Escape to Languedoc in this poignant and transportative true account of life in a beautifully restored house in the south of France

'This love affair between an English family and a very old French house is by turns turbulent, lyrical and tragic . . . Enriched by an insatiable, ever-eager curiosity, he takes us down many a side alley, adding another dimension to the timeless story of what it is that makes France irresistible' MICHAEL PALIN

'What a wonderful book. Exquisitely written, it is by turns laugh-out-loud funny then suddenly, unexpectedly and profoundly moving... an utter joy and a treat to read from the first to last pages' JAMES HOLLAND

'He writes with genuine emotion . . . He writes beautifully about life in a French village' DAILY MAIL
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One day a Londoner and his wife went a little crazy and bought a crumbling house in deepest Languedoc. It was love at first sight.

Over the years these Londoners gradually turn the house into a home. They navigate the language, floods and freezing winters. And eventually they find their place - their bar, their baker, their builder (ignore him at your peril).

Slowly the family and the locals get to know one another and these busy English discover slower joys - the scent of thyme and lavender, the warmth of sun on stone walls, nights hung with stars, silence in the hills, the importance of history and memory, the liberation of laughter and the secrets of fig jam.

One Place de l'Eglise is a love letter - to a house, a village, a country - from an outsider who discovers you can never be a stranger when you're made to feel so at home. Old houses never belong to people. People belong to them.
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'Wonderful. Exquisitely written, it is by turns laugh-out-loud funny then suddenly, unexpectedly and profoundly moving, wistful and touching: a homage to a place, to magical moments in time. An utter joy and a treat to read from the first to last pages' James Holland, author of Brothers in Arms

About the Author
Trevor Dolby spent thirty-five years riding his luck publishing and editing books. When he was promoted beyond his talents he bought a house in France. He now lives in the Languedoc and London fending off visitors.

Reviews
A timeless story of what it is that makes France irresistible -- Michael Palin
He writes with genuine emotion . . . He writes beautifully about life in a French village. The most enjoyable parts of this book are his descriptions of the French countryside * Daily Mail *
Elegant, captivating, and sprinkled with self-deprecating humour. Dolby is a writer of abundant talent. -- Peter Kerr, author of Snowball Oranges
Wonderful. Exquisitely written, it is by turns laugh-out-loud funny then suddenly, unexpectedly and profoundly moving, wistful and touching: a homage to a place, to magical moments in time. An utter joy and a treat to read from the first to last pages * James Holland, author of Brothers in Arms *
An unashamed love letter to France from someone who deeply admires the country * UK Time News *



Book Information
ISBN 9780241556320
Author Trevor Dolby
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Michael Joseph Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 331g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 144mm * 23mm