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.

Fall Entertaining Made Beautiful: A Provence-Inspired Menu for Friends

September 19, 2025

As autumn arrives in Provence, the temperatures change, as does the produce in the market. Traci Parent agreed to curate our Fall Menu for 2025. Her delicious choices bring together a delicious 3-course meal to share with friends and family. Below, you will find Traci’s vivid descriptions of the season in Provence, along with her …

Beef · Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Main Course · Pork · Provencal Recipes · Taste

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 …

Newer Posts 1 2 3 … 9 10 Older Posts

1-Bedroom Holiday Cottage

Located in the peaceful south Luberon, this well-appointed gîte offers a real escape to the peaceful Provencal countryside with all the necessary modern comforts.

Luberon
Vaucluse
One Bedroom

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Holiday Cottages Near Toulon

Near Toulon and its Mediterranean beaches, Villa Bernice has 3 cottages available for holiday rentals. There is an apartment with two bedrooms suitable for 4 people and two studios for 2 persons.

Var
One Bedroom
Two Bedrooms

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Eygalières Hotel: Domaine La Pierre Blanche

The moment you drive through the front gate, you enter the embrace of this exclusive 15-room boutique hotel located minutes from Eygalières.

Alpilles
Boutique Hotels

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Les Vallons Holiday Home - Sleeps 12

If you are looking for a perfect holiday rental property, with a heated pool, Les Vallons sleeps 12 people in a fully restored hamlet.

Luberon
Vaucluse
Six Bedrooms

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Luberon B&B Absoluut Valvert

Exclusive and charming, this 5 room B&B is surrounded by nature yet is only a stone's throw from historical Bonnieux.

Luberon
Vaucluse
Bed and Breakfast

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Provence Marketplace

Scented Mini Candle Box Sets

Rose et Marius offers box sets with three (3) mini candles. These candle collections include signature fragrances such as "siesta in a sunlit home" and "early morning in the orange grove." These mini candles burn for approximately 25 hours in pretty glass containers.

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Rectangular Tablecloth with Provencal Motif

Southern France's nature unites with olive branches and lavender set on a yellow background from Remember Provence. A rectangular pattern this tablecloth is 100% cotton, and a has a light acrylic coating for easy cleaning. Also available in white.

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Travel Journal – Côte d’Azur

A beautiful journal for your adventures on the Côte d’Azur. This travel journal from My French Country Home features watercolour prints on the cover and throughout its 128 pages. Size: 14.5 x 20.5 cm, made with recycled paper.

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Lavender Field Room Mist

Okanagan Lavender Field Room Mist is naturally scented with pure lavender essential oil and hydrosol, no synthetics or artificial fragrance. Spray in a room or directly on your bed linens, then lay back, close your eyes and breathe in the calming aroma of a beautiful field of lavender. (Shipping in Canada only).

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Flat Spatula Made of Olive Wood

Made out of beautiful olive wood, this 30 cm flat spatula is a terrific gift for anyone who likes cooking. Easy maintenance, wash in soap and water and dry immediately. Not suitable for dishwashers. Sold individually by My French Country Home Box.

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Shower Gel Figs in Summer Fragrance

Made with olive oil from Provence and exclusive fragrances from the perfume capital of France, Grasse. These Rose et Marius liquid soaps are paraben-free and refillable. Try this soap the next time your shower with a scent that will remind you of a fig tree in summer. Found in beautiful 5* hotels and top-quality restaurants.

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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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Provencal Table Linens Blue Sunflower Design

Provence's sunflower for your home with this beautiful collection in a blue background. Placemats are shown in the image. Choose the entire collection of decorative linens. Made with 100% cotton these products from Remember Provence are durable and easy to clean.

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Gorgeous Woven Basket Bag in 3 Colours

My French Country Home has sourced a practical woven Andale Basket Bag featuring leather shoulder straps. It is available in sky blue, mandarin, and yellow. This bag is the perfect size for running errands and includes an interior pocket for organization.

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Download Our Fall Menu Collection

Michel and Shirley

Fall Entertaining Made Beautiful: A Provence-Inspired Menu for Friends

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

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