Living in Provence and the Healing Power of Nature

Contributor blog post by Paula Kane:

My first week here has gone by in a flash. Perhaps because summer is always like that, or perhaps it was my fuzziness and lack of focus most of the week due to some lingering vertigo. Either way, it went by quickly with dinners and lunches with friends, sunshine, bike rides and excellent food and wine. Even through the haze in my mind, I could tell I was getting some much-needed healing.

…Continue reading here to read about how nature is indeed the natural healer. The elements that we take for granted, sun, clean water, fresh air, green space are vital for our health. This is, of course, true whether you are in Provence or elsewhere.

Outdoor Provence

Sure a rainy day is a recipe for indoor activities, but otherwise, the over 300 days of bright blue skies in Provence should serve as your excuse to get outside. A mistral wind can be cold in fall and winter months, so dress appropriately. Hiking is possible almost every month of the year in the region, although summer months can mean closures due to fire risk. Keen golfers are happy in the South of France with a variety of courses and a really long season.

Cycling Thoughts While Pedalling in Provence

Cycling Mont Ventoux and the Gorges de la Nesque in Provence

Provence’s Luberon is Great for Cycling in all the Seasons

Hiking Provence’s Beautiful Côte Bleue

Hiking and Mountain Biking in the Estérels

Via:: A Table en Provence

Paula Kane

From a background in advertising and design, Paula Kane has forged a career that combines her love of good food and wine with her expertise in marketing to produce highly successful culinary events across Canada. Paula first travelled to France 20 years ago and has been returning ever since. She received a scholarship from the James Beard Foundation to attend Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, from which she was graduated in 2009. She has completed the International Sommelier Guild Wine Fundamentals and recently, the Hautes Etudes du Goût program in gastronomy from which she was awarded a Masters degree from the University of Reims in Champagne, France. For the past ten years, Paula has spent part of her year in the Vaucluse where she cycles, cooks, drinks wine, explores and shares her discoveries with others on her website A Table en Provence. Recently she launched an online magazine —Olive + Sweetpea— dedicated to all things she is passionate about: food, wine, travel, home and women trailblazers.