If you’re in Provence, you will probably have already bought your little pack of seeds to plant today to mark the feast of Saint Barbara (Sainte-Barbe). Hopefully, with some warmth and sunshine, they will be ready for Christmas. The local saying is: Quand le blé va bien, tout va bien. …

A bit shocking to come back to Aix and find two burger bars about to open in town, one each end of the Cours Mirabeau! ‘J’aimerais qu’ils aillent ailleurs’, said Mayor Marysse Joissans, but they must have had a green light as ‘Five Guys’ opens in a few days. This …

This beautiful vineyard at Les Arcs-sur-Argens is a must-visit, not just for its natural beauty and acclaimed wines but also for the outstanding Chapelle Sainte-Rosaline in the grounds. It not only contains artistic gems (Giacometti and Chagall) but also the 680-year-old body of the saint herself, reposing in the nave …

Cézanne finds himself marooned between the Foire aux Santons and woolly jumpers at the textile market. It seems strange having the Aix-en-Provence Christmas markets starting up against such a bright blue sky and warm sun, but there we are – the chalets are built and the children’s rides are already …

This is a huge celebration of the linkages between Pablo Picasso and the Mediterranean region, with exhibitions already organized in Naples, Rabat, Malaga, Perpignan, and Venice and many more in the pipeline. Here in Provence, these are the forthcoming exhibitions in the programme: Picasso et Maitres Espagnol Carrieres de Lumieres …

As the current annual son-et-lumiere show at the Carrieres de Lumieres in Les Baux de Provence draws to a close, (Bosch, Breughel, Arcimboldo ends Jan 7th, it’s always interesting to see what is next on the agenda. And the theme for 2018 is…Picasso et les Maitres Espagnols.

The number of local farmers producing saffron in Provence is increasing – it used to be widely grown in the south of France, but phylloxera wiped it out early in the last century – so it is good to see that it is being produced once more. Harvesting is an …

The Tour de France 2018 race will take place 7 – 29th July and the route has just been announced: not very good for Provence this time round but I suppose we have been spoiled in the past; and there will be a F1 Grand Prix at the Paul Ricard …

The 18th Phot’Aix is about to begin, both with a major exhibition and a trail which leads people around town from venue to venue. The major exhibition this year, Regards Croisés, features 5 contemporary Chinese and 5 French photographers working on similar themes: at the Cloitre des Precheurs. Regards Croisés …

A Table magazine from ‘La Provence’ is a mine of information for those cooking and dining locally. This issue (Septembre-Octobre) spotlights bouillabaisse and prints recipes from renowned chefs. I always like the section where they review new restaurants – there are 16 featured, among them: La Famille in Uzes, Chic …