It would be easy enough to skip the Abbey of Montmajour as you are rushing to Arles for a Feria du Riz or for lunch in St Remy on a lively terrace. Don’t skip by – it is magical!

Provencal postcards are dominated by fields of purple-lavender rows, stoic sunflowers against cobalt-sky backdrops, gnarled grapevines burdened with ripening fruit and endless groves of olive trees. It is highly unlikely that demons, demigods, bat caves and sorcery are images that pop into your mind when a friend says they are going to …

Previously published on Ginger and Nutmeg: Biking in France Whether you own a custom-fit, carbon fiber steed with electronic shifters or a three-gear cruiser bike with tassels, you have to admit that watching the Tour de France each July is addictive. The right to wear the maillot jaune is earned over …