By aixcentric Did you see last year’s Aix Carnaval? It was an unforgettable experience as giant inflatable sea creatures floated down the Cours Mirabeau to the delight of the 20,000 onlookers. The town authorities have hired ‘Plasticiens Volants’ for this year’s carnaval too and the new theme will be ‘Le …

Which rosé? Are the whites any good? Can you find decent red wines? Does a wine list in Provence cause you to scratch your head? Sharon de Rham is a multilingual tour guide and expat (read her story here) she is also a wine aficionado. Sharon credits a colleague from …

By aixcentric The local petit-trains which have mostly been laid-up over the winter are coming back to our streets – good news for visitors with little ones or for elderly people or for those who want a whistle-stop tour with commentary. They really are a great idea. Here’s a Explore …

By aixcentric Now that the area around the Rotonde is sorted – and it does look lots better – the authorities have turned their attention to another large area ripe for regeneration: the places des Precheurs, Verdun and Madeleine as well as rue Thiers. There will be no more parking …

By aixcentric The new show for 2015 opened March 6th at the superb Carrieres de Lumieres. ‘Michaelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael, Giants of the Renaissance’ promises to be an eye-opener as the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Mona Lisa, religious scenes and stunning portraits are beamed on to the walls. The setting …

The writing bug struck early. Karen Aldous says that she began writing as a girl and started her first novel in her twenties. Inspired by Provence and jolted into action by a family illness she is now the author of two books The Vineyard and The Chateau. Karen Aldous lives …

This is the third Perfectly Provence article on American artist Jill Steenhuis – you can read more on her background here and here. In this post learn about Cezanne’s artistic approach and one of his favourite spots Château Noir from Jill. Several things I learned from the Marchutz School that …

Supporting independent bookshops is a must: not only is the internet providing much competition but there are local problems too – Book In Bar has been bedevilled with roadworks outside the shop recently. Here is a list of their events this month: Creative Writing Workshop: Saturday, March the 21st, from …

A gal who calls herself a ‘citizen of planet earth’ and who loves Crêpes Cidre et Co in Aix-en-Provence as much as I do! This was someone I had to get to know. Claire McAlpine has lived in France for almost 10-years, but it took her French husband five years …

Clos Saint Paul is located just outside the village of Mazan in Provence’s Vaucluse. The 260-year-old building previously operated as a chambre d’hôte (B&B) for visitors interested in exploring Mont Ventoux and the villages of the Dentelles. This private, six-bedroom house is now owned by a group of Canadians who …