September is always a busy time in the wine world! It’s harvest time! To accompany the very important business of creating a new vintage, September traditionally sees various wonderful wine events and festivals to participate in. Here is a selection of my top Super September wine events on the French …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: I love a good concert – and even better when it’s free! Who could resist compiling a summary of some of the free concerts happening in the region during August? This isn’t an exhaustive list but I hope you find the time to attend …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Say what you will about the French Riviera in the summer. Sure, there are traffic jams, crowded public transport, longer queues at attractions, sweatier tourists, and pricier airfares, but there’s also ice-cream on the seafront, dining al fresco in village squares, open-air concerts and …

The Côte d’Azur and its surrounding countryside, in fact the whole of the département of the Alpes-Maritimes, is covered in historic fortified hill villages; some well known, others hidden and secret. There are literally hundreds and many of them have an annual festival of some sort celebrating their artisanal or …

When students join me in Provence for a French immersion stay, I want to make sure that they improve their language skills and also get a chance to visit the region. Below are a few excursions from Aix-en-Provence that I have taken with students during their visits. Some of these …

After 20 years of experience working in the finest restaurants worldwide, 35-year-old French Pastry Chef Nicolas Dolbeau decided to start his project. Thanks to the support of his wife, Sophie, he created his company, bringing the art of pastry making to his home. Meeting French Pastry Chef Nicolas Dolbeau When …

France is the ultimate haven for those passionate about estate sales, antiques, and French brocantes. A French brocante is similar to a giant yard sale—a game of hunting and gathering. Brocante stores are a familiar sight in the south of France. In Uzès, there are weekends devoted to brocantes. Items …

Chanel’s Riviera: Glamour, Decadence, and Survival in Peace and War, 1930-1944, by Anne de Courcy, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2019. Book Review by Mary-Jane Deeb About the Author Despite her French name, Anne de Courcy is a British writer, biographer and journalist who lives in London and Gloucestershire. She …

A Gift from St Tropez Although nothing could replace a weekend on the shores of the Mediterranean in sun-soaked St Tropez, a gift box is always a treat. My French Country Home has put together a selection of top-quality products representative of the city that Brigitte Bardot chose as her …

Shelley and Riccardo are both Americans who have lived in Villefranche-sur-Mer for 21 years. They initially arrived in this charming seaside town to visit a friend, then returned for an extended stay and decided that they never wanted to leave the French Riviera. In 2004, they launched a holiday apartment …