Patricia Sands is one of those people you cannot get enough of, she is warm, open and always ready for discovery. Bitten by the European travel bug at age 21, Sands spent a year backpacking and exploring local cultures, many miles away from her home in Toronto. Through life’s twists …

Cantilevered to a Luberon hillside are the striking remains of an ancient oppidum and its defensive dry-stone walls; Gordes can rightly boast about its ranking among les Plus Beaux Villages de France. However, at the height of Provence’s tourist season this town, with its single thoroughfare, becomes a ghastly traffic …

The funny thing about life and travel is that we are often more curious about a new environment than our status-quo location. According to Margo Lestz, “Life in a foreign country is never dull and each day is a new learning experience.” She launched her blog The Curious Rambler in 2012 …

Isabelle Jouhanneau makes her Un Jour à la Campagne jams the traditional way; in copper pots with fresh ingredients and no additives. Originally from the Alpes de Haute Provence, she is now settled in the Luberon close to Bonnieux. Jouhanneau spent some time in Morocco, where she ran a tea shop, and …

Martine Bertin-Peterson is intrepid; she had a window of 90 minutes of “downtime” between her back-to-back tour groups, yet she agreed to meet me for a glass of rosé. Beneath the walls of the immense Palais des Papes in Avignon, we chatted about her food and wine excursions in Provence. …

Italian by birth, Giuseppina Mabilia first visited Provence in 2004, and now she calls the Luberon village of Goult home. The years in between have allowed Giuseppina to establish herself as a private chef in the region, and more recently launch her cooking school Venise en Provence.  Although the geographic distance …

Summer holidays call for easy recipes and portable meals that work just as well at the beach as on a buffet table. This summer picnic menu is inspired by the endless sunny days and cicada-filled symphonies of Provence. Enjoy summer dining al fresco with these simple to make, easy to pack and delicious …

Inspired by the scenery to let out your inner artist the Ateliers Fourwinds Artist Retreat located just outside of Aureille it is a perfect venue for aspiring artists of all types. Or perhaps your inner artist could gain inspiration from American artist Jill Steenhuis who now paints Cezannes Provence. You can …

On July 14, 1789, an angry mob stormed the Bastille in Paris, a prison that housed only seven inmates. To incensed crowd, the medieval structure represented a landmark which symbolized all of their frustration with the reigning monarchy, a weak economic environment, high taxes and a lack of personal financial …

Minutes away from the Cote d’Azur shoreline, this tiny outcropping is a world away from the glitz and glamour of Saint-Tropez. Porquerolles is one of three islands that form the Îles d’Hyères Archipelago. Only a 10-minute ferry ride from terra firma this spit of land is only 7 km (4.3 miles) …