Lunch today at Le Cercle du Progres in Saint-Martin-des-Pallieres in the Var, a restaurant that is also the village bar, the grocery shop, the fruit-and-veg outlet, the bread provider, the post office and the purveyor of Var Matin. What a great idea.

Slowly, the shopping and eating area tucked underneath the imposing cathedrale de la Major is coming to  life.  There are 8 stores open so far, including a very large Habitat (1500m2) and a Fragonard more of which later.

This is the first time I’ve been aware of a David Hockney exhibition in the south of France: he is phenomenally popular in the UK where works when not in LA. This show will draw on work created in Yorkshire where he spent time recording the passing of the seasons …

Context Travel, already operating across Europe, Asia and the Americas, have just added Provence to their list of city-tours. Their difference is that their guides are scholars or specialists: architects, art historians, environmentalists, classicists for instance, thus bringing an academic perspective to the tour.

There are some interesting exhibitions are listed for the coming months – and indeed the next few years. The current show ‘Migrations Divines’ is on until November 16th. It focuses on 3 centres of civilisation around the Mediterranean – Egypt, Greece and Rome – and looks at the gods worshiped …

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott of Edible Heritage has created a self-guided walking tour of Aix that takes you to all the best places in town. It brings to life the monuments, fountains, buildings of centre ville along with stories of the lives of famous local figures. But it’s more than just a …

This is a special period for people in Provence.  The sun is still shining but the tourists have gone back home and the kids are back at school.  Time to quickly make the most of the countryside before the weather turns cold and winter sets in. We’re on borrowed time!

This event, being held this year on Saturday, 17th October, gets booked up early, so don’t delay! 2015 sees the 10th anniversary of the awarding of AOP to this attractive area which you will explore as you drive from cave to vineyard following clues – you do need a fluent …

Since 1969, Arles has established itself as a European focus for the art of photography. The vast Recontres d’Arles festival sprawls across town with 60 different exhibitions in museums, chapels, halls, showing the work of masters of the art – and new practitioners.

This restaurant is 2 miles outside Jouques and feels quite remote, lost in Provencal trees and garrigue. But the interesting thing is that when we went for Sunday lunch, it was packed. I have since learned that it has a very enthusiastic local following.