The Drôme Provençale, despite the name and the Mediterranean landscapes, is technically part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and not Provence. As a result of its natural setting, the Drôme Provençale has several food specialties that intersect the culinary boundary between the South and North. Below we highlight the six (6) …

I have never lived in a village in France. I lived in a city (Paris), but I’ve always lived in the countryside in Provence. Never far from a town, but not actually in one. As we are working out a plan for a full-time life in Provence, I thought it …

We often visit Grignan in the Drome Provencale, an area that falls between the Rhone River and the Alps north of the Vaucluse. Since we were last there in the summer of 2019, Grignan was added to the Plus Beaux Villages de France. And, there is little wonder why. Rising …

It’s a toss-up between coquelicots (red poppies) and lavender, but probably no other scent or sight says Provence better than the pungent aroma of a purple field of lavender growing in mounded rows under a brilliant blue summer sky. We were lucky that it was the lavender season when we …

We have been to Grignan in the Drôme Provençale several times, an area that falls between the Rhône River and the Alps north of the Vaucluse. So when we were in Sablet last fall with friends Steve and Mary, we took a day trip to Grignan and ate lunch at …

Contributor blog post by David Taylor: We are accommodating more cyclists this year, Nigel and his wife Jenny are on their second visit, Nigel (pictured) is a very experienced road and mountain biker, and so I was a little nervous joining him and our friends Kevin & Siobhan, also very experienced …

Contributor blog post by David Taylor: I am continuing to train for a further ascent of Mont Ventoux in the coming weeks so my Tuesday ride took me over the hills past Javon and down to Sault. As ever the first glimpse of Ventoux with the lavender in full bloom …

Almost every year, we put together a list (or a few) of favourite restaurants in Provence. Since this is Provence, there is practically no end of terrific dining options in the region. Chefs in Provence build their menus around seasonal, locally available produce, small-batch cheeses, ethically raised meats and Mediterranean …

This recipe for Cremoso de Mote is my soft wheat berry risotto variation. It is a dish that we ate twice while visiting Easter Island in 2019. Soft wheat berries (trigo mote) are cooked risotto-style, then sautéed vegetables are added. I didn’t get an exact recipe from the chef, but …

Situated in the Bouches du Rhône, Aix-en-Provence may lack Marseille’s waterfront and beaches, but the beauty of Aix more than makes up for it. A day is hardly long enough to appreciate a city that began as a Roman settlement over 2,000 years ago. Spend some in Aix-en-Provence walking a …