What do you think?
Rate this book
A French House: On the Love of Place
Un rêve. Une maison. Un village. Une vie en France.
Since childhood, Catherine Cole had imagined owning a weathered French village house; shutters faded by the sun, rooms steeped in memory, a feeling 'as if a grandmother had just left'. In 2010, she found one – and her dreams turned suddenly into bricks and mortar.
In this compelling account, blending classic travel writing with reflections on literature, film, and French culture, Cole explores the enduring allure of France and the dreams we project onto its landscapes. At the heart of the story is the house itself; its garden, rooms, and ancient stones quietly telling their own tale of place and time.
A French House is both a memoir and a meditation on longing, belonging, and the courage to turn an imagined life into reality.
Since childhood, Catherine Cole had imagined owning a weathered French village house; shutters faded by the sun, rooms steeped in memory, a feeling 'as if a grandmother had just left'. In 2010, she found one – and her dreams turned suddenly into bricks and mortar.
In this compelling account, blending classic travel writing with reflections on literature, film, and French culture, Cole explores the enduring allure of France and the dreams we project onto its landscapes. At the heart of the story is the house itself; its garden, rooms, and ancient stones quietly telling their own tale of place and time.
A French House is both a memoir and a meditation on longing, belonging, and the courage to turn an imagined life into reality.
244 pages, Paperback
Published January 23, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 30, 2026
To be lost inside a book is such a joy and this beautiful book helps the reader to escape the every day with a close up look at living and writing in a small village in rural France. Highly recommend for its cultural insights and poetic language.
March 12, 2026
Gorgeous book!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews