Books Set in Provence

Provence is a rich environment for writers. Peter Mayle sparked a trend for books about Provence, but reading fiction set locally is fun. Mary Lou Longworth has penned a series of crime novels based in and around Aix. Starting with Death at the Chateau Bremont.

Books Set in Provence

For many, Peter Mayle’s best-selling novel A Year in Provence was their introduction to the Provencal countryside. Images of the Côte d’Azur have long covered the pages of travel magazines. Still, it was Mayle’s descriptions of bumbling through a home renovation in the arrière-pays (translation: backcountry or hinterland) that shifted our view beyond the coastline. This book was published in 1989, so Mayle was far from the first to write about the region. However, the timing of his book and the humorous descriptions of expats living in Provence resulted in skyrocketing sales.

The following memoirs are inspired by those who have chosen the Provencal lifestyle. What is appealing about these books is that the authors have all visited more or less the same geography, yet each story is different. Some are humour-filled tales of expats trying to fit in, and others reflect the attraction of cultural differences.