I’ve just been to a wonderful exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. It was called Matisse in the Studio, and it shows how the objects that Matisse surrounded himself with appeared in his art. Henri Matisse was a collector: He had an array of vases, chairs, carpets, furniture, …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Happy Halloween! Halloween, usually celebrated on 31st October each year, has slowly been gathering steam since I first moved to France, but for expats who are used to lots of activities and events during Halloween you’ll have to remember that it isn’t a traditionally …

The Penitents refers to a Christian movement dating back to the 4th century. During this time, those who confessed a grave sin were assigned a penance, a means by which your sin could be forgiven. This penance, assigned by a Bishop, could assume the form of repairing a church, helping the poor …

Contributor blog post by Victoria Koning @Mirabeau Wine During our visit to the Fragonard perfume factory in Grasse, we were quite impressed by the similarities between creating perfumes and creating wines. It’s especially poignant in the art of blending Provence rosés, which is incredibly technical to make. Our oenologists can …

Contributor blog post by Michel: Our favorite Roman ruin in the South of France is the Pont du Gard, the aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gardon River in the Gard Department of Languedoc-Roussillon about 60 km (37 miles) from our home in Sablet, between Remoulins and Uzès. The Pont du Gard …

It is a time of anniversaries. World War I’s centennial commemorations have dotted the globe. Canada celebrated its 150th. Even Lolo’s summer camp in the woods of Ontario proudly handed out t-shirts with “100” on them. World War II anniversaries cannot yet claim three digits. Partly because of the war’s …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The 18th Phot’Aix is about to begin, both with a major exhibition and a trail which leads people around town from venue to venue. The major exhibition this year, Regards Croisés, features 5 contemporary Chinese and 5 French photographers working on similar themes: at the Cloitre …

Visiting monuments isn’t on the top of my sightseeing list; however I heard that Pont du Gard was a “must.” It is reportedly one of the most visited sites in France but, not until I saw it myself would I know why. It literally took my breath away. There, hiding out in …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Octobre en Provence With the grape harvest long done due to a very dry summer, locals are concentrating on the olive harvest this month. You’ll drive by olive groves and see wooden ladders hidden among the trees. Furthermore, the olives vertes cassées made by many …

In September 2016, Jill Paider and Tasha Powell embarked on a journey from Los Angeles to the Auberge La Fenière in Provence. This artistic team (please read their bios below) packed their camera equipment and developed a photo shot list for the assignment. Their mission was to portray the essence …