Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: July 14th is the National Holiday of France (Bastille Day). To celebrate, you would think that in the spirit of Liberté, égalité, fraternité all French people would celebrate this holiday in the same way… It is true that there will be fireworks set off …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: My favourite painter that sells in Provençal markets is undoubtedly Grigore Dontu. This handsome Moldovian is a little camera shy (the mysterious silent type); however, since I see him so often (as I wander the markets so often) we’ve come to know each other. …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Robin wanted to stick to the traditional non-baked cement tile. They add a lot of local character. Check out my Instagram for a couple photos of local cement time floors. These tiles are well known in Portugal, but have been used all over Europe. In …

Did you know that wild strawberries grow in Provence? I couldn’t believe it when Robin first pointed them out to me. In this climate, you’ll often find the plants taking refuge in the shade, but they can be quite abundant. Once you recognize the distinctive toothed foliage, you’ll be seeing. …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: I’m originally a fine art photographer. Black and white film is my weapon of choice. Café de la Place in Saint Remy de Provence will be holding a vernissage with some of my prints on Thursday, July 7th. If you’re in the area, don’t …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Velleron night market is one of the best producer’s markets in Southern France. It has been continually included within the 100 “marchés d’exception” in France by the Conseil National des Arts Culinaires. The market is open daily, except Sunday of course, in the hot …

The quality of the produce is impressive here in Provence. However, all produce is not created equal. The first year I was here, I grew many of my own vegetables. I later wondered why I went through all that trouble. There are some producer’s markets where farmers sell their pickings …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: We’ve recently painted our upstairs with chaux/lime wash. We wanted to apply a wall covering that respected the age of the building. It’s important that old walls breathe in order to reduce trapped moisture. We quite liked the texture of the traditional lime wash …

Just about every village in Provence has a weekly market. Some villages have markets that occur twice a week or even daily! Markets are absolutely my favourite part of living in Provence. We can easily spend a day wandering through the stalls and people watching as we sit at a …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Green Walnuts are traditionally picked on June 24th to make walnut wine June in Provence There are many events this month but the most common is the Fête de la Saint Eloi. Saint Eloi is the patron saint of metal workers, blacksmiths, cart drivers …