Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Robin and I drove over the Alpilles to see the Transhumance pass through the town of Saint Remy de Provence. The Transhumance is when, in the Spring, the sheep from the southern plains are led back up to the cooler mountains to graze on …

Contributor blog post by Margo Lestz: When you think of French writer, Victor Hugo, you probably think of his classic works, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Notre Dame de Paris)” or “Les Misérables.” You probably wouldn’t associate him with the Joker, that mad super-villain with the maniacal laugh who is …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera; Next month, two of the most exciting events on the French Riviera are set to thrill worldwide media – the 70th Cannes Film Festival 2017, and the 75th race of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. Hosted in the second half of May, these are …

Le Fête des Gardians is the annual festival in Arles celebrating the lifestyle and traditions of the gardians (basically the French version of cowboys that rear bulls for delicious daube provençal). There’s an enormous parade, blessings of the animals, a queen is elected and to top it all off …Continue …

Expat living is not for the faint of heart. Surrounded by a new environment, comfortable routines are gone, and even mundane daily tasks require extra consideration and effort. Where to grocery shop? What are the best schools? What about health care? Add a foreign language and different cultural norms to …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: How sexy are you feeling today? Events Story: A Beauty Salon with Character Events Story is a beauty salon in Marseille. It has just opened up a new salon right in the centre of Aix en Provence. Sisters Sonia and Linda have created a …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The tourists sitting in the sun outside cafés in the Place aux Huiles and the Cours Estienne d’Orves probably don’t realise that they are perched above an ancient system of canals that dates back at least to Roman times. I am indebted to the website …

There was a very interesting talk in St.-Rémy-de-Provence the other night, about women in the French Resistance.  It focused particular attention on St.-Rémy, where I live part of the year. The talk was organized by the local historical society and featured two historians who specialize in the subject.  The event …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: A flea market find! I couldn’t resist this lovely vintage mirror decorated with old postcards. I had promised myself to stop buying vintage postcards at French flea markets, but this could be characterized as a mirror… n’est-ce-pas? What is the Origin? I originally thought …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: An unmissable event for your calendar. For the past few years, Aix-en-Provence has been investing a lot in its traditional Carnaval, bringing in creative companies to headline the event. Local associations and schools interpret the theme with gusto and the school kids really get into the …