This guest post comes to us from Berlin (and Madrid)! Vlada Migas is a pastry chef and the voice behind the tempting recipes on her blog Cook for Soul. “I enjoy feeding people with tasty desserts and sharing my cooking stories with them. Recently upgraded my skills with alternative dieting …

By Access Riviera October school holidays run from today until Sunday 4 November on the Côte d’Azur and it’s a time to sample some of the autumn activities in the region. There are lots of school holiday options for kids that aren’t attending the centre de loisirs/centre aérés or booked …

Contributor blog post by Jemma: French Lessons has survived a summer that one local friend dubbed “un agenda de ministre.” Even for us non-government ministers, the French expression seemed an appropriate way to characterize our schedule in a country where public spending(as a % of GDP) continues, shall we say, to …

Walking Long Distance in France The impressive network of GRs (Grandes Randonnées) in France is no secret to keen hikers. Here, in the Alpes-Maritimes (Département 06), walkers from all over the world tackle the long distance trails including GR 5/52/52A among other routes. Here, is a listing of some of the …

Travel Guides for Provence Remember when we carried around hefty paperbacks to guide our travels? In the 1980s, long before smartphones, tourists faithfully checked these guidebooks for reviews on hotels, restaurants and must-see sights. Backpackers conscious of space and weight often discarded the pages for a city or region once …

This seafood dish so bright and flavourful that I call it sunshine on a plate (see post for step-by-step photos). Seared scallops are coquilles Saint-Jacques in French. They are not hard to cook, but there are a few culinary keys to achieving a crispy result. Try to find fresh scallops …

Culinary Holiday in France Occasionally magic happens in the kitchen, but the odds are better if you have some training. In the case of Chef Francois de Mélogue and his wife Lisa, they have a collective 30+ years in the hospitality industry, and both enjoy entertaining – a winning combination. …

Joy of Cooking in Provence True confession: I am a committed foodie (although the grammar checker doesn’t seem to like the word). Maybe that admission will get me off the hook for being unable to delete thousands of photos of markets objectively. Over the years, we have taken many (did …

Contributor blog post by  Jemma: French Lessons has stumbled on Hogwarts School of Miraculous Strings, and it’s right here in the heart of the Côte d’Azur.  How surprised and charmed – and humbled – we are . . . “The cello matter is more complicated than I thought,” a local friend emailed …

Quince are not a pretty fruit. Far from perfectly shaped they resemble an oversized, rock-hard pear. However, once peeled and stewed with sugar, like apples for a compote, quince are versatile. You can make a quince paste, which is delicious with cheese or follow this recipe for Quince Puff Pastry Tarts …