By Cheryl Shufflebotham: Just a skip down the road from our rental in Ménerbes, we returned to la Bastide de Marie for the final evening of our yearly trip to Provence. And the meal won for best of the trip, though a couscous and garbanzo dish from an auberge in …

By Cheryl Shufflebotham: In keeping with our yearly tradition and being a supportive wife while my husband does the challenging cycle up Mont Ventoux, I needed to find a place to pass the time. Thus the Spa des Écuries at Hotel Crillon le Brave was my “sacrifice” for a few hours. …

By Cheryl Shufflebotham: At the top of the dreamy village of Ménerbes within a 17th-century mansion is la Maison de la Truffe et du Vin de Luberon. Year after year upon visiting this village, we would peer curiously through the iron gate of la Maison de la Truffe into the most …

By Cheryl Shufflebotham: Crestet can be described as what I like to call Burgunesque, a word I made up for places that remind me of the rural charm of Burgundy that I first fell in love with. This village is not in Burgundy but in the gorgeous Provençal countryside with …

By Cheryl Shfflebotham: Hungry during the afternoon when restaurants and grocery stores are closed in Provence? Then head up to Chez Auzet at the top of Ménerbes for the most delicious quiche for just five euros! If you want to splurge, you can spend seven euros and get a salad …

Contributor blog post by Cheryl: Suspended across from the mighty Mont Ventoux is a village that can only be described as jaw-droppingly stunning, as it is surrounded with breathtaking Alpine scenery and filled with rustic charm. Brantes has been on my list for years to visit, as it was described as …

Contributor blog post by Cheryl Shufflebotham: It’s lavender season in Provence! And what better way to enjoy it than to incorporate a visit to a lavender farm in the stunning fields around Sault, the capital of lavender. For quite some time, I have been enjoying the beautiful posts of charming villages, …

Contributor blog post by Cheryl Shufflebotham: Gordes—a stunning village indeed. Yet, there never seemed to be a memorable place to eat in the village—until now. Perched on a cliff, across from the village, lies a small boutique hotel called le Mas des Romarins. We just happened to discover it and …

Contributor blog post by Cheryl Shufflebotham: Placed in a commanding position with all her majestic glory is a village that shines like a jewel above all others. She wears her crown well as visitors flock to capture her image from the valley below. The best time to see Gordes is …

Contributor blog post by Cheryl Shufflebotham: Located on the gorgeous Cap Ferrat peninsula, overlooking the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, is an Italian-style villa built during France’s Belle Époque by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild. The mansion, with its nine exquisite gardens, was bequeathed in 1934 to the Académie des Beaux-Arts …