For the Christmas Creche in Provence Santons are a Must
As a family, we always had a creche at Christmastime. Saying it was handmade makes it sound like a professional job. However, it was anything but rather the result of a haphazard artistic collaboration between my brother and me. Somehow that creche has stood the test of time, and my …
2023 Holiday Gift Guide Books from Provence our Recommendations
Holiday Shopping Made Easy Are you shopping for book lovers? Here is our 2023 holiday gift guide for books from Provence for those on your list who love reading, travelling, and dreaming of France. These books are for anyone who wants a literary “dose” of Provence. Whether you have visited …
Winter in Provence Events a Planning Calendar for 2024
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 …
Visiting the Alpilles? Our Guide to the Villages and Must-sees
Established in 2007, the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles covers the mountain range and its flanks. As a protected natural area, there are restrictions on construction and park usage. However, the artifacts from human settlements discovered in these hills date back to the Neolithic era, and the range is the …
Markets in Provence Cote d’Azur a List for Travel Planning
Welcome to our list of the Markets of Provence and the Côte d’Azur. This article is a reference directory by day of the week to better-known markets, producers’ markets and a few more. While it would be impossible to include every market in the region, we have tried to be …
Little Santons Play a Big Role in Provence’s Christmas Traditions
In Provence, at Christmastime, there are many holiday traditions, including nativity scenes with Santons (little saints). Santons are little clay figurines depicting the biblical characters – baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Wisemen. Anyone expecting the “typical” nativity scenario might be surprised by the Provencal version with figures representing the …
Les Soldes Black Friday Shopping Trends in Provence
Virginie Van Der Wees wrote this article about Black Friday in Provence. She is a mother, wife, and French teacher who offers language immersion holidays near Aix-en-Provence. The text about consumer shopping trends in France is written in English, followed by French. Please keep reading for anyone interested in improving …
Our List: Museums and Places to see Art in Provence
Where to See Art in Provence In a place that inspired so many famous artists, including Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Nicolas de Stael, among countless others, there is no lack of opportunities to see art in Provence. We have compiled a list of places …
Our Guided Tour Wine Tasting in Bandol and Cassis with a Professional
When I read on Kristin Espinasse’s blog “French Word a Day,” that her husband Jean-Marc, a wine professional, offered wine tours in Provence, I was in touch faster than you can open a screw-top bottle. We settled on a date for wine tasting in the Bandol and Cassis appellations. Although …
Order Sweet Treats from Provence for the Holidays
For the end-of-year celebrations, what is better than giving or receiving a selection of sweet treats? Remember Provence offers different and exclusive compositions of Provençal and artisanal chocolates and sweets. Fruidoraix, a family-run company, has produced these confectioneries for over 140 years. The fabrication expertise has been passed along through …