Contributor blog post by Phoebe Thomas: Christmas markets in France are becoming more and more popular every year and yet when many people think of Christmas markets in Europe, France probably doesn’t even spring to mind. A quick internet search will throw up plenty of suggestions for Germany and Austria, …

Much has been written about Vincent Van Gogh’s life, the famous Dutch painter who led an expressive, tortured life. This statue le voleur de tournesol (the Sunflower Thief) by Gabriel Sterk may just capture the essence of Van Gogh’s work – as you never quite look at sunflowers, irises, olive trees …

My birthday falls on the same date every year, and I had certainly dropped enough hints that maybe my hubby should plan something to acknowledge the day. Instead, at 12:45 pm we were headed towards Arles without any sort of agenda other than I suggested a visit to Abbey de …

This article was previously published on Ginger and Nutmeg. Cistercian Abbeys Classified as a French historic monument in 1840 L’Abbaye du Thoronet restoration work started the following year and continues today. The Cistercian Thoronet Abbey is the third “sister” to abbeys Silvacane and Sénanque in Provence. These religious structures are …

Contributor blog post by Mirabeau Wine: Harvest was over in many parts of Provence by late September. The winemakers that I have talked to are optimistic that the fruit from 2015 will produce great wine.  Here is what the gang at Mirabeau Wine has to say: It’s not even the …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Winter leeks have a blue tinge to their leaves. These are being sold right now at Vaison la Romaine market on Tuesday mornings. For those of you who aren’t kicking yourselves for enthusiastically sowing hundreds of seeds when the first spring blossom appeared (the …

Almost anywhere in Provence a casual glance around oneself will reveal a proliferation of Roman ruins, medieval hilltop fortresses, Renaissance châteaux and Romanesque cathedrals, for this is a  region steeped in history (not to mention myth, legend and folklore). Yet much of that history remains maddeningly elusive for the Anglo-Saxon …

It’s hard to say when the Barefoot Blogger will ever get her fill of the Camargue. The preserved area south of Arles,  the Parc naturel régional de Camargue, is between the Mediterranean and the Rhone river delta. One-third of the Camargue is marshland, lagoons and lakes. Continue reading here for the original article …

Reading MFK Fisher’s Two Towns in Provence, you might be surprised that it was written so long ago. Cours Mirabeau, the cultural center of Aix, looks much like it did when Fisher and her two daughters sought solace at Les Deux Garçons or ambled down the boulevard so many decades …

The Debate One of the favourite pastimes of the Aixois is fervently discussing the town’s many qualities. They cite the climate, culture and architecture; rave about the shopping and surrounding countryside; and compare notes on their favourite Luberon village, Mediterranean beach, local wine and restaurant. When we first moved here, …