People are often surprised that most wines are blends, and even more surprised that even single-grape variety bottles are blends from different tanks. In Provence, it’s the law of our appellation that wines are blends from the local varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. A good …Continue reading here …

There was little chance of being lost at sea, our skipper (rental boat) had a difficult time finding a place to anchor between the mega-yachts and the zodiacs that were supplying hot pizza and cold drinks to the flotilla. Just 15 minutes by ferry from Cannes, the two Lérins islands, …

Contributor blog post by Access Riviera: This month’s contribution to #AllAboutFrance blog link up (hosted by Lou Messugo) was inspired by a conversation with a man I bump into often at a cafeteria where I regularly go. He is an unassuming pleasant man who is brimming with interesting stories and he …

Lorgues is located in the middle of vineyards and olive groves. It is in the center of the department of the Var between the Mediterranean Sea and the Gorges du Verdon. Source: Wikipedia Based on that description, it might be difficult to think of a more idyllic location for an …

It was October, and we were back in Sablet with friends Steve and Mary from Michigan. One of our morning rituals is to sit around the kitchen table drinking petit cafes and reading our iPads and English language papers. Invariably the question is asked, usually by Mary, “Michel, what’s the …

Keep reading for details on a contest and giveaway! Media sources and reputable wine journals have published countless articles about “Team Cronk” a nickname often used for the Mirabeau Wine duo Stephen and Jeany Cronk. The wine industry is teeming with personal stories of joys and heartaches, tales that are …

Now that winter has truly arrived in Provence, we all enjoy warmer and richer food than we do most year-round. Contrary to popular belief, it gets incredibly cold here (though not for very long), and a delicious warm stew makes everyone in the family happy.  Continue reading here for the …

This soup is a Provençal classic, practically every every household will have their own variation. This is a perfect autumn recipe from Elizabeth Bard’s latest book Picnic in Provence: A memoir with Recipes.

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: This really is one of MuCEM’s more esoteric offerings which we found a little baffling. The first few rooms are devoted to how the country was mapped, and some of the beautifully precise work by various draughtsmen. The commentary (English panels as well as French) explains …

I’m a real Francophile and have stayed in more than one hundred towns, cities, villages and hamlets in France. Twenty-two of these have been in Provence, the shortest for one night, the longest for four months. Every time I plan a trip to Provence, the dilemma is where to choose… …