Product Description

In 1976, in the Lot-et-Garonne region of south-west France, Ruth Silvestre and her family found Bel-Air de Grezelongue, a house that had been uninhabited for 10 years. This is the story of their love affair with that house and the surrounding community.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #162008 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
Reissues of actress and singer Ruth Silvestre's story of her love affair with her dream house in south-west France, chronicling the friendships that she and her family formed during the gradual restoration of their once derelict farmhouse and the local festivities, described with natural joie de vivre.

From the Publisher
Just to say that this is the first book in the sequence - the sequel is A Harvest Of Sunflowers, also available through Amazon and all good bookshops. Together, they form an unforgettable record of setting up a holiday home in the South of France.

Customer Reviews

Someone else on the Mayle Trail
It seems as though there are ten-times as many books about people moving to France as there are French départements but Ruth Silvestre's is a cut above the many which peddle nothing but barely amusing stories about builders and the lasting effects of too much French hospitality. There's a warmth in this book, a genuine affection for her neighbours and their odd ways, and a real sense of the history of the place. It may have been written about events which took place thirty years ago but the hidden treasures of France barely change and I look forward to reading the sequel.

Delightfully easy read
This is actually a sequel and continues the story of Ruth and her family's ownership of a second home in Lot-et-Garonne. The book covers a number of summers, with their gradual updating of the house, building a swimming pool, and many friends who visit. It's very easy read and leaves you with a positive attitude about aspects of French life.

A book full of sunshine
I read this book approx ten years ago and was struck by the triumph over adversity. For people contemplating buying in France I would suggest that this is a good book for possible enlightment.