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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Honestly this is the perfect blend of food writing and travel writing for me – my only regret is that I'm going to France in just under a fortnight but only long enough for one or two meals!
For once, I agree with the blurb on the front cover: "Joyful, life-affirming, greedy. I loved it."
I think it's super telling that I read this while we were having an unhinged spot of winter weather, complete with storms and snow gusts and yet the entire time I really did feel like I was basking in the French sun. In Cloake's honor, this morning I treated myself to a mushroom-onion-and-Swiss croissant from Otter Creek Bakery, and it was a great reminder that I really liked this book, and that pastry is worth going out of your way for.
(Minus one star for the unreal amount of alcohol Cloake and her friends consume on the trip. I don't drink, so maybe my tolerance for reading about other people's hangovers isn't something to write home about.)
I think it's super telling that I read this while we were having an unhinged spot of winter weather, complete with storms and snow gusts and yet the entire time I really did feel like I was basking in the French sun. In Cloake's honor, this morning I treated myself to a mushroom-onion-and-Swiss croissant from Otter Creek Bakery, and it was a great reminder that I really liked this book, and that pastry is worth going out of your way for.
(Minus one star for the unreal amount of alcohol Cloake and her friends consume on the trip. I don't drink, so maybe my tolerance for reading about other people's hangovers isn't something to write home about.)
I enjoyed the descriptions of some foods / restaurants in France (particularly as I’m there now). But in the whole I felt it lacked some details on the places that would have brought them to life, and I needed more to happen, it felt like a story about someone who pootled round France for a month and nothing really happens.
I have put on pounds just reading about delicious French food in this book. I have not, however, been persuaded to take up cycling!
This was such a pleasant escapist read, especially for me, a woman who loves both cycling and croissants. Her dry british humor combined with a wealth of food knowledge made it well worth a read.
I don't know what it is about nonfiction travelogue / food diaries but it takes me forever to get through them - not because I find the content boring, but because there is a LOT to take in, and I tend to visualise a LOT as I read.
I read Cloake's UK Breakfast book first. My preference edges towards that because I do love breakfast. I only like French food (and I am not as adventurous of an eater, so the sweetbreads, tripe, etc. really put me off). Still, Cloake is an engaging rider and I really enjoyed this.
Thrilled that she's putting out an American food travelogue in 2025 and I will definitely be reading it.
I read Cloake's UK Breakfast book first. My preference edges towards that because I do love breakfast. I only like French food (and I am not as adventurous of an eater, so the sweetbreads, tripe, etc. really put me off). Still, Cloake is an engaging rider and I really enjoyed this.
Thrilled that she's putting out an American food travelogue in 2025 and I will definitely be reading it.
I think audio is how this book is meant to be read. Narrated by the author herself, this is some real escapist foodie travel. I feel very inspired to get on a bike and bake like I'm a Frenchwoman haha! The version on Audible does come with a pdf copy of the recipes, which is very helpful as I thought that might be the part of the experience that I miss out on hardcopy.