Bouillabaisse is Marseille’s signature dish. However, a bit like the city that proclaims to be its birthplace, bouillabaisse is a riddle. Is it a stew or a soup? Is it a noble dish or peasant food? Was it created by the invading Greeks or by hungry fishermen? Is it even …

Susan Gish may not have a long history of reading works by Marcel Proust, but she shares his love for the classic French cookie-cake = madeleines. She wrote the following, “All I knew was that I am addicted to them. Not all madeleines, just those from Christophe Madeleines in Aix-en-Provence. …

According to Susan and Chef Sam Gish, who both love delicious food, there are many amazing places to eat in Aix-en-Provence. However, Susan selected five (5) of their favourites. Please note these are small restaurants and bistros, it is always best to reserve a table in advance. Eating in Aix-en-Provence …

Entre Midi et Deux What better name for a restaurant that was only open for lunch than Entre Midi et Deux? Located on dynamic Rue d’Italie in Aix-en-Provence, this restaurant has no problem filling their tables. Reservations are a must. Sometimes it’s a treat to go to lunch where there’s a …

Lunch at La Ferme Chapouton We have made several visits to the village of Grignan in the Drôme Provençale, an area that falls between the Rhône River and the Alps north of the Vaucluse. A few weeks ago with friends Steve and Mary, we decided to go to Grignan, to try …

With confinement measures now making way for a return to normality, many of us are relishing our newly reclaimed freedom to eat out and visit favourite restaurants once more. And as part of that freedom,  I, for one, am embracing the sheer joy and novelty of not having to cook …

Vaucluse Villages We go often to Vaison-la-Romaine, sometimes it seems almost every day. We go for Tuesday morning market, buy basic household supplies at “Brando Vaison Ménager”, pick up cheese at an amazing shop called “Lou Canesteou”, visit friends, or simply pass through on the way to Nyons and other destinations …

Cotignac in Provence’s Var Susana Iwase Hanson is the founder of Provence Living Cotignac, after living on several continents, she and her husband discovered Cotignac, a quiet village in the Var, a decade ago (read her interesting backstory). Cotignac’s residents enjoy the benefits of living in the Provencal countryside with the …

Provencal Bistro Classic We stumbled across the Bistrot du Paradou quite by hazard, on one of our drives around the Alpilles villages. It turns out that we were quite naive with regards to this restaurant’s gastronomic reputation and its loyal fan base. We now understand just how lucky we were …

Nice Food and Drink The French Riviera city of Nice did not lack options for entertainment, but now there is one more to add to your list, a visit to the Gare du Sud. This new marketplace, which opened in May 2019, is a stroll from Place Masséna. The transformed …