Provençal postcards, Pinterest boards and Instagram are filled with photos of sunny sunflowers. Long before the Internet these beautiful flowers inspired Vincent Van Gogh to paint a still life series called Tournesols (Sunflowers). He painted the first of the group in 1887, in Paris, and then later (1888-89) in Arles. …

As a painter in the South of France, you rarely feel alone. There are reminders everywhere of those who have gone before – of Cézanne in the countryside around Aix and of Gauguin and Van Gogh in Arles and Saint-Rémy. But not all these impressions are specific to a place. …

Contributor blog post by Keith Van Sickle: The Wednesday morning market in St.-Rémy is one of the best in Provence. And it is very popular, which makes parking a challenge. There are a few spots available in the pay lots and on the street, but they tend to fill up …

“Even one night at this place is an unforgettable experience.” – Mary Kay Seales after her stay at this luxury property, in Provence, with her two sisters. Just a bit north of Aix-en-Provence near the tiny medieval village of Lauris is the stylish and architecturally perfect Domaine de Fontenille, on the …

It took 20 visits to Provence before Keith Van Sickle and his wife decided to make the region their part-time home. A Northern California native, Van Sickle spent his early years on an island in the San Francisco Bay – Alameda, California. “It’s a sleepy town, an oasis of 1950’s …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The beginning of March sees the opening of new shows in Arles and also over at the Carrières de Lumières at Les Baux. Starting with the Fondation Van Gogh, it is a pleasure to see that they will have 8 of his paintings on show, …

We asked author Coco Blignaut if she would write a guest post for Perfectly Provence readers about her latest book Puss in Boots in Provence. This children’s tale may spark a travel bug in a few small people, and if you are lucky they may even let you read this novel about …

Running mostly from east to west Provence’s small Alps – les Alpilles – are a small mountain chain, approximately 30km in length. The highest peak is not quite 500m above sea level, yet this outcropping holds almost mythical status in the region. These jagged limestone spires protected our ancient ancestors …

France is a beautiful country, with so much to see and do. With plenty of delicacies and excellent cuisine to indulge in along with the fabulous wine that is produced in the country, as well as a huge selection of tourist destinations to explore, there is plenty to do on …

Nutmeg is reasonably certain she is not the first person to walk through the Glanum archaeological site, near St Remy de Provence, and consider that mankind is relatively insignificant in the passage of time. Ashes to ashes Dust to dust Rocks to rocks Glanum a Roman oppidum, protected by its fortified walls once …