Marseille is the oldest town in France, so when you walk along by the Vieux Port, you are following in the footsteps of Greek fishermen, shopkeepers, sailors and traders who established their colony in 600 BC.  They, and the Romans who arrived later have left traces that emerge so often …

Books for Food Lovers Georgeanne Brennan’s CV of accomplishments in culinary and literary circles is awe-inspiring. This talented lady has written and co-authored over 30 books. She won the prestigious James Beard Award (Best International Cookbook) in 1998 for The Food and Flavors of Haute Provence. Her articles have appeared …

After my first true visit to Marseille, I can’t say enough good things about the city. While I’m composing my thoughts for a post on the long weekend, I want to share some highlights: the doors and windows of Marseille. Marseille, the second largest city in France, is one of …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Peter Mayle once wrote that Chez Etienne was his favourite Marseille restaurant for lunch and it seems he is not alone. As the locals say, ‘Il faut absolument passer, un fois, dans sa vie, chez Etienne’. Even Gault & Millau call it a ‘veritable institution’. Mayle …

Distracted by Marseille’s traffic, we almost missed the sign indicating a sharp right turn towards Le Petit Nice. Once you make that turn, you are committed. Of course, you WANT to be at this 16-room boutique hotel and eat at the Michelin three-star restaurant, but the narrow entryway is not designed …

It has been almost two decades since Anne-Marie Simons and her husband Oscar decided to uproot their Washington, D.C. lifestyle and spend their retirement years in the South of France. They eliminated other alternatives (continents, countries and cities) and chose Aix-en-Provence for its “quality of life.” The city’s attractive combination …

While we’re on the subject of Sete from our recent train-from-Barcelona post, there’s a question that fish soup lovers who visit the South of France want to know. What’s the difference between Marseilles’ bouillabaisse and Sete’s fish soup? Which town has the best fish soup? Leave it to Nancy McGee …

It’s Academy Award season, and as it was with me a year ago when I wrote of Marcel Pagnol, I am drawn back to Provence, in fact to his hometown of Aubagne. On this occasion it began last fall when I was discussing with my wife Benedicte, who is French, …

The Christmas Kalends of Provence, by Thomas Allibone Janvier, was first published in 1902 and republished many times since. The edition I am using is a facsimile published by Bibliobazaar, 2007, Charleston, South Carolina. Reviewed by Mary-Jane Deeb A few years ago my publisher, Paraclete Press, gave me a small …

After a 45-year business career with some of the largest corporations in the world, Anthony Craig called it quits. It was a milestone moment when he resigned from nine corporate boards, and he and his wife relocated to Provence. Craig is now a published author, his book It’s All About Lunch shares their story of renovations …