Debora Robertson

When I finally succumbed to Covid, I had to spend 10 whole days on my own and – quelle horreur! – rely on the kindness of almost-strangers

Now restrictions are coming to an end, the thorny problem of la bise has reared its head again

Food festivals are coming back, but here, they’re about celebrating communities as well as the amazing ingredients to be found locally

This Easter we will be eating roast lamb – if I can work out when the butcher’s opens – rather than pigeon’s brains, thank you very much

The queue at my local chemist’s is a positive pleasure, it’s the perfect opportunity to brush up on my vocabulary and eavesdrop on chatter

Making herself understood in a new language was what Debora Robertson dreaded most when she moved to France. But she’s getting there…

On her first trip back to London since she moved to France last September, Debora Robertson takes an emotional trip down memory lane…

Close they may be, but the French are very different to us. Here’s my guide to an ‘entente cordiale’ with our Gallic neighbours

Fashionable neckerchiefs, made-to-measure pouches to carry your dog and puppy pushchairs are just the tip of the iceberg

The summer season has finally arrived at my French village, but with sunshine comes plenty of tourists – and not all of them are good

It feels like every weekend there is some kind of parade, which often starts or finishes in the square in front of our house

After house renovations leave our columnist in fear of being arrested for noise pollution, she seeks to regain her neighbours’ favour

‘After the heat of the day, walking slowly, shopping, eating, meeting friends for drinks and chat is delicious’

A word of warning before taking the plunge on that dream home in France

Protest, to the French, is not a mere expression of frustration. It is an important rite in life

The idea of turning up to someone’s house unannounced to taste a little-known red or white is mortifying

The home of gastronomy is no longer all it’s cracked up to be, while the UK has undergone a culinary revolution

Ten tips for staying sane whilst sleeping on an inflatable mattress and cooking dinners on a hotplate

In times of numbing grief and shock, the kindness and gentle condolences of friends can bring comfort

Back home I was never happy on Christmas unless we had at least a dozen guests and the best china – but now I realise less is more