During our last visit to Provence, I picked up a book called the “Legendes de Provence” by Eugene Bressy. This book is comprised of a series of short stories about the legends of Provence. In this series of posts, I will dive into some of these stories and let you decide …

Almost 30 years ago, Peter Mayle introduced many of us to the arrière-pays Provençal (rural countryside) for the first time with his internationally best-selling novel A Year in Provence.  The success of that book and his subsequent novels had many primed to book flights to the South of France. If …

Vincent Van Gogh Meets Provence Born in the Netherlands in 1853, Vincent Van Gogh started his painting in his twenties. Among his works were several themes, like self-portraits, landscapes, still life competitions, and plant paintings such as sunflowers and cypress trees. During these early times, most people did not appreciate …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The Hotel de Caumont has been open for 5 years now as an arts centre, and this current exhibition,’ Nicolas de Stael in Provence’ has to be the best I have seen here. It focuses on the short time this interesting painter spent in Provence, July 1953-June …

Cicadas, Cherries et Chaleur! It’s full summer here in Provence. The cigales are singing (quite loudly I must say!) and the sunflowers and lavender are in full bloom. The ballet (or science?) of knowing when to open and close your shutters has been mastered for all those without air conditioning. …

The Foundation Carmignac opened to the public on June 1st. This display of modern art is in a vast (1500 sqm) gallery inside a Provencal villa on the beautiful island of Porquerolles. Financier Edouard Carmignac has put the collection together. It includes works from the American Pop Art School, including …

Maybe it was a seven-year itch or natural progression, but in 2017 Sharon Santoni added “My Stylish French Box,” a curated subscription box, to her already rather full plate. The box concept was born from her love of sharing favourite brands and ideas, and a desire to help smaller French …

A reason to gather in a central location, a place to rest, a circle of trust  and refreshments. It is not a huge stretch to think of pétanque, also known as boules, as a form of religion in Provence. In most Provencal villages, there is a place where the townsfolk come together …

The Paul Cézanne statue at the Rotonde in Aix is the work of Dutch sculptor Gabriël Sterk who not only produced it but also organized its funding: when I interviewed him at the time, he explained that he had recently moved to the town and couldn’t understand why there was …

Artistic Menerbes Once you have visited the hilltop village of Menerbes, it is easy to understand why the Luberon and this town has enchanted so many. The charming main street compels you to pause and wander through an art gallery, or have a drink at one of the restaurants, particularly …