Author: Sophie

Walnuts – the wonder food

Living in the Dordogne has many advantages, one of which is the hugely bountiful harvest that awaits us when the leaves on the trees start to curl and turn brown. After a long, hot and dry summer where it feels like nothing but the lazy river moves, suddenly the rain arrives and the environment jump-starts […]

How to have an eco-friendly Halloween

At Sophie’s Barn we absolutely adore Halloween. It’s a great excuse to get dressed up in crazy outfits and get out and about in the community for trick and treating. Our resident black cat, Spook is also looking forward to his favourite time of year! The Dordogne valley is the ideal place to hold a […]

Eight fabulous uses for coconut oil

The thought of coconuts usually conjures up images of far-away tropical, palm fringed beaches. In recent times however, this bountiful fruit (yes, it is a fruit!) has exploded in popularity and is now used the world over for a myriad of reasons. Coconut is a delicious and healthy food that can be prepared in a […]

New Solid Household Cleaning Soap.

I have been hard at work in the barn recently developing and testing a new product. And I’m rather pleased with the results, even if I say so myself.  What have I been working on? Quite simply, a solid household cleaning soap. We are all so much more aware of the amount of single-use plastic […]

Financially Surviving Wedding Season as a Guest

We’ve recently run a series of blogs on Weddings. We’ve talked about how to have a beautiful wedding on a budget, wedding favour etiquette and of course, about the wonderful personalised wedding favour soaps that Sophie makes in the Barn.  Of course, although the weddings of family and friends are hard to miss, attending can […]

French Lavender in the Lot and Why We Love It

There are currently around 50 species of lavender flowing around the world. You’ll find it in Asia, China, India, The Mediterranean, Africa, and Europe. Farmers in the Lot, just a few kilometres down the road from Sophie’s Barn, are proud to keep alive the lavender farming traditions of the area. Most markets in the Lot […]

Hotel Ratings in France and What They Really Mean

France is considered the world’s leading tourist destination, with over 80 million foreign visitors every year. Getting your gite rated in France used to help people know what facilities to expect. Now, the ratings lean more towards telling you about the experience as a whole.

Starting a Gite – 10 Things to Know

I work with many gites out here in South West France and I’ve picked up a lot of tips on the way. If you’re thinking about running a gite or you’ve recently started, here are ten tips that will help you balance your vision with practicalities, just as I’ve had to do with Sophie’s Barn.