I have a confession to make. It’s been over 30 years since we first visited the area and over five (5) years since buying the house here, yet I hadn’t seen the incredible Mines de Bruoux, at nearby Gargas, until recently. Incredible Mines de Bruoux Typically when Ochres are mentioned, …

At L’AUGUSTE Provence, showcasing the Provencal countryside always starts with an image. Finding endless inspiration in Provence’s landscapes, local traditions, and exceptional French craftsmanship, the three founders (Laure, Stéphanie, and Caroline) launched L’AUGUSTE Provence in 2021. These friends combined their expertise to turn Laure’s watercolour paintings into attractive, practical accessories. …

Gathering in the Acquiesce Winery tasting room with owner Susan Tipton and Susan and Towny Manfull and the wine lovers behind Provence WineZine was a joyful occasion after so much time apart. However, we were not in Lodi, California for simply a social occasion, we had some wine tasting and …

Discovering Bonnieux Our family first visited Bonnieux during a week in Provence in early June 2003. We stayed in a nearby village and spent a few hours in Bonnieux one afternoon. The Luberon truly captivated all three of us. The following year we returned for a longer stay—six-and-a-half months—renting a …

Raising sheep and goats has been part of the fabric of life in Provence for centuries. Before grocery stores, small animal husbandry was necessary for nutrition and is the basis for traditional recipes. We highlight eight (8) of these dishes further down in this article. Grazing Land In a landscape …

I find myself increasingly comfortable listening to conversations I don’t understand. Throaty vowels, rusty consonants, over half a dozen languages being spoken at once; French, Spanish, Catalan, American, Austrian, Italian, Romani during the Gypsy Festival, Pélerinage Gitan, in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Listening with our minds instead of our hearts, language often limits …

After a long year and a half, our good friends and neighbours Ursula and Bob returned to the neighbourhood from their other home is in upstate New York, in the Catskill Mountains. It’s nice to have them back. We had them over to dinner to celebrate their return and wanted …

Mountains, Old Abbeys, Pretty Villages and a Roman Bridge The Luberon in the Vaucluse boasts many charming villages, four of which are classified as Plus Beaux Villages. Moreover, there are wooded hills with plenty of good walking, great markets, excellent restaurants and a producer of quality wines—all in this relatively unspoiled …

Back To France 22 months. 22 months of uncertainty and worry, of hopes that were dashed, of plans that didn’t come true. 22 months of maybes and if onlys. 22 months of a feeling I ended up calling traveller’s despair. The gnawing fear that France, like the rest of the …

As the weather in the Sonoran Desert finally cools down, the morning temperatures are just low enough to use the fireplace. Once winter arrives, I  look forward to that first fire and spend all morning staring into the flames. Along with those indolent desert winter days come the addictive comfort …