Nutmeg is writing this post on a rainy Sunday afternoon while Ginger is napping off the effects of a long Sunday lunch. It is a long tradition in France that stores are closed Sunday afternoon, allowing everyone the opportunity to have a leisurely lunch en famille. Today, many large grocery …

Across a country border and 800km from its glacial source in Valais, Switzerland the Rhône River gasps as it reaches the Mediterranean Sea. Like a wide yawn the Rhône’s two branches; the Grande Rhône and the Petit Rhône empty their cargo at the mouth of the river. This area of …

With the prospect of shorter days, cooler nights and relaxed meals with friends and family, Nutmeg enlisted Martine Bertin-Peterson to design a Provence Harvest Menu. This three-course meal is a celebration of the colours and flavours of autumn with pears, squash, lamb and a sweet finish. Accomplished only begins to …

Ginger and Nutmeg live near to the village church. When they first return to France it takes several days to get adjusted. Between the 8-hour time change and the village bells, there is no need to wear a watch. The clock tower bells chime every hour, day and night. Angelus …

A whale and two anchors feature on Sète’s official coat of arms, a tribute to local maritime history, and the fact that Mont St Clair makes the city looks like a humpback. Archaeologists have dated remains of human activity (discovered in 1973) to the late Bronze Ages II and III. …

A mixture of seawater, alkaline solution and fat Documented use as far back as 2800 BC in Ancient Babylon A carved “recipe” found on a stone slab from 2200 BC The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used it Cooked for 8 days in a cauldron, dried for 2 days in …

Charming, was what Nutmeg expected from the Tuesday market in Saint Quentin la Poterie; a village known for its collection of resident artisans (40+) and the annual European Ceramic Festival – Terralha. This town was the birthplace of Joseph Monier the inventor of reinforced concrete. As a tribute to the …

Nutmeg is reasonably certain she is not the first person to walk through the Glanum archaeological site, near St Remy de Provence, and consider that mankind is relatively insignificant in the passage of time. Ashes to ashes Dust to dust Rocks to rocks Glanum a Roman oppidum, protected by its fortified walls once …

American-born Wendy Jaeger admits that France is in her soul. The founder of Bliss Travels met with Nutmeg for coffee, in the Luberon, to chat about the company’s culinary and wine vacations. On the outside, it looks like Jaeger did a complete 180-degree turn to move from a career …Continue …

Nutmeg has long held a fascination for street art and its covert, daring, brash, temporary, loud, in-your-face style of self-expression. So far removed from stuffy galleries and permanent, curated collections. Nutmeg compiled an ABC list of street art terms in order to understand this open-air pursuit and top places for …