It has been almost two decades since Anne-Marie Simons and her husband Oscar decided to uproot their Washington, D.C. lifestyle and spend their retirement years in the South of France. They eliminated other alternatives (continents, countries and cities) and chose Aix-en-Provence for its “quality of life.” The city’s attractive combination …

That Provencal vacation that you have dreamed about is finally going to happen! You have tackled the family calendar, arm-twisted a friend into dog sitting and booked the flights to the South of France. Now what? With beautiful images of lavender fields, azure waters and chilled rosé floating through your …

Exciting news! Bistrot la Terrasse, located in the peaceful, charming village of Joucas in the Luberon, is once again open in the evenings for dinner. This is truly an enchanting spot to watch the sun set over the Luberon valley with the red hue of Roussillon in the distance. Original …

In September 2016, Jill Paider and Tasha Powell embarked on a journey from Los Angeles to the Auberge La Fenière in Provence. This artistic team (please read their bios below) packed their camera equipment and developed a photo shot list for the assignment. Their mission was to portray the essence …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: Over the years I’ve wished (many times) that we could just chill out and effectively lie by a pool and relax for a holiday. But to be honest despite our best efforts we’ve found it’s just not for us and that after a hard …

Charming Provence Jolie vintage might be a good description for Goult. This village is one of a few in the Luberon that is not teeming with tourists, during the high season. In September 2015, Mimi and Michael Pillsbury purchased an old village house, as their new home and the base …

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 …

Of all the British women writers of the mid-20th century, perhaps cookery author Elizabeth David brought the most colour and sensuousness to the page – and the table. When she wrote about aubergines, courgettes, garlic and aromatic herbs, these were exotic rarities in the grey of Britain’s post-war rationing, and …

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 …

The smooth, bold red wines that fall under the Ventoux AOC, formerly known as Côtes du Ventoux, are distinct from the neighbouring Côtes du Rhône wines. I actually prefer them, but again I am no expert on wine or anything for that matter.All I know is that I like the …