Not to dwell on the realities of 2020, but we had to get creative about seeing friends, if only virtually. For an international Zoom dinner, one of the guests made a wish for chicken breasts stuffed with herbed goat cheese and vegetable Napoleons on the side. That was a wish …

If you are a fan of wines from Provence or the Southern Rhône Valley, you are already intimate with Grenache Noir. You probably don’t sidle up to the bar and order a “Grenache Noir” like you would a glass of Pinot or Cab, but I assure you that, in Provence …

Provence takes a long time to wake up in the morning. Especially on market days in Aix-en-Provence. It may be cold, grey, and dark when the market vendors arrive, but eventually, the market starts to buzz when the sun rises. Vendors begin arriving at 5:30 am for set up. I …

Only 35 minutes from the Nice Airport at 550m above sea level, the peaceful village of Châteauneuf-Villevieille is a clear contrast to the dynamic French city. Set against the flank of Mont Férion in the préalpes, Châteauneuf-Villevieille is an excellent base for an active holiday near the French Riviera. The …

The United Nations established International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) on December 29, 1993. The date was later changed to May 22nd so that end-of-year celebrations do not impact the participating countries. There is a theme associated with the date each year, such as “Our solutions are in nature” in …

The mighty Rhône River —the “King of Rivers”—follows an unusual path. It begins high in the Swiss Alps, sourced by the Rhône Glacier, then gathers more water as it makes its way through Switzerland’s canton of Valais. Finally, it gushes into Lake Geneva. Most rivers would end there, but not …

Virginie Van Der Wees lives with her young family near the Mont Sainte Victoire, a short 20-minute drive from Aix-en-Provence. She is a masseuse and a certified French teacher for non-French speakers. Since 2018, Virginie puts together full immersion experiences that include hosting and supporting language learners in her family’s …

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 …

French cuisine is known for its delicate pastries and desserts. However, light, flaky pastry also complements a savoury tart perfectly! This recipe is similar to a classic French quiche. Serve this tart warm or at room temperature. Make Rose’s leek tart for lunch and serve with a green salad, or …

May is a critical month in the lifecycle of the vines on Domaine Mirabeau. In April, the buds break and begin to swell to show the first leaves and future branches. Then follows the critical process of ‘ebourgeonnage’ or debudding; the viticulturalist and their team select the branches that will …