After taking seven years of French in school, I should be more than “pretty close to fluent,” but I firmly believe my devotion to French wine makes up for all imperfect verb conjugations. I love French wine, the French people, the French language, the French countryside…and France, in general. Oh, and cheese. I love French cheese! I lived there for a year in 2016, and visit as often as I can. I had the pleasure of snapping all the photos featured on this site during various trips over the last few years.

Trips

In 2018, in coordination with my friend Jenni, I began designing and leading my first ever group trips to France. Jenni leads personal development and meditation retreats. When we paired her career passion with my French network, it clicked! For more information about our trips, check out belleviefranceretreats.com.

I also love planning trips for my group of friends, and do so often. For me there is a distinct pleasure in designing the perfect itinerary, and I have fun indulging in pre-trip scouting excursions to nail down all the logistics.

You’ll find a couple of sample itineraries on my site, and I’ll also happily share my recommendations and contacts for other French locales with friends who are planning their own trips. Don’t hesitate to ask!

Wine Tastings and Cellar Consultation

During my time in France, I’ve developed connections and friendships with several wine producing families. For some of my favorite wines – Philippe Raimbault Sancerre, Daniel Seguinot et Filles Chablis, and Boutet-Saulnier Sparkling Vouvray – I’ve coordinated with a North Carolina importer who now maintains a stock of these French treasures that can be found in local wine shops and restaurants. And my friend Louisa Plou in Amboise recently scored Montdomaine’s first US importer, conveniently located in Asheville, North Carolina! All my favorite wines made by all my favorite people!

If you need help selecting wines for a party or want to stock your cellar with wines that are sure to be a hit, we can arrange a wine tasting tailored to your needs and tastes. You and your friends taste through the options and select what works for you. Nothing snooty or high brow – I’m a novice who simply enjoys wine. I have no sommelier training. We’ll have fun, sip great wines and discover what suits your palate best. I’m happy to try to negotiate discounted pricing at select local wine shops for bulk orders following these types of opportunities – no guarantee, but we can usually work something out.

Contact Julie: 7yearsoffrench@gmail.com