In 2003, Clément Demontis first arrived in Avignon; to attend l’Université d’Avignon. Clément followed his undergraduate studies (history and geography) with a Master’s degree in history, so he is well qualified to share the city’s historical facts. Avignon Authentic Stories, Clément’s tour company, launched in 2014 (first tours in 2015). …

It is too bad that some visitors shy away from France’s second biggest port, scared off by Marseille’s somewhat edgy reputation. In the past, they might have been right, but now it would be a crying shame to miss the museums and the shopping in Marseille. When you go this …

La Petite Maison in Cucuron offers a range of fun cooking classes finished off with a beautiful meal. Trust me you will not need to eat dinner afterwards. The classes are reasonable at 70Euros (2016 pricing). This rate includes about 2.5 hours of cooking time where you are expected to put on an …

Provence is filled with dining possibilities from picnics to Michelin-starred tables. The good news is it is hard to get a bad meal if you follow your nose and a few ground rules. Cafés offer table service for coffee and other beverages (think rosé and pastis) throughout the day. Cafés are typically open …

Depending on your perspective the tiny village of Aureille, on the southern slopes of the Alpilles, is either old-school Provence at its best or way too sleepy. If this part of Provence were America’s wild west, Aureille might be described as a “one horse town.” There are two main roads, …

Images from La Belle Èpoque (1871-1914) on the French Riviera generate the impression of a whimsical golden era brimming with pleasurable pursuits and indulgences. It was a time of pure fantasy; the stuff little girls might dream of — castles, palatial homes, ball gowns and glass slippers. For Madame Ephrussi, …

It has been almost a century since this boutique hotel first opened its doors on the shores of the Mediterranean. Germain Passedat purchased the Villa Corinthe in 1917 and chose the name “le Petit Nice” as a tribute to the villa’s stunning location on the azure shoreline. Even today, 100-years …

Provence’s pine forests, Mistral winds and the summer symphony of the cigales fuel Tracy Rawles’ creative writing. Rawles published her first book Charlie’s World of Glittering Powers, in November 2015. Charlie is a cigale, a cicada (or at least inspired by the cicadas), this is a description of the book’s central …

A summertime escape to the Cote d’Azur from the French Alps. Heavenly! One might be tempted to describe the combination of a villa near Bandol, in Provence, and a home in the French mountain resort of Val d’Isère as the “the best of both worlds.” In 2010, Su Stephens and …

Mathieu Schillinger hails from France’s Alsace region with its fabulous white wines. However, he tells me that it was only when he moved to England that he gained an appreciation for food and wine. An Epicurean paradox? In 2007, Mathieu and his wife returned to France to open a B&B …