This article was written by Gayle Padgett Smith the author of Passion for Provence: 22 Keys to La Belle Vie. She shares that she is no longer a virgin to the olivade (olive harvest) St. Remy de Provence. Here, is our book review on Passion for Provence a Memoir by Gayle …

October in Provence The grapes have been picked and now the nets have been placed at the bottom of the olive trees ready for this year’s harvest. The bright green traditional Alpilles olives vertes cassées have appeared in the markets and every store. Even olives are seasonal in Provence. Also …

One of the pleasures of any trip to Provence is the food, and the region is full of wonderful restaurants. My wife and I live part of the year in St-Rémy-de-Provence and here are some of our favorite restaurant picks in the Alpilles (or close by). St-Remy Restaurants Brasserie les Variétés …

Contributor blog post by Caroline Longstaffe: Recently someone who only had four days to spend in Provence asked me if I had to choose between a visit to Aix-en-Provence or Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, which would it be. Preferably I’d find the time for both but as stunning a city as Aix is, …

If you haven’t seen a techno-fabulous French light show, you’re in for a treat. The French take lights and action to new dimensions: music, drama and imagination. Carrières de Lumières A recent visit to Carrières de Lumières was my third experience to see the digital, immersive events that are staged in a …

Reflections on the Past There is no need to enter the Glanum archaeological site, located just outside the centre of St Remy de Provence, to view two well-preserved Roman structures. Known as “Les Antiques” these monuments – the Mausoleum and the oldest triumphal arch in France – were classified as …

St Rémy de Provence is one of the most charming towns in Provence. Nestled at the foot of the Alpilles Mountains and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, it’s a great place to spend a few days. Here are some fun things you can do while you’re there. Walk in …

Swirl-sniff-see-sip. And, sigh. There was a lot of that going on last Friday night in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence—it was the opening of the annual Fête du Vin. Fête du Vin – More than Wine The bussed-in tourists had left, leaving lucky locals and overnight visitors all to themselves to spend a leisurely …

Family Vacation in Provence Those iconic images of rows of lavender, fields of sunflowers and bright red poppies, Roman ruins and cobblestone villages are actual landscapes of Provence, but unlikely to interest your children for an extended period. Whenever friends visit the Alpilles with their families, it has been our …

Mention Provence as a destination to your friends, and most people have either been and want to return or are dreaming of their first visit. Gayle Padgett and her husband “flirted” with Provence for two decades, often travelling during their vacation time from US government jobs in Germany. As their …