It rains a lot in Normandy. So, two residents of northern France to deciding to spend their retirement years in Provence would hardly be considered unusual. Sylvie and Pascal Verger were searching for a village house with a garden for their relocation from Honfleur. However, the trigger for their real …

According to my phone, “You have arrived.” Good thing for the warning, as I might have missed the small entry sign for le Domaine de Palerme. Discrete might be a good descriptor for this property located only a couple kilometres from the heart of lively L’Isle sur la Sorgue. The …

Although I have yet to meet Janine Marsh in person (and I do hope it happens one day), I can say with 100% confidence that she is funny, humble and slightly crazy. During the summer months, it hardly rains in Provence, so I happily took advantage of a rainy day …

Yeah, I won’t lie, there are certainly some perks to being a chef’s wife. You get to be the guinea pig for his latest recipe obsession for one. I get to watch him perfect his talents while I indulge in little tastings. And while my wardrobe may not always be …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: It can be difficult to find stores near you in a foreign country. Your common knowledge of simple store names just isn’t there. If you’re renovating a house in France, depending on where you’re located, this is where you’ll find your building materials: DIY Stores …

Almost ten years ago, we bought a run-down house in the Luberon. Actually, it was rather more than a house: it’s un hameau, a hamlet of several buildings overlooking the long sweep of the Luberon hills and the valley. ‘It has a very special atmosphere,’ said the agent who took …

Admittedly the first time I met Ashley Tinker I was a bit distracted, nine (9!) of my girlfriends were visiting Provence, and I was attempting to keep everyone on schedule. Subsequently, I discovered more about Ashley via her blog Curious Provence – a good name for her limitless marvel at the …

Have you ever thought about owning a B&B? I certainly have. For years I could see myself entertaining guests in an antebellum mansion. Or in a sprawling Victorian farmhouse. I’d serve a breakfast stacked high with crispy bacon and fluffy pancakes — “your choice of banana, berry, or chocolate chip …

In 1999, a decade after the publication of Peter Mayle’s “A Year in Provence”, Georgina Causton and her partner decided to take a sabbatical year. Smitten by the South of France, they never returned to live in London. Instead, they bought a house and three mortgages later ended up with …

Launched in 1995, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Les Baux de Provence was a bold step for a dozen winemakers. They joined forces in an attempt to carve out a unique identity in the ocean of mediocre (at the time) Provencal wine. These wineries had fallen under the umbrella of the …