Contributor blog post by Jemma: It has been a bizarre summer. Security problems, and all their cultural complications, have meant that the Summer of 2016 in the Cote d’Azur has been more than a little off. Bookings and revenues have plunged 10-15% across the region since the Nice attacks in …

I was intrigued when I first saw the publicity for a rosé wine bearing an image of the iconic chaise bleu of the Promenade des Anglais on Nice’s Côte d’Azur waterfront. The launch of this new label Prose was at the lovely Plage Beau Rivage, by the Promenade des Anglais in …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: As the Côte d’Azur rounds out the highest part of its summer season, French Lessons escapes the urban madness and sticky beaches for the high seas. A few weeks ago we cruised together from Antibes to Monaco, and I’m happily reminded by several readers that …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: Some of our most memorable summer days in the Côte d’Azur are spent looking back at it. Several years ago, in a feat approached with unusual seriousness, Philippe bagged his French motor boating license. My husband may have been running a Fortune 500 company at …

My destination in the Luberon was Maison Victoire Immobilier in Cabrieres d’Avignon. While Cabrieres d’Avignon is near the perched villages of Gordes, Ménerbes, Bonnieux, and Roussillon, this town is quietly alluring compared to its famous neighbours. Although tempted, my visit was not about buying a house in the Vaucluse. Instead, …

We were on the French Riviera for a week, staying at a lovely apartment in Villefranche-sur-Mer, and one of the things on my to-do list was hiking the Nietzsche Trail to Eze Village. There are many great things about the French Riviera, including the access to public transit, which makes …

The French Riviera is a dreamy travel destination, but more than a short stay is needed to experience the lifestyle. What about staying longer and exploring the region? You may have considered an extended visit to the South of France, but the logistics of living in a foreign country seem …

Spring Events in Provence Provence is lovely in the Springtime. As with most of the year, the sun shines brightly, but you should expect an odd rainstorm. Moisture in this period is critical for the grapes, olives, and almonds to start their growing cycles. The apple, pear, apricot, cherry, and …

In Provence and the rest of France, Christmas is a long festive season lasting over two months with many holiday traditions. While there are commercial aspects to the holidays in France, many historical customs continue annually. At this time of year, there is vin chaud, little saints (santons), thirteen desserts, …

It was a hot, humid August day, so we took our time over lunch in a restaurant near the Place du Grand Jardin. None of us had much energy to wander, even though our plan was for Steve Wilkison to give us a walking tour of his adopted hometown. Steve, …