Neal Atherton

I am a Lancastrian born and bred but relocated to Somerset to write, be a photographer, enjoy the countryside and walk. My writing enthusiasm is focused on travel and particularly French travel. I was a late developer as regards exploring the world but since finally leaving the cliffs of Dover I have travelled extensively in France. Wine and food have always featured on my travels and now is integral to my books. My friends always await our return from France with the latest new finds from the vineyards and I was more than happy to keep sampling. Initially, so conservative was my travel upbringing that it was a long time before I even ventured as far as Cornwall. My travel plans always ended before the car reached the sea. I have more than made up for the slow start and have enjoyed helping many others with their travel plans to France and especially to Paris and Provence. I write to inspire you to travel and because frankly, I really enjoy it. I am not trying to be Hemingway or Shakespeare but just wish to pass on some of the joy I have found in meeting people and places, the pleasure of interacting. My roots will come through in my writing style as I feel does my sense of humour acquired by too much exposure to 70’s British dry humour. I have written a series of four books on France - All are now on Amazon: THE FIRST TIME WE SAW PARIS about our first steps in French Travel, THYME FOR PROVENCE our discovery of that glorious region and the people and places we met and discovered, A DREAM OF PARIS a personal memoir of our times in Paris with friends. Finally, FRENCH WINE UNCORKED – quite self-explanatory, please open a glass. France has been fun, we have been burgled on our very first arrival, we discovered the best cafe that changed our travel lives on the very next day, we learnt about French wine, we escaped from the most horrendous gite, we found the best of gites, B & B's and people, we laughed and cried with dear friends in Paris, I was hosed down by a crazy owner to cool me down in Provence, our breakfast in a remote village was served by the French army, we stepped totally out of our comfort zone and discovered the best of French culture. The experiences are varied and many and please come with me as I retell the stories and my footsteps are there to follow. I am also writing about ancestry and genealogy and my first book about our incredible family story themed around war and the military is now on Amazon - A BULLET FOR LIFE – from Wellington to Salerno Italy. I love the English game of cricket, golf, soccer, photography, walking and cooking. Oh, and travel of course.