One of my summer highlights is the chance to catch up with author Patricia Sands during her annual visit to Provence. Sands is a remarkable person. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, writer, photographer and a possiblitarian. Yes, for Patricia Sands, it is possible to achieve anything in life if …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: When we arrive in France’s Riviera this summer, Lolo doesn’t have a swimsuit. It’s not because she forgot to pack it. She simply doesn’t own one that fits. My new teenager is growing like the queues of passengers waiting for the next French train that’s actually …

This is the month where just about the whole of Northern France descends onto the beaches of the Côte d’Azur. On the radio, they announce “black weekends” which signify lots of Parisians heading south causing a rather lot of traffic. Everyone is finally on vacation. Don’t expect to see a …

Diving into Provence Ten years after Peter Mayle’s book “A Year in Provence” was published, Georgina Causton and her partner decided to spend a sabbatical year (1999) in Provence. Completely enchanted by the lifestyle in the South of France they never returned to live in London. Suddenly, they found themselves …

French Riviera Jazz Tunes Summer on the French Riviera and in the Alpes-Maritimes (department #06) residents are really spoilt by the choice of low cost, or free, fabulous assaults on the eyes and ears. The Nice Jazz Festival 2018 with its 70th edition, promised a rich programme, which I am …

The Paul Cézanne statue at the Rotonde in Aix is the work of Dutch sculptor Gabriël Sterk who not only produced it but also organized its funding: when I interviewed him at the time, he explained that he had recently moved to the town and couldn’t understand why there was …

I’m very happy to share some tips for families visiting the French Riviera, being a ‘local’ I sometimes forget where the hidden gems are myself. The French Riviera is a great place for families with an appealing mix of culture, outdoor activities and great climate adding up to a holiday …

Born in the United Kingdom (UK) to parents who worked in the diplomatic service, Deborah Lawrenson spent much of her childhood moving around the world to China, Kuwait, Europe (Belgium and Luxembourg) and Singapore. After completing English studies at Cambridge University, Lawrenson worked as a journalist in London. Today, she …

Mention Provence as a destination to your friends, and most people have either been and want to return or are dreaming of their first visit. Gayle Padgett and her husband “flirted” with Provence for two decades, often travelling during their vacation time from US government jobs in Germany. As their …

From the bright lights of one of the world’s biggest cities to a rural village in the South of France, Susana Iwase Hanson has plenty of experience with relocations. Tri-lingual (English, French and Japanese) and armed with diplomas in linguistics, and international business and marketing, she launched Provence Living in …