We have been living in Rousset since 2020. Rousset is a small Provençal village located at the foot of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire. Therefore, this little haven of peace is a magnificent natural environment just 15 kilometres from Aix-en-Provence. Arriving at Rousset for a French immersion stay with us, you will …

The Rhône and Durance rivers are like bookends creating fluid boundaries of the Bouches du Rhône (mouth of the Rhône) while providing irrigation for the department’s agricultural land. After an 800 km journey from its source, the Rhône Glacier in Valais, Switzerland, the Rhône River yawns lazily into the Mediterranean …

Since 1990, visitors to Aix have been able to follow in the footsteps of Cezanne courtesy of 3,500 markers on the pavements and footpaths, as he wended from home to studio to painting site and then to cafes in town after a long day at the easel. Now the Aix-en-Provence …

Bouches du Rhône Department Like other departments, the Bouches du Rhône combines large urban centres and unspoilt countryside. Visible traces of Roman history weave throughout the region, which is one of many reasons to visit Arles and its monuments. Beautiful Aix-en-Provence and seaside Marseille, the second-largest city in France after …

Sophie Claire just published her latest novel, An Escape To Provence. Her writing features uplifting emotional stories with their heart in Provence, where she spent her childhood summers. Half French, half Scottish, Sophie Claire was born in Africa and grew up in England. She felt she didn’t belong anywhere – …

Cotignac is a small but lively village in the Var region with a rich and fascinating history that goes right back to medieval times. It is an ‘open village’ that already provides a colourful history, but for lovers of art, there is far more than meets the eye, as Cotignac …

Winter Festivals and Events in Provence What is winter like in Provence? It’s a good question. So, many images of the South of France are summer scenes; ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation and beautiful people in enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less …

The Stunning Alpilles The landscape of the Alpilles is not exactly the land of milk and honey but rather a harsh alpine climate that supports the growth of grapes and olives. Known as the Alpilles (small Alps), this 30km band of jagged limestone cliffs and scrub brush is a protected …

Delighted to say that my book Aix-en-Provence The Inside Story is being re-issued, brought up to date and now in colour throughout.  It‘s eight (8) years since it was first published, and I believe I am right in saying that it’s still the only book to cover the story of …

Arles Worth the Wait Eleven years.  That’s how long the Muséon Arlaten has been closed for renovation, but with the input of a leading architectural agency and the fabulous Arlesien designer Christian Lacroix, it certainly has style – see the staircase. Founded by the poet Frédéric Mistral in 1896, it …