Every month, I introduce you to an interesting woman living in Languedoc. Curious as I am, I like to find out why she lives in this beautiful region, what she does for a living, and some of her Languedoc favourites. This month, I would like you to meet Emma Hann, the passionate floral designer behind ELK Creations. With her beautiful, sustainable floral creations, she brightens many a wedding in the South of France.
Introduction
My name is Emma. I grew up in Cornwall, but I fell in love with France aged 13 when one Friday evening, a beautiful Parisian girl whizzed down my drive on her scooter. My father had met her in the local pub and persuaded her to give French conversation lessons to my twin sister and me. My sister wasn’t quite so enamoured, but all I wanted to do after that was learn French and live in Paris. I ran off there aged 18 to be an au pair and then studied French at University before going back to Paris to live and work for a few years. I later moved to London, which is where I was living when I met my husband and where my two eldest boys were born.
We moved to France in 2003 with two small boys under three, and added a third just over a year later. He’s a proud French national, and his brothers are currently going through the naturalisation process.
First Time Visiting the Region
Our first visit to Carcassonne (1 & 2) was in May 2003 at the start of the heatwave that year. I can remember thinking how nice it would be to have warmer, drier weather than London.
My husband and I were already house-hunting and had ruled out other regions of France as either too similar in climate to the UK or, dare I say it, too many Brits. I had always wanted to visit Carcassonne as my parents came here on their honeymoon in 1965, and I have a treasured picture of my mother in La Cité.
Settling in Languedoc
We signed the sale papers on our house in London one Friday afternoon in late October 2003. That same evening, we were on the ferry to France- minus most of our maps and travel details. It appeared the movers had kindly packed them into a box to be put in storage for the next seven months…
My husband and I wanted to come to France whilst the children were small enough to integrate easily. The Aude region was more affordable than some, was not overrun with expats, and we liked the idea of being able to look out at vineyards. It was also relatively easy to get back to the UK to see friends and family.
We wanted a place with some land in or near a village, complete with a school, shops, and other amenities. After seeing 70 houses as far afield as Limoux and Lodève, we were getting a little desperate as I was already pregnant with our third child. It was then that we found our home in Caunes-Minervois. We’ve been here since 2004, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.
ELK Creations
I set up ELK Creations (3 & 4) almost 10 years ago. At that time, I was working part-time at a friend’s restaurant (La Table d’Emilie). However, I wanted to put some of my other skills, including sewing, secretarial work, and floristry, to use for a bit more income. I’d got my floristry qualifications back in London but had never really done more than a handful of weddings for friends and family.
Linda from La Table d’Emilie encouraged me to take the plunge, and my first few weddings were in 2016. Now it’s my principal occupation, and I average around 40 weddings a year– from May to October. So, during the summer months, you’ll find me surrounded by buckets of flowers and foliage, making all sorts of different bouquets and centrepieces. My clients are both French and English speaking, and I often travel to venues as far away as Montauban.
Besides being a floral designer, I also have a very tiny flower patch from which I sometimes make bouquets to sell. I am a proud member of ‘Collectif de la Fleur Française‘ (5), which aims to promote French, local, and sustainably grown flowers. My patch is too small to produce enough for all the weddings. However, it helps me add little elements that are difficult to find commercially. Also, to keep a track of what is available each season. My favourites to grow are dahlias and daffodils – neither of which really like the climate here, but… I persevere.
Setting Up a Business in France
I think the reality is tougher than one would imagine. This is a very poor region. Therefore, opportunities for work, even if you do speak the language, are not as bountiful as in other parts of France, particularly in the off-season. I can’t imagine moving here and not speaking the language, as the bureaucracy and paperwork are hard to navigate even when you do.
Living in the South of France
Obviously, the weather is better here. Whilst I am not a massive sun worshipper, and working with flowers on days when it’s 40 degrees or more is horrendous, I do appreciate the fact that we don’t have weeks on end of wet weather during the winter. It also means that I can be out in the garden most days.
Moving with children is a great advantage, as you can meet people more easily through them. I also spent a number of years on the village council (before Brexit). This was a great way to understand rural French life and make friends. I experience the pace of life here as a little slower, more family-oriented, and less commercially driven. My children have also had some great opportunities that they may not have had in the UK. Although we live in a rural area, it’s convenient to have Montpellier and Toulouse nearby. It’s also really easy to head further afield if you want. San Sebastian and Barcelona are both only a few hours drive away.
Best Languedoc Wine
One of the reasons we came south was for the great wines, and one of our first purchases was a wine fridge. I even worked for a couple of vineyards and a wine group over the years. Although I would never claim to know much about wine, I do know what I like.
One very local vineyard that I go back to time and time again is Domaine Charlotte and JB Senat in Trausse-Minervois. Not only are they good friends, but their wines are excellent – natural, organic, delicious – made from typically local grape varieties too. I’d also never say no to a glass of anything from the cellar of Maxime Magnon, or from Olivier Jullien, both stars of the natural wine world.
Favourite Restaurant
My current favourite is in Le Cédrat in Caunes-Minervois, run by a local young couple, Lucas and Marie. The food is really tasty, all homemade, and they have a good wine list. The menu is small (always a good sign) but changes regularly, so you never get bored. There’s a lovely, friendly atmosphere too.
Perfect Day Out in Languedoc
I’m a bit of a homebody these days – particularly as in the summer when everyone else is going out, I’m usually working. I do enjoy heading to Toulouse (6) on the train for the day, though. It’s the perfect chance to do some window shopping, meet up with friends or my boys, as well as find a restaurant serving Asian or Middle Eastern food.
