http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/feeds/rss/-Campbell-s-Diary--French-Lifestyle-Blog.xml CHRIS CAMPBELL-HOWES came out of teaching in Scotland early to settle in the deep South of France, where he lives in one of France's prettiest villages on the road between Toulouse and Montpellier. When he's writing he wishes he had more time for music, and when he's playing or conducting he wishes it didn't slow progress on the various books he's working on! en_GB http://www.frenchconnections.fr/_format/_images/favicon.ico http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/155942-christopher-campbell-howes-enjoys-testing-times-.-.-..?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog WE SEEM to have been very popular just lately. No idea why. Three invitations at least. Well, one was more in the nature of an appointment card, so perhaps that doesn't count. Let's get this one out of the way first. Sun, 01 May 2011 09:37:06 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/155817-christopher-campbell-howes-waits-for-the-full-moon-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog HAVE YOU ever had your hair cut in a foreign country? For some, particularly women, it's a daunting thought. If you're a woman who cherishes your crowning glory then the thought of surrendering yourself while on holiday to the local Mr Teasy-Weasy must be quite frightening. Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:59:13 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/155676-christopher-campbell-howes-turns-the-clock-back-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog WE'VE GOT a street map of Paris all over the kitchen table this morning. No, we're not going there, except maybe in our imagination. We're looking excitedly for certain streets. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:55:54 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/155444-christopher-campbell-howes-bottoms-out.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog We're so lucky to have an old railway line practically at the foot of our garden which someone had the bright idea of turning it into a footpath. Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:32:29 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/155202-christopher-campbell-howes-wonders-for-whom-the-bell-tolls-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog Our village, Olargues, is officially classified Un des Plus Beaux Villages de France, which I suppose I'd better get 2011 off to a charitable start by translating for those still overcome by festive season torpor as One of the Most Beautiful Villages of France. Sat, 01 Jan 2011 10:05:29 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154996-christopher-campbell-howes-takes-a-philosophical-turn-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog WE'RE IN Essex, having flown in from Carcassonne for a long weekend. We're staying for a few nights in a bed-and-breakfast. When we arrive for breakfast, there's a fellow-guest already tucking into the full English. Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:27:32 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154811-christopher-campbell-howes-turns-the-clock-back-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog The Ullapudlians, if that's the word for someone who comes from Ullapool, are back! Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:08:20 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154672-christopher-campbell-howes-has-his-back-to-the-wall-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog A FEW weeks ago I was rehearsing a choir with the usual physical energy I try put into conducting, on the grounds that the more effort I make the more the singers will too, when I felt my back go. It was very disturbing... Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:16:48 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154484-christopher-campbell-howes-promotes-the-entente-cordiale-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog Our département, the Hérault, is one of the most favoured by immigrants. Something like 80,000 each year. And now there's one more. Or sort of. I'll explain. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:32:37 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154324-christopher-campbell-howes-glances-at-the-headlines-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog For many in the village, Midi Libre is as vital a part of the morning programme as a bowl of coffee or chocolate first thing in the morning. Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:20:41 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154162-christopher-campbell-howes-swaps-napoleon-for-bonnie-prince-charlie-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog Late afternoon in mid-June under a blue Languedoc sky in a quiet village are gathered a group mostly of elderly men, some with military procession flags, highly embroidered, standing besides a flagpole and a sort of altar beside a stand of bamboo, and an inscribed enamel plaque on a stand. Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:05:20 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/154005-christopher-campbell-howes-goes-to-market-.-.-.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog Wednesday morning. Time for a trip to the market in St Pons de Thomières, a dozen miles or so upstream at the head of the valley. Thu, 27 May 2010 10:30:21 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/99450-christopher-campbell-howes-loses-his-grip-on-reality-.--.--.?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog DOWN TO the mairie for a Sunday morning meeting of the CEPDOL, an acronym so convoluted that all I can tell you about it is that the C stands for Comité. It's the village amenities committee. Wed, 26 May 2010 13:33:59 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/99451-christopher-campbell-howes-heads-for-the-seaside?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog IT'S ONLY a few minutes from the Spanish border, but it doesn't strike you as a frontier village. In fact, it reinforces its Frenchness, gives itself a last shot of pure Gallicism before the language, colour, scenery and ambiance changes a couple of headlands further south. Wed, 26 May 2010 13:23:21 GMT http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/en/guide/blogentry/99452-christopher-campbell-howes-exercises-his-democratic-rights?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign='Campbell's Diary' French Lifestyle Blog THE FLAG'S flying outside the Mairie, the village town hall, flopping idly in the soft spring breeze. Sunning himself at the top of the steps is Jean-Claude, looking like a prosperous antiquarian taking a breather in the shop doorway and scanning the pavements for custom, and we're pleased to see him, because we know him well: he's a bass in my choir. Wed, 26 May 2010 13:11:56 GMT