Armchair Traveler

I love reading books about living in other countries (a dream of mine).  I first started, as is almost obligatory, by reading Frances Mayes and her Tuscany books.  Peter Mayle followed.  Since I have visited (decades ago) Venice, 1000 Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi followed.  I have since read her other books.

So when I saw I’ll Never Be French by Mark Greenside at the library I snatched it up.

And I have to say I was not disappointed in the least.  First off, the book is very readable.  So many times I feel I have to wade through pages and pages to get anything enjoyable out of the book.  (That means I read for enjoyment…..I want to be entertained!)

Mark Greenside takes an area of France, Brittany, far from the sunny Provence everyone else seems to be living in and makes it a location you want to visit, if not move to.  Brittany is on the northern coast of France and not part of France you typically hear much of….except if you watch the Tour de France and watch them cycle through.

The thing I really enjoyed is despite his not speaking French, he was so in love with the area he took a big jump and bought a house there and made it seem very doable.  And he made the people he met and interacted with lovable.

Hhhhmmmm….Tuscany, Provence, Fair Isle and now Brittany….so many places, so little time!