Contributor blog post by Jemma: It has been a bizarre summer. Security problems, and all their cultural complications, have meant that the Summer of 2016 in the Cote d’Azur has been more than a little off. Bookings and revenues have plunged 10-15% across the region since the Nice attacks in …

Over 100,000 people (some estimates as high as 126,000) died in Provence between 1720 and 1722, including almost 50% of Marseille’s population some 46,000 inhabitants. All in the name of commerce. The Grand Saint-Antoine arrived in Marseille’s port on May 25, 1720, from Syria (previously Levan), the vessel was late, …

Well, well. This is just unbelievable, really. The sky has been bright blue, the temperatures between +32 and +36 and no wind. It’s been perfect for weeks, I almost can’t believe it. This past week has been silly busy with my brother-in-law visiting, Jason arriving, my brother-in-law leaving, another friend …

American-born Wendy Jaeger admits that France is in her soul. The founder of Bliss Travels met with Nutmeg for coffee, in the Luberon, to chat about the company’s culinary and wine vacations. On the outside, it looks like Jaeger did a complete 180-degree turn to move from a career …Continue …

Sophie Bergeron began developing her palette early on, at four years old, when her grandfather first introduced her to wine tasting. Sophie’s grandfather ran a vineyard in Algeria before immigrating to France in 1962; she tell us that “He loved the grape concentrations in Mediterranean style wines.” It seems that …

Frédéric Paul is the founder of Le Visible est Invisible, a company that offers guided tours in Aix en Provence and the region. What he hopes to demonstrate to clients during the walking tours is that the history of Provence is in your face, but you need to be ready …

Provence claims thirty-two different winds, but the mistral, that strong, cold wind that roars down the Rhone Valley from Lyon to Marseille, is master of them all. The very name “mistral” means masterly in the Provençal language, and according to local expressions, it can blow the tail off a donkey, …

Contributor blog post by Caroline Longstaffe: Continuing our tour of Provence’s beautiful Luberon hillside villages; last time we took the D943 from Lourmarin, through the dramatic gorge to Bonnieux, Lacoste and Ménerbes now await. Lacoste, a tiny, sometimes forgotten perched village has breathtaking views across the sweeping Luberon landscape, Mont Ventoux and Les Alpes. …

We attend the annual Christmas carol service in Goult each year, it’s often cold and not the time to wander around the village! By contrast, when we visited this week it was the complete contrast, almost too hot to walk around! We had forgotten just how nice it is, …Continue reading …

Contributor blog post by Caroline Longstaff: Discover the enchantment of this fairy tale village in Provence’s Luberon. Visit its medieval château and enjoy a musical soirée under its rafters. Meander Lourmarin’s chic boutiques, galleries and restaurants, and fabulous Friday market. Explore the stunningly beautiful Luberon region. Its captivating perched villages, sprawling …