It had been quite a few years since we visited Aigues-Mortes, so when cousin Jean-Marc suggested we go somewhere on the sea, I suggested we go there. I still recall the first time we went to Aigues-Mortes, years before buying our house in Sablet, with Tante Edith, Jean-Marc’s mother. Aigues-Mortes …

Make this your year to visit Provence’s celebrated lavender fields! The earthy fragrance fills the air as rows of deep purple flowers dance in the summer breeze towards the horizon. Experience the region’s famous lavender plateaus and visit many remarkable sites in the South of France on a TripUSAFrance nine …

Raising sheep and goats has been part of the fabric of life in Provence for centuries. Before grocery stores, small animal husbandry was necessary for nutrition and is the basis for traditional recipes. We highlight eight (8) of these dishes further down in this article. Grazing Land In a landscape …

Are you looking for winter comfort food? This French meat stew makes a cold day a little warmer. Gardiane de Taureau, or gardianne, is also known as a daube camarguaise or daube des gardians. Our recipe for this traditional Provencal stew includes marinaded, slow-cooked meat from the black bulls (taureaux) …

Retired and living in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence since 2011, even after a decade, Gayle Smith Padgett and her hubby Ralph continue their exploration of the region. In 2019, they embarked on “The Big Birding,” a 12-month project they decided would feed Ralph’s passion for birding and test Gayle’s logistical, writing, and record-keeping …

Festivals and Fall Events in Provence Fall in Provence directs you towards a heartier menu. Enjoy meat (lamb, wild boar, taureaux, rabbit, fowl) roasted with herbes de Provence, root vegetables and delicious red wine blends. At this time of year, the hiking is fabulous, biking is possible, and golfers might …

After 18 years in Aix, I only realized that it’s actually someone’s job to clamber up narrow staircases and reach across the void inside the Tour de l’Horloge to manoeuvre the four (4) statues around every 3 months when the season changes. It’s down to (or should we say up …

Considered the gateway city to the Camargue, Arles has it all – history, shopping, gourmet food and enough grit to capture your interest. Here are some of the top reasons to visit Arles: Artsy Arles Frank Gehry designed Luma Arles, opened in June 2021, a project commissioned by local philanthropist …

Like a multi-layered quilt, the city of Arles is coated with 2000+ years of history. Sitting on the western bank of the Rhône, Arles is considered the gateway to the Camargue. The city strikes a balance between old and new. Visit the time-worn Roman monuments or the gleaming Luma Arles …

Sitting in the north of the Vaucluse, on the border with the Drome, Mont Ventoux dominates the skyline. This mountain, with its white-scree summit, is an iconic landmark and its profile is instantly recognizable from afar, even as far away as the Camargue. Mont Ventoux can be seen from many …