l’Auberge la Fenière Restaurant Dessert
Keith Van SickleRestaurant RecommendationsTaste

Auberge la Fenière Where Gastronomy Meets Gluten-Free

When is the last time you said to yourself, “I could really go for a gluten-free meal”? That would probably be…never.  Who wants bread with the consistency of a hockey puck?  Or pasta that needs a mountain of sauce to make it edible?  And as for cakes and pies – …

READ MORE  Auberge la Fenière Where Gastronomy Meets Gluten-Free
Guide Chateaux Alpilles Castles les Baux de Provence Guide Chateaux Alpilles
InspireKeith Van SickleProvencal History & Traditions

A Guide to the Chateaux of the Alpilles Hilltop Castles

Chateaux Guide the Alpilles Castles If you’ve spent time in the Alpilles, the small mountain range near St-Rémy-de-Provence, you’ve probably spotted a medieval chateau or two. Some are hard to miss, like the magnificent chateau and fortified city of Les Baux. Others are little more than piles of rubble. The …

READ MORE  A Guide to the Chateaux of the Alpilles Hilltop Castles
Mur de la Pest Plague Wall Provence Peste
InspireKeith Van SickleProvencal History & Traditions

The Plague Wall of Provence – Mur de la Peste

Provence’s Plague Wall When most people hear of “the Plague,” they shudder and think of the Black Death that killed nearly a third of Europe’s population in the 1300’s. But did you know that as late as 1720 an outbreak in Provence took the lives over 100,000 people? And that …

READ MORE  The Plague Wall of Provence – Mur de la Peste
Cassis France Provence
ExploreKeith Van SickleLocals Travel Tips

Calanques the Stunning Fjords of Provence

The Fjords of Provence Just east of Marseille lays the charming coastal town of Cassis, nestled at the bottom of steep, vineyard-covered hills that come almost to the sea. It’s so adorably cute that you might think you are walking into a postcard. There’s nothing better than a stroll through …

READ MORE  Calanques the Stunning Fjords of Provence
Carrières de Lumières Paris Van Gogh 1
InspireKeith Van SickleWhat's On Provence & Cote d'Azur

Carrières de Lumières now in Paris and Provence

Carrières de Lumières Art Shows One of the most popular visitor sites in Provence is the Carrières de Lumières (Quarries of Light). It draws over half a million visitors annually. Located in the massive and interconnected rooms of an abandoned quarry next to Les Baux-de-Provence, it’s a magical sound and …

READ MORE  Carrières de Lumières now in Paris and Provence
Mary Magdalene Provence Tintoretto public domain
InspireKeith Van SickleProvencal History & Traditions

Mary Magdalene in Provence Legend or Fact

Did Mary Magdalene Live in Provence? A crippled ship bobs helplessly on a storm-tossed sea and those on board face certain death…but then a miracle occurs. Guided by the hand of God, the ship arrives safely on the shores Provence. Out steps Mary Magdalene, ready to spread The Word throughout …

READ MORE  Mary Magdalene in Provence Legend or Fact
French Theatre Night 14 You can't make this up sketch
Expat Living and Real EstateKeith Van SickleLiving in Provence

French Theatre Night “You Couldn’t Make This Up”

The following is an excerpt from my second book Are We French Yet? Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence. My wife Val and I live part of the year in Provence. Our friends Xavier and Marie-France are kind of our cultural guides, making sure we have local experiences that foreigners …

READ MORE  French Theatre Night “You Couldn’t Make This Up”
French Doctor Visit Interrogation
Expat Living and Real EstateKeith Van SickleLiving in Provence

A French Doctor Visit “The Interrogation” Médical

The following is an excerpt from my second book Are We French Yet? Keith & Val’s Adventures in Provence. Bad Timing Three days before leaving on a long trip to France, I swerved to avoid a squirrel while riding my bike, which caused me to crash and break my wrist. …

READ MORE  A French Doctor Visit “The Interrogation” Médical
First Noël Patricia Sands
Books on ProvenceInspireKeith Van Sickle

Christmas in Provence New Book by Author Patricia Sands

Book Review: The First Noël Kat, Philippe and the gang from the “Love in Provence” three-book series are back, in a delightful new novella from Patricia Sands, The First Noël at the Villa des Violettes. Kat and Philippe are looking forward to their first Christmas together at the villa, and …

READ MORE  Christmas in Provence New Book by Author Patricia Sands
Learning French Provence
Expat Living and Real EstateKeith Van SickleLearning French

Learning French in Provence it’s Not a Race

Never Argue With Your French Teacher My wife Val and I live in California but I spend several months every year in St-Rémy-de-Provence. When we first started doing this some years ago, Val spoke basic French and I spoke next to none. So we each took classes in the US …

READ MORE  Learning French in Provence it’s Not a Race