This is how one French couple will be marking Bastille Day on the Costa del Sol

There are more than 160,000 French nationals who live in Spain. One couple Julien Moutard and Sarah Vigneron have lived in and run their business in Andalucía for 12 years. Speaking perfect Spanish they have easily discovered the real essence of the region.

Julien, originally from La Rochelle, and Sarah, born in Nancy, met when both were studying languages. Both had a passion for Spanish. After their internship in Alicante they fell in love with Spain. When the French young linguists married, they decided to move to Andalucía which for them was love at first sight.

“Here we fell in love with the jasmine flowers which bloomed fragrantly everywhere. No one can help admiring the tiny streets and alcoves. There are unexpected statues and gardens around every corner almost in every village and town. Towns in Almeria province attracted us with the buildings, the history and their stories. Finally, in 2011, we chose Mojacar, a magnificent white Moorish-Andalusian village perched on a volcanic peak overlooking the surrounding countryside. There we established our first Spanish business,” Julien told SUR in English.

The first business was a small hostel. It was named El Olivar as it sounded quite nice to the French ear and is very Andalusian. It consisted only of nine rooms but all with private bathrooms. Julien and Sarah had to renovate and completely modernise an old Andalusian house, located in the heart of Mojacar. Besides decorations partly influenced by France they offered their guests a Finnish sauna. Apparently, their idea was to blend cultures and styles.

Ten years later, the French couple sold the hostel to a young couple from Italy, who like Julien and Sarah also fell in love with Andalucía and now are running the business with the same name but with a different status – as a boutique hotel.

Julien and Sarah then opened a new business in Nerja.

“Actually, we have always had special attraction to the Costa del Sol. Mainly, because the most eastern part of Malaga coast reminds us of the Mediterranean coast of France with its rocky jagged coast framed with its small inlets, shingle or sandy beaches, and beautiful landscapes. A lot of the beaches in Nerja are of shingle or fine pebbles, including the emblematic Burriana beach,” they pointed.

Nerja inspired Julien and Sarah to opening a shop that could bring more choice to the town as well as support local artisans and some foreign producers. As the owners emphasise, they want it to inspire and for people “to get lost in its green labyrinths while reinventing your home” as well as being friendly to the planet.

“Our El Olivar Atellier project started with a desire to offer diversified and affordable home decoration products. The concept fits in with the new consumer habits that are changing more and more towards a more sustainable balance… The products we offer our customers are carefully selected. Most of them are organic, recycled and handmade. The brands we collaborate with not only offer us high quality handmade products but they are also committed to the environment as well as the working conditions of their employees. We are proud to say that we actively collaborate with Spanish talented craftsmen. Most of our suppliers in Spain are from Andalucía and the Valencia region. And we also work with Northern European companies - Holland, UK, Scandinavia,” Sarah explained.

Scandinavians, the Dutch and Irish, among others, like the concept of sustainability. Since Nerja is attrcating more and more Scandinavians, Julien and Sarah are optimistic about their eco-friendly business. Incidentally, more French people are now dropping into their boutique.

“It is very noticeable that more French tourists choose Nerja for their holidays. When they buy something in the shop it can be considered a souvenir from Spain. We are always happy to tell them more about Nerja and share more information about the general Costa del Sol, in French,” Sarah and Julien added.

France is associated with fragrances. The country is the world's top producer and exporter of timeless French perfume. Unsurprisingly, some shelves in the shop are given over to perfume and cosmetics made in France. Moreover, sewing creations represent the French Basque Country. The cheerfulness of the area is depicted in its striped fabrics that is a trademark of the region, 100% made in France.

“From Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Espelette, textile factories make stripes dance in a great rainbow whirlwind. They are popular because Basque linen has been able to adapt to the style of the day thanks to manufacturers who do not hesitate to spice up their ancestral know-how with a bold thread. All goods are traditionally made from organic cotton fabric with a glazed interior for waterproofing,” Julien explained.

The symbol of the shop is an air balloon, named after Jules Verne. Some 160 years ago, the French science fiction author published his first novel Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, A Journey of Discovery by Three Englishmen in Africa, which immediately propelled him to fame. The striped balloons create a special French charm in the shop.

Though France has a stronger economy and exerts more power and influence on the world stage, the couple say the quality of life in Spain is better.

“The differences between living in Spain and France are not huge, but still big enough to be very noticeable. The style of life in Andalucía is much different than in neighbouring France, despite also being part of Mediterranean culture. Concerning social values, family is as important in France as it is in Spain, although less conservative. Lots of French people consider the Spanish people apparently live more for each day as it could be the last one, than the French do. It allures. Unsurprisingly, many French people relocate to Andalucía every year to make a new home for themselves and their family,” Julien said.

Sarah and Julien didn't have any language or cultural hurdles from the start though they try to be cautious in communication with Andalusians because humour in France is very implicit and many times related to playing with words and apparently is more harsh than Spanish.

Bastille Day is the day to uncork the champagne, tear open a baguette, and, why not, to don a beret. In France and the former French empire, the holiday is commemorated with fireworks, military parades and street parties and dancing.

In places with large French populations or a history of cooperation with the French, it is mainly an excuse for a party or some strange public spectacle. Nerja is becoming more and more loved by the French and more are settling in the picturesque town. However, there are still no parties aimed at celebrating their national day. So Sarah is staying in Nerja running the Atelier shop and Julien is taking their children to France to let them experiencel the atmosphere of la Fête Nationale.