Bastille Day Celebrations Bastille Day (La Fête Nationale) commemorates the 1789 storming of the Bastille in Paris. Two years running, our village attempted to host fireworks on the 14th only to be stymied by the wind. Leave it to the Parisians to have their traditional parade on the Champs-Élysées. Eygalières was …

Contributor blog post by Jill Barth: A kindly giant who watches over the aromatic garrigue scrubland and the carefully tended vineyards, Mont Ventoux shelters wines conducive to sharing and close companionship – celebrated with a fragrant, flavourful centrepiece. ~ CHRISTOPHE TASSAN Sommelier and Rhone Ambassador THE TOUR DE FRANCE 2016 …

I have a wonderful network here on the Côte d’Azur of locals who are a fountain of knowledge regarding cool, trendy places to visit, away from the usual traveller hot spots. So I thought it was time to start sharing some of these insider tips for both visitors and residents …

In his easy recipe, David has combined iconic tastes of Provence – tomatoes, fennel and Pastis – into a bowl (original Cocoa & Lavender post here). In summer months, local market stands showcase tomatoes of every description from trendy multi-coloured heirloom varieties to a Provencal version of the juicy beefsteak to tiny …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Launched this month, the 2016 Guide Gantié How do you choose which restaurant to visit? This is a real question here in Provence with so many to choose from. So this week I talked to local writer Ester Laushway who is the Vaucluse correspondent for …

Contributor blog post by Jeany Cronk @Mirabeau Wine: Summer’s finally around the corner, yippee, and so alfresco dining and picnics are back on our agendas. I can say without hesitation that a cool bottle of Mirabeau is the perfect partner for all that outdoor activity! I’ve always liked to bring …

Contributor blog post by David Taylor: Le Carillon in Goult, opposite the church is a friendly, smart restaurant with an a la carte menu or fixed price at 36€ or 48€ which covers three courses and an amuse bouche . There is a good wine list from the local area …

Did you know that wild strawberries grow in Provence? I couldn’t believe it when Robin first pointed them out to me. In this climate, you’ll often find the plants taking refuge in the shade, but they can be quite abundant. Once you recognize the distinctive toothed foliage, you’ll be seeing. …

Tomato Tarte Tatin starter was so gorgeous on the eye that everyone who came to our Mirabeau lunch was already talking about it before they even sat down. It combines all the delicious flavours of Provence in a super-concentrated way

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Velleron night market is one of the best producer’s markets in Southern France. It has been continually included within the 100 “marchés d’exception” in France by the Conseil National des Arts Culinaires. The market is open daily, except Sunday of course, in the hot …