Un été en français
The Never Exhaustive French Summer List
A curated guide to soaking up the season à la française, for lovers of language, art, poetry, and culture, the whole with French paintings that smell like summer.
☀️What if your summer felt a little more French?
Whether you're on a sun-drenched beach, in a breezy park, or dreaming from your city window, this guide is your passport to a poetic, cultural, and sunlit immersion.
Here you’ll find:
Books to Read in the Sun
Music to Feel French This Summer
Poems to Read Barefoot
Your Substack Summer Reads
À regarder : French Summer on Screen
Fresh French Summer Recipes
French Summer Travel
Learn Some French
💌 Your Summer in French
Books to Read in the Sun
A blend of sun-drenched escapes and soul-stirring stories, here’s a selection of French books (and a few in English) that will transport you, no matter where you’re spending your summer:
Bonjour Tristesse – Françoise Sagan
A coming-of-age classic, with teenage ennui and Riviera melancholy.Les Yeux de Mona – Thomas Schlesser
A moving blend of art and life lessons, this sensational novel took the world by storm.
Un abri de fortune – Agnès Ledig
Heartwarming fiction about healing, kindness, and the unexpected bonds we form.L’été – Albert Camus
Yes, couldn’t find a better title for this section, but this slim essay collection exists, and it captures summer’s intensity like only Camus can.Frangines – Adèle Bréau
A tender and modern family portrait: three sisters, one summer, and old wounds resurfacing.
In English with French vibes:
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris – Evie Woods
A sweet, feel-good read for Francophiles and romantics alike.
Daughters of War – Dinah Jefferies
Sisterhood, resistance, and survival in WWII France.D-Day Girls – Sarah Rose
Real-life heroines who helped liberate France, gripping and unforgettable.
P.S.: I’m such a bookworm that' it’s hard for me to stop here, so, there will be many more to come: a summer booklist is on the way!
Music to Feel French This Summer
A playlist to soundtrack your rosé evenings, breezy mornings, and every moment in between. From vintage chansons to modern hits, press play and transport yourself:
Poems to Read Barefoot
Petite Anthologie Poétique de l'Été
A special gift for paid subscribers: 10 summery French poems, paired with luminous paintings, all beautifully laid out in an immersive PDF (20 pages). Includes English translations to help you savor every line, whether you're fluent or still learning. Think of it as a pocket-sized escape: literary, visual, and deeply immersive.
Perfect for reading barefoot in the grass, by the sea, with an iced coffee in hand, or any moment when you crave a touch of beauty and French soul.
Your Substack Summer Reads
A few pieces to enjoy while you farniente your summer away:
La fraise – Jamie Schler
Strawberries, stories, and memories.Twelve things I’ve learned about the French – Debora Robertson
Honest, charming cultural insights.Everything you want to know about Parisian women – The French Edit
À regarder – French Summer on Screen
The perfect watchlist for lazy afternoons, balmy nights, or just daydreaming in French.
Films:
Les Petits Mouchoirs (Guillaume Canet, 2010) – Friendship, secrets, and emotions collide on a summer getaway in Cap Ferret.
Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati, 1953) – A whimsical, word-light classic capturing the quiet comedy of beachside holidays.
Les Bronzés (Patrice Leconte, 1978) – Iconic and irreverent 70s/80s comedy about summer resort life, kitsch and cult in all the right ways.
Le Mépris (Jean-Luc Godard, 1963) – A moody, stylish meditation on love and cinema, bathed in Mediterranean sun and Brigitte Bardot.
Series:
Dix pour cent (Netflix) – Fast-paced, funny, and filled with celebrity cameos — life at a Paris talent agency.
Bref. (Disney+) – Lightning-quick episodes capturing the chaos of everyday life with wit and charm.
Le Bureau des Légendes (Canal+) – A gripping spy thriller with depth, realism, and Parisian grit.
Fais pas ci, fais pas ça (Disney+) – Two families, one neighborhood, and the hilarious highs and lows of parenting — a French Modern Family.
Fresh French Summer Recipes
Channel your inner Provençal chef with these seasonal delights:
Lemon Tarragon Olive Oil Cake – Chloé Cleroux
Zesty, sunny, and simple.French Tomato Tart: Provençal Flavors with Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs – Keith Christiansen
La délicieuse compote de pomme - Manon de Lamijote
Summer desserts & Pasta – Karen Bussen
L’incontournable Salade Niçoise – Jenn Davis
And some Rosé to go with those delicious recipes with The Rosé Edit: Regions, Styles & Bottles Worth Sipping – Nikki Dickerson
French Summer Travel
Whether you're going ou pas du tout, let these take you there:
Discover my home region and very non objectively the most beautiful part of France with: Why you should add Brittany to your French holiday trip – Manon Lagrève
Amazing read on Maps & where to go if you’re in Brest – Victor Coutard
Get lost in Aude– La Ramoneta
Secret spots, medieval towns, southern light.
Dufy – Bateaux à Honfleur If you find yourself in Paris:
Paris Recommendations – Shelby Chambers
A Whirl Through Paris' Grands Boulevards – Courtney Traub
Where to find Paris’ most beautiful doors – Pierre Guernier
Learn Some French
Summer is the perfect time to deepen your language skills, one joyful step at a time.
Des dinosaures, des marais et des huîtres : bienvenue en Vendée ! – A playful and engaging French read by Learn French with Yann to boost vocabulary and smile.
Films et le festival de Cannes from Lawless French.
Voyager en France — 5 dialogues essentiels with Timo — practical, fun, and très efficace.
Subscribe to French en Poésie – Receive a weekly poem, literary bites, and a soft landing into French through beauty and rhythm. Includes a friendly subscriber chat and monthly online meet-up to practice and connect. Also a pronunciation guide, a spotify playlist, and an exclusive summer bonus, a lovely petite anthologie poétique de l’été. All for the monthly price of a coffee & a croissant… Start your journey:
☀️ Your Summer in French
Let’s make it a shared summer.
Tag me or reply with your own French summer essentials: books, songs, movies, places, recipes, art… I’d love to add to the list! Did you read any of the books I recommend? Watched the movies I mentioned? Or knew and danced to the songs from the Summer Playlist? Let me know! I’d love to hear!
Un très bon été à tous !
With passion and poésie,
Morgane.
This is such a delightful post, Morgane. You have sorted out my whole summer! Thank you for including me in your wonderful list.
This is such a lovely post - it really feels like summer is on its way! I’m bookmarking a few of these books to read soon. I do love a good book list!