Welcome to the first in a series of articles based on Provence lifestyle. These posts are an attempt to separate fact from fiction and dig into what it means to live in Provence. To discover more we ask a series of questions to understand why some people choose to visit …

Peter Mayle certainly started something back in 1989 when he published A Year in Provence. What a best-seller that turned out to be, and it launched a whole genre of ‘newcomer-to-Provence-buys-old-house/olive-grove books that document the inevitable cultural differences that we all bump up against. Is there anything more to be said? Continue …

Has Provence been on your travel bucket list for a while? Or, are you already a Provence fan looking for an experience away from the major tourist sights? The founder of Your Private Provence, Emily Durand, has created a wine-focused experience for an intimate group this September. Durand is an …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: How to Renovate in France on a Budget So you’ve bought your fixer-upper in France. The romanticism of Peter Mayle has snared you into the dream (or perhaps my blog?). You’re not a millionaire but you’ve got essentially a ruin of stones to work …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: The last 2 days have gone by in a blur of builders, rubble & dust, but it’s been worth it. Having got rid of the hideous pellet burner (affectionately known as Growler) back in August, we’d been keeping our fingers well and truly crossed …

In 1999, a decade after the publication of Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence”, Georgina Causton and her partner decided to take a sabbatical year. Smitten by the South of France, they never returned to live in London. Instead, they bought a house and three mortgages later ended up with …

When Ginger and Nutmeg first ventured to Provence they felt prepared for the adventure. After all, it was not their first trip to France, they had previously biked in the region, and they had read Peter Mayle’s books – so they were confident in their basic understanding of the region. …

The following guest post is by American-expat Emily Durand who runs a company called Your Private Provence a bi-lingual guide and travel planner. The following is her post on why Provence is the place to go to get re-energized. XXXXXXXX An outdoor café, a pastis, the sun on my face and a …

A summertime escape to the Cote d’Azur from the French Alps. Heavenly! One might be tempted to describe the combination of a villa near Bandol, in Provence, and a home in the French mountain resort of Val d’Isère as the “the best of both worlds.” In 2010, Su Stephens and …

Contributor blog post by Jeany Cronk @MirabeauWine  As we know well from having read Peter Mayle’s tale of life and construction in Provence, nothing (apart from buying baguettes and Rosé) is ever easy in this neck of the woods. We do forget that construction is mostly a nightmare, wherever you are …