Ex Pat Lives - Pomme de Jour

So, you've decided to move to France and are taking the plunge. What are you going to do when you land on froggy soil? What do all the expats that live in France do?
We have a motley crew in our gang of ex-pat buddies ; a winemaker, an estate agent, a cleaner, a marketing consultant, a couple of gite owners, a nurse, a restaurant owner, a handyman, a few retirees and some who commute to the UK to continue their careers there.
Tanya , originally from Greenwich in SouthEast London has been living in Perpignan for 8 years now. They were persuaded by their French friends to move over after spending quite a few happy holidays here.Initially,they wanted a holiday home but decided to go the whole hog in order to change their lives drastically and slow down their children's childhood.
"We already had French friends from the region and, in that respect we were very lucky as we had so much help when we first arrived. It was all very overwhelming to begin with, we had 3 lively girls and a small baby so I shall always be grateful for the help we received with paperwork, schools, doctors etc." notes the glamorous Tanya

Tanya's been a busy woman since she got here with four girls to looks after ...

"They were 10, 8, 4 and 6 weeks when we moved here so I have been busy bringing them up. I have since sadly separated  from my husband, moved house, worked in a bricks and mortar boutique in Perpignan, ran a children's vintage website and am always a regular at the vide greniers and flea markets."

She now runs the most fabulous orginal online vintage shop, Pomme de Jour, stuffed with vintage gems that she finds at vide greniers ( like car boot sales) flea markets and second hand stores.

"I share my time between running my home with my 4 lively girls and all that it entails to working on my online sites and searching for vintage items. Vintage has been a passion for me since I found my first piece of vintage fabric in the late 1980s.

I source my products from all over France and sometimes overseas.

My bestsellers are easily my vintage fabrics, I have a vast supply and always have a fresh new stock and I have many repeat customers who come back knowing they can find what they like. I sell a lot of vintage wallpapers. Customers use them in crafting or just to make a feature wall in their homes. After that my French kitchenalia, cups, bowls etc sell well."

She loves her life here, combining her passion with her job .. the only thing she misses about England are creme eggs!!

"I am at my happiest rummaging through boxes at Vide Greniers with my little help (Dulcie 8) by my side, even better if the sun is shining as it quite often is here. Creating in my craft room with vintage books I find and making my home beautiful with vintage finds. I couldn't think of a better job."

Feast your eyes on her gorgeous treasure chest of vintage goodies on line here on her website, ebay or etsy . I can guarantee that you won't find anything "made in china"!

Her Mad March Sale is on now. 

www.pommedejour.com