Discovering local artisanal brands is among the many reasons to visit Provence. Over the last few years, we have had the pleasure of meeting several founders of these businesses. While these companies sell different products – lavender, perfumes, accessories, candles, linens – they all have the desire to share the …

Goût et Voyage is Martine Bertin-Peterson’s boutique travel company offering small-group tours in Provence and Tuscany. Martine was born in France and moved to the US with her family at seven. After visiting much of the world as a tour guide and for personal enjoyment, she tells me that the …

Anyone who knows me will tell you I have a sweet tooth, the fridge always has a few little treats in it, there’s inevitably a great supply of chocolate in the house and of course, ice creams in the freezer. I have been known in the family, as ‘the fridge …

Admittedly, we had never heard of Charleval or the significant neo-Gothic style castle on the edge of this agricultural village. Before the Château Charleval Provence Art Gallery, there had never been a reason to visit the town. Now, the former hunting lodge is a setting for “Amour Art Amitié” (Love, …

Festivals and Fall Events in Provence Fall in Provence directs you towards a heartier menu. Enjoy meat (lamb, wild boar, taureaux, rabbit, fowl) roasted with herbes de Provence, root vegetables and delicious red wine blends. At this time of year, the hiking is fabulous, biking is possible, and golfers might …

New to Aix’s dining scene, and therefore new to me, Le Singe Vert presents a stylish terrace, all rattan furniture and fresh flowers, to passers-by at the bottom end of the cours Mirabeau. Stepping inside from the bustling sunny terrace felt like a quieter, more intimate dining experience which provided …

Flowerworks – that’s the theme for 10 museums and galleries across Nice from now until autumn and, in some cases, 2023. The Musée Massena has ‘Nice Queen of Flowers’, which looks at how flowers have provided motifs for local architecture and the decorative arts. But, of course, the painters loved …

‘Lee Miller Photographe Professionelle’  focuses on one of the most intense and productive periods in the life of this intriguing (*) American photographer (1907–1977). During the 1930s, she was a fashion model but moved behind the camera to head her studio in New York.  She specialised as a fashion and …

With the summer heat in Provence, I find that an apéro dînatoire is the best way to entertain. I prepare all the dishes in advance except a fig and onion mini puff pastry. Then, 30 minutes before guests arrive, I put out my spread and pop the pastry hors d’oeuvre …

Provence is magical during the holiday season, and December is a wonderful time to visit the South of France.  The festivities begin in mid-November, running right through early January. The sparkling, festive ambience of Europe’s Christmas markets is legendary. The Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik is one of the largest in France, with …