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.

Vincent Van Gogh in St-Rémy-de-Provence

May 30, 2025

St-Rémy’s most famous former resident is undoubtedly Vincent van Gogh, who spent a year there as a mental patient after cutting off his ear in Arles. While in St-Rémy, he painted several masterpieces, including Irises and The Starry Night. The place where Van Gogh was interned, Saint-Paul de Mausole, has recently been refurbished. So, you …

Artists Inspired by Provence · Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire

L’Espace Entre Deux: An Unmissable Art Exhibition in Eygalières, Provence

May 28, 2025

From June 7 to 22, 2025, in the Alpilles village of Eygalières, the 12th-century Église St Laurent comes alive, hosting ‘L’Espace Entre Deux.’ This exhibition, ‘The Space in Between’, showcases the creativity of 20 acclaimed UK artists, captivating art lovers with a stunning array of portraiture and figurative works. Collaborative Art Curated by Nicky Ginsberg …

David Scott Allen · Main Course · Poultry · Provencal Recipes · Taste

My Chicken Ispahan Recipe – Inspired by Pierre Hermé’s French Pastry

May 26, 2025

It may seem strange, but I am not a café au lait fan. However, a hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) in Paris with a beautiful pastry called an Ispahan – now that is a magical French experience. Pierre Hermé created the dessert for Ladurée, the finest purveyor of macarons in Paris (in my humble opinion). It …

Keith Van Sickle · Restaurant Recommendations · Taste

Maussane-les-Alpilles: A Friendly Hotel-Restaurant with Excellent Food

May 23, 2025

“We love our clients and treat them like honoured guests.” These are the words of Marielle Fabregoul of l’Oustaloun, a charming hotel-restaurant in Maussane-les-Alpilles. She and her husband Thierry share a passion for customer service, which shows. A Local Institution L’Oustaloun has long been an institution in Maussane. It began as an abbey in the …

Artists Inspired by Provence · Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Inspire

Visit Forcalquier and Stop at this Artists’ Atelier-Boutique

May 21, 2025

Sylvie Hooghe and Cécile Vitrant are jewellery creators based in Forcalquier, a town in the Department of Alpes-De-Haute-Provence. Forcalquier offers many reasons to visit, including an impressive citadel and a pedestrian-friendly old centre, but the main reason is the concentration of artists’ workshops and boutiques. Plan to visit Forcalquier and stop by the newest artists’ …

David Scott Allen · Provencal Recipes · Soup · Taste

Authentic French Cream Potato Soup For Your Next Dinner Party

May 19, 2025

Potage Parmentier is an easy French cream potato soup that makes a delicious first course. The ingredients are only a few: potatoes, leeks, salt, water, and a little cream. Considering the ingredients, this is most likely a peasant soup, but these days, it is served in some very nice restaurants as a lovely entrée (first …

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott · Dessert · Pies & Tarts · Provencal Recipes · Taste

Tarte aux Citron a Lemon Recipe from the French Riviera

May 16, 2025

It is possible that lemon tarts were created to tempt the resolve of non-dessert eaters. The irresistible recipe below combines tart citrus and sweet lemony cream. While bakers worldwide craft fabulous lemon tarts, we wanted to showcase this tarte aux citron from Nice. This dessert is la Tarta al Limoun in Niçoise and has three …

Newer Posts 1 2 3 4 … 9 10 Older Posts

Seaside Villefranche 1-Bedroom Apartment

Sur le Toit is a charming, remodelled 1-bedroom vacation rental in Old Town Villefranche-sur-Mer with gorgeous views.

Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)
One Bedroom

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Seaside 2-Bedroom Apartment in Villefranche

A sunny waterfront apartment with panoramic views, Plage Privée, is on the top floor of a 1950s art deco building by the beach.

Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)
Two Bedrooms

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Rustrel: Luberon Village House Sleeps Six (6)

Au Coin des Amis is a village home with 3 luxurious bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. and breathtaking views of the Luberon Valley.

Luberon
Vaucluse
Three Bedrooms

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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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Provence Marketplace

French Porcelain Dessert Plates

Founded in 1948, La Maison Degrenne is focused on "art de la table," these delicate porcelain dessert plates are a perfect example. Sold as a set of 4 plates by My French Country Home Box, they represent the seasons; cherries for spring, sweet peach for summer, a ripe fig for autumn, and a vibrant lemon for winter.

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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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Stylish Cooler Bag from Provence

Le Rob'Fresh is a lightweight cooler bag for bottles, lunch or even a picnic. The cooler bag weighs 300g (10 oz) and can hold 2.8 kg (6 lbs). Available in a collection of designs. The fabric is OEKO-TEX® certified, and the bags have an environmentally-friendly kraft gel pack. Le Rob'Fresh medium version is L 37 cm (14.5 in) x H 25cm (10 in) x W 10 cm (4 in). The bags are machine-washable (in cold). Price is 35€ + shipping.

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Ceramic Baskets by Maison Pichon

Maison Pichon is known for its distinctive corbeilles tressées, intricately braided ceramic baskets made nowhere else. These delicate creations are meant to serve as fruit bowls but can also be dressed with dried flowers to make a centrepiece. Made by hand, each basket can take up to a month to complete.

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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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Table Runner Floral Design

Art de la Table is an art form. So instead of a tablecloth, use a pretty table runner in a bright blue floral design as your centrepiece. Available in 2 colours and 2 sizes, the traditional cotton print runner is quilted.

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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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Lavender Field Sachet from Provence

Filled with organic lavender from France this version of L'AUGUSTE Provence sachets features a flowering lavender field. These sachets make great gifts as decorative objects with a lovely fragrance.

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Fig-scented Home Fragrance Diffuser

A beautiful glass diffuser perfumes your home with the heady Provencal scent of ripe figs in the summertime - like a siesta in the sun. This fragrance is created exclusively for Rose et Marius in France's perfume capital Grasse.

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Download Our Summer Menu Collection

Michel and Shirley

Vincent Van Gogh in St-Rémy-de-Provence

L’Espace Entre Deux: An Unmissable Art Exhibition in Eygalières, Provence

My Chicken Ispahan Recipe – Inspired by Pierre Hermé’s French Pastry

Maussane-les-Alpilles: A Friendly Hotel-Restaurant with Excellent Food

Visit Forcalquier and Stop at this Artists’ Atelier-Boutique

Authentic French Cream Potato Soup For Your Next Dinner Party

Tarte aux Citron a Lemon Recipe from the French Riviera

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