french country life in the snow

by Sharon Santoni
With the snow comes the prettiness but also the reality of a country not quite adapted to cope with even a few inches of the white stuff.    Country roads are not cleared or gritted, and few people have snow tyres on their cars so journeys are either postponed or taken slowly.

The days are busy because there is more to do and everything takes longer.  I try to keep an eye on our elderly neighbours,  pick up some shopping for them or just have a chat.  Our horses look fed up, and their water freezes every day so I have to ferry jerry cans of warm water as well as the hay.

School buses are cancelled until the snow melts so I’ll be spending a while in my car this week on school runs.
This morning everywhere looked so beautiful.   At the risk of going into snow overkill, I share these shots I took as I drove through the valley.
The sun is bright, it will all melt soon,  carpe diem!

38 comments

Maison de lin February 7, 2012 - 11:34 am

Hello,

Yours pics are beautiful,Maybe all that snow gives a lot off problems. But the landscape is beautiful!

Greetings
Jérôme

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CÉLINE CHOLLET February 7, 2012 - 11:36 am

Sharon !
Je vois que tu fais de belle balades dans la neige !
Merci pour ces prises de vues. Profites-en bien !
Céline.

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helen tilston February 7, 2012 - 11:40 am

Hello Sharon

What a magical wonderland. Don't forget to gear down when stopping and pump the brake. You probably drive a standard car, not automatic, so this advice is moot.

Thanks for sharing your life with us

Helen xx

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The enchanted home February 7, 2012 - 11:46 am

Sharon with these pictures like these, there is no such thing as snow overkill. Are you kidding? I come here to get my little visual getaway to someplace wonderful, beautiful, peaceful and serene. Thank you for that every single morning:)

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Styling by Coty Farquhar February 7, 2012 - 11:58 am

Soooooooo beautiful!!!!
xxxxxxxxxx Coty

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Nancy's Notes February 7, 2012 - 12:57 pm

Be still my heart, what awesome sights! Thank you for sharing your photographs, truly a winter wonderland! You could never post too many photographs, love them!

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Blondie's Journal February 7, 2012 - 1:59 pm

Beautiful pictures, Sharon! You are so good to help your neighbors out when you have snow. it can really paralyze a lot of activities, can't it?

XO,
Jane

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carolyn bradford February 7, 2012 - 2:55 pm

I have so enjoyed finding your blog and websites and facebook page! These pictures are truly beautiful and I look forward to finding out so much more about life in the french countryside! Hope to be back in the near future!
Carolyn Bradford

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kathy peck February 7, 2012 - 3:02 pm

I have noticed your kindness in virtually all of your posts, todays small mention of getting groceries for the elderly, etc. It's one of the things that makes your blog so special for me.
You also happen to be a great photographer, the pictures are stunning.

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HRH The Duchess of State February 7, 2012 - 3:14 pm

what a magical & idealistic place you live in dahhling! loved the photos very much…

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The Happy Hippy February 7, 2012 - 3:57 pm

Beautiful photos Sharon. I missed the weather by a couple of days having left to return home to St Lucia. I love winter and so miss snow, so thank you for sharing.

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I Dream Of February 7, 2012 - 3:58 pm

Sharon, thanks so much for sharing these gorgeous photos with us. I'm glad to see that you are enjoying the beauty in spite of the challenges that come along with a snowfall. Stay safe and warm!

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David Seymour February 7, 2012 - 4:13 pm

I think these photos are smashing. I regret not getting out there today and taking some photos myself in the Landes forest. Its like blue, green, white everywhere making a lot of contrast.

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Alpha Blonde February 7, 2012 - 4:15 pm

I NEVER tire of your snow filled pictures, keep them coming! 🙂

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astrawberrypatch February 7, 2012 - 4:27 pm

Lovely snow pictures! Here in the Deep South of the U.S., we don't see that very often!

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Roxane February 7, 2012 - 4:35 pm

Today CNN's online has a headline "Why is Europe buried in snow?" I didn't realize that it was that widespread! Having lived with snow all my life, it's so unusual to have nothing on the ground here but dirty remnants at this time of year. The winter of 2010-2011 we were buried in several feet of snow. It seemed like it was one continuous snowstorm that year, lol. Seeing your beautiful village nestled in snow is wonderful, stay warm & drive carefully!

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Teacup-In-The-Garden February 7, 2012 - 4:38 pm

I love this pictures!
Markus

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Amy February 7, 2012 - 4:48 pm

It's beautiful – magical looking. You have more snow in France than we do in Southern Minnesota! It all melted this weekend…feels more like late March than early February.

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hostess of the humble bungalow February 7, 2012 - 5:07 pm

You are such a gifted and talented photographer. These images are so evocative. You've made my morning with these lovely landscape images.
Have a great day Sharon!

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Lorrie February 7, 2012 - 5:16 pm

Sharon, that photo of the river caught at my heart with its beauty. It makes one ache. You capture magic with your lens.

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Joni February 7, 2012 - 5:33 pm

Oh so beautiful! I can get lost in those pictures.

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Lu February 7, 2012 - 6:55 pm

No matter how much snow falls there, it is still so beautiful where you live.

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Sarah February 7, 2012 - 7:43 pm

I could never get tired of seeing your wonderful images of Normandy. Thanks for sharing. ~ Sarah

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Suzanne February 7, 2012 - 7:48 pm

Snow is totally gorgeous to look at. Though when I lived in Italy, the novelty soon wore off when I needed to drive down from the hills into Turin to get to work. Your lovely photos bring back good memories though.

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Diane James Home February 7, 2012 - 7:48 pm

Absolutely beautiful images! The great thing about having snow is the excuse to take one's time to do anything – a snow day in Connecticut is like a spontaneous mini-vacation, spent playing with the kids, making cocoa and building a roaring fire. Stay warm, Cynthia

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Pat's Addition February 7, 2012 - 9:22 pm

So beautiful, wish we had some ( just a little).

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Janette - The2Seasons February 7, 2012 - 11:34 pm

When I was bicycling in Normandy last September, I wondered what it would look like in the snow. (I always do that, no matter where I'm cycling). Thanks for letting me know. I am not disappointed.

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Ange February 7, 2012 - 11:38 pm

And here's me thinking Normandy was better equipped than Toulouse. I'm hoping to be able to leave the house other than by foot before Friday! Been taking jerry cans down to the neighbour's horses that are closer to our house than theirs, and breaking the ice as well in the huge reservoirs they drink from. It is ever so beautiful though. And the possums are loving the extra time sledding!

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Delaine February 8, 2012 - 1:25 am

Absolutely gorgeous!!!!! I never tire of seeing any of your photos! What a treat always!

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brendam February 8, 2012 - 2:00 am

Here in southern Ontario, Canada, we are missing our usual 3 feet of snow! I love your photos and miss the opportunity to take my own. Enjoy the beauty:)

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Looking Glass February 8, 2012 - 4:33 am

These pictures are marvellous! So, so beautiful. So interesting to hear about how you cope with the snow. Down here in Australia I would have no idea!!

~ Clare x

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Susan February 8, 2012 - 1:46 pm

While I don't miss snow at all (one of the joys of moving from Chicago to Texas!), I must admit that your pictures are really pretty with the snow. I'm sorry that it's causing you extra work, though 🙁

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heather @ new house, new home, new life February 8, 2012 - 1:49 pm

carpe diem, indeed. Beauty like that is fleeting. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

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MAZK February 8, 2012 - 9:35 pm

Beautiful photos of a winter wonderland. I live in Cumbria in the North of England and we haven't a flake. C'est la vie!!

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MAZL February 8, 2012 - 9:36 pm

That shold be MAZL not MAZK whoops!!

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caroline@thebalancedapproach February 9, 2012 - 1:16 pm

So So beautiful, and what a joy to experience- depsite the extra but more than manageble hardships!! We have had a beautiful day today in Melbourne, warm (25 C.) and blue skies…. no snow to be seen!

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Northern Gaijin 北外人 February 9, 2012 - 5:38 pm

You have more snow than Canada where I live! I had to cancel my dog sledding trip two weeks ago because there wasn't any snow as well as my ice fishing since there wasn't any ice on the lake. Love your photos.

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walkinginwoods February 9, 2012 - 7:04 pm

Beautiful photos, I especially like the misty ones and the one with the lake. Would love to take some photos there myself 🙂

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