Winter in Provence unveils a serene, understated beauty. The villages quiet down—tourists have departed, fields lie fallow, and root vegetables are tucked away in cool, shadowy cellars. The land rests after autumn’s final harvest while the frost-kissed garrigue glimmers in the winter light. Tendrils of smoke curl from chimneys as …

Wow is the word for Notre Dame de la Menour, 800m high in the wild mountains inland from the Riviera coast. It began as a Romanesque chapel linked to the defensive walls—you can see the nearby ruins. The chapel was rebuilt in the 17th century and oriented correctly to the …

David joined Virginie and her family for a French immersion homestay in July. He wanted to incorporate some sporty challenges while learning French so Virginie suggested hiking to the summit of Mont Sainte Victoire. David wrote the following bilingual text as an exercise to test his written French. Find out …

Winter Festivals and Events in Provence So many images of the Provence and the Côte d’Azur are summer scenes with ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation, and beautiful people in straw hats enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less attention, but it’s …

Whether you are a keen skier, you probably recognize famous French ski resorts such as Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Chamonix, Méribel and Megève. It may surprise some people that besides lavender and rosé, Provence has several ski resorts readily accessible from major centres such as Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and Nice. So, if …

When most people think of the South of France, their minds jump to the glamour of Cannes or the charm of Nice. But if you’re looking for a place where history, art, and stunning landscapes come together, the artful village of Mougins is the spot you don’t want to miss. …

The Alpilles (miniature Alps) run from east to west for 30 kilometres, starting at the edge of the Durance River and the town of Orgon to the western edge near Fontvieille. Although the Alpilles are not high, with a maximum height of 498 metres, they are dramatic with jagged limestone …

For all our time spent in Provence, I’m embarrassed to admit that we had never been to les Gorges du Verdon. And it’s not far from Lourmarin, only about an hour and a half, in the hills of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. We’d heard it was worth a visit, but what …

One of the life experiences I cherish the most is spending time along the Côte d’Azur. However, I must confess that I’m geographically challenged, so the more I visited, the more confused I became about something relatively straightforward. “Which seaside towns are below which hilltop villages?” To settle the question, …

One of my French students, Mary Katherine, wanted to visit the French Riviera during her immersion homestay in Provence. It was January, a lovely month to see the Côte d’Azur. It is not beach weather, but it is generally sunny and, with the proper layers, comfortable for touring around. Plus, …