN THE SEINE RIVER

The four corpses were discovered on August 13th at Choisy-le-Roi, near Paris 🫣 😱

---

A classic September tradition in France: le salon des Associations, where folks can explore new activities and volunteer opportunities for the coming months. Photo Issy.com

September: Officially Ramping Up Alllll the Activities in France

All over l’Hexagone (that’s a common nickname for France since she looks a little like a six-sided polygon, am I right?), there will be des salons des associations. These are very popular September events held in public spaces, designed to help you find a group to join according to your interests. If you want to play a sport, volunteer to help others, learn to sing—or any number of other pursuits, this is a perfect place to check out your options and sign yourself up. If you’re new in France, I highly recommend this as a way to start building connections in your community.

I’ll Miss the Late Sunsets in Our French Summer Garden

After long, sultry months of le coucher du soleil (sunset) at 22h (10 PM !) and les temperatures qui montaient (climbing temperatures) regularly over 32℃ (90℉), the days are contracting now. Losing our light at 20h30 (8:30 PM) seems un peu triste (a bit sad).

But everyone who really knows me knows that quand l’automne arrive, je me reveille (when autumn arrives, I wake up). I anxiously await 🍁Sweater Weather 🍁 all season long, and for some reason, I feel much more of a sense of renewal and inspiration at the debut of fall than at the turn of a new year.

I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m scared of open water, I sweat a lot, and I can’t get a tan?

According to last week’s poll, some of you feel the same, some suffer a bit (for which I send you some extra love), and a few of you frankly wish I would ferme-la (shut up) with ces sondages merdiques (these shitty polls) 🤭 😂

Our garden is very pretty in spring and early summer--we have lavender too, not pictured here. But we want to add some more things that will flower in July, August and even September.

Autumn Reset: I’d Love Your Advice/Help with My Country Garden

Are there any confident gardeners out there among us? Could you help me?

My new life in France came with a wedding and a big, beautiful jardin that was initially created from scratch by ma belle-mère (my mother-in-law), whom I never had the chance to meet, but whose spirit is embodied in the trees and flowers that surround us. I want to tend to the garden, but although I worked as a florist with cut blooms for years, I’m no plant expert, and I’d never had a garden.

My initial years in France have been so lovely, but packed with the effort of, well—trying to get it together in a brand new country. So it’s only now that I’m actually excited about making some updates this fall in preparation for l’année prochaine (next year) with Monsieur B, especially after we had extreme worm invasions last year that killed all our little buis (pretty sure they’re small boxwoods) — about twenty of them.

These are the two main areas we're redoing. Can you see the dead buis/boxwoods? We have good sun, and yes, we'll be re-seeding the grass, too. This summer was such a scorcher!

Kind Souls: Won’t You Help Me with My French Garden Woes?

Our jardin is very pretty and flower-edged in springtime, but we’d like more color in summer, as we mostly have bushes, hedges and trees.

Does anyone have des idées à partager (some ideas to share) for more colorful summer flowers we could plant that are relatively hearty ? If so, please leave them in the comments—names of plants, advice, anything! Cette jardinière débutante (This first-time gardener) would be most grateful.

We do have lavender and a sexy fuchsia bush, but nothing flamboyantly floral in view of the terrace where we often eat and entertain. I am currently trying to grow des hortensias (hydrangeas), even though I’ve been told it’s dicey with our soil.

In great news, we planted a pale blue climbing plumbago which is happily creeping up the new arch Monsieur B installed, and I feel such early-gardener pride when I see that she’s already blossoming. Regarde-moi ça ! (Look at that!)

As always, I’m elated that you’ve taken the time to share a moment with me. Remember that I’ve asked you some questions today:

1. What did you do this summer?

2. What can I add to make La Flâneuse more inspirational for you?

3. Can someone give me some dang gardening advice?

Please do write me—it makes my whole week. If the spirit moves you, please like or share this post!

Bon ben bref, gardez votre éclat, mes brillants ami·e·s (OK then, keep on shining, my brilliant friends). And since you made it this far, here’s a little extra late-summer garden fun—our neighbor gave us a heap of fresh apples from his tree and we made a tarte aux pommes. If anyone wants the ridiculously easy recipe, let me know.

Lots of Love from France (and It Doesn’t Stop Just Because Summer’s Over) ☺️

I’m wishing you a rentrée that is everything you need leading into the new season—a smooth transition, a happy wake-up, an exciting ride, a peaceful landing. See you soon again right here.

Bises 😘

Karen