Discover Provence Top Picks from a Traveller

Claire McAlpine is a mother, a wife, a reader, a writer and the owner of Flairesse a massage and aromatherapy practice. Claire considers herself a citizen of planet earth, which makes lots of sense after you consider her life filled with relocations since the age of 13. Please read the rest of her interesting expat story here.

Claire and her husband chose Provence for a number of reasons, including family ties, they settled in Aix-en-Provence. This is how Claire describes the city “I couldn’t live in a small town in my own country, but Aix en Provence in France is a small town that thinks it is a big city. It has many cultural aspects that you’d normally find in a large city, a grand opera theatre, four universities, a national ballet, the Mediterranean 40 minutes away. And the TGV station, only 3 hours to Paris, 4 hours to Barcelona, 8 hours to Frankfurt…and all of Provence to explore!”

After nearly ten-years in Provence, Claire has a few top picks in the region that create her Perfectly Provence:

#Discover

Swimming off ‘The Rock’ at Restaurant la Presqu’île in Cassis

Driving along la Routes des Crêtes from Cassis to la Ciotat

Experiencing Carrières de Lumières at les Baux de Provence 2015.

Dining at Aloha Beach, Sausset les Pins (open in the summer months). Yes it sounds American, but it’s not, it is a great location so reservations are necessary.

#Taste

A traditional French aperitif – pastis

A savoury specialty crepe and cider from Delphine’s Crepes, Cidre et Compagnie in Aix-en-Provence

Wine Tasting selected by an Oenologue such as Chez Yves  in Aix-en-Provence

#Relax

In the salt spa in the Camargue at Thalacap or Thalazur

Lunch at La Cale, Carry-le-Rouet and a walk around the cliff top

A 90-minute Flairesse Massage and Aromatherapy at your gite after a day out!

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).