I am often asked about my “favourite” wine. This is an impossible question and one that I can’t answer. The fact is, I taste so many delicious wines that choosing a favourite seems silly, particularly when things change from vintage to vintage. But I have a category recommendation that I …

A Precocious Talent “As a young boy in Brittany,” says Joël Durand, “I had three dreams—to be a chef, a pastry-maker, or a race car driver.” A smile crosses his face. “My parents made it clear that driving race cars was not in the cards, so I started cooking when …

In France, the school calendar follows a rhythm of intense periods of study followed by well-deserved breaks. As a result, the vacances scolaire (school holidays) occur on roughly the same dates year-to-year, which allows families to plan their holidays well in advance. There are three school zones (A, B and …

It’s incredible how the energy in someone’s words radiates positivity. Reading Tessa Baker’s newsletter about her 2022 painting holidays in Provence, Antigua and the Cinque Terre, I felt like life is finally returning to “normal.”  We connected via Zoom to talk about her new creative projects, including an online course …

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to do a pop-up event with my jewellery in the cellar of our friends’ newly restored townhouse and apartments in the centre of Apt Cent Cinq. I say cellar, but this was the most beautiful, vaulted stone room, set below the …

Cinema has been a huge part of French culture for some time, from classic movies set in Provence to celebrating undiscovered films at the Festival de Cannes. You can visit beautiful cinemas to enjoy locally-run showings of historical programming while you visit parts of France, or enjoy French influences in …

Jewel of the Alpilles Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (often written as St Rémy) is perhaps the ideal-sized town in the Alpilles. Plenty of tempting boutiques, chic hotels, a charming pedestrian-friendly centre and many restaurants exist. The largest city in the Alpilles, St Rémy, has roughly 9,800 people. Popular all year, St Rémy can …

This fougasse recipe comes from the old fortified city of Aigues-Mortes in the Gard, a beautiful Southern France area. Often reserved for the holidays, enjoy this sweet, chewy bread all year-round.  Serve fougasse with other pastries or enjoy it on its own for a satisfying treat! Book a cooking class, …

When it comes to classic cocktails, a Gimlet has been popular since at least 1928, when the word was first used to describe this libation. Short on ingredients gin, lime juice and sugar, this cocktail packs a punch. The Gimlet is also classified as a gin sour which we’ve given …

The other day I got a text from my friend, Jill, that our local store had gooseberries, and did I want any? What a silly question! Of course, I wanted some gooseberries. Within seconds I was dreaming of the gooseberry-almond cake from my days in Heidelberg, Germany. When Jill arrived …