A Natural Grotto Between the busy urban centres of Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, at the heart of the Parc naturel régional de la Sainte-Baume, is a mountain that stretches 12km and a famous religious site. The Sainte Baume Grotto is a prominent destination for Christian pilgrimages and anyone interested in discovering …

In this guest post (below) by author Jane Dunning, she shares her thoughts on why winter is a great time to visit (and house sit) in Provence. Jane is the author of two novels Thirty-Five Minutes from St Tropez and its sequel Stolen Summer. Her experiences while house sitting in …

Wishing you a Perfectly Provence Holiday The holidays are here, and it’s time to wish everyone Merry Christmas – Joyeux Noël and all the best for a joyful season. However, before we head out on a little technology break, it’s time to acknowledge all our terrific contributors. Time Out in …

I recently threw a birthday luncheon for my good friend, Claire, and served Pink Elephant Martini Cocktails as the welcome drink! This was a huge success. Claire loves the color pink and is very elegant.

Dutch-born Anne-Marie Simons is a traveller. She studied in Paris, worked in Brussels and then moved to the United States where for a long time she worked only to support her travel-bug. Today, Anne-Marie and her husband Oscar reside in Aix-en-Provence where she continues to hone her writing. The following …

Virtual Escapes Not far from Marseille’s Vieux Port is your chance to escape reality at ExitGame. The company opened its doors and “play” rooms in 2015. The concept originated in Asia, but these virtual escapes are now available in many cities around the world. The ExitGame escapes are suitable for …

Visions and Videos of Perfectly Provence Come and join us. Find out more about Perfectly Provence in this interview with Rebecca Ronane the founder of both Network Provence and Forward after Fifty: Not helped by its setting for gangster and crime movies, France’s second-largest city – Marseille – used to …

In Portugal, the culinary rumour is that there are 365 (or more) ways to cook salt-cod (bacalhau) – one for every day of the year. Cod is called morue in French. It is quite common to find this fish on menus, and it is often the “centre” of attention in the traditional Provencal aioli (recipe here). Gilles recipe for brandade a purée of salt cod, olive oil and other ingredients is below.

Travel Guides for Provence Remember when we carried around hefty paperbacks to guide our travels? In the 1980s, long before smartphones, tourists faithfully checked these guidebooks for reviews on hotels, restaurants and must-see sights. Backpackers conscious of space and weight often discarded the pages for a city or region once …

Culinary Holiday in France Occasionally magic happens in the kitchen, but the odds are better if you have some training. In the case of Chef Francois de Mélogue and his wife Lisa, they have a collective 30+ years in the hospitality industry, and both enjoy entertaining – a winning combination. …