After 18 years in Aix, I only realized that it’s actually someone’s job to clamber up narrow staircases and reach across the void inside the Tour de l’Horloge to manoeuvre the four (4) statues around every 3 months when the season changes. It’s down to (or should we say up …

In the centre of the pretty village of Saint Saturnin les Apt is a peaceful square (home to the vibrant Tuesday morning market), and to one side is a small garden area that sits in front of a stark stone wall, which is a memorial to the dramatic and devastating …

Easter Sunday Mass was celebrated at ‘La Grotte de Sainte-Baume’ at the weekend to formally re-open the cave of Saint Mary Magdalene after its being closed for 10 months’ work. I hadn’t realized that this is Christianity’s 3rd most holy shrine after Christ in Jerusalem and St Peter in Rome. …

Arles Worth the Wait Eleven years.  That’s how long the Muséon Arlaten has been closed for renovation, but with the input of a leading architectural agency and the fabulous Arlesien designer Christian Lacroix, it certainly has style – see the staircase. Founded by the poet Frédéric Mistral in 1896, it …

Weather Moves If you are in Provence in the spring or fall, you might see the movement of sheep and goats to greener pastures – transhumance. These organized transhumance events in Provence are kid-friendly and entertaining. Watching several thousand animals moving through village streets is worth experiencing. Seasonal weather dictates …

An Ancient Greek Colony Long before the Romans conquered Gaul (France), the Greeks established a series of colonies along its Mediterranean coast. Marseille, the oldest city in France, was once the Greek colony of Massilia. It, in turn, established smaller colonies in the area around it. One of these was …

I discovered some interesting information online about a dig that has been progressing on the opposite bank of the Rhône River (from Arles), at Trinquetaille. Underneath an 18th-century glassworks, now a ‘monument historique,’ they have uncovered a group of Roman houses, many with mosaic floors.  The fresco in the illustration …

This guest post about the Lavender in Provence comes from Marie-Helene, the co-founder of the online store Remember Provence. They curate Provencal-themed housewares, gift items and culinary ingredients and ship to customers around the world. Remember, Provence represents only high-quality products produced traditionally. Please follow this link to read the original article. Blue …

It’s unlikely that a trip to the municipal archives in Antibes would be on many (or any) visitor’s to-do list. However, for me, the chance to see parchments dating from the 1300s was irresistible. When four parchments appeared in a British auction house two months ago, the city of Antibes …

Holiday Traditions Christmas in Provence takes place, as in most regions of France, with family. It is a traditional holiday loaded with Christian symbols. The festivities start at the beginning of December at the time of Saint Barbara. Noël en Provence se passe, comme dans la plupart des régions de …