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 …

There’s only one island in Provence’s Bouches-du-Rhone with trees, and that’s the Ile Verte, off the coast of La Ciotat.  It’s just a 10-minute hop by navette from the Vieux Port of La Ciotat to this tiny island which is just 430x260m in size. Once there, you can enjoy the …

The artists and artisans of Forcalquier open their doors for the ninth edition of Ateliers Ouverts from July 29th through August 1st, 2022. Les Ateliers Ouverts Truly a celebration of creativity, the event takes place throughout the town with street entertainment, outdoor photo displays and art shown in galleries, shop …

Visit the lavender fields near Aix-en-Provence! Terre Ugo is a 7-hectare family farm located on the outskirts of Aix in Puyricard. In 2017, the family planted 30,000 organic Lavandin Grosso plants on a portion of the property. Now, during the peak of the flowering season, you can visit Terre Ugo …

The PACA region scored high in the Michelin 2022 rating of French restaurants, revealed during a star-studded ceremony held in Cognac on March 23rd. There are now some 90 restaurants boasting at least one star in Michelin in Provence, which, revered or detested, is the granddaddy of restaurant guides. Four …

Virginie Van Der Wees lives with her young family in Rousset, a small Provencal village near Mont Sainte Victoire and a short 20-minute drive from Aix-en-Provence. She is a masseuse and a certified French teacher for non-French speakers. Beginning in 2018, Virginie organizes full immersion experiences that include hosting language …

What’s On in the South of France? During the summer in Provence and the Côte d’Azur, daytime temperatures range from warm to hot. So, you don’t need an excuse to laze by the pool. The lavender is in bloom at this time of year, and the sunflowers put on a …

The massif looks like a fortified stone ridge or a sharp triangle pointing to the sky, depending on how you approach Mont Sainte-Victoire. Regardless of the time of day or season, the only certainty is that the mountain, located on the outskirts of Aix-en-Provence, never looks the same twice. Artists …

Rosé wines are one of the first categories to be released in Provence, and you’ll start seeing the most recent vintage hit the shelves as early as February and right on through the spring and summer season. It’s no secret that rosé has a reputation for being a drink to …