It rains a lot in Normandy. So, two residents of northern France to deciding to spend their retirement years in Provence would hardly be considered unusual. Sylvie and Pascal Verger were searching for a village house with a garden for their relocation from Honfleur. However, the trigger for their real …

According to my phone, “You have arrived.” Good thing for the warning, as I might have missed the small entry sign for le Domaine de Palerme. Discrete might be a good descriptor for this property located only a couple kilometres from the heart of lively L’Isle sur la Sorgue. The …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Visitors to Marseille’s MuCEM or the Musée Regards de Provence can eat in either venue, or may like to wander along the main road a little to try Les Halles de la Major which is in the vaults tucked underneath the magnificent 19th century cathedral. …

Although I have yet to meet Janine Marsh in person (and I do hope it happens one day), I can say with 100% confidence that she is funny, humble and slightly crazy. During the summer months, it hardly rains in Provence, so I happily took advantage of a rainy day …

Just below the famous hilltop fortress of Les Baux sits the boutique luxury hotel Benvengudo.  The name means “welcome” in the local language and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Walking into the manicured grounds of Benvengudo is like stepping back in time, to a more simple and gracious era.  The …

If you’ve visited the Saturday Market in Uzes during tourist season and hate the crowds, you should be here in February. The market is almost the same, minus the throngs of people. This weekend’s market day was sunny and cold — a crisp 45 degrees when I set out. …Continue …

Yeah, I won’t lie, there are certainly some perks to being a chef’s wife. You get to be the guinea pig for his latest recipe obsession for one. I get to watch him perfect his talents while I indulge in little tastings. And while my wardrobe may not always be …

It can be difficult to find stores near you in a foreign country. Your common knowledge of simple store names just isn’t there. If you’re renovating a house in France, depending on where you’re located, this is where you’ll find your building materials: DIY Stores (French equivalent of B&Q or …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: The last 2 days have gone by in a blur of builders, rubble & dust, but it’s been worth it. Having got rid of the hideous pellet burner (affectionately known as Growler) back in August, we’d been keeping our fingers well and truly crossed …

Almost ten years ago, we bought a run-down house in the Luberon. Actually, it was rather more than a house: it’s un hameau, a hamlet of several buildings overlooking the long sweep of the Luberon hills and the valley. ‘It has a very special atmosphere,’ said the agent who took …