Bouches du Rhône Department Like other departments, the Bouches du Rhône combines large urban centres and unspoilt countryside. Visible traces of Roman history weave throughout the region, which is one of many reasons to visit Arles and its monuments. Beautiful Aix-en-Provence and seaside Marseille, the second-largest city in France after …

I’ve only been in Provence once during lavender season. It was many years ago when everything in the region was new to me and I was much less adventurous. As a result, I didn’t see much lavender and have regretted it ever since. This year I wanted to be here …

There’s a new place in St-Rémy-de-Provence that’s perfect for tourists and locals alike. Chez les Frangins (At the Brothers’ Place) is an artisanal rotisserie with everything you need for a delicious dinner at home or a picnic under a shady tree. Brothers Paul and Victor Granier opened their shop less …

Provence is magical during the holiday season, and December is a wonderful time to visit the South of France.  The festivities begin in mid-November, running right through early January. The sparkling, festive ambience of Europe’s Christmas markets is legendary. The Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik is one of the largest in France, with …

Staring at piles of heirloom tomatoes at a summer market in Provence will convince you that this fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) is native to the region. However typical tomatoes are today, according to Britannica, the plant’s origins lie in South America, arriving only in the early 16th century to …

The Alpes-Maritimes department stretches from the French Riviera beaches to the southern Alps ski resorts to the Italian border. Surrounded by the Var and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Alpes-Maritimes includes densely populated urban areas and famous Côte d’Azur cities. However, from vineyards to hiking trails, plenty of untouched wilderness is waiting …

Every summer, the Luberon village of La Roque d’Anthéron greets visitors worldwide for the International Piano Festival. In its 42nd year, the month-long festival starts in mid-July, and music lovers fill the stands at Château de Florans. For four decades, the acoustic stage, set under a leafy canopy of Plantanes …

The PACA region scored high in the Michelin 2022 rating of French restaurants, revealed during a star-studded ceremony held in Cognac on March 23rd. There are now some 90 restaurants boasting at least one star in Michelin in Provence, which, revered or detested, is the granddaddy of restaurant guides. Four …

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 at this time of year, and the sunflowers put on a …

Book Review by Mary-Jane Deeb of M.L. (Mary Lou) Longworth, Death at the Chateau Bremont. Penguin Books, New York, 2011. The Author Mary Lou Longworth, better known as M.L. Longworth, is a Canadian writer best known for her Provençal mysteries set in Aix-en-Provence, where she moved with her family in …