When he first visited Paris as a young student, artist Louis Jansen van Vuuren could never have imagined that one day he would end up owning a chateau in rural France.

Almost French is the entertaining, often hilarious account of his induction over the past 21 years into all things French: snooty waiters, highbrow countesses, numerous faux pas with the French language and, of course, encounters with the infamous French bureaucracy.

Turning the dilapidated Chateau de la Creuzette into a celebrated boutique hotel with his life partner, Hardy Olivier, required patience and perseverance. Many lessons were learnt the hard way. For instance, four heaters are not enough to hear an entire chateau and they will blow your power supply.

Louis interweaves the stories about his life in France with fascinating snippets of history, culture, food and drink, and tradition. A must for all Francophiles and anyone who loves good living.