Things I’m Loving This Week: A New Series

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I’m the first to admit that I spend a lot time on social media. Not only producing and publishing our content but also admiring other people’s accounts and beautiful images. Remember the days before Instagram existed?! It’s sometimes difficult to imagine how we’d function today without the social media that feeds us so much material.

A while ago, realising that I was spending too much time scrolling, and decided to be more mindful. Now I deliberately seek out the content that I am interested in and save ideas for inspiration. This includes a lot of gardens and flowers and artists, and of course all things French.

So I’m starting a new series on the blog: Things I’m Loving This Week. Each week, I’ll share a few things that caught my eye in the week. I’ll include hidden gems of France & more! From my favorite items in the MFCH Universe to charming flower shops, local artists, and inspiring Instagram accounts.

Let’s dive into this week’s treasure that caught my eye:

1. Traditional Provence

I was thrilled to tour the Souleiado museum and flagship store with the director this summer. He kindly showed me through their amazing collection of traditional handblock printed fabric. Souleiado started creating their iconic printed cottons in 1806. Their collection is open to visits in a beautiful old building in Tarascon, southern France. I highly recommend a stop here.

And if you can’t get to Tarascon, you may like to know that there is a special Souleiado collection at the Le Bon Marché this summer.

2. Summer jewelry

At the moment I’m wearing a mix of Labelle Zoé necklaces . I love to wear some new pieces of jewelry in the summer, and I find green to be an easy color to wear. Labelle is a French brand that we work with on the MFCH Boutique, and I’ll be using this collection a lot while I’m on holiday.

3. An artist to follow

Art is really important to me. I have little space left on the walls here in my home. Being creative is as vital as breathing, and I love to discover new artists whose work I enjoy. I follow quite a few painters on Instagram, and I was recently very excited to visit the atelier and home of Provencal artist Joseph Bayol.

To go from admiring a picture on my phone, to turning up at the artists door is a very moving experience. I took along our clients on our MFCH Provence Tour and we were welcomed by Joseph’s family and shown around. He has been painting since the age of 14, and masters many different techniques. I fell for a pastel, but there were some beautiful oil paintings that were purchased that day too.

4. In the garden

We have had some pretty wild weather this year, which has proved challenging in the garden. The result of a very wet spring is a very green and luscious summer …. and sometimes the rain just keeps coming!

And while we are talking about gardens, I have a recommandation for you! If you are looking to use more pots on your terrace or elsewhere, then you need this book by expert gardener and botanist Claus Dalby! Containers in your garden delivers everything you need to know. Claus used and displays thousands of pots around his property, and he definitely knows what he is talking about!

5. Lunch in Paris

Although I live in the countryside, I’m close enough to Paris to pop in for lunch or for a meeting. When I get to choose the restaurant I’ll often head to Le Fumoir, tucked away behind the Louvre. Its very Parisian, good food, good service and plenty of space between the tables.

6. Summer Fragrance

What is your turn-to fragrance? Do you have a summer and a winter scent or do you stick to one for a while and then change? Or maybe you are faithful to a perfume for years? I’ve been officially addicted to the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria for a good while now. I wear them year around, but I think their flowery notes are particularly well suited to the summer months.

I hope you enjoy my picks this week. I’d love to know what stopped you in your tracks this summer. Until next time, à bientôt!