France et Moi with Lynda Renham

Welcome to ‘France et Moi’ where this week I am talking to author Lynda Renham about what France means to her.

Lynda Renham

Lynda Renham is author to many popular romantic comedy and gripping psychological thriller novels. She lives in Oxford, UK. She has appeared on BBC radio discussion programs and is a prolific blogger, Twitter and when not writing can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook. 

Lynda lives in Oxfordshire with her second husband and cat. 

Firstly, I think France is a special place and it is famed for many things including its cheese, wine and diverse holiday locations plus, dare I say it strikes and dog poo littered streets. What do you think makes France so very unique and ‘French’?

Lynda: The language of France is beautiful. It appeals greatly to me. I only wish I could speak it myself. The most unique thing about France for me, however, is the poppy fields. That beautiful sight as the sun pours onto fields of bright red poppies. Their slender stems swaying in a gentle breeze. That is France.

2) With plenty of space and lovely scenery, France is a great place to explore. If you were to take a day off from writing were in France would you take off to?

Lynda: Provence and to the beautiful house I once stayed in there which wonderfully overlooked a field of poppies. How more perfect can it get?

3) What is your fondest memory of time spent in France?

Lynda: A wonderful week spent in the Loire Valley. It truly was a beautiful trip. We took lots of long walks through the quiet countryside. Enjoyed delicious French wine and perfectly cooked French meals. Lunch was spent in the gardens of the stone chateau we had hired, where we ate pate, cheese and olives with French bread. Unforgettable.  

4) Imagine you are sitting outside a French café at 10.00am on a sunny morning watching the world go by, what do you order from the waiter?

Lynda: Croissants, coffee and possibly a few macaroons. Why not?

5) Quick question; English chocolate éclair with whipped cream filling or French éclair au chocolat with crème patisserie filling?

Lynda: French éclair au chocolat with crème patisserie filling. What else. French eclairs are the best.

6) France has many different cheeses, a silly question, but which French cheese areyou?

Lynda: I like to think of myself as a soft, fresh and lively goat cheese. But I think others might say I’m a rich Camembert.

7) Every region in France has its own culinary specialty, do you have a favourite regional dish? 

Lynda: I’ve not experienced a great deal of French food. So, I can’t really answer that honestly.

When Archie Met Rosie by Lynda Renham

8) France gets a mention in more than one of your books, with Paris being the dream destination for Rosie in your latest novel When Archie Met Rosie. What do you think it is about Paris that makes so many of us dream of visiting? 

Lynda: Oh, it’s the romance surely! How can you not feel romantic in Paris? The beauty and exhilaration of the city must light the fire of romance in you.

9) If money and commitments were no object where in France would you like to own a property and what sort of place would it be?

Lynda: I’d love to own a property in Provence. It would be a large farmhouse with adjoining poppy fields, of course. It would have a huge lounge with a beautiful open fireplace. Many bedrooms for visitors and a beautiful chamomile lawn where one could sit and enjoy the poppy fields. I’d have a small courtyard overlooking the poppy fields with benches and tables to enjoy a nice glass of red wine.

Finally, do you have any plans to revisit France in the pages of a future project? 

Lynda: Not at the moment. I’m taking a short break. But you never know when wonderful France will feature in one of my books.

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about France and you.

Read more from Lynda at her web page and on Twitter and Facebook

Join me back here on Sunday when I will be reviewing When Archie Met Rosie which is a real feel good read (currently only 99p) and available in ebook and paperback format, links to Amazon can be found below. 

You might also like Wedding Bels (previously released as Croissants and Jam), another of Lynda's books set in France. You can read my review here.