La Vie: A year in rural France

A farmer in England buys an old farmhouse in the French countryside and falls in love with the French countryside, learning to live the good life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2023
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd

An Indie Bestseller!

This captivating novel transported me back to the enchanting allure of La Belle France, reigniting my passion for all things French. Carol Drinkwater, the talented author of "The Olive Farm," has once again crafted a tale that deeply resonates with me. Her vivid portrayal of La France Profonde and meticulous storytelling left me spellbound.

Felicity Cloake, the esteemed author of "One More Croissant for the Road," aptly describes this enchanting immersion as "utterly beguiling." Her words paint a vivid picture of the French countryside, capturing its essence with keen observation and exquisite prose. For fans of Peter Mayle, Britain's renowned nature writer, this book offers a delightful escape to the sunny escapism of the perennial Sunday Times bestseller.

The Charente: roofs of red terracotta tiles, bleached-white walls, windows shuttered against the blaring sun. The baker makes his rounds in his battered little white van, carrying a hundred warm baguettes in the back, while a cat gracefully navigates past a Romanesque church, its bells ringing out across miles of rolling, glorious countryside.

For many years, John Lewis-Stempel, a farmer in England, yearned for a return to the landscape of his childhood, where turtle doves purred and nightingales sang. He desired self-sufficiency, to make his own wine and delve into the secrets of truffle farming. Thus, he embarked on a new journey, purchasing an old honey-colored limestone house with bright blue shutters. The Lewis-Stempels began their new life as peasant farmers, ready to embrace the simplicity and charm of rural life.

Over that first year, Lewis-Stempel fell deeply in love with the French countryside. From the sight of wild boar trotting past the kitchen window to the enchanting glow-worms and citronella candles flickering in the evening garden, every aspect of the landscape captivated his heart. What began as a practical enterprise quickly blossomed into an affair of the heart—an opportunity to learn the art of biting the end off a morning baguette, savoring a leisurely two-hour lunch, and truly living the good life, as the French would say, La Vie.

This captivating novel transported me back to the enchanting allure of La Belle France, reigniting my passion for all things French. Carol Drinkwater, the talented author of "The Olive Farm," has once again crafted a tale that deeply resonates with me. Her vivid portrayal of La France Profonde and meticulous storytelling left me spellbound.

Felicity Cloake, the esteemed author of "One More Croissant for the Road," aptly describes this enchanting immersion as "utterly beguiling." Her words paint a vivid picture of the French countryside, capturing its essence with keen observation and exquisite prose. For fans of Peter Mayle, Britain's renowned nature writer, this book offers a delightful escape to the sunny escapism of the perennial Sunday Times bestseller.

The Charente: roofs of red terracotta tiles, bleached-white walls, windows shuttered against the blaring sun. The baker makes his rounds in his battered little white van, carrying a hundred warm baguettes in the back, while a cat gracefully navigates past a Romanesque church, its bells ringing out across miles of rolling, glorious countryside.

For many years, John Lewis-Stempel, a farmer in England, yearned for a return to the landscape of his childhood, where turtle doves purred and nightingales sang. He desired self-sufficiency, to make his own wine and delve into the secrets of truffle farming. Thus, he embarked on a new journey, purchasing an old honey-colored limestone house with bright blue shutters. The Lewis-Stempels began their new life as peasant farmers, ready to embrace the simplicity and charm of rural life.

Over that first year, Lewis-Stempel fell deeply in love with the French countryside. From the sight of wild boar trotting past the kitchen window to the enchanting glow-worms and citronella candles flickering in the evening garden, every aspect of the landscape captivated his heart. What began as a practical enterprise quickly blossomed into an affair of the heart—an opportunity to learn the art of biting the end off a morning baguette, savoring a leisurely two-hour lunch, and truly living the good life, as the French would say, La Vie.

This captivating novel transported me back to the enchanting allure of La Belle France, reigniting my passion for all things French. Carol Drinkwater, the talented author of "The Olive Farm," has once again crafted a tale that deeply resonates with me. Her vivid portrayal of La France Profonde and meticulous storytelling left me spellbound.

Felicity Cloake, the esteemed author of "One More Croissant for the Road," aptly describes this enchanting immersion as "utterly beguiling." Her words paint a vivid picture of the French countryside, capturing its essence with keen observation and exquisite prose. For fans of Peter Mayle, Britain's renowned nature writer, this book offers a delightful escape to the sunny escapism of the perennial Sunday Times bestseller.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 143 x 227 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780857526458