Patricia Sands

Author

Barefoot Blogger

What a weekend …

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Wow! It was all happening this weekend … not just in Nice but all over France! So please excusez-moi for being a little tardy with this post.

Saturday was the biggest national holiday of the year, la Fête Nationale, which is also known as le Quatorze Juillet and Bastille Day (although the latter is a term used more by people not in France, for some reason). It’s always fun to be in Nice for this holiday. It’s a great family time and the beaches are popular gathering spots here. Normally the beaches are busy at night too as everyone enjoys the fireworks.

After the horrific attack here two years ago on the 14th, remembering and honouring those who lost their lives has taken precedence over everything else on this date. I’ve been so touched by the sensitive and emotional homage organized last year and this. Fireworks have been dispensed with, out of respect.

Today the mood changed as France played Croatia in the final game of the World Cup. Horns have been honking all through town for the last four hours after France won 4 to 2 over Croatia. Flags are waving all along the Promenade des Anglais and cries of Allez les Bleus fill the air, as soccer (le foot as it’s called here) fans celebrate the win. It’s been twenty years since the last one!

July also means one more given in France ~ le Tour de France is underway! I’m in awe of these athletes. But even if you are not interested in the race, watching every day is a wonderful way to feel like you are taking a trip to France. The countryside and towns the tour visits are featured in a beautiful way. Here’s the map of this year’s course in case you want to follow along. I will! Click on the map for a larger view. 

And to top off the weekend, I had to start packing! Our stay in Nice is over for this summer and it’s time to get back to Toronto. Normally I would be in serious whining mode now. However, knowing I will be back in six weeks to prepare for our women’s south of France tour, makes the leaving easier.

This past week was made even better with a visit from Nancy McGee, owner of Absolutely Southern France, who is co-ordinating our tour and my good friend and co-host on the tour, Deborah Bine (aka Barefoot Blogger). All the details are in place and we can’t wait to take this show on the road! Click here to read about the Memories Tour. 

Have you followed all this exciting sporting news? Did you celebrate le Quatorze Juliet? What are your summer plans? Are you coming on a tour with us in 2019?

 

Come to France with us in September!

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Would you love to find yourself taking a photo of this view? Come to the south of France with Deborah Bine and me in September 2018 and we will take you here … and many other beautiful places too!

There are just a few openings left on our Memories You Promised Yourself women’s tour and we hope you and a friend, sister, daughter, mother or …  some of your book club … might want to join us.

Here’s a letter that Deborah sent to her newsletter subscribers this week. I couldn’t say it better myself, so she gave me permission to post it here for you too. Deborah is kind like that … and such a good friend! Have a look … and feel free to share!

 

Hello Barefoot Blogger Friends,

I’m reaching out to you by email to personally invite you to join me on the “Memories You Promised Yourself” women’s tour of the south of France, September 10-23. Hopefully you read my recent post with highlights of the tour. I want to encourage you, if you’re the slightest bit interested, to come along with me and best-selling author, Patricia Sands, on this adventure.

I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Patricia has led tours the last four years for readers of her “Love in Provence” novels. This is my first go at it. Needless to say, I’m beyond excited. Just like my move to France, it’s a dream come true. Not only do I get to spend twelve days with Patricia, who is one of my dear friends, I also get to meet interesting new people like you.

To briefly summarize our tour, we’re covering a lot of bases on the itinerary – the famous Côte d’Azur, or “Riviera”; romantic towns and marketplaces in Provence; historic landmarks of ancient Gaul and the Romans; bustling seaports and wildlife sanctuaries; as well as picturesque villages that inspired Cézanne and Van Gogh.



For twelve days we’ll taste the favorite foods of the south of France, we’ll drink the wine, we’ll experience the lifestyle and we’ll enjoy sharing time with fun-loving, adventurous, interesting and like-minded women. At the end of our time together we’ll look back and honestly say it was the “trip of a lifetime.”

Only a few spaces are remaining, so please check out the trip details onlineand make your reservation. Invite a friend or family member to join you and receive a $100 discount.

I look forward to spending time with you in the south of France!

So do I! If you have any questions, be sure to send them to me. If you have concerns about traveling on your own, listen to this video from Liz Hore. Liz was  one of the unforgettable group of women on our tour last year. Thanks for this, Liz!

 

Sharing the love …

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Bonjour everyone! It’s been a busy few weeks for me since Drawing Lessons was published on October 1st! How’s November going for you?

In fact, Saturday was here before I realized Friday was gone, so please excuse this post being a day late. There’s always a lot to do once a new novel is published and most of it includes writing blog posts to share on other websites. We all try to help each other passing along the good news!

If you have some time this weekend, you might want to pop over to my dear friend Steena Holmes‘ blog. This photo was taken at the NINC writers’ conference we attended in Florida last month. It was SO good to spend time together in person. Steena’s home is in Calgary.

It’s always a pleasure to visit on her blog and fun to share a few secrets … that’s one of her specialities! She consistently manages to tease a few tidbits from the friends she invites over …  just one reason she’s known as Sweet Steena! There’s also a giveaway for a print copy of Drawing Lessons, so don’t forget to leave a comment there to have your name entered! Click right here and Good luck ~ Bonne chance!

Be sure to investigate the great novels Steena has written and subscribe to her site so you receive all of her news. You’ll notice a lot of chocolate featured there too! Another passion we share …

Now, here’s some more love for you ~ a post written by another dear friend, Deborah Bine aka The Barefoot Blogger.

This photo, to the left, is from Deb’s visit with us in Antibes last summer. We were on our way home from the market that day. The house my husband and I were renting is just behind us with the blue shutters. We loved it! And the rooftop terrace … what a treat that was …

Deb’s visits to us on the Côte d’Azur, with her fab friends, Paula and Rich, have become a happy tradition.

Always a deliciously good time!

Deb lives in Uzès and gets around France more than most people I know. Then she writes great articles about her travels. This post of hers about the ancient and enticing walled town of Aigues-Mortes in the Camargue, ties into the story from Drawing Lessons and really tells you everything you would like to know about the history and the charm of the area.

I hope you will take a few minutes to linger there and feel like you’ve truly had a visit! Then you’ll understand why Arianna, the main character in my novel, was so smitten with the town and … well, I’ll let you read the novel to discover the answer to the rest of that sentence.

Click right here to read Deb’s article and enjoy Aigues-Mortes! In fact, it would be a good idea to subscribe to her site so you don’t miss all the other travels she shares.

This is a photo I took inside the walls of Aigues-Mortes when I was doing research for Drawing Lessons. Click this link to hear how to pronounce the town’s name. It’s easier than it looks!

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to post a review for Drawing Lessons. I’m delighted you’ve enjoyed the story so much it has a 4.6 stars rating. Every time a review is written, it’s like sharing the love for an author … and it is most appreciated.