Download Our Fall Menu Collection

Featuring 25 recipes from the South of France for cooler fall weather, along with menu suggestions, all designed to make your cooking experience enjoyable. Download this PDF, which includes recipes for starters, main courses, side dishes, and desserts.

 Keith Van Sickle

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Keith and Val Van Sickle made their first trip to Provence decades ago, and it was love at first sight. After that, they came back every year until 2008, when they began a part-time life there, splitting their time between Provence and California.

Over the years, they’ve travelled all over Provence, seeing sights both well-known and obscure. Their French friends have introduced them to favourite restaurants and wineries and picnic spots and taught them funny local expressions (not all for polite company).

Keith now shares this local knowledge in his new book, An Insider’s Guide to Provence. Packed with the Van Sickles’ favourite things to see and do, it’s a must-have for anyone travelling to this glorious corner of France.

Keith previously published two books about the couple's experiences in Provence. One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence, and Are We French Yet?, both are available from Amazon.

You can see all of Keith’s blog posts at Life in Provence.

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Provencal Recipes · Side Dish · Taste

Mashed Potatoes with Black Truffle – Purée à la truffe noire

November 28, 2025
In Provençal cuisine, few ingredients carry as much prestige and allure as the black truffle. Revered for its earthy depth and intoxicating aroma, this culinary treasure transforms basic dishes into extraordinary experiences. In this recipe, mashed potatoes with black truffles are enhanced with crème fraîche and salted butter. This is a sensational side dish with …
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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire · What's On Provence & Cote d'Azur · Winter in Provence

2026 Winter in Provence Events and Festivals Calendar

November 26, 2025
 Winter Festivals and Events in Provence Many images of Provence and the Côte d’Azur depict summer scenes with ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation, and beautiful people in straw hats enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less attention, but it’s a great time to enjoy the region …
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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire · Shopping & Gifts

2025 Provence-inspired Holiday Shopping Guide: Products We Love

November 25, 2025
As December approaches, the countdown to holiday shopping begins. In our 2025 Holiday Shopping Guide and Our Provençal Marketplace, we have gathered some of our favourite creators from Provence and beyond. Please continue reading to explore our curated collection of authentic Provençal gifts that will bring warmth and fragrance to your holiday season. These Provence-inspired …
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Artists Inspired by Provence · Inspire · Kathryn MacDonell

Paul Cezanne The Father of Modern Art Lives On in Provence

November 24, 2025
There is something humbling about standing where an artist once stood and inhabiting the space where his art was visualized and born. This was my experience discovering Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence, where he lived, found inspiration, painted, and died. He saw and captured the bright Mediterranean colours and the saturated sunlight. I followed his gaze. Aix …
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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Markets in Provence and Cote d'Azur · Taste

Black Truffle Season in Provence: Top Markets and More for Food Lovers

November 20, 2025
Did you know that Provence is a significant global producer of black truffles? Specifically, the Vaucluse department, which has some 500 producers. When we include the Drôme Provencal, 80% of France’s black truffles come from this geographic area. While China remains the world’s largest producer of truffles, chefs and food connoisseurs prefer French black truffles …
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