They fell in love with the South of France, although apparently not at first sight. It took 20 visits to Provence before Keith, and Val Van Sickle decided to make the region their part-time home. The couple’s home is near San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley. However, a contract assignment …

Spring Events in Provence Spring in Provence is absolutely lovely. As is the case with most of the year, the sun shines brightly, but expect the odd rainstorm. Moisture in this period is critical for the grapes, olives, and almonds to start their growing cycles. In March and April, expect …

New Book by Patricia Sands “Families come in all shapes and sizes.” This phrase, spoken by one the women in Patricia Sands’ new novella, is a good summary of what this lovely book is about. And what families they are!—united by love, friendship, and sometimes even biology. Sands shows us …

Fully bilingual (English and French), Tasha Powell calls Los Angeles, California home when she is not in living in Puyricard outside of Aix-en-Provence. Located 10 kilometres from the centre of Aix, Puyricard is part of the greater metro area, with the benefits of centralized services such as public transport. The …

An Address in Provence Michel and Shirley live in California’s wine country north of San Francisco but even surrounded by those beautiful vineyards they felt a tug to Provence. The couple searched for several years before buying a house in Sablet, a village in the Vaucluse. Perhaps it was Michel’s …

Winter Festivals and Events in Provence What is winter like in Provence? It’s a good question. So, many images of the South of France are summer scenes; ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation and beautiful people in enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less …

A Week in Provence Key to a great holiday in Provence (or anywhere) is striking a balance between activity and downtime. We have been fortunate to have many friends visit the region. Of course, we like to think it all about us, but the reality is Provence is magnetic. After …

Lucky you, you’re coming to St-Rémy-de-Provence! But you only have one day to see the sights—what should you do? I’m here to help! My wife and I live part of the year in St-Rémy, so let me give you some ideas. The Best Market St-Rémy has one of the best …

Yoga in Provence La Belle Vie yoga retreat was in my calendar, but when the weekend finally arrived I was rushed, juggling life. As Pradeep Teotia began his class with his signature “Welcome Home,” all thoughts of my to-do list fell away. The warmth in the room embraced my soul, …

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 …