Making Croissants at home
BreadsJulie WhitmarshProvencal RecipesTaste

Attempting to Make Croissants at Home

Reflecting on 2020, the tail end of the year, rather like the beginning and if I’m perfectly honest, the middle bits too, have been a tad chaotic. All the plans we thought we may have made, have had to be ripped up again and again. At least when I was …

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Provence Right for Picnics
Julie WhitmarshProvencal RecipesTaste

Provence is the Right Place for Picnics

Our time in Provence passes far too easily. The days slip by in a gentle pattern of dog-walking, cycling, pottering around local villages and just sitting, chatting, whilst we set the world to rights. I know we should be doing lots of other things too, like making the most of …

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Resistance Movement in Provence
InspireJulie WhitmarshProvencal History & Traditions

Remembering the Resistance Movement in Provence

In the centre of the pretty village of Saint Saturnin les Apt is a peaceful square (home to the vibrant Tuesday morning market), and to one side is a small garden area that sits in front of a stark stone wall, which is a memorial to the dramatic and devastating …

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InspireJulie Whitmarsh

Provence in Lavender Season Purple Fields Forever

I love our little corner of Provence, all year round, but there is something incredibly special about the time of year, when the area turns purple, with the Lavender fields exploding with colour, filling the air with scent as the flowers gently brush against each other in the breeze. The …

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Tour de France Provence
ExploreJulie WhitmarshStay Fit

Watching the Tour de France in Provence

We are so lucky, living where we do, as the roads around us are often used for professional cycle races, including the Tour de France. Since buying the house here, it has passed close by twice, and we have taken every opportunity to watch the professional riders race along some …

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Riding Mont Ventoux
ExploreJulie WhitmarshStay Fit

Riding Mont Ventoux Wasn’t My Plan

Sitting in the north of the Vaucluse, on the border with the Drome, Mont Ventoux dominates the skyline. This mountain, with its white-scree summit, is an iconic landmark and its profile is instantly recognizable from afar, even as far away as the Camargue. Mont Ventoux can be seen from many …

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ExploreJulie WhitmarshVillages Towns and Cities

Exploring Provence the Luberon Villages and Beyond

I thought it was time to revisit something I did soon after starting this blog to do an A-Z of the Luberon and Vaucluse. I started it all those years ago, before we had bought the house, and with much less knowledge than we have now. Also, I never actually …

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Colorado Provencal Luberon Walk
ExploreJulie WhitmarshStay Fit

The Colorado Provencal a Beautiful Luberon Walk

I woke up this morning with a plan, and it seemed a good one too. After a week of doing lots of long walks with the dog, I had decided that we could both do with a slower day, so I planned an early drive to the market at L’Isle …

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Great Hiking Luberon
ExploreJulie WhitmarshStay Fit

There is Great Hiking in the Luberon

This last week, I have been out every day, walking with Millie. Not just a little amble along the lane or up the trails at the back of the house, but good, long walks, exploring some favourite tracks and finding some new ones too. Although the physiotherapist has said that …

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Gordes Hiking Walking Luberon Roussillon
ExploreJulie WhitmarshStay Fit

Walking in the Luberon Roussillon for Coffee

Although we always like to think that every day in Provence is warm and sunny, that isn’t the case. Winter in Provence can mean sunshine & blue skies one day, then heavy snow the next. See the photo of Simiane-La-Rotonde in the snow below. When I threw open the shutters …

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