Admittedly, we had never heard of Charleval or the significant neo-Gothic style castle on the edge of this agricultural village. Before the Château Charleval Provence Art Gallery, there had never been a reason to visit the town. Now, the former hunting lodge is a setting for “Amour Art Amitié” (Love, …

Festivals and Fall Events in Provence Fall in Provence directs you towards a heartier menu. Enjoy meat (lamb, wild boar, taureaux, rabbit, fowl) roasted with herbes de Provence, root vegetables and delicious red wine blends. At this time of year, the hiking is fabulous, biking is possible, and golfers might …

Perched on hilltops throughout the region, the castles of Provence are intriguing. These seemingly impenetrable fortresses have stone foundations and ramparts for defensive purposes. Reflective of turbulent periods in French history, many of the châteaux in southern France were built on summits maximising the ability to anticipate enemy approach. Today, …

In most people’s minds, lavender, rosé wine, and Provence are inseparable. As a result, the flowering lavender fields are a magnetic attraction for locals and visitors alike from mid-June until the middle of August. Farming Lavender The Romans first introduced the lavender plant to the South of France as they …

At first blush, many visitors may not realize that the Alpes-Maritimes department expands from the beaches of the French Riviera to the ski resorts of the southern Alps to the Italian border. Surrounded by the Var and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Alpes-Maritimes has densely populated urban areas, famous Côte d’Azur cities, …

Meringues are not hard to make but require patience and a low baking temperature. The recipe below for Lavender Meringues comes from the Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm in British Columbia, Canada. The Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm is a family-run operation requiring an entire team for planting, harvesting, drying, distilling, …

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is nature’s patchwork quilt featuring mountains, gorges, rolling valleys, lavender fields and pockets of remote villages and busy towns. The Durance River plays an essential role in this department that features high mountain peaks of the Alps and the lower alpine foothills with remote villages. While there are other …

If you are a fan of desserts with citrus, this lavender lemon cake is calling your name. This recipe from our friends at the Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm is easy to assemble and ready in about an hour. Serve the cake with a dollop of whipped cream as shown …

It isn’t easy (for me) to walk by a market vendor in Provence that carries table linens without at least a quick stop. The array of bright colours and attractive patterns are like a magnet drawing me in close – even though I should know better! Unfortunately, these products (table …

Some people, like my husband, crave ice cream all year. But, for others, summer is when the desire hits. This warm-weather recipe for lavender ice cream is fun and easy, making it a great activity to do with kids. And if lavender isn’t your flavour of choice, try substituting spearmint, …