Catherine Sanderson, aka blogger Petite Anglaise

As anonymous blogger Petite Anglaise, Catherine Sanderson, 36, chronicled her life as an English single mum working in Paris – then she was unmasked and fired. She’s since written a memoir and a novel, French Kissing. Lottie Moggach learns a bit about Anglo-Gallic relations

So who blabbed about your blog and got you fired from your ­accountancy job?

I was outed by a paper because I had an old Friends Reunited profile which I’d forgotten about. It was the one trace I’d left online. My advice to ­bloggers is you shouldn’t be lulled ­into a false sense of security because you’re anonymous.

You took the company to tribunal for unfair dismissal, and won. Any regrets?

When I won I felt vindicated, but before that I felt guilty, and really stupid. It’s hard to regret what it led to, the book deal, but maybe one day it’ll haunt me if I have to get a new job!

The main character in French Kissing is an English single mum in Paris who tries online dating. Sounds ­familiar! Why not write another memoir?

I wanted to write about a subject close to my heart, but I wanted the freedom to invent characters and not tell the gospel truth. I’ve done honesty – I’d like to enjoy a private life.

So this is a conscious move away from the blog?

Yes. Writing about myself was addictive, but it got to the stage where I was starting a new relationship and didn’t want it to be public. If I have a fight with my husband, the healthiest way to resolve it is not write about it!

You met your husband online. How was French internet dating?

I was warned that lots of men use it for extramarital affairs. On the dates, English guys tend to buy you lots of drinks, whereas the French flatter you, and by the second date say they’re falling for you. It’s just as cynical. When I first did it, sites were free for women, to even things out because men outnumber us, and you’re overwhelmed by attention. Is it the same in England?

Alas not.

There’s this site called Adopt a Guy. Women make the first move, and the way it’s designed is you pick up men and add them to your shopping basket.

How do the French see English women?

There’s an idea that English and Americans are easier to get in the sack. But lots of men just wanted to practise their English on me.

Does it make it trickier being English?

Well, there tends to be a difference in sense of humour – sarcasm doesn’t go down so well. Banter is still a challenge.

Why did you go to Paris in the first place?

It was always my ambition to live there. I had this fantasy France in my head. So I studied French at university and came over.

How did the reality compare?

It’s a magical place when you first arrive, but of course when you work and live somewhere it loses a bit of shine. But I love the emphasis on the simple pleasures, sitting around on pavements, good food and drink.

What do you think of England now?

I’m shocked by how commercial it seems, how American. The high streets with their identical shops, the in-your-face money culture. Here, they value local shops. And the French never tell you how much they earn.

Any insider Paris tips?

One part of the city that tends to be overlooked is the eastern arrondisement on the Right Bank. Canal St Martin has lots of nice cafes overlooking the canal – it’s the kind of neighbourhood where real Parisians hang out.

French Kissing, Penguin, £7.99