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On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town
Susan Loomis arrived in Paris twenty years ago with little more than a student loan and the contents of a suitcase to sustain her. But what began then as an apprenticeship at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine evolved into a lifelong immersion in French cuisine and culture, culminating in permanent residency in 1994. On Rue Tatin chronicles her journey to an ancient little street in Louviers, one of Normandy’s most picturesque towns.
With lyrical prose and wry candor, Loomis recalls the miraculous restoration that she and her husband performed on the dilapidated convent they chose for their new residence. As its ochre and azure floor tiles emerged, challenges outside the dwelling mounted. From squatters to a surly priest next door, along with a close-knit community wary of outsiders, Loomis tackled the social challenges head-on, through persistent dialogue—and baking.
As fresh ingredients abound in this rural haven, along with a reverence for the kitchen, On Rue Tatin includes delicious recipes that evoke the essence of this region, such as Apple and Thyme Tart and main courses including Duck Breast with Cider and Braised Chicken in White Wine and Mustard.
Transporting readers to a world whose cobblestone lanes shirk commercialism in favor of cherished tradition, On Rue Tatin provides a touching glimpse of the camaraderie, exquisite food, and simple pleasures of daily life in this truly glorious corner of Normandy.
With lyrical prose and wry candor, Loomis recalls the miraculous restoration that she and her husband performed on the dilapidated convent they chose for their new residence. As its ochre and azure floor tiles emerged, challenges outside the dwelling mounted. From squatters to a surly priest next door, along with a close-knit community wary of outsiders, Loomis tackled the social challenges head-on, through persistent dialogue—and baking.
As fresh ingredients abound in this rural haven, along with a reverence for the kitchen, On Rue Tatin includes delicious recipes that evoke the essence of this region, such as Apple and Thyme Tart and main courses including Duck Breast with Cider and Braised Chicken in White Wine and Mustard.
Transporting readers to a world whose cobblestone lanes shirk commercialism in favor of cherished tradition, On Rue Tatin provides a touching glimpse of the camaraderie, exquisite food, and simple pleasures of daily life in this truly glorious corner of Normandy.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
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March 5, 2025
The American expatriate writers who flooded into Gertude Stein’s little Abstract Expressionist-bedecked parlour in the Fifties left France sadly, eventually, with the acrid taste of Sartrean pessimism in their parched throats.
Not so Susan Loomis in Normandy. She had a Wonderful Time.
She loved the quirky French and the old-world charm of their quaint ancient villages...
Without their philosophy!
Cause, for her, their impeccably alluring French cuisine was TO DIE FOR!
So she stayed. A long time.
Till FOREVER.
The antique table of the personally-restored old convent she and her family came to call home started to GROAN with the heavenly aromatic and succulently-tasting French dishes she now called her own.
Her family always left that table utterly Replete.
In France to lose weight?
Maybe in a luxury health spa on the Riviera, but not here!
Not in this forgotten little town on whose narrow cobblestoned streets the sea breeze wafts the scent, at supper time, of a multitude of friendly home-cooked culinary delights...
Feel hungry?
Read this book! As a bonus, the bright and bubbly text contains many of Loomis’ masterful recipes.
And, she would say, Never, Never go to France just to write...
Go there to EAT!
Not so Susan Loomis in Normandy. She had a Wonderful Time.
She loved the quirky French and the old-world charm of their quaint ancient villages...
Without their philosophy!
Cause, for her, their impeccably alluring French cuisine was TO DIE FOR!
So she stayed. A long time.
Till FOREVER.
The antique table of the personally-restored old convent she and her family came to call home started to GROAN with the heavenly aromatic and succulently-tasting French dishes she now called her own.
Her family always left that table utterly Replete.
In France to lose weight?
Maybe in a luxury health spa on the Riviera, but not here!
Not in this forgotten little town on whose narrow cobblestoned streets the sea breeze wafts the scent, at supper time, of a multitude of friendly home-cooked culinary delights...
Feel hungry?
Read this book! As a bonus, the bright and bubbly text contains many of Loomis’ masterful recipes.
And, she would say, Never, Never go to France just to write...
Go there to EAT!
November 12, 2008
I went through a phase where all I read were books about ex-pats. I guess I spent alot of the Bush years fantasizing about living in other countries...but I digress. This is a fun read in that vein.
January 6, 2012
I don't know if this author was trying to paint a picture of her life as perfect, or if she's just looking back on her life with rose-colored glasses.
I didn't really feel like I got to know any of the characters- most everyone seemed pleasant enough. The few people with whom she had conflicts were quickly won over in a very Anne-of-Green-Gables kind of way. She mentioned being broke a couple of times, yet somehow managed to move abroad, buy a 15-room house, send her son to private school, and buy ridiculously expensive things. There was a whole chapter on her and her husband's warm, intimate relationship with their antique rug salesman, from whom they purchase ridiculously expensive rugs from several times each year!
This wasn't a complete waste of my time, but if you want to read a memoir about an American relocating to France, try "Lunch in Paris" by Elizabeth Bard or "Almost French" by Sarah Turnbull.
I didn't really feel like I got to know any of the characters- most everyone seemed pleasant enough. The few people with whom she had conflicts were quickly won over in a very Anne-of-Green-Gables kind of way. She mentioned being broke a couple of times, yet somehow managed to move abroad, buy a 15-room house, send her son to private school, and buy ridiculously expensive things. There was a whole chapter on her and her husband's warm, intimate relationship with their antique rug salesman, from whom they purchase ridiculously expensive rugs from several times each year!
This wasn't a complete waste of my time, but if you want to read a memoir about an American relocating to France, try "Lunch in Paris" by Elizabeth Bard or "Almost French" by Sarah Turnbull.
September 11, 2013
Okay, I will take credit for PART of the reason I am coming over all "meh" about this book. The part that's my fault is this: After reading the author's gushing comment about seeing her "breathtakingly handsome" husband for the first time, I put the book down and Googled the husband. What I came up with was a photo of the husband, and no, I didn't think he was attractive, but that's beside the point. What I found out was that after this book was written, they got divorced. Which made me loath to dive back into a pile of mushy adjectives as she painted the picture of perfect wedded bliss, capering through French country villages and cooking and eating meals more delicious than any meal the reader will ever have experienced.
The next thing that made me say "meh" is nobody's fault. See, I worked at a vineyard one summer. An idyllic, perfect vineyard. Run by a married couple who the author and her husband remind me SO very much of. The guy is a conceited jerk. The wife puts up with it. And they both write cookbooks and have a website specifically dedicated to presenting an image of themselves to the world that is so peaceful, organic, wholesome, and privileged that a) no real person could hope to achieve the lifestyle they SEEM to have, and b) most smart people realize that it's a complete facade. They are creating this unreachable ideal so that people will go and buy their wine (or their cookbooks and cooking classes, in the case of this book's author), hoping to touch a little piece of the lifestyle they have. Hoping against hope that because you buy into their carefully crafted image, you might just get a sniff of their "perfect" life. I wanted to punch the author's husband in the face by the time he'd arrived in France. The feeling never left me throughout the rest of the book. I kind of wanted to punch her in the face, too, for putting up with his nonsense, his eye-rolling, and his ego.
Another annoyance was the author's misguided belief that readers picked up her book because they wanted to learn French. I mean, a few elegant French words in italics sprinkled sparingly throughout the book - maybe when an actual French person was speaking, say - would have added a little spice to the story... but seriously - by the time I was halfway through the book EVERY PARAGRAPH had italicized French words, followed by a translation. I felt like clapping sarcastically every time. Very good! You speak French! We get it! We don't care! Move on! Ugh. She even italicized the word "agenda" and then translated it... "calendar". Really? Gee, never would have figured that one out. Gag.
She also stated in the beginning of the book that she was a vegetarian. Several chapters later, she was rhapsodizing about the chicken, beef, veal, lamb, and wild boar that she and her family were sucking down for breakfast/lunch/dinner/bedtime snacks. So... she's a non-practising vegetarian?
A long passage of the book was dedicated to a description of how her house used to be the living quarters for the nuns of the church across the street, and people kept on coming onto their property and into her house uninvited because they thought the house still belonged to the church. She ranted and raved about how inconvenienced she and her family were... and they never once decided to lock their house door or put a lock on the gate. Because "Michael" the arsewipe husband would be inconvenienced by locking the door. Really? So she and her husband are completely stupid, but pages and pages of complaining are inserted for no reason that I can fathom. If you're too stupid to lock your house when you have a three year old child, in a neighborhood that you're aware has crime and drug issues, then don't expect pity. The author is supposedly from America. Hard to believe, considering it took her over six months to finally figure out the answer was locking the gate.
The end of the book was a meandering mess, and seemed to have no direction or point (way too many pages dedicated to her anxiety about her son going to school, and painfully boring descriptions of everything that her son and his teachers did and said... zzzzzzzzzzzzzz). What that has to do with French cuisine or anything remotely relevant is beyond me.
So why did I give this book two stars? Because the recipes look really good, and I did enjoy the parts of the book where she described the historic house she bought, the gardens, and the townsfolk she met.
The next thing that made me say "meh" is nobody's fault. See, I worked at a vineyard one summer. An idyllic, perfect vineyard. Run by a married couple who the author and her husband remind me SO very much of. The guy is a conceited jerk. The wife puts up with it. And they both write cookbooks and have a website specifically dedicated to presenting an image of themselves to the world that is so peaceful, organic, wholesome, and privileged that a) no real person could hope to achieve the lifestyle they SEEM to have, and b) most smart people realize that it's a complete facade. They are creating this unreachable ideal so that people will go and buy their wine (or their cookbooks and cooking classes, in the case of this book's author), hoping to touch a little piece of the lifestyle they have. Hoping against hope that because you buy into their carefully crafted image, you might just get a sniff of their "perfect" life. I wanted to punch the author's husband in the face by the time he'd arrived in France. The feeling never left me throughout the rest of the book. I kind of wanted to punch her in the face, too, for putting up with his nonsense, his eye-rolling, and his ego.
Another annoyance was the author's misguided belief that readers picked up her book because they wanted to learn French. I mean, a few elegant French words in italics sprinkled sparingly throughout the book - maybe when an actual French person was speaking, say - would have added a little spice to the story... but seriously - by the time I was halfway through the book EVERY PARAGRAPH had italicized French words, followed by a translation. I felt like clapping sarcastically every time. Very good! You speak French! We get it! We don't care! Move on! Ugh. She even italicized the word "agenda" and then translated it... "calendar". Really? Gee, never would have figured that one out. Gag.
She also stated in the beginning of the book that she was a vegetarian. Several chapters later, she was rhapsodizing about the chicken, beef, veal, lamb, and wild boar that she and her family were sucking down for breakfast/lunch/dinner/bedtime snacks. So... she's a non-practising vegetarian?
A long passage of the book was dedicated to a description of how her house used to be the living quarters for the nuns of the church across the street, and people kept on coming onto their property and into her house uninvited because they thought the house still belonged to the church. She ranted and raved about how inconvenienced she and her family were... and they never once decided to lock their house door or put a lock on the gate. Because "Michael" the arsewipe husband would be inconvenienced by locking the door. Really? So she and her husband are completely stupid, but pages and pages of complaining are inserted for no reason that I can fathom. If you're too stupid to lock your house when you have a three year old child, in a neighborhood that you're aware has crime and drug issues, then don't expect pity. The author is supposedly from America. Hard to believe, considering it took her over six months to finally figure out the answer was locking the gate.
The end of the book was a meandering mess, and seemed to have no direction or point (way too many pages dedicated to her anxiety about her son going to school, and painfully boring descriptions of everything that her son and his teachers did and said... zzzzzzzzzzzzzz). What that has to do with French cuisine or anything remotely relevant is beyond me.
So why did I give this book two stars? Because the recipes look really good, and I did enjoy the parts of the book where she described the historic house she bought, the gardens, and the townsfolk she met.
April 1, 2015
How is it possible to paint a dreamy yet realistic vision of life in France? Loomis drew me in from the start and while I'm not going to pack my bags for Paris quite yet, she did have me considering the possibilities of life abroad. Oh, to have a life revolving around food and restored convents like them!
July 14, 2025
On Rue Tatin by Susan Herrmann Loomis is another French ex-pat type memoir that combined cooking and recipes. Win-win for me!
Most times I travel through the written word, through books instead of airline terminals…….so many reasons.
Much of what I enjoy is the detailed descriptions of the sites and history, paired with the local food. From afar I have fallen in love with France, as did Susan Herrmann Loomis. I visited France about 100 years ago when I was a young pup of 21. Culture shock aside, I loved the food, anticipated exploring the cultural differences and it was all an adventure. I had stepped through a looking glass of sorts as this was my first European experience.
Loomis fell in love with France too. Our similarities? She went to France when she was 20, she was interested in cooking and very interested in the culture and food. But I was an old hippie enjoying what life brought, not seriously looking beyond the next chocolate croissant to be scored in the morning. But Susan……. Susan acquired an apprenticeship at La Varenne de Cuisine in Paris. One girl coasting, another with drive and goals.
When Susan and her husband Michael moved to France they brought their small son along. He had his share of culture shock too. Through a fortuitous turn of events, they are able to purchase a dilapidated former convent in Louviers – This leads to another portrait of Susan’s industrious work ethic. The convent was in awful condition but together, they fixed it up and Susan embarked on a writing and culinary career. She hooked up with Patricia Wells and fell ass backwards into an amazing cooking gig. Wow.
A life as ex-patriates……what a romantic idea. One my spouse and I have hashed out over the years. The venue changes periodically but the end result has us living overseas, enjoying all the wines, cheeses, specialty foods of the area …..I guess I haven’t changed too much but have a soul mate that shares the (unattainable)dream.
In this book Susan shares the stories of her family’s adjustment to French culture, interactions with her friends, neighbors and best of all…..recipes!
If you enjoy the genre of Peter Mayle, Frances Mayes and Carol Drinkwater (I love Carol Drinkwater) – the sort of travel, adventure in settling in another country, foodie type book, then I think you’d like On Rue Tatin.
Many good recipes but let me share the Stuffed Tomato.
Stuffed Tomatoes
3 tablespoons canola oil
8 round medium tomatoes, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 pound ground pork
1/4 pound ground veal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using a melon baller, hollow out the tomato halves, leaving thin cups; reserve the scooped out tomato flesh in a bowl. Set the tomato cups on the prepared baking sheet.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ground pork and veal and season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook over moderately high heat, breaking up the ground pork and veal with a wooden spoon, until the meats lose their pink color, about 4 minutes; don't let them brown. Add the reserved tomato flesh to the skillet and cook until the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly. Beat in the parsley, eggs, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and the Parmesan. Spoon the stuffing into the tomato cups, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs over the tomatoes and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
4. Bake the tomatoes for about 45 minutes, or until the sides are soft and the stuffing is hot throughout. Set 4 stuffed tomato halves on each plate and serve.
Make Ahead - The baked stuffed tomatoes can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Cover them with foil and reheat in a 350° oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for about 15 minutes longer, or until heated through.
Most times I travel through the written word, through books instead of airline terminals…….so many reasons.
Much of what I enjoy is the detailed descriptions of the sites and history, paired with the local food. From afar I have fallen in love with France, as did Susan Herrmann Loomis. I visited France about 100 years ago when I was a young pup of 21. Culture shock aside, I loved the food, anticipated exploring the cultural differences and it was all an adventure. I had stepped through a looking glass of sorts as this was my first European experience.
Loomis fell in love with France too. Our similarities? She went to France when she was 20, she was interested in cooking and very interested in the culture and food. But I was an old hippie enjoying what life brought, not seriously looking beyond the next chocolate croissant to be scored in the morning. But Susan……. Susan acquired an apprenticeship at La Varenne de Cuisine in Paris. One girl coasting, another with drive and goals.
When Susan and her husband Michael moved to France they brought their small son along. He had his share of culture shock too. Through a fortuitous turn of events, they are able to purchase a dilapidated former convent in Louviers – This leads to another portrait of Susan’s industrious work ethic. The convent was in awful condition but together, they fixed it up and Susan embarked on a writing and culinary career. She hooked up with Patricia Wells and fell ass backwards into an amazing cooking gig. Wow.
A life as ex-patriates……what a romantic idea. One my spouse and I have hashed out over the years. The venue changes periodically but the end result has us living overseas, enjoying all the wines, cheeses, specialty foods of the area …..I guess I haven’t changed too much but have a soul mate that shares the (unattainable)dream.
In this book Susan shares the stories of her family’s adjustment to French culture, interactions with her friends, neighbors and best of all…..recipes!
If you enjoy the genre of Peter Mayle, Frances Mayes and Carol Drinkwater (I love Carol Drinkwater) – the sort of travel, adventure in settling in another country, foodie type book, then I think you’d like On Rue Tatin.
Many good recipes but let me share the Stuffed Tomato.
Stuffed Tomatoes
3 tablespoons canola oil
8 round medium tomatoes, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 pound ground pork
1/4 pound ground veal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using a melon baller, hollow out the tomato halves, leaving thin cups; reserve the scooped out tomato flesh in a bowl. Set the tomato cups on the prepared baking sheet.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ground pork and veal and season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook over moderately high heat, breaking up the ground pork and veal with a wooden spoon, until the meats lose their pink color, about 4 minutes; don't let them brown. Add the reserved tomato flesh to the skillet and cook until the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl and let cool slightly. Beat in the parsley, eggs, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and the Parmesan. Spoon the stuffing into the tomato cups, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs over the tomatoes and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
4. Bake the tomatoes for about 45 minutes, or until the sides are soft and the stuffing is hot throughout. Set 4 stuffed tomato halves on each plate and serve.
Make Ahead - The baked stuffed tomatoes can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Cover them with foil and reheat in a 350° oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for about 15 minutes longer, or until heated through.
August 6, 2017
Hmmm. I basically blew through this, it was the perfect read for a weekend on the lake. Lately I've been kind of into these really twee, wish-fulfillment, ooh i live in france and cook all the time type books. It's fun to read and imagine having such a charmed life! But this one, idk, something about her writing style really bugged me. I think the overuse of the word 'for' as 'because' maybe? Which isn't grammatically incorrect or anything, but for some reason it just really bugged me and made the tone of the book sooo weird, it sounded so bad and like jarred me every time it happened. It's weird when you notice something like that and then you can't stop noticing it. Anyway, beyond that, this author sort of annoyed me in some ways because like...I know we don't want to talk about money in our charmed memoir, but like...she keeps insisting they aren't rich americans, but she writes cookbooks and he's a sculptor who also takes years off to work on the house, and they can somehow afford this house, all the tons and tons of materials needed for all those repairs, plus fancy fresh bread and fruit and all that stuff for every meal. Like come on!! Where's the part where you have to live off ramen in the microwave for a bit? Easy for you to talk smack about ~*the common grocery stores*~ with ~*frozen veggies*~ when you apparently can afford ten kinds of fancy cheese for every meal. Anyway sorry! Rant aside, I guess this book annoyed me in a lot of ways, but it was also an easy read and enjoyable enough, perfect lake weekend book basically.
July 6, 2013
It won't be that much of a surprise to any frequent visitors to my blog to find out that I was instantly attracted to a book that is set in France and features lots of food related stories. This isn't the first time that combination catches my attention, and I expect it won't be the last time either.
This book is a foodie memoir by Susan Loomis who has lived in France for many years now and who has written numerous cookbooks as well as running a cooking school in the small town of Louviers in Normandy among other things.
She first headed to France as a young woman, serving a foodie apprenticeship before heading back to America and starting a family. Years later she gets commissioned to write a French farmhouse style cookbook. Her husband is an artist and so has no real restriction against him working in France and so they, along with their small son, get the opportunity to move to live in France. Initially intended to be a short to medium term move, soon they find themselves buying a 16th century house that used to be the convent and neck deep in renovations to make it into a home, first and foremost, but also into a test kitchen. Now, years later, this same house is home to a successful cooking school.
To read more of my thoughts on this book, and to see a recipe from the book head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2013...
October 13, 2015
If you're a regular on my blog you know I'm drawn to anything France & vaguely foodie related. On Rue Tatin may not be for everyone, some may even find the everyday minutia tedious but for someone dreaming of living in France it's a vicariously fascinating read.
Seriously by the last page I was wondering who I'd have tokill bribe to make my dream a reality ;)
After doing a chef's apprenticeship in France, Susan returns to America but later moves to France with husband and son in tow to live the dream, while writing a book to celebrate French farmhouse cooking.
Not just food related chatter, recipe testing (yes there are yummy/doable recipes included and I can't wait to try the famous Tarte Tatin) but all the details on their purchase and renovation of a dilapidated old convent in Louviers, Normandy, her son starting school, interactions with neighbours, friends and townsfolk, the cultural differences, surrounding countryside and life in general.
Susan has written a number of cookbooks and her renovated convent home is also home to a successful cooking school. If I had a spare $3500 I'd do a 5 day class at On Rue Tatin. HA
A journal-style memoir highlighting Loomis' food passion, cooking locally and seasonally.
A book to be enjoyed with crusty bread and soft cheese.
Seriously by the last page I was wondering who I'd have to
After doing a chef's apprenticeship in France, Susan returns to America but later moves to France with husband and son in tow to live the dream, while writing a book to celebrate French farmhouse cooking.
Not just food related chatter, recipe testing (yes there are yummy/doable recipes included and I can't wait to try the famous Tarte Tatin) but all the details on their purchase and renovation of a dilapidated old convent in Louviers, Normandy, her son starting school, interactions with neighbours, friends and townsfolk, the cultural differences, surrounding countryside and life in general.
Susan has written a number of cookbooks and her renovated convent home is also home to a successful cooking school. If I had a spare $3500 I'd do a 5 day class at On Rue Tatin. HA
A journal-style memoir highlighting Loomis' food passion, cooking locally and seasonally.
A book to be enjoyed with crusty bread and soft cheese.
September 5, 2011
This started out really good but bogged down toward the end -- it seemed she was trying a bit too hard to find things to write about by the last few chapters. But most of the book is very entertaining. I found her chapters about the discovery of the old convent, the process of purchasing it, and the restoration quite wonderful. And I very much enjoyed her descriptions of village life and learning to get along with the quirky, eccentric neighbors. I had just read I'll Never Be French which is also about an American who moves to France and buys a dilapidated old house in a quaint village so the comparison was interesting. Mark Greenside is by far the better writer but Susan Herrmann Loomis had a more interesting story to tell. I sort of wished they had combined efforts!
Definitely worth the read though.
Definitely worth the read though.
March 12, 2010
This book is written very simply and almost journal like at times, and sometimes rambles on a bit too much about daily routine, but I admit to being easily persuaded to delve into the simple pleasures of French country living and ignore what scholars may deem bad writing. I’m a pushover when it comes to market shopping, pasties and coffee in quaint cafes, and the remodel of an ancient monastery. There are also recipes included which I am anxious to try. If you can stand an entire chapter on buying a stove, and enjoyed books like Under The Tuscan Sun and A Year in Provence no doubt you will enjoy this also.
November 13, 2015
Why do we read this type of text except for a vicarious thrill and the gleaning of little details of French life? I can't understand the sometimes negative reviews here. This isn't a work of fiction and these people seem to be reading it in the wrong spirit if they expect it to be. For what it is, a chronicle of one woman and her family's life in France. I found it enjoyable and would recommend it. If a few readers are by now jaded thinking it yet ANOTHER Peter Mayle, Ann Barry, et al. tale, well then they need to move on and read something else instead of expecting to find magic. Enjoyable. And it has some recipes.
April 13, 2012
A delightful read, the perfect book to wind down with at the end of a busy day. I loved her story of buying a house in France (an American with a husband and child) and uncovering friends and life with family there. There are a lot of books in this genre, my local library seems to be bursting at the seams with them. But this one was refreshing in her focus on people, her own family and the friends she meets and the everyday things they do, like her son starting school. I actually found her story inspiring, here was someone doing something she loves and making it work.
July 11, 2017
Susan's account of her first years in Louviers, France reads like a relaxed walk in the park, stopping to look at a recipe book. It feels to me a little less novel of a travel memoir due to the fact that her everyday is our everyday. It's just our daily life in France. I had expected more of a dramatic storyline, but it was still an enjoyable read. Her astute observations of the land and the culture are another reminder of how wonderful our mundane, normal life is in this magnificent country.
February 8, 2015
Being a Francophile trapped in the Midwest, I enjoyed every minute of the author's transformation to a life in Normandy, France. I now own the book so I can enjoy browsing through it anytime. If you enjoy quaint villages, charming characters, home redos, and also the craziness of family life reconstruction in a new place, WITH recipes, what could stop you from loving On Rue Tatin?
December 1, 2014
what a spoiled brat
April 13, 2010
Another of the France books that I've been reading in quick succession. This one was kinda 'random', it was almost as though the author was literally writing the story of her move to France. Not particularly exciting/eventful (except right at the end), and with no particular theme running through it. Even the recipes were kinda random. Easy reading, but not great.
February 27, 2013
Very good! Susan is a chef studying in France. She eventually moves there with her husband and son. Story of her cooking adventures (many recipes included) and the restoration of an old convent (their home).
Recommended by Ellen B.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/...
Recommended by Ellen B.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/...
July 4, 2013
Building out my goodreads list with my faves...years ago I read an article about this PNW writer who moved to France with her family to realize her dreams. When I finally read this book, I found her description of the process enchanting. And the food...OMG!
April 8, 2010
I enjoyed this as a nice evening read. The author worked with Patricia Wells and had an enchanting live moving to France. Some nice recipes and included.
September 12, 2012
not so interesting.kind of borring.
April 29, 2013
Couldn't finish it.
January 23, 2016
Reminds me of Chocolat and Under the Tuscan Sun. Beautiful food writing and the descriptions of the renovation process on an old house were very interesting.
Read
July 19, 2017Reading stack tbr for #ParisinJuly2017 during #highsummerreadathon
June 15, 2022
I loved reading about Susan’s experience moving to France, buying a home, renovating the fifteenth century home, and meeting so many wonderful people. She and her husband overcame the French ‘coolness’ and formed lasting friendships in their little town. Susan’s descriptions of the people, places, and experiences made me feel as though I was there, too.
Lastly, the recipes, I can’t wait to try some of them out!
Lastly, the recipes, I can’t wait to try some of them out!
June 19, 2018
I have a serious love affair with Europe in general, and any time I read a book about someone's life in France, it makes me want to jump on a plane and change my place of residence immediately. Susan makes Louviers come to life, and I thoroughly enjoyed living vicariously through her stories! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
July 16, 2022
On Rue Tatin is like taking a trip to France without actually having to go there. And recipes are included!
Great story, excellent writing, and food descriptions that will have you running to the pantry. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
Great story, excellent writing, and food descriptions that will have you running to the pantry. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
June 1, 2024
3.5 I really enjoyed the 1st three quarters- but found the end bit a tad dull. (re school, drs.) Well written.
I wish there were illustrations, the cover being so lovely, and the reno sounded like perfection, but was hard to visualize.
I wish there were illustrations, the cover being so lovely, and the reno sounded like perfection, but was hard to visualize.
August 11, 2024
Cute book but the author definitely wore rose-colored glasses when remembering her experience in France. Apparently cooking school was easy for her (which no other books say), and they somehow had endless time/money to renovate their old home. So that was a bit annoying because I feel like she left out a lot of plot. Otherwise, I enjoyed the quaint stories of France from an ex-pat's perspective.
May 22, 2025
delightful vicarious jaunt in Normandy, France
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