Visit Provence Beaux Villages Provence Villages Les Plus Beaux Villages de France Logo
Barefoot BloggerExploreVillages Towns and Cities

A Visit to Provence and Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

There’s a new obsession running around in my head: “visit as many of France’s ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages‘ as I possibly can.”  So far, I’ve seen only 10 out of some 156 “authentic” Les Plus Beaux Villages. I have a lot of travelling to do. Les Plus Beaux Villages There …

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Crestet Vaucluse Village
Cheryl ShufflebothamExploreVillages Towns and Cities

Crestet a Vaucluse Village on the Route de Charm

Hilltop Crestet Crestet can be described as what I like to call Burgunesque, a word I made up for places that remind me of the rural charm of Burgundy that I first fell in love with. This village is not in Burgundy but in the gorgeous Provençal countryside with a …

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Wines of Provence Rhone Valley
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

Wines of Provence Understanding the Colours and Terminology

“The Allure of Provence and its Wines” was previously published in Culinaire Magazine (June 2016). This updated article includes additional reading, travel tips, and details on wine colour production and terminology. Mention Provence to a friend and they likely have a mental image that involves cobalt skies, cicadas and lavender …

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Luberon Dog Walk Abbaye de Senanque Gordes @Vauclusedreamer
ExploreJulie WhitmarshStay Fit

Luberon Dog Walk from the Abbaye de Senanque to Gordes

Having Millie, our Golden Retriever, with us in France this Winter has been lovely. Not only is it nice to have her company about the house, but it’s also meant that we have taken her on some delightful walks. Many are well-trodden routes that we have got to know well …

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Dessert Wines Provence Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Jill BarthWines and Spirits of Provence

Favourite Dessert Wines from Provence and Southern France

As I mentioned in my earlier post this week: I remember the first time I sipped a Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, a vin doux naturel (VDN, naturally sweet wine) from France’s Southern Rhône Valley. It was with Patrick Soard and his daughter Justine, of Domaine de Fenouillet, on their property – neighbours with …

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Côtes du Rhône Villages Food and Wine Pairing
Provence WineZineTasteWines and Spirits of Provence

A Surprising Côtes du Rhône Villages Food and Wine Pairing

Very rarely do you come across a Côtes du Rhône Villages so incredible that it might as well be a Gigondas wine. However, in this case, the red wine that we used in this wine pairing from Paul Jaboulet Aîné (2020) is a nice upgrade. It is big and bold, …

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Mont Ventoux Vines
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottRestaurant RecommendationsTaste

The Mont Ventoux Villages and Our Top Restaurant Picks

Chefs in Provence build their menus around seasonal, locally available produce, small-batch cheeses, ethically raised meats and Mediterranean seafood. However, as a visitor, knowing where to go for good value food is not always evident. So we asked the owners of Le Prieuré La Madelène for suggestions on places they …

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Mont Ventoux France en Velo Biking Provence
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottExploreVillages Towns and Cities

Near Mont Ventoux 4 Villages You Should Visit

Mont Ventoux soars from the Provencal orchards and vineyards to its stark limestone summit at 1909 metres (6,263 ft). In the winter, the top of Mont Ventoux can have snow, and then a tiny ski hill operates. The stark white limestone peak is visible all year from a fair distance …

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Tips Cycling Mont Ventoux
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottExploreVillages Towns and Cities

6 Wine Villages in the Rhône Valley Near Mont Ventoux

If you like French wine, there is a good chance that you have sampled some vintages from the Rhône Valley. Some vineyards in the southern Rhône are near the famous Mont Ventoux – Provence’s giant mountain. This article focuses on six (6) villages in the Côtes du Rhône wine region. …

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Roman Barge Arles Museum Antiquity
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottInspireProvencal History & Traditions

5 Places to Find Roman History in Provence

Visible traces of Roman history weave throughout Provence, which is one of many reasons to visit the region. Below we highlight five (5) top places for evidence of the Roman era. #1 Roman Aix-en-Provence The Romans understood the need for freshwater for a settlement to thrive and survive. So, Entremont, …

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