Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The new ‘En Balade’ published by La Provence is a must for those who love the south of France. In tracing Picasso’s favourite places, it has sections on Arles, Sorgues, Aix, Les Baux, St Tropez, Mougins, Antibes and so on. Each section has a good …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: There was a large family party at the weekend and my job was producing lots of salads. The clear crowd pleaser was the Caprese  which is a version of the summer Insalata Caprese, but using winter ingredients, apparently very rich in vitamins C E and K to …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The referendum to decide whether or not the UK remains in the EU is being held on 23rd June. British citizens may be entitled to vote subject to being registered and their eligibility. The deadline for registration is 7th June. To register to vote, go to …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Carnaval in Aix is great fun: last year it took me hours to get all the confetti out of my hair and clothes…and it reappeared in the apartment for days afterwards. The children of the town take great delight in flinging handfuls everywhere. This year …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Network Provence has been set up for local women to promote their businesses. I attended one of their meetings in Aix back in November and really enjoyed learning about activities being set up. There are so many women who find themselves in Provence and set …

Provence is filled with dining possibilities from picnics to Michelin-starred tables. The good news is it is hard to get a bad meal if you follow your nose and a few ground rules. Cafés offer table service for coffee and other beverages (think rosé and pastis) throughout the day. Cafés are typically open …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: It’s the number of large cranes that give us a clue to the scale of the construction projects going on in Aix at the moment. Thirty projects are underway…Continue reading here for details on just ten of them including the building of a great new music venue, a …

Provence’s pine forests, Mistral winds and the summer symphony of the cigales fuel Tracy Rawles’ creative writing. Rawles published her first book Charlie’s World of Glittering Powers, in November 2015. Charlie is a cigale, a cicada (or at least inspired by the cicadas), this is a description of the book’s central …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Last autumn, it was announced that two mansions in centre ville were for sale. The town authorities wished to divest themselves of buildings which weren’t functional and cost too much to maintain. Now there is some progress to report on one. The Hotel de Valbelle, currently …

Author Mary Lou Longworth and her family have lived in Provence for nearly 20 years. They long ago fell under the spell of the natural Provencal beauty studded with olive trees, vineyards and cobalt sky. Life in France has included a few expat struggles and the birth of series of …