A Guide to Lavender in Provence You either love lavender or you hate it. The essence is used for insomnia, headaches, to cleanse cuts or insect bites, deter mosquitoes and more. Despite its uses though, there’s no denying that it’s absolutely stunning in the plant form, and oh so iconic …

It’s raining today in Provence and after nearly a month of clear, blue skies and gentle, warm autumnal days, temperatures have plummeted signalling the beginnings of winter. Nowhere, even Lourmarin, is idyllic in the rain, or is it? Perhaps enticed by the recently hung lights across the streets of the village …

It constantly amazes me how quickly two months pass. In the dead of winter, each month is dreadfully long and feels interminable. In contrast, the summer functions the complete opposite. It is never long enough and ends too quickly. These two months in Provence are always racing by, even though …

I’ve been cycling most of my life. Like everyone else, I started on training wheels, moved on to a hand-me-down single speed with coaster brakes, then upgraded to an awesome 10-speed. After that, mountain bikes were all the rage, so at 15, I bought my first bike—a Peugeot mountain bike—with …

Today’s tasting may be the most unusual I have done. It is a wine that, if blindfolded when tasted, would not have said “rosé” to me, although it wouldn’t have said red or white. It has no traditional red fruits associated with rosé nor its distinct floral aromas. On the …

Contributor blog post by Laura: Are you spending some time on the French Riviera and would you like to do some sightseeing? Here are our Top Ten suggestions for a day trip along the Côte d’Azur: Nice’s old town Nice is a beautiful city and you could easily spend a few …

The Gorges de la Nesque is the most spectacular gorge in Provence after the Gorges du Verdon. Whether you are a hiker or cyclist it offers breathtaking views and even in the height of summer is not overrun with either so you can still enjoy its beauty in peace. If …

The iconic mountain beckons all cyclists. The giant of Provence stands 1909 metres today. As I rode up, I met a gentleman celebrating his 70th birthday and telling me it was on his bucket list! The lead photo is from Flassan looking at Mont Ventoux, a good place to park …

French Riviera Jazz Tunes Summer on the French Riviera and in the Alpes-Maritimes (department #06) residents are really spoilt by the choice of low cost, or free, fabulous assaults on the eyes and ears. The Nice Jazz Festival 2018 with its 70th edition, promised a rich programme, which I am …

a new drink this summer – Lavender Mint Meyer Lemonade. It’s been unbelievably hot and sunny in Provence, pretty much non-stop. So this weather is a perfect time to sip while sitting in the shade, listening to cicadas while enjoying a gentle breeze. This lemonade is very refreshing and I am sure it has healing properties