When the artist Louis Jansen van Vuuren first visited Paris he could never have imagined that he would end up owning a chateau in rural France. Almost French is the highly entertaining account of his induction over the past 21 years into all things French: snooty waiters, high-brow countesses, numerous faux pas with the French language and of course, several encounters with the infamous French bureaucracy. Turning the dilapidated chateau into a boutique hotel with his life partner, Hardy Olivier, required patience and perseverance. Many lessons were learnt the hard way. Four heaters are not enough to heat an entire chateau and they will blow your power supply. And practising your French is a must. On a visit to the butcher, Louis asked for "sheep socks" when he was after leg of lamb. Talk about butchering the lamb! Louis interweaves the stories about his life in France with fascinating snippets of history, culture and tradition. A must for all Francophiles.

Super connected author with wide and loyal network; Light and humorous read, perfect antidote to corona fatigue; Will speak to both arm chair travellers and francophiles

About the Author
Louis Jansen Van Vuuren is a well-known artist who has held over 50 exhibitions in South Africa and abroad. He was a lecturer at Stellenbosch University and Michaelis School of Art in Cape Town until he moved to France in the late 1990s. Louis and his life partner, Hardy, turned a chateau in Boussac, France, into a successful boutique hotel where they lived and worked for 21 years. In 2009 he and Hardy co-wrote Festive France / Feestelike Frankryk with Anet Pienaar-Vosloo. He has also contributed short stories to various anthologies and he is the author of Die storie van 'n huis and a volume of poetry, Tempermes.


Book Information
ISBN 9781776190485
Author Louis Jansen van Vuuren
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Jonathan Ball Publishers SA
Publisher Jonathan Ball Publishers SA
Weight(grams) 500g
Dimensions(mm) 210mm * 138mm * 15mm