Mary Kay Seales calls the U.S. Pacific Northwest home. During much of the year, she works as both a freelance copywriter and as a writing professor, for international students, at the University of Washington, in Seattle. However, she has also lived and worked in a long list of diverse destinations …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: Cannes is one of the most popular destinations in southern France and home to a dynamic variety of sport, cultural and artistic events, as well as over 40 trade fairs, conferences and business meets yearly. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit with a …

Combining Passions into Work Born in Provence, Sophie Bergeron is bilingual (English and French) and fully conversant in the realm of local wines. Her technical studies at Université de Vin in Suze la Rousse and the WSET certification transitioned into work at several Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards, including Domaine de la Janasse. In 2016, …

It would be difficult to call Emily Durand an expat at this stage. After living in the South of France for more than two decades, Emily is wholly immersed in the region with her family. Once the kids reached school age, she decided it was her time to launch a …

Wishing you a Perfectly Provence Holiday The holidays are finally upon us with the stockings hung by the fire and another year of terrific Perfectly Provence content is behind us. It is time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best for a joyful season. However, before we …

Are you scratching your head to find the right Christmas gift this year? Most of us have plenty of clothes, sporting goods, electronics and other gadgets. Consider giving a brain-enhancing present that improves cognitive function, builds multitasking skills and makes you smarter. Give the gift of French language lessons. According …

his is a recipe Didi and I made up (mostly Didi!) when given an enormous bag of freshly foraged Trompette de la Mort mushrooms. It’s wonderful as a starter, but could easily be a full meal when paired with a nice salad. Any mushrooms will do, but wild mushrooms do seem to really make this. If you can’t be bothered to make the béchamel, it’s fine without.

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: The Zone B school holidays over the Christmas period run from 22 December and finish 7 January so it’s a good time to use the fortnight’s break to partake in some festive activities. As well as the usual Christmas markets that pop up each year …

A delicious and colourful cake full of the flavours of Christmas markets, perfect with tea to brighten up a cold day, or as a light and joyful desert after a nice meal. It’s not only easy to make with very standard ingredients it also keeps very nicely for a few days, as the infusion of Mandarin and Cardamon syrup keeps it perfectly moist and preserved

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: December Events in Provence 2017 Snow in Provence! For once we might get a white Christmas! There are many Christmas markets this month in Provence. This is the time to binge on delicious nougat, foie gras, pink champagne and oysters. Yes, that is basically a …