GARDEN SURROUNDINGS: The French Lifestyle
- k-england
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Words and pictures by Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! December 2025.
The French Lifestyle
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and before you know it, when you read this article, it will be December.
We have had a lot of much needed rain in California this November.
As I was driving down the country lane on the approach to my house this morning after having had a manicure and pedicure early in Del Mar and then popping up for a Saturday coffee visit with Mama, Pat Welsh, while she reads three papers using a magnifying glass; I enjoyed studying the neighbors plants and shrubbery thinking to myself all the while, that I could be in France. The flora being the same plants and trees as in the south of France.
There is a fragrance in the air in France that the trees and shrubs emit that is different than what I used to smell here in California. (Back when I could smell before Covid.)
As a Francophile, this realization caused my heart to skip a beat with excitement. I always make a joke that I think I had some happy past lives as a French woman. Whether that is fiction or truth, who knows? But I do love living what some call, the French lifestyle and eating outside in the garden for almost every meal, living the artistic lifestyle.
Matisse is one of my mentors. “Matisse” by Sarah Wilson, stays open for me to study paintings that I am particularly intrigued by. “Monet’s Passion” by Elizabeth Murray is also there at the ready to study and look through every day.
After our daughter Yvette’s year at the University of Madrid; Peter, Erica and I traveled to Spain to pick Yvette up and then we traveled by Eurail throughout Europe for a month.
While in Paris, we traveled by train to the home and gardens of the artist Claude Monet. I told my family that I wanted to be there all day long and to really immerse in where Monet painted in the gardens and also to enjoy the home and studio, which is fully intact and the way it was when he was alive. Men were out on the pond in boats the way they were when Monet would be painting in his garden. Monet asked his gardeners to clean off the pond every morning. They would clean off the droppings of the wisteria and other plants that would take away from the reflections in the water that he wanted to be able to see in order to paint the reflections. You have maybe seen some paintings that Monet painted with the gardeners in their boats cleaning off the surface of the pond.
We arrived before the gardens were open. There is a lovely restaurant right there and it was raining. We were so lucky because considering how crowded the gardens get in the spring and summer it wasn’t too crowded, maybe because of the rain? We were prepared with our ponchos and rain gear. The year was 1997 and this was before fancy cell phones and digital cameras. I took hundreds of photos that day. Between bus groups, the garden got totally quiet, we felt like we were immersed in the experience of Giverny.
As we were leaving the gardens there was an older man selling paintings that he had painted in Monet’s gardens. We were going to buy one, but fell in love with two and had them shipped to our home in California. The paintings still grace my home and give joy in the memory of the interlude and experience of Giverny.
As I recall, it was a 5 mile walk through the town of Giverny to the train that would take us back to Paris. We figured we had time to walk back to the train and that’s what we did. What an amazing experience. People were working in their gardens, and we just felt like we weren’t tourists but part of the French living experience, although our American tennis shoes gave us away, as we hiked all the way back to the train.
More by Francesca Filanc on living an artistic and French lifestyle: GARDEN SURROUNDINGS: Plein Air Artists In The Garden
A lovely gift idea is to force narcissus bulbs in containers. It is also fun to have them around your house and garden for the holidays.
Think what a lovely gift when you are going to a dinner party.
Check out past articles on the blog on my website for directions: FrancescaFilanc.com.
Also, “Magical Leek Soup" was just added to my YouTube channel: ‘LivetheLifeyouEnvisionwithFran’.
Here’s to a beautiful Holiday Season!
Bon Jardinage!
~ Françoise
Artist, author, photographer, fly-fisher woman, Francesca Filanc grew up in old Del Mar and these days lives, paints and gardens in historic Olivenhain with her two dogs.
Find her art and writings here:
She can be found on social media:
"Live The Life You Envision with Fran" YouTube Channel:
Have gardening questions or want to learn more about Francie’s art?
Contact: Franfilanc@gmail.com
