Weather Moves If you are in Provence in the spring or fall, you might see the movement of sheep and goats to greener pastures – transhumance. These organized transhumance events in Provence are kid-friendly and entertaining. Watching several thousand animals moving through village streets is worth experiencing. Seasonal weather dictates …

If you are a fan of wines from Provence or the Southern Rhône Valley, you are already intimate with Grenache Noir. You probably don’t sidle up to the bar and order a “Grenache Noir” like you would a glass of Pinot or Cab, but I assure you that, in Provence …

Only 35 minutes from the Nice Airport at 550m above sea level, the peaceful village of Châteauneuf-Villevieille is a clear contrast to the dynamic French city. Set against the flank of Mont Férion in the préalpes, Châteauneuf-Villevieille is an excellent base for an active holiday near the French Riviera. The …

The United Nations established International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) on December 29, 1993. The date was later changed to May 22nd so that end-of-year celebrations do not impact the participating countries. There is a theme associated with the date each year, such as “Our solutions are in nature” in …

I thought it was time to revisit something I did soon after starting this blog to do an A-Z of the Luberon and Vaucluse. I started it all those years ago, before we had bought the house, and with much less knowledge than we have now. Also, I never actually …

May is a critical month in the lifecycle of the vines on Domaine Mirabeau. In April, the buds break and begin to swell to show the first leaves and future branches. Then follows the critical process of ‘ebourgeonnage’ or debudding; the viticulturalist and their team select the branches that will …

As an avid traveller and French Riviera lover, 2020 has hit me very hard, and I’m sure most of you reading this article can relate. 2021 is not looking that great either, at least at the time of writing. Some readers of my blog have asked what I’ve been doing …

While living and working in dynamic Hong Kong, Tom and Paul were hooked and began visiting Antibes and Cote d’Azur. Leaving behind Asia’s intense lifestyle and demanding jobs in luxury hotel design (Tom) and financial markets (Paul), they moved to Antibes in 2012. It’s been a decade, and Antibes is …

Tucked into the mountains north of Nice, next to Roure’s charming village, sits an arboretum unique in the world. It mixes exotic trees, rare flowers, and “no-made” art in a mountain park overlooking the wild Tinel Valley—a perfect day trip for nature lovers and art enthusiasts alike. The Marcel Kroënlein …

Focaccia is a traditional Italian flatbread with firmness and texture similar to pizza dough. In Provence, fougasse is similar but a slightly different type of bread (recipe here). Use this delicious bread as a side dish, sandwich bread, or as a flatbread with various toppings.  Other common toppings include herbs …