I discovered the Languedoc in 2004 whilst on holiday visiting a friend who had already made the leap to this beautiful part of France. In 2005 along with my husband we completed the final hurdles and settled here permanently. It did fleetingly cross our minds to become “part time residents” but we knew once we were settled deep in the Cevennes, wild horses would not drag us back to England for 6 months of the year. 

We are based in a small village near Ganges, with all the charm and characteristics we could hope for. The peace and tranquillity of the French life is no comparison to the hustle and bustle of our lives we had in England. 

I sold my Gift business in England before relocating and now fill my time helping with the day to day running of my husband’s software business www.dennismcdermott.co.uk which mainly involves getting buried in a mound of French/English paperwork and making the odd cup of coffee!! 

In my spare time I organise a social group called www.lerendezvousanglais.co.uk with the help of a friend Alan who has lived in France for 10 years and our respective partners, Dennis and Beatrice. 

We meet twice a month, at a local bar for a drink and a chat. The evenings are designed to be informal and welcoming, a great way to make new friends.  

We are a relatively small group so are delighted to have new people join us of all nationalities and ages, individuals or families. So if you are new to the area or have been here for a while why not come along and see what we have to offer. We are a lively, friendly bunch and don’t bite. 

Additionally throughout the year we organise social events, which include: visits to the cinema, the theatre, museums, restaurants, picnics, canoeing, and lots more. We offer something for everyone.  

We do not charge a membership fee, so it is ideal for families that do not spend all year in France. You are welcome to attend as many meetings and events as you choose. 

We are primarily an English speaking group, but we also have a good mix of nationalities, the ideal place to informally brush up on your French and English language skills. 

We are thoroughly enjoying the challenge of organising Le Rendez-vous Anglais; there is always something to keep us busy. 

When I am not busy with Dennis, Le Rendez-vous Anglais or entertaining our family who visit on a regular basis I spend my time relaxing by writing. I started to write a children’s book when we arrived in France, partly to fill the initial void of missing family and friends, and partly to stifle my curiosity to see if I could actually “do it” they do say everyone has a book inside them, perhaps one day when I have finished we shall see!! 

It is a far cry from the life we led in England, although busier than we have ever been in our lives before it has given us a fresh new excitement and a different outlook on life. We spend better quality leisure time and we are both far more relaxed and stress free. 

We look forward to the lazy hazy days of summer when our visits from the family begin; this is where I get the chance to try out new French recipes on our unsuspecting guests. It’s great if they don’t turn out as they should, you just tell them with all the innocence you can muster…..it’s a version of the English recipe with a French twist!  

They go home happy with copies of my recipes to try out on their friends.

Wendy