The Christmas Kalends of Provence, by Thomas Allibone Janvier, was first published in 1902 and republished many times since. The edition I am using is a facsimile published by Bibliobazaar, 2007, Charleston, South Carolina. Reviewed by Mary-Jane Deeb A few years ago my publisher, Paraclete Press, gave me a small …

We asked author Coco Blignaut if she would write a guest post for Perfectly Provence readers about her latest book Puss in Boots in Provence. This children’s tale may spark a travel bug in a few small people, and if you are lucky they may even let you read this novel about …

Lovely connections develop in Provence and ours is one. My friend, author Patricia Sands is a lady with a fabulous re-invention story (please read her full back story here). Following her popular “Love in Provence” trilogy (Lake Union Publishing), she is currently working on her fifth novel. This story is …

Located a short distance from Avignon (21km) and neighbouring the Rhone Valley vineyards, Orange is an agricultural working town, in the Vaucluse, with a UNESCO World Heritage classification – since 1981. Founded by the Romans in 35BC and the Celtics before them, Orange’s former glory is evidenced by the monumental …

A mixture of seawater, alkaline solution and fat Documented use as far back as 2800 BC in Ancient Babylon A carved “recipe” found on a stone slab from 2200 BC The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used it Cooked for 8 days in a cauldron, dried for 2 days in …

France is a beautiful country, with so much to see and do. With plenty of delicacies and excellent cuisine to indulge in along with the fabulous wine that is produced in the country, as well as a huge selection of tourist destinations to explore, there is plenty to do on …

Over 100,000 people (some estimates as high as 126,000) died in Provence between 1720 and 1722, including almost 50% of Marseille’s population some 46,000 inhabitants. All in the name of commerce. The Grand Saint-Antoine arrived in Marseille’s port on May 25, 1720, from Syria (previously Levan), the vessel was late, …

Patricia Sands is one of those people you cannot get enough of, she is warm, open and always ready for discovery. Bitten by the European travel bug at age 21, Sands spent a year backpacking and exploring local cultures, many miles away from her home in Toronto. Through life’s twists …

Like theTour Eiffel of Paris or the Big Ben of London, La chaise bleue has long been considered the symbol of Nice. The iconic chairs, as blue as the rippling Bay of Angels they overlook, are wedged in rows of 20 along the famous Promenade des Anglais. While in winter …

Does that sound romantic? Actually, Ginger was away in Canada and Nutmeg was certain that he had zero interest in visiting the Provence perfume distillery le Musée des Arômes or the candle maker at the Ciergerie de l’abbaye des Prémontrés. The aroma museum is located in the Provencal town of Gravason, …