Enjoy St-Rémy-de-Provence with Keith Van Sickle’s Insider Tips

Each year, Keith Van Sickle and his wife, Val, immerse themselves in Provence for several months, embracing the local language and culture. They focus on learning French to deepen their appreciation and strengthen connections with locals, while exploring the region’s culture, history, gastronomy, and traditions. Keith has authored several books, including the latest edition of An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence and the surrounding area . The new edition features updated venue and restaurant information, insider tips, and external links to maps and articles. It is a must-have for visitors to the Alpilles. Keith generously answered some of our questions on the new edition below.

More on Keith van Sickle

Keith Van Sickle is a lifelong traveller who first experienced life abroad during a semester in England. An expat assignment in Switzerland made him fall in love with Europe. After returning to California, he and Val dreamed of living abroad again but couldn’t find an expat role. So they created their own. Now they split their time between California and St-Rémy-de-Provence, further exploring what makes France so fascinating.

Keith’s books include:

• One Sip at a Time, Learning to Live in Provence
• Are we French Yet? Keith and Val’s Adventures in Provence
• An Insider’s Guide to Provence
• An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence and the surrounding area

Buy Keith’s Books

Why St-Rémy-de-Provence?

How did you choose St-Rémy from all the possible locations in Provence?

We knew we wanted to be in Provence, so we tried several areas—near St-Rémy, Aix-en-Provence, and Avignon. St-Rémy appealed to us because it has many shops and restaurants, yet is small enough to walk everywhere. We love hiking, biking, and the many small wineries nearby and have rented the same house in St-Rémy for years, with a yard for our dog. The town and surrounding area are beautiful and pleasant, and many leading Provence tourist sites are within an hour’s drive.

Photo credit ©Perfectly Provence

Each year, you and your wife visit Provence and often stay in St-Rémy. After you get over the jet lag, what are the first things that you do to get back into the groove of life in Provence?

After unpacking and stocking up, we see our French friends. We arrange visits before leaving the US to start socializing immediately. We go on favourite hikes with our dog and visit cafes and restaurants to enjoy Provence’s food. There’s nothing better than having coffee in town and relaxing.

You have spent time in other parts of the region – Luberon, Vaucluse and others, but what keeps bringing you back to St-Rémy and the surrounding area?

St-Rémy-de-Provence is not too big, not too small—just right. It has plenty of places to eat, shop, and find services (I have a favourite barber), but you can cross the town center in five minutes. A short walk takes you into the countryside. It is an active town, with lots of associations, which are kind of like clubs that receive government support. We’re in several: a reading group at the local library, a historical society, and a cinema group, and there are lots of others available.

We love that the town is right next to the Alpilles, a small but beautiful mountain range. We hike or bike there almost daily, and there are plenty of routes to choose from.

In addition, St-Rémy’s location in the Alpilles makes it an excellent base for day trips. Within an hour, we can reach the Luberon, the Mediterranean Sea, or many sites with fabulous Roman history.

Photo credit: ©Keith and Val Van Sickle

Q&A with the Author

When did you publish the first “Insider’s Guide”?

My wife Val and I spend several months a year in Provence, where I’ve written many articles about our favourite restaurants, sights, and activities. When travel halted during the 2020 COVID shutdown, I used this material to write a guidebook to stay busy. An Insider’s Guide to Provence was published in 2021, followed by An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence and Surrounding Area in 2022.

The original version included links to maps, websites, and other content related to the guide. What improvements did you make to this addition?

The book’s format remains the same, but I update its content each year to reflect current information. For example, I add details about new restaurants and venues, remove those that have closed, and include any new places Val and I have discovered. I also update links and recommendations, ensuring the guide stays as helpful and accurate as possible.

How long did it take you to update the guide?

Each update to the guide takes about a month or two, from the start of revisions until the new issue comes off the presses.

Who is the Insider’s Guide intended for? And how do you recommend that they use it?

My guidebooks supplement standard guides like those from Rick Steves or Fodor’s. I skip lodging and transportation, instead sharing local favourites Val and I have found or learned of from French friends. The book offers a deeper look at the area from an insider’s view. I include hundreds of links in the book for those who would like more information on a particular subject. And for bikers, I have links to maps that show the routes I recommend. In addition, my guide to St-Rémy is the only one in English focused just on this town and the surrounding area, so I like to think it brings something unique.

Photo credit: ©Keith Van Sickle

What is your favourite thing to do in the Alpilles?

There are so many great hiking trails in the Alpilles, many with magnificent views, that hiking must be my favourite (and my dog agrees).

Any last words on the region?

We live in California much of the year, in the so-called Silicon Valley. Everyone there is always on the go, so we appreciate the slower pace of life in St-Rémy. I like to say that life in California moves at the speed of the internet, while Provence moves at the speed of the seasons.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Full day Wine Tour with the sommelier-guide and 3 winery visits

Discover one of the most famous red wine-producing areas of France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with this wine tour! You will start the day with the discovery of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its history.

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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).