Summersdale

Synopsis

‘The houses are painted all these lovely colours so people can see them through the fog,’ I say brightly, as we negotiate swirling clouds of white, which have engulfed Lucien so comprehensively that all I can see is the top of his head. One could imagine getting lost in St Pierre for a very long time. Rosie set out on a tour of the French Overseas Departments and Territories (the ‘Dom-Toms’) with her husband and four young children, partly to make a documentary series but also to show the children it is possible to survive 14 weeks without Hannah Montana.

From Martinique to Réunion, crossing fi ve continents, they eat stewed iguana, 400 croissants and – since the budget is small – copious amounts of Campbell’s soup. Candid, darkly humorous and slightly mad, cut with a dash of French history, this traveller’s tale offers insights, amusement and hope for anyone who has ever journeyed en famille.

‘A comedic family romp through French life’

Kathy Lette