You’ve got Mail Who doesn’t like getting a beautiful package in the mail? Some gift boxes provide clues about their contents. There is the telltale cardboard shape of a book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. At Tiffany & Co, their packages in Tiffany Blue – Pantone 1837 (trademarked) tied …

Culinary Holiday in France Occasionally magic happens in the kitchen, but the odds are better if you have some training. In the case of Chef Francois de Mélogue and his wife Lisa, they have a collective 30+ years in the hospitality industry, and both enjoy entertaining – a winning combination. …

Joy of Cooking in Provence True confession, I am a committed foodie (although the grammar checker that doesn’t seem to like the word). Maybe that admission will get me off the hook for not being able to objectively delete thousands of photos of markets. Over the years we have taken …

Soaring in the Alpilles In the idyllic playground of the Alpilles, my husband (aka M. Avion) stumbled upon utopia for those who like (or wish to try) soaring. In the heart of the Bouches du Rhone, is a location where the confluence of meteorological elements and geology create near perfect …

Unlike the abundant shopping in the heart of Saint Remy de Provence, the village of Eygalieres has only a handful of boutiques. However, what this town lacks in retail opportunities it makes up for in the options for places to eat and drink. The following list of cafés and restaurants …

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, but it was Mayle’s descriptions of bumbling through a home renovation in the arrière-pays (translation: backcountry or hinterland) that shifted our view …

Le Musée de Savon de Marseille MuSaMa opened in mid-March (2018) near the Vieux Port. This museum-boutique-workshop dedicated to safeguarding the reputation of Savon de Marseille. The vision of the museum’s founders is to educate visitors about the vrai (real) Savon de Marseille, its eco-friendly ingredients, and artisanal production. This …

Josette’s Provence Published in September 2018, “La Petite Josette en Provence” is a beautifully illustrated children’s book based in Provence. The book is the result of a mother-daughter collaboration that took  3 and ½ years to complete. This children’s story is written primarily in English, but with plenty of French …

Everything on Solde My intention upon arrival in Antibes was to go for a pre-dinner stroll around the old streets and reacquaint myself with this pretty seaside city. However, the SOLDES signs and air-conditioned shops beckoned. Clothing shopping was not the plan. However, it was fascinating that the stores were …

Eygalières Alpilles Village Present Day Located on the northeastern edge of the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles, the hamlet of Eygalières has an official population of about 1,900 residents. However, in the summertime when second homeowners and short-stay visitors descend upon the village, the population swells well beyond the formal …