Patricia Sands

Author

Provence

Sweet or savory … or both? And a happy Groundhog day!

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February 2, 2026 by Patricia Sands 

Now that we’ve finished celebrating January in France by eating les galettes des rois, the kings’ cake, it’s time to sweep away those crumbs and haul out the crêpes pan!

French-Candlemas-La-Chandeleur-Crêpe-Day
February 2nd, is La Chandeleur, Fête des Lumières, Jour des Crêpes. You might know it as Candlemas.

Churches will celebrate the tradition of the lighting of candles.

Then it will be all about … what else, this IS France … food!

Crêpes and cidre. Unlike our apple cider, this drink has a touch of alcohol.

The day is often accompanied by fortune telling and in many kitchens, crêpes are flipped in the air with the pan in one hand and a coin in the other. If the crêpe lands back in the pan, the year will be a prosperous one. Children hold their breath in anticipation!

Similar to our North American Groundhog Day, there’s a prediction about winter at this time of year. “Rosée à la Chandeleur, hiver à sa dernière heure.” If there is dew at dawn, winter will soon be over.

As the French do so well, the day is a fun-filled, family time. If you’re tempted to celebrate your own Jour des Crêpes, they are delicious and light and easy to make. Click right here for a recipe.


There are crêpe stands or crêperies everywhere in France and today, as well as through the weekend, there will be few people not enjoying this simple and delicious food with a filling of choice ~ sweet or savoury. Crêpes have a history that goes back to Biblical times and in France, Britanny is said to have established the true crêpe recipe.

Get in line right here! Bon appétit!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gypy4R2hj00%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Have you ever made crêpes? Which do you prefer, the French crêpe or it’s slightly heavier English cousin, the pancake? Are you a fan of sweet or savoury?

Here’s what The Good Life France has to say about French traditions on February 2nd.

And here’s a chuckle in honour of Groundhog Day. I hope your groundhog’s prediction was what you wanted to hear … but as Phyllis says below …

Happy February everyone ~ stay warm, safe and read some great stories! I hope one of those is THE FRENCH EFFECT! Readers are loving it and the audiobook will be out this month. Once you’ve enjoyed your getaway in France, please remember to leave a review … short is fine … on Amazon and Goodreads. Thanks so much!

Two weeks and counting …

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I can’t wait to bring my new novel into the world on November 15th! I loved writing this story that is filled characters you are going to love, settings you are going to love and even a Doberman you are going to love … and don’t worry if that sounds like too much love, because it isn’t. There’s plenty of history, intrigue and twists to keep you turning the pages. Seriously, I hope you enjoy the read! I’m told it is just the right kind of story we need in these chaotic times.

The French Effect is available for pre-order now.

Here’s a chat I had with my good friend Lou of Loulabelle Francophile while I was in France for September. Lou loves France as much as I do, so please take a few minutes and enjoy it! Just click here for the podcast.

Thanks for pre-ordering. It’s such a big help to an author when it comes to those crazy algorithms. The more pre-orders we have, the more exposure our book receives and I truly believe this is a story everyone will enjoy.

Here’s the blurb … Sorry for the crazy spacing. Being totally a non-techie, I have no idea how to fix it and it is too late at night to ask my tech assistant. So I’ m just going to post it like this. Please forgive me …

From the bestselling author of the LOVE IN PROVENCE series, comes a hopeful and
heartwarming journey that reminds us it’s never too late for a second chance.

France has a way of changing your mind … and your heart …

Novelist Nora Bennett is living her fifties with more doubts than dreams. Once content with her
quiet life, she’s recently found herself battling writer’s block, a growing restlessness–and
resistance to a holiday season she’s long stopped celebrating. So, when her daughter Chloe, an
artist living in Paris, asks her to dog-sit an intimidating Doberman named Atticus, Nora surprises
them both by saying yes.

Delicious meals, long walks through the storied streets of Montmartre, and a chance to
rediscover a spark of joy in the glittering holiday lights of Paris: Six weeks in the City of Light
might be just the escape Nora needs.

Except Paris has other plans. Nora agrees to ghostwrite a memoir for 93-year-old Marie-Louise,
who reveals haunting memories of surviving the Occupation as a child of the Resistance. A
charming younger tango partner with secrets of his own introduces Nora to the French art of
pleasure. All the while, the city’s irresistible festive spirit envelops her gently.

Chloe invites Nora to spend Christmas at her husband Olivier’s centuries-old ancestral farm in
Provence. There, Nora is embraced by the warmth of family and treasured traditions. She’s also
unexpectedly drawn to Pierre, her son-in-law’s moody and magnetic father. Their connection is undeniable, even as he seems intent on keeping his distance.

But when Atticus suddenly goes missing, Pierre joins Nora in searching for him. Soon a winding
road trip returning to Paris softens their defenses … and reveals complicated truths behind
their guarded hearts.

Yet as Nora’s time in France begins to wind down, she must decide: Return to the comfort of
the life she knew – or leap into a bold new chapter she never imagined beyond the pages of her novels.

DON’T FORGET TO ENTER THE GOODREADS GIVEAWAY! CLICK HERE!

GOOD LUCK! BONNE CHANCE!

Happy July ~ so much to celebrate!

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July is one of my happiest months! Wait a minute … I think I can say that about every month. There’s always something to celebrate every day of every month, isn’t there? I like to think about the abundance of everyday magic all around us … even if it means just enjoying a yummy Caramel Crunch Vanilla ice cream bar … we have to keep reminding ourselves of the small things, yes? Especially when so many of the big things in life are going sideways.

So here’s to July … I hope you have had wonderful times celebrating Canada Day and the 4th of July wherever you live. I’ve seen some amazing fireworks and drone shows online! Have you? I hope so!

And before we know it, July 14th will be happening ~ France’s most important national celebration! So in case I don’t get around to posting then, I will do it now.

I’m almost ready to write THE END on my next manuscript … shhhh, I would love to tell you about it but it’s a fun secret (for now) series with seven of my favourite authors. When we are ready to share the news, you will be among the first to know. I’ll be celebrating those two little words now for sure.

Okay … so more to celebrate! Have you entered this great summer book giveaway? There are three days left, so hop to it if you haven’t … good luck!

Make this summer unforgettable with the Sunshine & Stories giveaway! 🌞📚 Enter for a chance to win 13 print books from 13 bestselling authors and immerse yourself in a world of stories. Get ready for endless hours of reading pleasure! https://tinyurl.com/4yd5cf3c #SummerGiveaway #Books #SunshineAndStories

I’m still not finished celebrating July! I love it when Amazon puts one of my books on sale and for this month The Promise of Provence is a Kindle deal ~ just $1.99. If you have not started this series that leads to six more wonderful books, now is the time. Readers tell me that once they get started they simply cannot stop! I love writing the stories for you so I hope you will plan to lose yourself in the south of France this summer in these books. (Thanks so much for leaving reviews! )

One more celebration to come ~ my birthday later in the month. How about you? If you are celebrating a birthday in July … or any other month … here are my best wishes.

Stay safe, be kind and enjoy good stories all through the summer. See you soon!

Poisson d’avril! April Fool’s Day in France

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April 1, 2024 by Patricia Sands (Edit)

In many countries April begins with April Fool’s Day. Do you indulge? For those who haven’t heard before, you may be interested in knowing how April 1st is celebrated in an altogether unique way in France.

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Imagine my surprise the first time I saw children sticking paper fish on each other’s back, whispering and giggling, and then hollering, “Poisson d’avril!”

Excusez-moi? Fish?

As Wikipedia explains: “In Italy, France and Belgium, children and adults traditionally tack paper fishes on each other’s back as a trick and shout “April fish!” in their local languages (pesce d’aprile!, poisson d’avril! and aprilvis! in Italian, French and Flemish, respectively). Such fish feature prominently on many late 19th- to early 20th-century French April Fools’ Day postcards.

April-Fools-vintage-Image-TheGraphicsFairy.com

April-Fools-vintage-Image-TheGraphicsFairy.com

I had no idea where the tradition began and, after a bit of searching, found this explanation on France Travel Guide.

“Although the origin of April Fools is obscure and debated, the most widely accepted explanation actually credits the “holiday” as starting in France. The most popular theory about the origin of April Fool’s Day involves the French calendar reform of the sixteenth century.

The theory goes like this: In 1564 King Charles XIV of France reformed the calendar, moving the start of the year from the end of March to January 1.

However, in a time without trains, a reliable post system or the internet, news often traveled slow and the uneducated, lower class people in rural France were the last to hear of and accept the new calendar. Those who failed to keep up with the change or who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell between March 25th and April 1st, had jokes played on them.

Pranksters would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of this prank were thus called Poisson d’avril, or April Fish—which, to this day, remains the French term for April Fools—and so the tradition was born.”

poisson d'avril

Poisson d’avril

Boulangeries and patisseries deliciously get into the spirit with fish-shaped goodies. Oh … and did I mention the chocolatiers? Schools of fish of all sizes fill shop windows, the larger ones often filled with smaller treats. To a chocoholic, fish never tasted so good!

Since Easter often falls around the same time, fish feature predominantly in shop windows through that holiday as well.

On  The Good Life France   (amazing photography and articles ~ you know I’m a huge fan!), there’s another article by Margo Lestz about April 1st in France.  Margo writes perfectly-researched articles, as well as entertaining books about some of the quirky history and traditions of France.  Click here to visit her website!

Whether you celebrate April Fool’s Day or not, I think we all feel some relief in the Northern Hemisphere that April truly heralds the arrival of spring. Although, as we know, Mother Nature often likes to fool us with a few random snow storms in some areas.

While I’m on the blog, I’ll leave you with this … NOT an April Fool’s joke. A Season of Surprises, Book Two in the Villa des Violettes series is on sale for just $2.99 and it’s a great way to celebrate spring! Click here for your copy.

I love how readers tell me they feel they are right there in the pages of the story! That’s my hope when I write them. Guess what? You can be there! If you are longing to be in the south of France in person to stroll the streets of my stories with me and the enthusiastic women on our tour, grab one of the few remaining spots on our 12-day September Memories Tour! Sept 2 – 14 ~  Happiness and joie de vivre guaranteed.

At the moment there are a few spots remaining but they won’t last long. Click on this link for all the details!

THIS COULD BE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!