Provence Invites Creativity Driving through towards Moulin de Gréoux, a soft evening light brushed the limestone spires of the Alpilles. At the same time, the olive groves and vineyards near Les Baux de Provence and Maussane created a multi-hued quilt of green vegetation. I did wonder how one might capture …

This recipe comes from Chef Ben at Maison Mirabeau. He created the dish featuring pan-roasted hake in a warming stew of chickpea and chorizo. Hake is a white fish from the cod and haddock family, either of which would be fine substitutes. Here is how Chef Ben describes the fish, …

Puyméras is a small village on a hill a few km northeast of Vaison-la-Romaine at the northern tip of the Vaucluse near the border of the Department of the Drome. When you approach Puyméras coming from Vaison-la-Romaine, the village is visible on the hill surrounded by homes, vineyards and lavender …

If you are a fan of beets, you probably like them raw or cooked then this recipe is one to add to your list. This tasty dish combines roasted beets with fresh burrata and hazelnuts. Aspiring chef Ben James served this recipe for an Autumn weather feast along with eight …

Hosting can be really stressful, but it doesn’t need to be! This zesty scallop dish was part of a canapé party last Christmas. However, scallops with lemon and capers are a perfect choice for an appetizer at any time of the year. Chill a bottle of Provencal rosé and enjoy …

Delighted to say that my book Aix-en-Provence The Inside Story is being re-issued, brought up to date and now in colour throughout.  It‘s eight (8) years since it was first published, and I believe I am right in saying that it’s still the only book to cover the story of …

We wanted another fixer-upper and that’s certainly what we bought! As I wrote this article this tractor was wreaking muddy havoc in our yard. Buying a house is Provence is relatively straight forward. However, you do sometimes hear horror stories. Robin recently had a client that overpaid twice the worth …

As soon as we finished our drive around the lavender fields we started hunting for sunflowers, called tournesol in French. You may not be aware that despite the fact that you find postcards, photos and paintings of sunflowers all over Provence, they are actually native to the Americas. Sunflower seeds …

One of my favourite biking routes is the Véloroute du Calavon, in the Luberon Valley. It’s a pretty ride and very easy. Biking on a Voie Verte This route is a voie verte (or “greenway”), a paved route for bikers, walkers and rollerbladers. There is a network of them in …

In the northern hemisphere, fall weather is around the corner, but not in Sydney, Australia, where Jean-Marie Liere has since 1997. Born in Poitiers, France, Jean-Marie’s family moved several times, including a two-year stint in Mexico City. He runs small cooking classes in Sydney, focusing on French cuisine and plans …