May I brag for a moment? Just look at how beautiful these landscapes are, even at this time of year. Most of these pictures were taken with my phone, as many were impromptu pit spots on the side of the road. I’ve noticed a sudden change this weekend with more …

Visitors to Marseille will soon be able to whisk from the Vieux Port up to Notre Dame de la Garde by cable car in just six minutes. The contract has been won by Systra, part of SNCF, who will start work in October. It’s expected that 2 million people a …

If you’re around in summer, enjoy this top travel tip that has something for everyone – from paddling about in Europe’s deepest canyon to enjoying a picturesque lunch and then finishing off in the fields of lavender. We recommend an early departure for the beaches near Aiguine, take the D957 …

Having just returned to Aix after some weeks away, my second shock (after seeing the excavations in front of the Palais de Justice being filled in – inevitable I know) was to see the gaps in the Cours Mirabeau where plane trees had been. I had read about the ‘chancre …

In February, there is an explosion of colour along the Cote D’Azur when the hillsides are fringed with yellow from the bright flowers of the Mimosa trees and the citrus fruits glow orange and yellow against the dark green leaves– it’s as if the plants are reminding us of the …

Flamingos in Provence Did you know that we have a lot of pink flamingos in Provence? It’s not something that one would associate with the place of hilltop towns, olives, almonds, sunflowers, and lavender but that is my favourite thing about this region- it’s diversity. From our location in Provence, close to St …

Inscribed in the stone and fixed to one side of the St. Pierre windmill is a quote by French writer Alphonse Daudet (1840-1897). Although, he was born in Nîmes and spent time in both Lyon and Paris, it was here in the Alpilles were he described his affection for the town of Fontvieille …

A Brief Summary of Corsican Cuisine We felt almost obligated to visit this stunning island; it’s the favourite vacation place of people living in Provence. You’ll often notice the stickers still proudly displayed on many cars here from the Marseille-Corsica ferry. We still have ours! We figured that if the …

Family-Friendly Activities on Vacation It’s possible that your children might not enjoy the wonderful relaxation of sipping on rosé and people watching in a town square. I know where we live this is something the parents often do on warm summer nights while the kids run around together in the …

Located on the gorgeous Cap Ferrat peninsula, overlooking the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, is an Italian-style villa built during France’s Belle Époque by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild. The mansion, with its nine exquisite gardens, was bequeathed in 1934 to the Académie des Beaux-Arts of the Institut de France. …