October in Provence the Ups and Downs with the Month of Octobre

Here we are, October first, and it’s impossible to deny the season is changing. Thankfully, it can be glorious and sunny, with many days reaching up to +30. One never knows past mid-September if you’ll ever see those summery days again, but we have lucked out this year after a short spell of less-than-ideal weather. This has brightened my mood, along with some fun meals and visits with friends, new bike routes with breathtaking views, and warm air on my skin. I am profoundly affected by light and weather. Please continue reading here for the original A Table en Provence post and beautiful photos of Provence in October.

October in Provence

The 10th month of the year often rolls in like a lamb with a gentle touch. During the day in October, the temperatures can comfortably reach 20°C (68°F). As the month progresses, the daylight hours shrink, and darkness arrives much earlier. After the time change, it can often be dark by 18h (6 pm). At sunset, there is a soft pink hue, “painter’s light,” in the evenings and humid, foggy mornings. The smell of bonfires in agricultural zones perfumes the air, and the olives begin turning a deep shade of purple-black. Eye-catching red, orange and yellow berries of Pyracantha bushes (Firethorns) along the roadsides replace the fields of lavender and sunflowers. One sure sign of the changing weather is when the Plane trees drop their noisy brown leaves.

Fall Festivals and More

Fall festivals in October

Pumpkins: Mid-month, pumpkins everywhere in the village of Rians turn shades of orange all weekend during the Fête de la Courge, a community celebration of the Cucurbitaceae family. The annual gourd, squash and pumpkin harvest is an excuse for an autumn-themed market. Plenty of stands sell food made with squash, such as soupe à la courge, jams, cakes and more.

Chestnuts: Collobrières in the Var celebrates the season with Fêtes de la Châtaigne three Sundays in October. Let October be your excuse to visit this village near the Massif des Maures, where you will be treated to the scent of roasting chestnuts. Spend some time wandering through the chestnut trees, and you will probably see the nuts being picked. Now, is you chance to sample these gourmet treats – crèmes de marron and marrons glacés.

Mushrooms: If October arrives with humidity, you might get lucky and start to see wild mushrooms in the markets. The tiny village of Saint Trinit in the Vaucluse celebrates with la Fête du Champignon in early October. This fungi-filled day includes a market, local artisans, and gourmet treats.

Provencal Recipes for October

Wild Mushroom Tart - Tarte aux Trompette de la Mort

This savoury tart is easy to make and you can use any mushroom mix that you find. The Trompette de la Mort is impressive (and tasty), but girolles or chanterelles work just fine too.

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Sautéed Wild Mushrooms

When wild mushrooms appear in the Provencal markets, do not hesitate to buy them, as the season is short. This starter course is quick to prepare and simply delicious. The recipe below will serve four people as a starter.

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Creamy Mushroom and Chestnut Soup

This mushroom and chestnut soup was inspired by a recipe from Bizzy Lizzy’s Good Things.

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Mixed Mushroom Sheet Pan Bake

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe for 4 - 6 people, especially at lunchtime when servings may be smaller. I didn’t have any cannellini beans in the kitchen, so I used mixed beans in tomato sauce, which turned out well. The great thing about sheet pan bakes is that you can incorporate varied ingredients, and they warm the kitchen too!

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Chestnut-Pumpkin Risotto with Hazelnuts

Risotto is easy to make as long as you have all your ingredients prepped in advance. Pour everyone a glass of wine and let the conversation flow. The chef needs to balances the stock level as the rice cooks, but it's an easy, vegetarian meal for cooler weather.

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Marinated Mushroom and Roast Pumpkin Salad

This salad is delicious and refreshing and is a colourful starter course.

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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.