A tiny hamlet in the rural wine country of Burgundy seems an unlikely place for an international salon. Nevertheless, that’s what we have at Château de Balleure.
Take this week, for example. There is an artist visiting from Australia, Nelly Crawford. That’s her work you see in the photo above. Isn’t it lovely? (click here to see more of her paintings). Then there is an American named Iz who read about the château in this blog, and turned up for a couple of weeks of language immersion with Nicole and Pierre. Iz started learning French just a few years ago, on a lark, and now she’s a serious student (and she speaks very well, by the way. That's Iz on the right, with Nicole and me).
Since Nicole and Pierre started renting out guest rooms in the château a few years ago, there always seems to be someone fascinating around. They come for language classes, or to use it for a home base for travel, or sometimes they come just for the soothing balm of life in the French countryside. But even prior to taking visitors, there was always someone interesting about. Before retiring, Nicole worked with a language exchange program with students in Australia, the US, the UK, and Malta, so their friends hail from all over.
And then there is "Ecole Nicole"! Every week all the local expats gather. I counted seven nationalities at this week’s French conversation group. The global discussions are never dull, and hopefully, we learn a little French along the way! (At left, Nicole leads the conversation group in the salon at the château.)
So maybe there's a bit of irony in my writing a book on language learning, since my French is far from perfect. But write it I did with help from friends and readers, inspired by my own language journey, and now I'm releasing it in PAPERBACK.
Many thanks to all of my friends and readers who supported the eBook, How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain
to those who asked for a print copy, it's here! You can purchase either the ebook or the paperback at Amazon.com, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.uk, or any of the other Amazon sites. Pick one up for yourself, and don't forget your friends who are language students too. The eBook is $2.99, the paperback is $7.99 (6.25€ at Amazon.fr or £5.20 pounds at Amazon.co.uk).
And now I have a question for you, my dear readers and fellow Francophiles: Time for me to start the next book—any ideas for me? What sort of book would YOU be interested in?
OUR READER'S BLOGS: Our new friends Tracy and Ron, who found us by way of the blog and visited the château, have a great blog about their new life in Basel, Switzerland called Suddenly Swiss. Tracy wrote a post about their visit here, called "In Love with La Bourgogne", with some great photos, don't miss it!
PS MERCI for all the kind comments about my grandkids, and Kelly's book.
14 thoughts on “Au Château, An International Salon”
I would love to see a book with all your evolving recipes and hospitality/entertaining experiences. I have printed out many of the wonderful recipes and will be bringing several with me to make on my trip to visit my grandchildren tomorrow in Atlanta! I love your charming style of recipe instructions as well! After all it is called Southern Fried French..which says recipes with a French twist to me!
I’m with the person above me in the comment section – How about “Southern Fried French Cuisine” ???? I’d buy it 🙂
Hey Lynn,
U mite need to get Ron involved but I’m convinced u could write & illustrate volumes on “Rebuilding An Ancient Chateau” (sans experience).
Yes, I agree … a recipe book, with descriptions of restaurants/locales, would be delightful. Use your own photography; you have an unfailingly good eye. I often go through the recipes on your site. I would find it very useful for you to compile them into printed form. Oh, and I’d buy more than one copy … what a great gift idea!
I recently self-published my 2nd book…My Trip Around the Hexagon at amazon.com along with my 1st book…Falling in Love With France.
Both contain sketches and my paintings appear on my website…
http://www.joannemarquardt.com. I would love to have some feedback if any one is interested in reading my stories. Merci Bien.
How exciting, and great news for those of us who don’t kindle. I wish you great success!
I’d love to learn more about the history of the chateau, and how Nicole and Pierre came to live there (and probably devote years to fixing it up?).
Lynn, I ordered your book both on Kindle (and loved it) and now in paperback. I will never get over my feelings of pleasure for being able to hold a lovely,interesting volume in my hands.
You are such a gifted writer that I am certain any subject you chose would capture our imaginations. Perhaps your detailed experiences(with pictures) accompanied by more delicious recipes from the places you’ve had in SFF?
Hi Lynn, I really liked your book (got it on Kindle). Very practical, encouraged me to keep at it. I am a sucker for people’s stories about ‘why I moved to France and how I got settled and the little things that constantly amuse me’. As someone who took the plunge with a second home in France but can’t quite get up the nerve to try to move, I like to fantasize…
I enjoyed my stay at the Château de Balleure last year, and meeting you, Lynn. I’ll always remember the “École Nicole” one Wednesday when Nicole talked about the question of anti-Semitism in France today. It drew a remarkable group of ex-pats from at least 5 or 6 countries. I also remember Nicole’s wonderful food and the conversation I had with Nicole and Pierre at dinners and suppers. I have your book on my Kindle–some great ideas for furthering my French. Your readers have responded with at least two good ideas for future books: one on the intersection between Southern US and French food, including your fine recipes and restaurant experiences in France; the other about the Château de Balleure, its history and the saga of its 40-year restoration by Nicole and Pierre Balvay. I understand that when they were married Pierre told Nicole that he had inherited a summer home from his father. When they drove up north to see it, it turned out to be the château, in rather poor shape. Some summer home! There may even be some ghosts lurking in the story. After my first night in the château I awoke to find my ancient entry door bolted from the outside, something I couldn’t have done. I called Nicole on my mobile to come free me. There were only the three of us there that night–un mystère du château!
Bonjour Lynn, again, congratulations on the success of your Kindle book as well as your new paperbook. I’m certain your sales will be abundant among all your readers.
Nelly’s artwork is exquisite to say the least. Timeless and reminescent of the masters.
Perhaps your next book book could be a combination of your life in France with additions of your recipes while in France. Beautiful post.
I hesitate to write a comment as I wrote one earlier but you did not publish it – I guess you thought it was spam. I saw your blog on other people I read and had come for a visit. Je regrette de ne pas pouvoir acheter votre livre pour apprendre le français, car comme je suis française je le parle mieux que l’anglais. Le tableau du bol de raisins est très beau.
I hesitate to write a comment as I wrote one earlier but you did not publish it – I guess you thought it was spam. I saw your blog on other people I read and had come for a visit. Je regrette de ne pas pouvoir acheter votre livre pour apprendre le français, car comme je suis française je le parle mieux que l’anglais. Le tableau du bol de raisins est très beau.
Dear Madam,
You may find useful my websites : to learn French for free, http://www.frenchspanishonline.com is with audio vocabulary, videos, games, French expressions for beginners and advanced level students
and http://www.frenglishnews.com is for news in English and in French with audio.
Thank you,
Best Regards,
Pascal d’Hervé
FSO