Hiking in Provence The idea for this hike came from a friend at the International Hiking Group of Provence. The two needed to find a short hike not too far from the house so they would have enough time to get the car to the mechanic. Nutmeg consulted her “Must …

The Perreal hill is on the west side of Saint Saturnin Les Apt and the walk gives spectacular views in all directions. From our house, we walk the 800 metres to the village and then continue straight across opposite the bar du Platane. At the end of the road, turn …

This is walk number four from our green guide. Walking from our home adds a kilometre each way, so totalling 11 kilometres which took us two hours including stopping for photos and refreshments. ( not the bar in the village!) This is the Perreal on the west side of the …

Wow is the word for Notre Dame de la Menour, 800m high in the wild mountains inland from the Riviera coast. It began as a Romanesque chapel linked to the defensive walls—you can see the nearby ruins. The chapel was rebuilt in the 17th century and oriented correctly to the …

Winter Festivals and Events in Provence So many images of the Provence and the Côte d’Azur are summer scenes with ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation, and beautiful people in straw hats enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less attention, but it’s …

Whether you are a keen skier, you probably recognize famous French ski resorts such as Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Chamonix, Méribel and Megève. It may surprise some people that besides lavender and rosé, Provence has several ski resorts readily accessible from major centres such as Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and Nice. So, if …

When most people think of the South of France, their minds jump to the glamour of Cannes or the charm of Nice. But if you’re looking for a place where history, art, and stunning landscapes come together, the artful village of Mougins is the spot you don’t want to miss. …

The Alpilles (miniature Alps) run from east to west for 30 kilometres, starting at the edge of the Durance River and the town of Orgon to the western edge near Fontvieille. Although the Alpilles are not high, with a maximum height of 498 metres, they are dramatic with jagged limestone …

For all our time spent in Provence, I’m embarrassed to admit that we had never been to les Gorges du Verdon. And it’s not far from Lourmarin, only about an hour and a half, in the hills of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. We’d heard it was worth a visit, but what …

One of the life experiences I cherish the most is spending time along the Côte d’Azur. However, I must confess that I’m geographically challenged, so the more I visited, the more confused I became about something relatively straightforward. “Which seaside towns are below which hilltop villages?” To settle the question, …