Looking for an alternative to gluhwein and gingerbread this festive season? Or simply looking for a chance to find your festive spirit? Luckily, as with every year, numerous events are taking place throughout the vineyards of Provence to help us get into the Christmas mood, such as traditional Christmas markets. …

A tian is an earthenware dish similar to the Moroccan tagine but without a lid. It is used for baking a simple, local recipe of the same name. The recipe for Tian is an excellent example of rustic provençal cooking using just a few ingredients to enhance seasonal produce. It …

Grape harvest season may be well and truly over, but the shorter days and cooler nights of November can only mean one thing – the turn of the olives on the French Riviera. The harvest season officially kicked off on October 27th. There are some 300,000 olive trees in the …

In the fall, there are fêtes celebrating the season of the chestnut – or marron. The sweet chestnut is known as the châtaigne and is a frequent visitor to autumn dining tables and village fêtes. Collobrières is a main town for the chestnut industry and is also famous for cork …

If you happen to live near to a walnut tree here in Provence that has yet to have been ravaged by squirrels… I suggest the very satisfying activity of foraging free food! There are many walnuts here in Provence; you’ll often find wild specimens on country lanes. These tend to …

Although crepes are not a traditional food from Provence, add this easy, versatile recipe from the Provence Gourmet to your ” go-to list.” If you are in Aix-en-Provence (or anywhere nearby), you can find delicious, handmade crepes made by Delphine at Crepes Cidre et Co. If you are interested in …

Christmas Market in Fontvieille The last Sunday in November there has been for the past 6 years the Foire Gourmand au Gras. This annual market is not for the faint of heart. It’s here that many locals stock up on Christmas seasonal treats from the South West of France. The …

Hilda Stearn tries to visit Provence every November in time for the Christmas markets. Here, is the story from her 2014 visit: A bit of artistic license perhaps as our visit was in early December! However, it is something of a ritual that we visit the Christmas market in Avignon …

This fig and shallot compote is perfect complement for seared duck breast or seared duck tenders.

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: La Fille Aixcentric is in town right now and asked for lunch ideas at places spacious enough for a pram.  In fact when I started thinking about it, I realised how tight most interiors are in the old town and even terraces can be crammed when …