This was a great book about living your dream. If you are a Francofile and dream of living in a 400 year house, this book is for you.

I generally love books like this. Gentle meanders through the life of ex pats, truly learning what it means to integrate into another culture and having mishaps along the way. The shelves are not short of books like this after the raging success of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence which still sits atop the heap for many, me included. I've read so many books like this, and while this one is not terrible, it is not the best I've read. The main thing I struggled with was the fact that the narrative line was mixed up too much, so I got no sense of how things played out. I thought initially that it was a linear timeline, but often this would not prove to be the case. Similarly, this is written by a husband and wife team, and it isn't clear who is narrating the book. It seems to be largely written from the husband's perspective and I wanted to hear more clearly what Eileen thought. I also found the whole episode of the swimming pool saleswoman flirtation and Eileen flipping her lid rather odd in what was for the most part, a light hearted memoir. It struck a really jarring note for me and I'm honestly not sure what it added to the book. The recipes were interesting but have been done before, and better in other books. The glossary ditto and it seemed unnecessary given the minimal use of French in the book. I was left thinking that the book tried to be too many things and didn't quite hit the mark with any of them. It would have been better if it had decided exactly what it wanted to be and stuck to its guns all the way through. Having said that, it was an easy read and I didn't struggle to finish it.

A delightful true story of an American couple buying a 400 year old cottage in rural France to live in part time. True descriptions of the local countryside, their cottage, neighbors and events in their village. The author tells witty stories trials and tribulations of restoring and repairing their cottage with a great sense of wry humor. With all the different things that go wrong the author has a motto of "have a setback, have a drink" and become fans of local wine. The author's daughter Sara is a chef and when she visits her parents provides some delicious recipes from meals she prepares for them. I enjoyed reading this book and will be trying out some of the recipes. It was fun to vicariously journey along with this American couple who made their dream of owning a house in France come true. . I would recommend this book for sure.

A few years ago, I read Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence" - simply loved it! Unfortunately, the present work couldn't even get near that (for me, of course, I don't speak for others).

Dislikes :
- I couldn't connect with the authors at all
- the pronunciation advices: if you don't know french, try to refrain from teaching others
- making fun of French people’s pronunciation, when you cannot utter a word in their language..
- the 'not being rich' part being repeated over and over, though their constant transcontinental flights, buying habbits and especially the attitude kind of say otherwise (I don't mind people being rich, but I mind when they pretend - with no reason whatsoever - that they are not)
- the jealousy / infidelity (?) parts were strange and the reactions blown out of proportion
- they seem to do the laundry a few times a day...??

Likes :
- the stories actually made me want to visit some of the mentioned places (I've already been to Provence twice but there's still so much more to be seen there)
- some rather smart phrases
- Sara's recipes helped win an extra star (my mouth still waters when I’m thinking of figues rôties au chèvre et pancetta)

What a sweet book of a dream that came true........A couple dreamt of buying a Farmhouse like myself. I thought I was reading a story of my adventures of purchasing a old farmhouse and renovating it in Rural France. They purchased an old farmhouse in the middle of the countryside, they knew little french but they got by and started their new adventure in their lives. They are living an amazing dream. They share stories of what has gone wrong for them but they treat it as a learning curve and move on. It put a strain on their relationship but they made it. This book contains their trips to the local villages which is a treasure to read about. This book takes you through the ventures of their new life in France which I can relate to. But They made their dream come true. A wonderful sweet story of a dream that came true.
Reviews on Good reads and Amazon UK

A most delightful novel; translated from the original French edition. It is an easy read that draws the reader immediately into the romance of the French countryside and an American couple who buy a villa and meet the challenges of repairs and learning the French language. You will come to know their daughter who visits, their neighbors, the shopkeepers. and the fragrance of sunflowers and lavender. The enjoyment of this book is enhanced with recipes and French translation dictionary.

Packed with wanderlust and hilarity, Beginning French makes you want to pack up your suitcase and book a flight to the land of éclairs and wine with just a few pages into the book.

It not only gives a glimpse into the joys and pleasures of starting a life in a foreign country but also shows the struggles foreigners encounter from learning to speak the language to innocently breaking the rules and getting stares and glares from people to buying a house to shopping for furniture to house repairs that come with buying an old house especially when you buy a house in the outskirts of the city.

I like how this book features more on the vast countryside where vineyards and wheat farms are alternated with clumps of forest, and wide expanses of sunflowers that give off an intense yellow light collected from the long summer day instead of the dazzling capital where I’ve already heard tons of stories about.

As a French speaker and someone who would greatly enjoy travelling the French countryside, this book struck all the right memoir chords- humor, family, drama. I enjoyed the confusions that sometimes pop up in translation issues as well as the wonderfully descriptive language throughout! I would highly recommend this book, ESPECIALLY for the recipes (which are honestly making my mouth water currently). Merci, les Américains

A light-hearted look at expats in France. While the narrator's voice may at times remind you of a slightly creepy older uncle, you can learn a few things about how to get along with the locals.

"Have a set back, have a drink."

Meet Eileen and Marty. They just bought a money pit in rural France; they speak just enough French to get into trouble, and I admire them so, so much. This is a lighthearted story that will fuel your wanderlust. Everything about it was so charming! If you love France, travel, good food, and family connections, then you'll truly enjoy this book. I've always had a dream of living in a humble home in France and now I NEED it. Thank you to the author for this serendipitous story!

"Beginning French" is a charming memoir of a couple's experience living their dream when they buy a small farmhouse in France. Difficult to put down, this memoir is one part travel log, one part family and friends, and two parts joy of cooking and eating great food. Written by Marty, the spouse of Eileen and father to Sara, he details their life experiences as they embark on a new chapter by owning a piece of French history and becoming French in their own American way. I followed along through their trials and tribulations of buying a partially restored farmhouse complete with a 400-year-old barn, their faux pas like bringing in “outside” croissants to their hotel, immersing themselves in the French culture by attending Bodegas (community parties with music, food, and wine) and my favorite, their philosophy of solving any problem starts with a glass of wine. Thank you, Marty, for allowing me to tag along and experience France in my own "American" way.

Kind of a rehash of all of the expatriate-remodeling in France genre. Well-written and fun to read, but doesn't really cover any new ground.

I am an admitted Francophile, while never actually setting foot in the country. I read anything and everything I can about it, it’s people and it’s culture. So, I didn’t hesitate to read Beginning French by les Americains.

This was a quick, light, easy read. The Americains are a couple who bought a 400 year old cottage in rural France. They are still living in America, but get over to France whenever they can to work on the cottage. And, it does need a lot of work.

Like any old house, especially one 400 years old, there is a lot of work to be done. Boilers break, electricity seems to work on it’s own schedule, and walls may be leaning a bit!

The stories are charming with glimpses into the French culture. The food is lovingly described and there are even a few recipes in the book. I will definitely be making the Fresh Sgroppini - a champagne and sorbet drink that sounds wonderful.

A nice fun read, especially if you love to travel, love France, or just like reading about people’s adventures with old homes and different cultures.

I received an ARC copy of this book.

Californians, Eileen and Marty buy a house in France because they don't just want to be tourists - they want to immerse themselves in French culture. I have a weakness for these sorts of memoirs and this book did not disappoint. An exploding boiler, frogs in the swimming pool and cracked floor tiles do little to deter this couple because for every French bureaucrat and language mishap, they make lifelong friends, spend time with their adult daughter and grow closer as a couple. Pour a glass of rose and savor Beginning French (complete with recipes).

Married couple, Eileen McKenna and Marty Neumeier, adopt the nom de plume Les Américains as they share their adventures in this charmant story about an American couple that spends part of their year living in the Bergerac area of southwestern France.

Since I am planning my first trip to France next month, I was excited to dive into this book, which handily includes French phrases and a linked French dictionary with translations at the end of the book. As a reader, I could generally follow along with the French based on the context without moving back and forth.
A real treat of this book is that a secondary player is Sara - daughter of the Les Américains. She is a chef, and we are taking on a culinary tour of France through stories of her cooking. These mouth-watering descriptions will leave readers hungry, but the authors graciously share recipes with the reader in the book and on their website.

With this book, there is no rushing plot. We revisit Bergerac over several summers and engage in a pastoral life. The chapters have the feeling of vignettes - each telling the story of a slice of life, connected but independent.

If I have one criticism of this book, our Les Américains seem set on sharing that this life is not one that they are able to lead out of privilege. Our narrator Marty mentions on multiple occasions that the family received food stamps early on in their marriage. While it may be true that they did not inherit the farmhouse, given the current gross inequity that we see in the US and across the world, this element strikes this reader as tone deaf. While the attempt is to make their dream seem accessible to a broad group of readers, it feels a bit of a defensive maneuver.

All said, slight criticisms aside, Les Américain’ France is a place I loved visiting for a few hours, and I would certainly accept a dinner invitation!

Beginning French is a beautiful and funny written memoir. Very engaging and entertaining. This book made me want a house and holiday in France. If you love all things French like me, please read this book.

Eileen and Marty worked their lives from the ground up. Following the dream to eventually live abroad they take the leap and purchase a small renovated farmhouse in a small town in France. Thus book gives vignettes into their transitions and attamots at living in rural France. The steps they take to assimilate, the cultural and lkinguistic mistakes that are made. The joy and struggles they experience.

I enjoyed every bit of their story.

A great read,about a couple buying a place in France,and all the things that they have get done,in a place where they don't speak french,a very good book, would love to do the same,well written.

This is the story of 2 Americans (and their adult daughter)buying a holiday home in France (Dordogne).And of course the expected ups and downs.The leaking pool,a wonderful nightmarket, plumbing problems, wine tasting opportunities, a different language....bref,la France!
It is a fun read,scattered with recipes (not great ones, just French ones).
The thing is,it has been done before,and quite well (for example:A year in Provence by Peter Mayle),so yes,a sunny read but not an brilliant sunny read.

If you have ever dreamed about owning a vacation home in France, this book may make you to reconsider or convince you to buy. Both good and bad points are covered in this well written book. At times you may wonder if it was worth it and other times you will want to jump on a plane to experience the loveliness (and the food) of the south of France. I enjoyed this book and thought it accurately portrayed what it must be like to have a second home on another continent.