What should I take home from Provence? Expect a sensory overload on your first (and every) visit to Provence. In mid-summer, purple-blue lavender rows contour the landscape. Market stalls brim with seasonal produce from blood-red cherries in the spring to the makings for ratatouille in late summer. Then there is …

Spring Events in Provence Spring in Provence is absolutely lovely. As is the case with most of the year, the sun shines brightly, but expect the odd rainstorm. Moisture in this period is critical for the grapes, olives, and almonds to start their growing cycles. In March and April, expect …

What’s in a Name? Sunflowers are synonymous with Provence, their bright smiling faces adorning paintings and postcards throughout the region. With brilliant yellow petals, sometimes known as rays, their resemblance to the summer sun is unmistakable. Stunningly beautiful these dazzling flowers conjure up the very essence of summer, especially summer …

In recent years, my husband, Alain Poirot, discovered a passion for photography. Although he has travelled extensively, one of the many benefits of living in Provence is that nature is literally outside our door. Nature Nearby Photographic passion is a little more than the iPhone snap. It means making multiple …

New Book by Patricia Sands “Families come in all shapes and sizes.” This phrase, spoken by one the women in Patricia Sands’ new novella, is a good summary of what this lovely book is about. And what families they are!—united by love, friendship, and sometimes even biology. Sands shows us …

Art Lover’s Tour During my fall 2019 art tour “Provence From an Artist’s Point of View,” I discovered a gem, Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, is an old village with colourful Provençal houses and medieval history. Clay has shaped the history of Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie since the middle ages. Come and join me this spring to …

Local Author and Guide Jean-Pierre Cassely is a recognizable public figure in Provence and beyond. Cassely worked for France 3 television for a decade and currently has a daily France-Bleu Provence radio slot called Provence Insolite (Unusual Provence). More recently, Jean-Pierre Cassely collected curious landmarks in two guidebooks Secret Provence and …

Valentine’s Gift Idea The next My Stylish French Box ships to points around the globe in February. These beautiful parcels contain curated collections of made-in-France products. Indeed, to some Valentine’s Day is a bit of a gimmick when that lady in your life is special 365 days a year. However, …

Rose et Marius is a luxury perfume house and home décor brand based in Aix-en-Provence. Founder Magali Fleurquin-Bonnard named the company after her grandmother, Rose, and as a tribute to Provence. Fleurquin-Bonnard’s inspiration for the exquisitely designed product line originates from childhood memories, at the family’s country home in Puget …

Father of Optical Art Victor Vasarely (1906 -1997) was a Hungarian-born artist and designer who spent much time working in Provence. His work encompassed architecture, publicity posters, fashion and even car design, as well as his signature op-art. Why not visit the Fondation Vasarely on the hillside overlooking Aix, beside …