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Letter from Provence
Australian journalist Sheryle Bagwell's move to Provence is enlivened by the discovery of a book of seventeenth-century letters.
After buying an ancient stone house in Provence, Australian journalist Sheryle Bagwell finds in her attic an old edition of selected letters by the seventeenth-century French noblewoman Madame de Sévigné, who died, she discovers, in the grand chateau down the road. So begins Sheryle's new life in southern France as she deals with an ageing house, a combative neighbour and a foreign language—all infused with her reading of the glittering yet doomed world of Louis XIV's France.
Madame de Sévigné wrote hundreds of witty, acerbic—and heartfelt—letters from Paris and Brittany to her beloved daughter who had moved to the chateau in Provence after marrying a count. Madame de Sévigné's correspondence has been hailed down the centuries by the likes of Marcel Proust and Virginia Woolf, who described her as a 'genius of the art of speech'.
Sheryle soon, too, falls under Madame de Sévigné's spell; she thinks of her as an early blogger in an era when even proper newspapers had yet to emerge. But above all, Madame de Sévigné's ardent letters to her daughter prompt Sheryle to reflect on the life of her own long-dead mother, whose thwarted dreams of one day travelling to France she is now fulfilling.
'The hopes and dreams passed between mothers and daughters. A beautiful book, compulsively readable.' Susan Johnson, author of Aphrodite's Breath
After buying an ancient stone house in Provence, Australian journalist Sheryle Bagwell finds in her attic an old edition of selected letters by the seventeenth-century French noblewoman Madame de Sévigné, who died, she discovers, in the grand chateau down the road. So begins Sheryle's new life in southern France as she deals with an ageing house, a combative neighbour and a foreign language—all infused with her reading of the glittering yet doomed world of Louis XIV's France.
Madame de Sévigné wrote hundreds of witty, acerbic—and heartfelt—letters from Paris and Brittany to her beloved daughter who had moved to the chateau in Provence after marrying a count. Madame de Sévigné's correspondence has been hailed down the centuries by the likes of Marcel Proust and Virginia Woolf, who described her as a 'genius of the art of speech'.
Sheryle soon, too, falls under Madame de Sévigné's spell; she thinks of her as an early blogger in an era when even proper newspapers had yet to emerge. But above all, Madame de Sévigné's ardent letters to her daughter prompt Sheryle to reflect on the life of her own long-dead mother, whose thwarted dreams of one day travelling to France she is now fulfilling.
'The hopes and dreams passed between mothers and daughters. A beautiful book, compulsively readable.' Susan Johnson, author of Aphrodite's Breath
- GenresContemporary
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sheryle Bagwell is an Australian journalist, she and her husband Michael buy an ancient stone home in France and in the village of Rabasse in northern Provence. The couple have to deal with and overcome many obstacles including, the house and it's many issues, a difficult neighbour Jacques, bureaucracy and finding tradesmen, and for Sheryle trying to speak French and be understood and not laughed at is more of a challenge.
Sheryle finds an old book in the attic, printed in the 1960’s and it’s contains copies of the correspondence written by the seventeenth-century French noblewoman Madame de Sévigné, and she lived in the seventeenth century. Madame de Sévigné wrote hundreds of letters to her daughter Francois when she married François de Castellane-Ornano-Adhémar de Monteil de Grignan and he became the lieutenant governor of the area. They were funny, full of gossip, things she observed and her thoughts over three decades.
Sheryle understands what Madame de Sévigné did was ground for the time, they were copied and circulated throughout the country. This causes her to reflect on her own life and her relationship with her deceased mother Judith, who dreamt of travelling to France and now she’s fulfilling mums her greatest wish.
I received a copy of Letter from Provence by Sheryle Bagwell from NetGalley and Allen & Unwin in exchange for an honest review. In her memoir you discover how she dealt with her troubled childhood, education was her key to escaping it and as an adult she had more empathy towards her mum’s situation.
You are taken on a journey from the couples flat in Bondi, to Rabasse in the northern Provence of France, Sheryle and Michael have to manage the weather and mistral winds, the hype around truffles, many festivals, cycling trips, from taking sabbaticals to retiring and Covid.
I really enjoyed reading about Sheryle and Michael living in France and how over three hundred years later she's gazing at the same stars as Madame de Sévigné and thinking about life and how amazing is that and four and a half stars from me.
Sheryle finds an old book in the attic, printed in the 1960’s and it’s contains copies of the correspondence written by the seventeenth-century French noblewoman Madame de Sévigné, and she lived in the seventeenth century. Madame de Sévigné wrote hundreds of letters to her daughter Francois when she married François de Castellane-Ornano-Adhémar de Monteil de Grignan and he became the lieutenant governor of the area. They were funny, full of gossip, things she observed and her thoughts over three decades.
Sheryle understands what Madame de Sévigné did was ground for the time, they were copied and circulated throughout the country. This causes her to reflect on her own life and her relationship with her deceased mother Judith, who dreamt of travelling to France and now she’s fulfilling mums her greatest wish.
I received a copy of Letter from Provence by Sheryle Bagwell from NetGalley and Allen & Unwin in exchange for an honest review. In her memoir you discover how she dealt with her troubled childhood, education was her key to escaping it and as an adult she had more empathy towards her mum’s situation.
You are taken on a journey from the couples flat in Bondi, to Rabasse in the northern Provence of France, Sheryle and Michael have to manage the weather and mistral winds, the hype around truffles, many festivals, cycling trips, from taking sabbaticals to retiring and Covid.
I really enjoyed reading about Sheryle and Michael living in France and how over three hundred years later she's gazing at the same stars as Madame de Sévigné and thinking about life and how amazing is that and four and a half stars from me.
April 19, 2026
I found this book very entertaining, with it's mix of local French content around the home the author and her husband own in Northern Provence, her background living and working in France but also her information about Mme d Sevigne, a famous correspondent during the 17th century with a local connection.
She has written previously about her love of France, see xxxx
Without detailing the plot, the several aspects she deals with bring an understanding of life within a small but lively village, Rabasse, which is the centre of one of the truffle growing areas in France. It is also close to Grignan where Mme Sevigne's daughter lived with her husband, and where their chateau still stands. Their correspondence was long lasting and became famous due to her family's connection to the King of France, and also because Mme Sevigne was a wonderful correspondent dedicated to keeping the link to her absent daughter.
I think this aspect of Bagwell's book makes it much more than just a book about relocating to another country, which have proliferated, and this gives this story a satisfying historical depth.
She also has a longstanding family connection to France due to her mother's interest, and the family issues again balance the relocation story.
I would recommend this as an informative guide to aspects of choosing a potential site in France but it's not only that.
I recommend this book for the information included, it's charm and human side is delightful and the historical notes add depth and interest.
Highly recommended
She has written previously about her love of France, see xxxx
Without detailing the plot, the several aspects she deals with bring an understanding of life within a small but lively village, Rabasse, which is the centre of one of the truffle growing areas in France. It is also close to Grignan where Mme Sevigne's daughter lived with her husband, and where their chateau still stands. Their correspondence was long lasting and became famous due to her family's connection to the King of France, and also because Mme Sevigne was a wonderful correspondent dedicated to keeping the link to her absent daughter.
I think this aspect of Bagwell's book makes it much more than just a book about relocating to another country, which have proliferated, and this gives this story a satisfying historical depth.
She also has a longstanding family connection to France due to her mother's interest, and the family issues again balance the relocation story.
I would recommend this as an informative guide to aspects of choosing a potential site in France but it's not only that.
I recommend this book for the information included, it's charm and human side is delightful and the historical notes add depth and interest.
Highly recommended
May 10, 2026
What a beautiful interesting read this memoir was.
Sheryle Bagwell is a journalist from Australia, Sheryle and her husband Michael buy an old stone house in the beautiful village of Rabasse in Northern Provence. I absolutely love the South of France and was lucky as a child to visit it during school holidays, so it was nice being taken back here in this book.
This book details the problems that arise for the couple, the not so great neighbours and all the obstacles they faced.
I absolutely love historical fiction so I think my favourite thing about the memoir was the woven letters throughout from French Noblewoman Madame De Sevigne that she discovered in her attic.
I loved seeing the challenges they faced living in two different places where both have very different cultures and languages.
A really great fast read that will sweep you away on an adventure.
Sheryle Bagwell is a journalist from Australia, Sheryle and her husband Michael buy an old stone house in the beautiful village of Rabasse in Northern Provence. I absolutely love the South of France and was lucky as a child to visit it during school holidays, so it was nice being taken back here in this book.
This book details the problems that arise for the couple, the not so great neighbours and all the obstacles they faced.
I absolutely love historical fiction so I think my favourite thing about the memoir was the woven letters throughout from French Noblewoman Madame De Sevigne that she discovered in her attic.
I loved seeing the challenges they faced living in two different places where both have very different cultures and languages.
A really great fast read that will sweep you away on an adventure.
April 16, 2026
I loved reading Sheryle Bagwell's memoir. The setting in Provence was captivating and I particularly enjoyed the way the 17th century letters of a French noblewoman, Madame de Sevigne, were woven through the memoir. The unveiling of history, the mother/daughter relationship and the way the letters prompted Sheryle to reflect on her own mother's life added depth and insight to the memoir. This was contrasted with the antics of a very difficult neighbour and reality of moving to the south of France, an idyllic dream!
April 5, 2026
A fascinating story about residing in two countries! New friends, language, foods and culture. Sheryle is living the life a lot of us dream about. Discovering Madame de Sevigne and her prolific letter writing was fascinating. I'm yearning for my next French visit...
April 30, 2026
A delightful story of an Australian female journalist living in Australia and France.
In her house in France she discovers some 17th century letters written by a woman from that era.
It is lovely to read of the two women's lives connecting through the love of writing.
In her house in France she discovers some 17th century letters written by a woman from that era.
It is lovely to read of the two women's lives connecting through the love of writing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a wonderful, perfect memoir! I was swept away by the setting in France and the intertwining stories of Sheryle’s life and her mother’s death and Madame de Sévigné and her letters to her daughter. I loved all aspects of the story and fell deeply for everyone who appeared throughout the book. Just adored it!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews