Autumn in Brittany: Beach Dogs, Endless Gardens, and the Truth About French Countryside Living
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I've been out at my countryside house in Brittany for the last month, even while posting Paris content. October and November are a favorite time here, and for a very specific reason: the beaches finally open back up to dogs.
Most people don't realize that French beaches are closed to dogs for the majority of good weather. The season typically runs from May through September, meaning if you want to bring your four-legged companions to the sand, you're looking at autumn and winter. Pearl, Rose, and I have been taking full advantage, which explains some of these photos from the last four weeks.
The Beaches Nobody Talks About
When I first moved to France, I fell into that classic American trap of only knowing the places that get romanticized in our media. Paris first, obviously. Then Versailles for my first venture outside the city. After that? Straight to Nice and Provence, because that's what you do, right?
The beaches in Nice shocked me. All stones, no sand. Nothing like the expansive Pacific Northwest beaches I grew up with, or my experiences in Hawaii and California. It's funny how we carry these assumptions as travelers, as expats, as immigrants. We think we know a place because we've seen it in films or read about it in novels.
The beaches of northern Brittany? Wide, sandy, dramatic. Nothing like the Riviera. Better, in my opinion, especially if you have dogs or just prefer actual sand between your toes. But they're not what gets exported in the France fantasy, so most people never discover them.
22 Projects and the French Timeline
Walking the property this week, I counted 22 different garden and landscape projects that need to happen between now and March. Twenty-two.
Here's something else about rural France that nobody tells you: everything takes longer. Not in a charming, "oh how relaxed" way. In a "you need to start planning in October for something you want completed by April" way. Starting these projects now means they might, possibly, be finished in time for spring.
The growing season here never really stops. We don't get hard frosts or snow. Palm trees and olive trees grow alongside traditional Breton plants. It's temperate in a way that sounds ideal until you realize it means you're in a constant battle with nature. Weeds in November. Pruning in December. Today it's in the 60s Fahrenheit and we're still mowing lawns. This unusually warm autumn has been beautiful but relentless.
It's not tropical like Hawaii, but it's this weird in-between where you can never quite let the garden rest. You're always fighting that war between the land and the design in your head.
A Cost of Living Comparison
I've been thinking about something that might interest you, especially if you're considering a move to France or just curious about the reality versus the fantasy. I have a unique perspective as an American with properties in both Paris and the countryside.
There's this perception that rural France is cheaper, almost like homesteading in the States. I thought that too. Move to the countryside, grow your own vegetables, live simply and inexpensively.
The reality? I live the same way in both places. Same food purchases, same routines, same daily habits. The properties aren't the same size, obviously, but they're typical for their locations. I'm considering doing a detailed audit, a side-by-side comparison of what it actually costs me to maintain these two very different French lives.
Would that interest you? The hard numbers, the surprising expenses, the things that are cheaper in Paris (yes, really) versus what actually costs less in the countryside? Let me know if this kind of transparent look at French living costs would be useful.
Christmas Season and Court Gowns
Speaking of things coming up, if you haven't signed up for my free quarterly newsletter, now's the time (sign up below). I'm about to send out my holiday edition focusing on Christmas season in France. Not just Paris, but accessible destinations throughout the country for winter.
My personal favorite winter indulgence? Raclette. I look forward to it all year, limit myself to once or twice because it's so indulgent, and only go to the absolute best places. I'll share my top pick in the newsletter.
But here's the real teaser: I'm working on a project that involves, shall we say, French court gowns. It's quite the undertaking and I'd love your feedback on the concept before I dive deeper. Newsletter subscribers will get the first look at what might be my most ambitious project yet.
The Privilege and Challenge of Two Lives
Living between Paris and Brittany gives me perspective on both, but it also means constantly adjusting expectations. In Paris, I can get anything delivered within hours. Here, I plan far ahead for basic supplies. In Paris, I worry about noise complaints. Here, I worry about whether the septic system can handle house guests. 🤣
Both lives are real. Both are France. Neither matches the fantasy sold in lifestyle magazines or expat memoirs. The countryside isn't cheaper or simpler, just different expensive and different complicated. Paris isn't all boulevards and museums, just as Bretagne isn't all peaceful gardens and ocean views.
What these photos from the last month show is real autumn in real rural France. Dogs on finally-open beaches. Gardens that won't stop growing. Projects that take forever to complete. Beauty that's worth the complications.
Autumn is genuinely magical throughout France, not just in Paris. If you're planning a trip, consider October or November. You'll have beaches to yourself (with or without dogs), restaurants full of locals instead of tourists, and weather that's unpredictable but often spectacular.
Sign up for the newsletter through my homepage or at the bottom of any blog post. It's free, quarterly, and I promise the French court gown project will be worth the wait. And do let me know about that cost comparison series. I'm ready to get really transparent about what this dual life actually costs, if you're ready to hear it.
