What could be more delicious than a big messy sandwich at a picnic with friends. This Nicoise Pan Bagnat is packed with layers of flavour that only get better the longer they marinate together. Fresh peppery arugula with tuna, pickles, olives, capers, fennel, tomatoes, anchovies and homemade mayonnaise are perfectly presented on an artisan baked french loaf.

The forecast was for sweltering weather, those blue sky-cicada-filled days that scream for poolside lounging in Provence. As I packed the car, I wondered (again) why I was joining a Bliss Travels trip with founder Wendy Jaeger? I do not consider myself a “tour” person – what would the group …

Financiers aux Courgettes – little zucchini cakes – fit the pot luck bill perfectly. Typically in French cuisine, a financier is a small, airy cake, often with an almond flour base, that is eaten for dessert. I prefer savoury financiers which lend themselves to a myriad of combinations – sausage and cheese, spinach and cheese, olive, walnuts and cheese

Cantilevered to a Luberon hillside are the striking remains of an ancient oppidum and its defensive dry-stone walls; Gordes can rightly boast about its ranking among les Plus Beaux Villages de France. However, at the height of Provence’s tourist season this town, with its single thoroughfare, becomes a ghastly traffic …

Martine Bertin-Peterson is intrepid; she had a window of 90 minutes of “downtime” between her back-to-back tour groups, yet she agreed to meet me for a glass of rosé. Beneath the walls of the immense Palais des Papes in Avignon, we chatted about her food and wine excursions in Provence. …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: As I mentioned in my last post there are a number of lovely cycle rides that can be taken from the end of the Veloroute du Calavon, towards Cereste and beyond. Having sat down with a neighbour she spent an hour poring over the map, …

Contributor blog post by Jeany Cronk @Mirabeau Wine: Summer’s finally around the corner, yippee, and so alfresco dining and picnics are back on our agendas. I can say without hesitation that a cool bottle of Mirabeau is the perfect partner for all that outdoor activity! I’ve always liked to bring …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The tourist office in Aix has come up with a very good 32-page digital magazine ‘Le Mag’ to help visitors this coming summer: there are details of events, music, markets, lavender fields tours, where to play golf, the Cézanne map, where to picnic and key …

Bilingual guide Chiara Orlandi grew up in the heart of Italy, in Umbertide, a place that she still holds dear in her heart even after several years away in the United Kingdom and Edinburgh, Scotland. Orlandi studied event management at Edinburgh’s Napier University, her second Masters (her previous degrees are …

Nestled in the heart of Provence, you will find a true Hidden Gem – Château de Mazan. The former residence of the Marquis de Sade, an 18th Century French aristocrat, politician and writer who was infamous for his outrageous, libertine lifestyle, this stunning Château is an ideal destination for a relaxing …