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Margo Lestz – The Curious Rambler

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Category: FRANCE

Van Gogh and the Provencal Wind

30 November 2022 Margo Lestz

Vincent Van Gogh spent his last few years in Provence where he painted the local landscape. But did he also paint the local wind?

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Santons of Provence: All I Wanted for Christmas

1 January 2021 Margo Lestz

My Christmas santons were late, but well worth the wait…

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When Napoleon Met His Bunnyloo

28 February 2020 Margo Lestz

Several years before Napoleon’s ill-fated battle at Waterloo, he suffered another humiliating defeat. This time at the hands (or paws) of little, furry bunny rabbits.

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Van Gogh in Provence

Van Gogh in Les Baux de Provence: What Would Vincent Say?

19 July 2019 Margo Lestz

A bigger-than-life Van Gogh exhibition in Provence. What would the artist say if he could see this?…

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Lavender in Provence

Wake Up and Smell the Lavender

12 July 2019 Margo Lestz

Rows of fragrant lavender plants stretching toward the horizon. It’s an unforgettable sight. In fact, for many people, this is the first image that comes to mind when they think of Provence…

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Tarasque Festival in Tarascon: There Be Dragons There

30 June 2019 Margo Lestz

A quirky Provence festival not to be missed…

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Eiffel Tower oil paining

Happy 130th Birthday, Eiffel Tower

14 May 2019 Margo Lestz

The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris itself. The grand old Parisian lady is celebrating her 130th birthday

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Notre Dame de Paris

16 April 2019 Margo Lestz

Victor Hugo’s words come true as Notre Dame burns…

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Rennes-le-Château: A Tiny Town, a Problematic Priest, and a Massive Mystery

7 February 2019 Margo Lestz

You’ve probably heard of The Da Vinci Code, but did you know that the story started with a poor priest in the south of France?

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Montmartre and the Windmills of Paris

24 November 2018 Margo Lestz

Windmills aren’t what I would usually associate with Paris, but…

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New Book: Berets, Baguettes, and Beyond

9 November 2018 Margo Lestz

New book about France makes a great gift…

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Restore Yourself at a Restaurant

20 October 2018 Margo Lestz

There have always been places to eat outside one’s own home, but they weren’t always called restaurants…

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Fleur de Lys: The Iris of Kings

7 October 2018 Margo Lestz

The fleur de lys has a long association with the kings of France…

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The French Show Their Stripes (on Their Shirts)

23 September 2018 Margo Lestz

If you’re looking to add a bit of Frenchness to your wardrobe, a blue and white striped knit shirt could just do the trick…

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The Marseillaise: The French National Anthem

13 July 2018 Margo Lestz

France’s rousing national anthem is called the Marseillaise and was written during the French Revolution…

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The Curious History of Foie Gras

11 May 2018 Margo Lestz

Foie gras – doesn’t that sound much nicer than “fatty liver?” But that’s exactly what this controversial French delicacy is…

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Demonstrations, Strikes, and Bossnappings

27 April 2018 Margo Lestz

When the French are unhappy about something, they don’t keep quiet – they draw attention to their cause…

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Curious French Superstitions

12 April 2018 Margo Lestz

Every country seems to have its superstitions, and France is no exception. Which ones have you heard of?…

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Best of Enemies: Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli

30 March 2018 Margo Lestz

Coco Chanel was queen of fashion until Elsa Schiaparelli rolled into town…

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History of the French Croissant

23 February 2018 Margo Lestz

The flaky, buttery croissant is as French as a beret or a baguette…

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The Calisson of Provence: A Sweet Story

1 February 2018 Margo Lestz

The calisson is a Provençal treat linked to Good King René and Queen Jeanne…

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Boney Napoleon Scares British Children

12 January 2018 Margo Lestz

How “Boney” Bonaparte went from being a little pest to a child-eating ogre…

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The Provence Christmas Story

2 December 2017 Margo Lestz

You may know the traditional Biblical Christmas story, but in Provence, there is a bit more to it…

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Matisse, a Nun, and a Chapel

12 November 2017 Margo Lestz

“Night Nurse Needed – Should be young and pretty.” This was the ad Henri Matisse placed in 1942…

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The Artist and His Objects: Matisse in His Studio

27 October 2017 Margo Lestz

Some of the objects that Matisse collected showed up in his paintings and others served as inspiration…

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Renart and Chantecler: Two Animals that Shaped French Culture and Language

2 September 2017 Margo Lestz

We have to go back to the twelfth century and start with a fox…

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Jean Cocteau in London

4 August 2017 Margo Lestz

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting several sites decorated by Jean Cocteau on the French Riviera, but I was surprised to find his work in the center of London…

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Who Put the Bubbles in the Bubbly?

15 June 2017 Margo Lestz

Did the French invent the method of making champagne? Or was it the British?

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The Gallic Rooster of France

21 May 2017 Margo Lestz

Find out why the rooster represents France…

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New Book

10 May 2017 Margo Lestz

I’m happy to announce that my latest book, Curious Histories of Provence: Tales from the South of France is now published…

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Prints of Provence: “Les Indiennes”

6 April 2017 Margo Lestz

How could a fabric that originated in India, was copied by Armenians, and outlawed in France become a symbol of Provence?

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Victor Hugo and the Joker

24 March 2017 Margo Lestz

Who would have thought that one of the greatest 19th century French writers would have anything to do with a 20th century American cartoon villain?

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The Camargue: Horses, Bulls, and Gardians

26 January 2017 Margo Lestz

Southwest Provence, around Arles and the Camargue, has a very distinctive horse and bull culture…

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Bread and Bad Luck: A French Superstition

12 January 2017 Margo Lestz

Find out why you should never lay bread on the table upside down…

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Saint Nicolas and Pere Fouettard, Father Whipper

Father Whipper: St Nick’s Evil Helper

29 December 2016 Margo Lestz

Misbehaving children have to be very careful the first part of December, or St. Nick might send his not-so-nice “helper” to see them…

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Good King Rene

Good King René and His Fountain

27 October 2016 Margo Lestz

The city of Aix-en-Provence has a lot of fountains, but one of them caused quite a stir when it was unveiled in 1923…

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Sur le pont d'Avignon, Avignon bridge

Singing About the Avignon Bridge

13 October 2016 Margo Lestz

The Avignon bridge is known around the world today because of the famous children’s song, “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”…

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Cypress trees in Provence

Secret Language of Cypress Trees in Provence, France

5 September 2016 Margo Lestz

There is more than meets the eye to these slender, conical cypress trees. They have a hidden meaning…

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Gaspard de Besse, Robin Hood of Provence

Gaspard de Besse: Robin Hood of Provence

11 August 2016 Margo Lestz

Just like Robin Hood, Gaspard de Besse robbed from the rich and gave to the poor…

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The Mistral Wind of Provence

28 July 2016 Margo Lestz

Provence claims thirty-two different winds, but the mistral is master of them all…

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cicadas cigales provence

The Cicada (Cigale) of Provence

7 July 2016 Margo Lestz

When the warm days of summer arrive in Provence, the air is filled with the song of the cicadas, or cigales in French…

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Tartarin of Tarascon

23 June 2016 Margo Lestz

Saint Martha isn’t the only slayer of ferocious beasts whose name is associated with Tarascon. The town’s other celebrated hero, who also participates in the annual Tarasque festival, is Tartarin of Tarascan…

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Saint Martha and the Tarasque in Provence

9 June 2016 Margo Lestz

Saint Martha washed up in Provence and wandered into a village with a dragon problem. The Tarasque was terrorizing the town, but Martha wasn’t afraid. ..

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A Saint, a Convict, and a Gargoyle go into a Swamp…

21 April 2016 Margo Lestz

This story seems like a pretty reasonable explanation for all those gargoyles…

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Napoleon Bonaparte and canned food

3 Useful French Inventions

8 April 2016 Margo Lestz

Today, we are looking at three French inventions that make our lives easer…

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Madame Tussaud: Ahead of Her Time

11 March 2016 Margo Lestz

During the French Revolution, Marie Tussaud was forced to make wax casts of severed heads. Later she took them to England and set up her Wax Museum…

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French Asylum Azilum Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania French

26 February 2016 Margo Lestz

In 1789, aristocrats started to flee revolutionary France. One group of these refugees ended up in a most unlikely place – the wilds of Pennsylvania.

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The Crazy Calendar of a Revolutionary Republic

16 January 2016 Margo Lestz

The French Revolutionaries weren’t content with just changing their government. They wanted to change everything – even how they kept track of time.

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Couple under mistletoe

Mistletoe and a Flying Donkey

18 December 2015 Margo Lestz

Mistletoe in French is called gui. This ball of vegetation that grows high in trees has been considered magical since ancient days…

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Marie Antoinette’s Adopted Children

5 December 2015 Margo Lestz

Marie Antoinette is usually characterized as aloof and uncaring. However, she was very motherly and adopted several children…

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First Thanksgivings, Huguenots, and Alligators

20 November 2015 Margo Lestz

The Pilgrims are credited with serving the first Thanksgiving meal… but could the French have beaten them to it? And what was on their table?…

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Marie Antoinette’s Cats and an American Rescue Attempt

6 November 2015 Margo Lestz

Marie Antoinette almost escaped to the USA. Of course, she didn’t make it – but maybe her cats did. Could that be the origin of the Maine Coon?

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Berets, Onions, and Stereotypes

2 October 2015 Margo Lestz

In the mid 1900s, if you had asked nearly any British person what a Frenchman looked like, you would have gotten this description: He wears a beret, and he rides a bike with onions hanging on the handlebars…

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French Beret: A Hat with Attitude

19 September 2015 Margo Lestz

The French beret, that little pancake of a hat, has become the recognized symbol of all things French – at least among those outside of France…

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God Save the Royal Derriere

10 September 2015 Margo Lestz

It seems that the British National Anthem could be yet another link in the intertwined histories of the United Kingdom and France…

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Mosaics on the Hill

15 August 2015 Margo Lestz

Have a look around the “Colline du Chateau” overlooking Nice, France, and you can find some spectacular mosaics…

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Homer’s Odyssey in 13 Easy Steps

8 August 2015 Margo Lestz

If it’s been a while since you’ve read the Greek classics (or if you just never got around to it) no worries! There’s no need

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Women's_March_on_Versailles01

The King is no Match for the Women of Paris

25 July 2015 Margo Lestz

At the beginning of the French Revolution, when the Parisians had nothing to eat, several thousand women took things into their own hands…

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An Accidental Tourist at the Festival of Avignon

11 July 2015 Margo Lestz

As our taxi entered the city walls of Avignon, it was evident that something was happening. I had seen online that a festival would be

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Bob was a Woman of Many Talents

19 June 2015 Margo Lestz

In early 1900s Paris, Madame Bob was a thoroughly modern woman: She had many professions, but is best remembered for helping young lovers elope…

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The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower

15 May 2015 Margo Lestz

It was 1925 and Victor Lustig was sitting in his Paris hotel room reading a newspaper article about the Eiffel Tower. That gigantic structure had

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happy may day

Mayday! Mayday! Help, it’s May Day.

1 May 2015 Margo Lestz

What does the month of May have to do with the call of distress? Nothing really, it’s just an example of how words slip from one language into another. The distress call actually came from the French phrase, “m’aidez”…

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The Cats of La Romieu

15 April 2015 Margo Lestz

One of the main tourist attractions in the small medieval village of La Romieu, in southwest France, is the abundance of cats to be found

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Paris

Polite Paris

1 April 2015 Margo Lestz

*Published April 1, 2015 Ahh Paris… Just the mention of its name brings up images of sophisticated people in sidewalk cafés surrounded by elegance.  It’s

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baguette

Legends, Laws, and Lengthy Loaves: History of the French Baguette

20 March 2015 Margo Lestz

What could be more traditionally French than the baguette, that long slender loaf of bread that has become an instantly recognized symbol of France?

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The Changing Face of the French Republic

7 March 2015 Margo Lestz

Marianne’s Story – Did you know that France has been led by a woman ever since the French Revolution of 1789? It’s true!

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Bread Delivery: Les Porteuses de Pain

24 January 2015 Margo Lestz

If you like bread, then when you’re in France you probably stop by the boulangerie, or bakery, every day to buy a baguette, croissant, or

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The Mad Farter or “Le Pétomane”

10 January 2015 Margo Lestz

The highest paid performer at the Moulin Rouge at the end of the 19th century had a very peculiar talent…

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Shakespeare and Company

Shakespeare and Company

31 December 2014 Margo Lestz

For any book-lover, the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris is a must-see. It’s been the centre…

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Sat evening post 1920 & 1922 (2)

St Nicholas… Santa Claus… Father Christmas

11 December 2014 Margo Lestz

Even though some of the American/British folkloric characters don’t come to France, you’ll be happy to know that the jolly old man in the red suit does. Of course, he goes by a different name: in France he’s known as Père Noël, or Father Christmas.

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Societe-Generale

Who wants to be a Bank Robber?

23 November 2014 Margo Lestz

Well, I think I’ve done it!  No, I haven’t robbed a bank – I think I’ve finished my book! I still have to wait to

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July and August in France

The Grand Vacations: July and August in France

25 August 2014 Margo Lestz

The French love their holidays. There are lots of them scattered throughout the year but July and August are the months of les grandes vacances when business almost comes to a halt….

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Tearing down the Bastille

Pierre the Patriot

20 July 2014 Margo Lestz

When the French Revolution started with the storming of the Bastille, one man saw his chance for fame and fortune….

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Louis Armstrong disguised as a French man

French Jazz Fans outsmart Hitler

9 July 2014 Margo Lestz

French jazz developed under some interesting circumstances during the Nazi Occupation of World War II….

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Cole Porter in Sara's pearls and Gerald Murphy's cap

The Murphys, American Trendsetters on the Riviera

30 June 2014 Margo Lestz

In summer, it’s hard to find an open space on the beach, so It’s hard to imagine that up until the 1920s there were no summer tourists here, no open hotels….

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flamingo, phoenix parc, nice, france

French Expressions Pop Up in the Park

20 May 2014 Margo Lestz

Some animal and plant related French sayings illustrated with photos from a day in the park….

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Tooth Fairy vs Little Tooth Mouse

10 May 2014 Margo Lestz

There’s no Tooth Fairy in France so who collects the children’s teeth?…

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charles ix, happy may day, muguet, lilly of the valley 02

May First and the Spirit of Labor Day

30 April 2014 Margo Lestz

May 1st, a day to take off work and give out flowers….

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American Easter Bunny vs French Easter Bell

19 April 2014 Margo Lestz

There is no Easter Bunny in France but fear not, the French have come up with another method to distribute those Easter eggs

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April fool or april fish

April Fool or April Fish?

28 March 2014 Margo Lestz

In many countries, the first day of April is a day to play harmless jokes on family and friends. This usually consists of telling a farfetched story in such a way that it sounds like it could be true. When the other person falls for our joke, we exclaim…

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Madame Liberté

18 March 2014 Margo Lestz

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognised symbols of the United States. But did you know that Lady Liberty is an immigrant?…

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Do you speak english, yes, no

It Pays to be Polite in France

26 February 2014 Margo Lestz

“A cup of coffee” – € 7.00″A cup of coffee, please” – € 4.25″Hello, a cup of coffee, please” – € 1.40 At this café in Nice, France, minding

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Menton France, lemon festival, fete du citron

Menton, France celebrates the Lemon

7 February 2014 Margo Lestz

They say when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade.  But what if you are a town on the French Riviera and life gives you extraordinarily delicious lemons?…

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flower parade nice france

Carnival Kings, Silly Strings, and Blooming Things

29 January 2014 Margo Lestz

In Nice, France we are preparing for the carnival and that means another royal visit.  Every year in February, a different king comes to town

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was Nice part of Italy

Nice, France: Her Relationship with Italy and How She Became French

20 January 2014 Margo Lestz

Normally, I write about the city of Nice, but in this article, when I mention Nice, I am speaking of the historic “County of Nice”

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king cake - galette des rois

The King Cake holds a Surprise

11 January 2014 Margo Lestz

In France, it’s a tradition to eat pies and cakes containing little “prizes” in January. This practice can be traced back to Roman times and their winter solstice celebration…

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hand w one truffle

Truffle Hunting in Provence

2 January 2014 Margo Lestz

Our wedding anniversary was approaching and when Jeff asked what I wanted, I didn’t hesitate, “I want to go truffle hunting!” Looking a bit puzzled,

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Thirteen Desserts? That’s my kind of Meal!

23 December 2013 Margo Lestz

Christmas time in Provence and the south of France is full of traditions and, as with most good traditions, food is usually involved. Miniature wheat

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A Girl Called Fanny That no one Wants to Kiss

13 December 2013 Margo Lestz

  Recently, when I was at the Christmas “santon” fairs looking at all of the little figures that make up the Nativity scenes in southern

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Santons: The Little Saints of Provence

6 December 2013 Margo Lestz

In many parts of the world, Nativity scenes make up a part of the Christmas decoration but in Provence, they are taken to the extreme…

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Collage bourgeois buildings

Farewell to a French Apartment

23 June 2013 Margo Lestz

The above collage is a selection of lovely bourgeois buildings in the Musicians quarter of Nice, where we used to live.  It is called the

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what do you mean, you can't bring it inside

What do you mean, you can’t bring it inside???

2 June 2013 Margo Lestz

I was sitting in a folding chair in our empty new apartment waiting for our delivery from Ikea, which was scheduled to come between 1:00

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no kitchen

No Kitchen? It’s Perfect!

21 May 2013 Margo Lestz

No one would ever accuse me of being a gourmet chef, or any kind of chef for that matter.  Really, I’m pretty much useless in

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Charles ix muguet lily of valley

Happy May Day! Give a Flower to Someone You Love

29 April 2013 Margo Lestz

May 1st is a public holiday in France.  It’s called La Fête du Travail, and  it’s the equivalent of the US Labor Day.  But it’s

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Renting a French Apartment

14 April 2013 Margo Lestz

The Cours Saleya market proved to be the perfect place to go to forget about the stress of trying to rent an apartment here in

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French Class: A Poem

22 August 2012 Margo Lestz

I’ll soon be off to Italy to start studying the Italian language. I know what I have to look forward to because I remember my

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