Blog
The Olive Farm
It is very dark here and silent. Very early morning. I am up and at my desk before dawn. The quietude here seems a long way away from the frenzy of Christmas and holidays and shopping.… Continue reading
Autumn Equinox
The Autumn Equinox is upon us already; the year seems to have reached this point too fast, don’t you agree? Yesterday morning, I stood on the terrace looking out to sea, inhaling that wonderful sense of tranquillity I feel when… Continue reading
August in Greece and other matters
I am writing this from Kastellorizo, which is a small Greek island situated in the Eastern Mediterranean approximately two kilometres from Kas on the Lycian Coast of Turkey. We, Michel (husband) and I, are here attending a documentary film festival,… Continue reading
Wine Tasting in the South of France
I am frequently asked about good wineries to visit as a day trip from our Olive Farm in the south of France. The fact is there are dozens to suggest. So I thought it would be fun this month during… Continue reading
The Eiffel Tower celebrates 130 years
This year in France, our very own Iron Lady has reached her 130th birthday. Le Tour Eiffel. Receiving close to 7 million visitors a year, it is the most visited monument in the world,… Continue reading
Along my book tour, a return to James Herriot Country
I am in the north of England promoting my new novel, THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF, which was published last week, 16th May. Yesterday, my stop was organised by the White Rose Book shop in Thirsk.… Continue reading
In London, in conversation
A French Corner of Paradise
We are less than three weeks away from the publication of THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF. These days are always a little nerve-racking, because I am agitating about the book’s future success. Will it live up to… Continue reading
Video: The House on the Edge of the Cliff
Paris by the book
Paris in the spring is like no other time of year, no other place on earth. April in Paris.
Grace, my young English heroine in THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF, who is trying to escape the scars… Continue reading
Paris 68 and a world of today
Forgive the blatant self-promotion of this post, but I am very excited. Here is the front cover for my new novel to be published on 16th May. It has been described as “Carol Drinkwater’s epic story of enduring love and… Continue reading
Miró at the Grand Palais in Paris
Ever since we moved to the south of France I have been a great fan of the artist, Joan Miró. There is an excellent collection of his work at the Foundation Maeght in St Paul de Vence, which is… Continue reading
The Camargue in France at Christmas-time
France has a coastline of approximately 7330 kilometres. Much of it is magnificent and many of those kilometres are uninhabited, wild even. I am a sea baby. The old adage that being by the sea does you good, clears your… Continue reading
HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM US ALL AT THE OLIVE FARM
Apologies for the lack of Newsletter this side of the holidays. I am fiendishly busy. News after the holidays.
Here is Samson who some of you will know came to us as a rescue dog in April. See how he… Continue reading
The Secrets of the City of Metz, eastern France
Metz is a city in the northeast of France, Le Grand Est, capital of the Lorraine region, and one that I had never visited before last weekend. It sits alongside the winding Moselle river and is surprisingly inspiring.
I was… Continue reading
The Forgotten Summer
I am two novels along since I published THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER with Penguin in March 2016. For those who read my post last month you will know that my latest novel, THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF, to… Continue reading
Paris, May 1968, the student’s revolution
These photos were taken by Bruno Barbey who was a twenty-five-year-old photographer in ’68 and a superb visual chronicler of the events of May 1968. He wrote later, “I went with Cartier-Bresson to buy helmets to protect us from the… Continue reading
The Panthéon welcomes a woman, Simone Weil
Every now and again I feel fortunate to stand face to face with a remarkable piece of history. Last week, while I was in Paris, I swung off Boulevard Saint-Michel and strode to the Panthéon where hangs a huge photographed… Continue reading
Stop Press
Hello Everyone,
If you are lucky enough to find yourself along the Côte d’Azur on Saturday 21st July, PLEASE come along and say hello at the English Book Centre in Valbonne any time between 3.30 and 6.30pm. There will be… Continue reading
La Cité du Vin
The Kings Arms in Askrigg was the real name of the pub we used as The Drovers Arms in All Creatures Great and Small. I returned there seven years ago when I was writing a feature for the Mail… Continue reading
