Christmas Market in Fontvieille The last Sunday in November there has been for the past 6 years the Foire Gourmand au Gras. This annual market is not for the faint of heart. It’s here that many locals stock up on Christmas seasonal treats from the South West of France. The …

Hilda Stearn tries to visit Provence every November in time for the Christmas markets. Here, is the story from her 2014 visit: A bit of artistic license perhaps as our visit was in early December! However, it is something of a ritual that we visit the Christmas market in Avignon …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: La Fille Aixcentric is in town right now and asked for lunch ideas at places spacious enough for a pram.  In fact when I started thinking about it, I realised how tight most interiors are in the old town and even terraces can be crammed when …

Autumn is my favorite time of year in Uzes. The tourists have left, or at least the crowds are gone. The weather is cool. The colors of nature and the man-made village walls, homes and regal buildings are all the shades of red and yellow against the autumn sky. Most …

Jackie shares her version of a Provencal classic soupe au pistou. In this variation, there is a heavier dose of tomatoes to give you a summery reminder as winter closes in. According to Jackie, All this tomato growing and preserving couldn’t go by without attempting a few new recipe ideas …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Mana Espresso was opened 9 weeks ago by two enterprising young britanniques, Alex and Ben. From Newcastle and Chichester respectively, they met studying French in Paris and have travelled south to launch their café. They are friendly and Mana Espresso is delightful. Situated in rue …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: For the seventh year, cinemas in Nice are hosting a kids film festival on the dates of 14, 15, 18, 21 and 22 November. The programme includes old classics such as Pinocchio, Bambi and Sleeping Beauty as well as newer films such as Paddington, …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Have you heard of ‘Les Vaporistes Amateurs de Provence’? They are holding mini-steam train rides and showing other model trains on Sunday 15th November, 14:30-17:30 at the Musée Provençal des Transports Gare de la Barque – 13710 Fuveau. There will be similar events on the …

November marks the start of the black diamond season in Provence (and other parts of France). Proof that good looks are not everything the Tuber Melanosporum or black truffle looks a bit like a lump of coal that sells for 1-2000 Euros/kilogram. Intensely pungent the ‘diamond of the kitchen’ has …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Carrieres de Lumieres, venue of the amazing annual sound-and-light show at Les Baux de Provence, has announced that the subject for its 2016 show will be….Chagall! What an inspired choice. His colourful Russian villages, animals, young lovers, goats, violinists, nudes and peasants, are bound to …