Michel and Shirley

Michel and Shirley, live in wine country, in Windsor, California. They have a full family with two beautiful daughters and five amazing grandchildren. Michel's day job is as CEO of Chancellor Health Care, a company which provides housing and services to older adults.

Previously a co-owner of a popular French bistro called Bistro des Copains located in Western Sonoma County California. The Bistro was closed in early 2015, after nine years!

In 2008, after searching for years and visiting many houses they bought a 17th century stone village house in the medieval village of Sablet which is in the Vaucluse region of Provence France.

Please read about the Sablet House (available for rent) and follow their blog Our House in Provence.

Traditional Niçoise Cabbage Rolls – Les Petits Choux Farcis

September 15, 2025

Nice’s climate, geographic location, and terroir are suitable for growing vegetables such as tomatoes, chard, cabbage, artichokes, lentils, beans and much more. This French Riviera city is graced with over 300 days of sunshine in a typical year. The ancient populations of Greeks and Romans living in the region roughly 3000 years ago constructed stone …

Explore · Guest Post · Villages Towns and Cities

5 Top Things to Do in Bandol, France

September 12, 2025

I recently returned from a family holiday in Bandol, France, an attractive coastal resort to the west of Toulon on the Côte d’Azur. It’s a popular holiday destination for French people, so if you’re a French-speaking Brit who prefers to be immersed in the language rather than surrounded by other Brits on holiday, this may …

Books on Provence · Guest Post · Inspire

“Bird Calls” an Excerpt from A Northern Light in Provence by Elizabeth Birkelund

September 8, 2025

Elizabeth Birkelund’s A Northern Light in Provence is a novel about a woman who leaves her house on stilts on the western coast of Greenland to translate the work of a renowned elderly Provençal poet. In this scene, the poet escorts his new young translator friend into his vineyard, land owned by his thirteenth-century forebears, …

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire · What's On Provence & Cote d'Azur

2025 Provence Fall Festivals and Events

September 5, 2025

Fall Events and Festivals in Provence As the temperatures drop in Provence during the autumn, restaurant menus move towards heartier dishes. Enjoy slow-roasted meat (lamb, wild boar, bull (taureaux), rabbit, fowl) with herbes de Provence and seasonal root vegetables. These recipes pair well with well-balanced red wine blends from the Rhône Valley. Fall Recipes Inspired …

Keith Van Sickle · Taste · Wines and Spirits of Provence

Taste the Passion for Pastis in St-Rémy from Distillerie des Alpilles

September 3, 2025

For years, Julien and Émilie Martinat ran the popular Chapeau de Paille restaurant in St-Rémy. It drew broad acclaim for its delicious Provençal dishes, such as le grand aïoli, and was named by The Wall Street Journal as one of the 10 unmissable restaurants in Provence. But after decades in the restaurant business, the couple …

French Decor & Gardens · Guest Post · Inspire

L’art de vivre méditerranéen : inspirations pour un intérieur à la provençale

September 1, 2025

This guest article by the team at Herman & Arnal was previously published in English. You can read it here. Il y a dans l’air du Sud quelque chose de différent. Une douceur qu’on sent dès qu’on ouvre les volets le matin, que la lumière filtre doucement à travers les branches d’un olivier. Ici, le …

Keith Van Sickle · Restaurant Recommendations · Taste

Aux Envies in St-Rémy a Restaurant with an All-star Team

August 29, 2025

There’s a new restaurant in town, and it’s a winner. Aux Envies opened in the spring and has hit the ground running. It is situated on a small square in the center of St-Rémy-de-Provence, and its outdoor terrace, shaded by trees, is an inviting place to dine on a warm summer evening. An Experienced Team …

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Le Clos du Buis Hotel in Bonnieux

Le Clos du Buis welcomes guests to a family-run 10 room hotel in the heart of Bonnieux in the Luberon Valley. Tasteful Provencal décor combined with modern comforts.

Luberon
Vaucluse
Boutique Hotels

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Apt: One Bedroom Rental Apartments

The apartments have lounge and dining areas with fully equipped modern kitchens. The bedrooms are bright and airy with modern bathrooms.

Luberon
Vaucluse
One Bedroom

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Studio Apartment Minutes from Aix-en-Provence

Surrounded by vineyards, the air-conditioned studio apartment has a bedroom, bathroom, a small kitchenette, and a sitting area.

Bouches du Rhone
One Bedroom

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Villefranche-sur-Mer Gem 1-bedroom holiday rental

Le Petit Bijou is a 1-bedroom apartment on Villefranche's waterfront. The apartment is fully outfitted, ideal for a Riviera holiday.

Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)
One Bedroom

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6-Bedroom Villa a Provencal Farmhouse Sleeps 12

Mas de Grivet is an elegant, well-equipped family home that sleeps 12 in six en-suite bedrooms. Whether you're spending the holiday with extended family or a gathering of friends, this gorgeous property is a wonderful place to enjoy your stay in Provence.

Alpes de Hautes Provence
Luberon
Six Bedrooms

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Provence Marketplace

Winter Recipes and Menu Collection

Featuring 20 recipes from the South of France for winter weather along with menu suggestions, all designed to make your cooking experience enjoyable. These multi-course menus are a celebration of Provence and its seasonal ingredients. We encourage you to try these dishes, create your own menus, and enjoy your culinary creations this winter.

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Home Diffuser Rosé Wine Fragrance

As the sun warms the temperatures in Provence, chilled rosé becomes a popular choice for the weather. Rose et Marius worked with an haute parfumerie in Grasse to craft a fragrance that captures the essence of this wine in a stylish glass diffuser.

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Natural Soap from Provence with Fig Fragrance

Rose et Marius soaps are made with 97% natural ingredients (palm oil-free) and exclusive fragrances. Formulated with poppy and olive oil from Provence, this soap has a perfume that will remind you of a fig tree in summer.

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Ceramic Baskets Made in France

Maison Pichon is an artisanal French ceramics manufacturer since 1802. Available in three (3) colours, these elegant oval-shaped, ceramic baskets are perfect for fruit, vegetables, or anything else. Handcrafted in Uzès by Maison Pichon these ceramic baskets with a braided design and tiny flowers are sold individually.

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Herbes de Provence in Pretty Canisters

These dried herbs are from Esprit de Provence. Grown in France, the selection includes Herbes de Provence, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Garlic, Salt with Piment d'Espelette, and Salad Herbs. Buy the collection and make some Provençal recipes.

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Naturally Beautiful Beeswax Candle

Some things start at the beginning and one example is Origine a gorgeous 100% beeswax candle that is shaped like a behive. Produced in the Apis Cera atelier in Provence this candle burns for approximately 100 hours. Beautiful designed this handcrafted candle is made with 100% pure beeswax and has a cotton wick.

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Photo: Provencal Windmill at Sunset

This panorama of Daudet's Windmill at sunset in the Alpilles will have you dreaming of the painter's light in Provence. Photo by François de Melogue, a talented chef and photographer. Available in a choice of sizes and different paper stock.

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Great Tote Bag in Cotton String

Bring on warm weather with these Cotton String Bags in three colours (white, tan, and black). Take this tote from My French Country Home box to the market, beach or an evening out. Buy one in each colour, as they are the perfect accessory for Spring and Summer seasons.

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Small Cotton Pouch

Perfect for makeup, organizing your purse or storing precious items. This sleek 100% cotton pouch from L'AUGUSTE Provence is convenient for carrying your essentials. Fits easily into one of our matching cotton tote bags or can be used on its own.

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Download Our Fall Menu Collection

Michel and Shirley

Traditional Niçoise Cabbage Rolls – Les Petits Choux Farcis

5 Top Things to Do in Bandol, France

“Bird Calls” an Excerpt from A Northern Light in Provence by Elizabeth Birkelund

2025 Provence Fall Festivals and Events

Taste the Passion for Pastis in St-Rémy from Distillerie des Alpilles

L’art de vivre méditerranéen : inspirations pour un intérieur à la provençale

Aux Envies in St-Rémy a Restaurant with an All-star Team

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