This is a reference guide, a list of the Markets of Provence and the Côte d’Azur, and additional travel tips. Below is a regional directory for daily markets by department (Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhône, Luberon, Vaucluse, and Var) within Provence. We will add details for Alpes de Haute Provence …

While you have most likely tried polenta before, if you have not visited the South of France you may not have sampled panisse or socca. Golden brown, slightly crispy and topped with a fleur de sel, it’s hard to resist freshly made panisse. Below is my easy recipe for panisse …

What’s On in the South of France? During the summer in Provence and the Côte d’Azur, daytime temperatures range from warm to hot. So, you don’t need an excuse to laze by the pool. The lavender is in bloom this time of year, and the sunflowers put on a spectacular …

From humble beginnings as a fishing village on the French Riviera, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has a reputation as a playground for the rich and famous. Billed as one of the most expensive places on the Côte d’Azur and is reinforced by grand villas, magnificent gardens, and luxury hotels. These are only a …

Provence is a buffet for food lovers. There are markets every day of the week. Chefs find inspiration in seasonal fruit and vegetables, Mediterranean seafood, and free-range lamb. A suitable climate and good soil mean an array of locally produced almonds, cheese, wine, olives and olive oil. In the spring …

Panisse, like polenta, is easy to make. The difference is chickpea flour instead of cornmeal. However, the culinary debate about whether panisse is a culinary creation of Marseille or Nice continues without resolution. Is the authentic version of panisse found at a snack bar on the beach in l’Estaque, where …

Very rarely do you come across a Côtes du Rhône Villages so incredible that it might as well be a Gigondas wine. However, in this case, the red wine that we used in this wine pairing from Paul Jaboulet Aîné (2020) is a nice upgrade. It is big and bold, …

Before I moved to France,  I had never seen a fresh fig. The only figs I knew were in that classic American cookie – Fig Newtons. Although, admittedly, it’s a pretty good choice in the grocery store cookie aisle. Discovering Figs When I moved to the south of France with …

Among Nice’s many attractions are its Mediterranean location and the fresh seafood. Octopus (la pouple) is one ingredient that often features in Niçoise dishes. La pouple à la Niçoise was a favourite of the local fisherman mentioned by Tobias Smollett in 1762. However, the recipe has likely evolved since that …

A Sea of Sheep I pressed my back tight against the stone facade of the ancient house on the narrow street where I stood. Around me were dozens of other people doing the same. How, I wondered, was that huge mass of sheep barreling toward us going to fit through? …