Contibutor blog post by Victoria Koning @Mirabeau Wine: Sir Francis of Assisi established the tradition of nativity scenes in 1223 with live enactments by people and animals during the midnight mass on Christmas eve in his church of Greccio, Italy. The tradition halted after the French Revolution, when many churches …

With its sobering history the story of the incredible Malpasset Dam that ruptured on December 2, 1959 killing 421 is definitely worth a visit if you are near Fréjus. For a relaxing drive through an uncrowded part of Provence the Vallee de Jabron in Haute Provence has stunning vistas with …

The game of pétanque, sometimes called boules is a form of religion in Provence. Most villages have an official or unofficial boules pitch. The more elaborate centres will even have a “clubhouse” offering refreshments. The word pétanque is Provencal in origin from the word petanca, which means “feet anchored”. The game in its’ …

It is difficult to avoid the “Route Jean Moulin” signs on the roadways in Provence, France. We had to find out who Jean Moulin was. We learned about his involvement in the French Resistance, his political days and his challenging work to combine resistance groups during the 1940’s. Learn more at Ginger …

This article was previously published on Ginger and Nutmeg. Cistercian Abbeys Classified as a French historic monument in 1840 L’Abbaye du Thoronet restoration work started the following year and continues today. The Cistercian Thoronet Abbey is the third “sister” to abbeys Silvacane and Sénanque in Provence. These religious structures are …

The article previously published on Ginger and Nutmeg: Nutmeg agreed to accompany Ginger to the medical clinic in Arles so he could get a yellow fever vaccination for his Africa trip, but only if they could visit Alyscamps afterwards. Alyssii campi is Latin for Elysian fields – the road leading to the kingdom …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: A self-guided walking tour of Aix that takes you to all the best places in town has been created by Carolyne Kauser-Abbott of Edible Heritage. It brings to life the monuments, fountains, buildings of centre ville along with stories of the lives of famous local …

Reading MFK Fisher’s Two Towns in Provence, you might be surprised that it was written so long ago. Cours Mirabeau, the cultural center of Aix, looks much like it did when Fisher and her two daughters sought solace at Les Deux Garçons or ambled down the boulevard so many decades …

The Luberon in Provence is best known for its beautiful ‘villages perchés’ which visitors flock to in large numbers especially during July and August. Many are unaware of the existence of Pont Julien and indeed some visitors simply stumble upon it while visiting the most well known of these villages, …

A.A. Milne may have made Eeyore famous in his Winnie-the-Pooh books, however in reality the hardworking donkey has been helping humans out for thousands of years. The equines family of horses, donkeys and zebras all has a long history.  There are even some prehistoric references.  The experts are divided as …