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 …

Aixcentric is a bit in ‘catch-up mode’ having spent the summer in cooler climes. But on my return, I was very keen to see the work of Annie Liebovitz in Arles (on until September 24th). Firstly to see the exhibition of the early work of this important American photographerbut also …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Just to say that the 64-page programme for this year’s Journées du Patrimoine, ‘Les Architectes et La Ville’, is now available at the Aix tourist office. But… for whatever reason, it isn’t out on the shelves. So if you want a copy, you have to queue …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: August is a quiet month in Provence where everyone believes it to be their right to do absolutely nothing (farniente) that requires any energy (other than catching up with friends, sunbathing by the pool or on the beach) In September, there are plenty of festivals …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: This is the month where just about the whole of Northern France descends onto the beaches of the Côte d’Azur. On the radio, they announce “black weekends” which signify lots of Parisians heading south causing a rather lot of traffic. Everyone is finally on …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The Musée Yves Brayer at Les Baux-de-Provence has an exhibition of photography by Henri Cartier-Bresson, who was a friend of Brayer in Paris. Cartier-Bresson, from a well-to-do family in Seine-et-Marne was given a Kodak Brownie as a child, the beginning of his love for photography. …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Hosted at Vieux Port in Cannes, this summer families can enjoy free events that demonstrate the old tradition of provençale joutes. Cannes : History of the Joutes Provençales Joutes provençales originate from the Egyptian era; fishermen from the French Riviera originally set up a …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Sixty paintings by Alfred Sisley (1839-1899) went on show June 10th in Aix at the Caumont Centre d’Art’s summer show. The painter, was born to English parents in Paris, hasn’t been the subject of a retrospective since 2002. Forty per cent of this show includes paintings from private collections not …

Les Baux de Provence is a picturesque village about 75 km southwest of our home in Sablet. The village sits in a spectacular sight on a rocky outcrop with ancient houses and a ruined castle perched on top of the village overlooking the plains to the south. Within walking distance …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Juillet/July Events in Provence 2017 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 …