It was October, and we were back in Sablet with friends Steve and Mary from Michigan. One of our morning rituals is to sit around the kitchen table drinking petit cafes and reading our iPads and English language papers. Invariably the question is asked, usually by Mary, “Michel, what’s the …

Writer Alphonse Daudet described his affection for the town of Fontvieille and its windmills as follows: “Ce coin de roche qui m’etait une patrie et dont on retrouve la trace – êtres ou endroits – dans presque tous mes livres” The translation: This corner of rock was a homeland to …

Over 600 years! Talk about a recipe that has stood the test of time. 72% vegetable oil 28% moisture content Small amounts of salt and soda ash A cauldron with the perfect amount of heat Large moulds for the appropriate cure time A little Mistral to help with drying Start …

Admittedly, it would be a tough choice for anyone to pick between, between the lush gardens of the UK, the sunny skies of California and postcard perfect Provence. Caroline Longstaffe’s solution was to start writing a blog Shutters and Sunflowers her artistic outlet for west coast beauty, British heritage and …

We are experiencing the most wonderful autumn in the South of France.  For several weeks now, the mercury has been hitting the 20s, with a high of 28°c last week!  November is often lovely on the French Riviera, but these temperatures are even higher than normal.  The garden is still …

Famous artists such as Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and Van Gogh captured the “painter’s light” and the stunning, natural beauty of Provence. Recently, we featured three talented artists based in the South of France a region that continues to inspire and bolster their creative confidence. In case you missed their stories, …

Sabine Werner is a recent transplant to Provence arriving with her family only in January 2014. However, she tells me that this region has long held her curiosity and is now inspiring her work. It is not that the sun never shines in Munich, Germany (Sabine’s birthplace) or Brisbane, Australia …

The Modern Trobadors may travel through Provence with iDevices and digital cameras, but their goal is similar to their medieval brethren to share news about this diverse corner of France. Now, you can join them on a bespoke tour of Provence in 2016. Medieval troubadours were poets and musicians who …

This beautiful art book illustrates the many different ways people choose to live in Provence. It is part of a “Living in…” series of publications about living in different parts of the world including places like Tuscany or Bali. This particular volume was published in 2012 to celebrate the 25th …

You may be asking yourself what the Nice vineyards of Bellet and Chanel, the legendary perfume house, could possibly have in common? More, it would seem, than we think! After all, there is a certain parallel between the art of blending a fine perfume and the art of blending a …