Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Chinese films. Know any off the top of your head? Chinese directors. Can you name any? Watch this space because the Chinese film market is the world’s fastest growing box office and China is keen to establish itself as a front runner alongside Hollywood …

Lavender is the purple beauty of Provence; it is a big industry in France and the key to essential oil production. Tourists and locals flock to see the fields in full blooming glory. The timeframe changes annually depending on weather, but typically some fields are ready by late June, and …

The village of Séguret is visually stunning in every way. It’s the prettiest Provençal village I have encountered thus far. It certainly gives my favourite, Joucas, a run for its money. This charming jewel of a village is filled with colourful flowers and crazy charm around every bend of its …

Our need to stay connected has become insatiable… especially on vacation. Good news: after years in the digital dark ages, Nice is finally catching up to the modern world! After years of false starts, we finally have free 4G high-speed wifi all along the Promenade du Paillon, in Place Massena, Place Garibaldi, Cours Saleya, …

Occasionally, I get asked what do I enjoy the most about Perfectly Provence? Hands down it is the personal connections forged via this online community of contributors and readers. Some of my favourite moments (to date) include a lady’s lunch in Nice, exchanging recipes and wine pairing ideas with new …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: What child doesn’t love a treasure hunt? I’m not talking about just geocaching either where you find the ‘cache’ by using GPS coordinates, but good old-fashioned treasure hunts using maps, clues and riddles to find answers to questions or a secret code word (perhaps in …

Just the name Joucas alone is pretty. There is something about this village, some je ne sais quoi, that just makes it mine. I could imagine myself living here. It’s quiet, peaceful, scenic, charming, and pretty. Yet, it’s not far from the shops and restaurants in Gordes, Goult, and Roussillon. …

This post is republished from the early Barefoot Blogger archives a road trip through Provence with stops in some of the places where Vincent Van Gogh once painted. For those of you who have not followed the early adventures of the Barefoot Blogger, you will be introduced to one of the main “characters” — …

Take a road trip to a world away from lavender-scented fields, perched villages, and candy-coloured shutters. Head to the Camargue! The marshland and brackish waters where the Rhone River finally meets the Mediterranean define Provence’s “wild west.” Created in 1986, the natural wetland preserve is 100,000 hectares in size (read …

Finally, another way to see Avignon! Every visitor should see the Palais des Papes and the Pont d’Avignon, but once you have seen those it is time to dive into the local’s side of the city with Avignon Gourmet Tours. This 3-hour tour will introduce you to the city and …