Market day in Provence and the French Riviera is every day. Regardless of your “home” base in the region, the drive to a local market will be relatively short. Almost every city, town and village has a market day, and some more prominent locations may even have two weekly markets. Temptation at a market is everywhere in the piles of produce, fresh fruit, ripening goat cheese, and buckets of olives. However, practice a bit of buyer beware, as some vendors are resellers who buy from large chains and repack their goods for market-goers. Study the “Pays d’Origine” tags. These signs indicate the origin of the produce and its quality, with #1 being the highest rating. Try to buy local, in-season, and, where possible, directly from the producer.

Let your taste buds explore this curated selection of traditional Provençal recipes and innovative culinary twists, featuring regional, seasonal ingredients from the South of France. Explore the recipes by category from appetizers to desserts. Or start with the sweet stuff if you prefer. Enjoy the tastes of Provence.

It is more common to see summer truffles in the markets than in the past. However, this summer tuber may be related to the “Black Diamond,” but the taste is certainly not as distinctive. There is also a significant price differential between the summer and winter varieties. In peak months, the black truffle will command about ten times the price (per kilo) compared to summer truffles. As a bonus, we have also included black truffle recipes.

The climate in Provence is Mediterranean, characterized by warm, dry summers, mild winters, and well-suited soil for vineyards, olive groves, and lavender. So it’s no wonder that the wine regions of Provence are well known for producing some of the best wines in France – and around the world. Provence has nine wine regions under appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC). The label guarantees that all stages of wine production take place in a specific geographical area. Each AOC in Provence produces delicious yet distinct wines, depending on the varieties of grapes and the winemaking methods employed. Cheers!

This collection of restaurants are some tried an true favourites from Vaucluse villages to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Enjoy!