France got in the way of Spain. That might be the way Paul Shawcross would describe his first taste of France in 1979. His plan was to drive through France en-route to discovering Spain. He stopped at a campground in Millau, part of the amazing Tarn River Gorge. It was …

My mother might not approve as some of my relationships these days start via social media – a tweet, a Facebook “like.” That is exactly how we ended up on a rocky trail bordered by the Durance River and cherry orchards with our new friend Charmaine. We spent a Tuesday …

Maybe the panhandlers should have headed to Provence instead of California! Gold appears to be easy to come by under sunny Provencal skies, according to real estate agents who gush about the chic Cote d’Azur, the star-studded Var and Peter Mayle’s gold-dusted Luberon. The village of Eygalières has the geographic …

The owners of Mas de la Croix de Fer are celebrating their second season of running self-catering cottages in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The story of how they ended up in Mallemort is one of fate. Born in Zambia, Charmaine is a genuine South African – she speaks both English and Afrikaans. …

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 …