When students join me in Provence for a French immersion stay, I want to make sure that they improve their language skills and also get a chance to visit the region. Below are a few excursions from Aix-en-Provence that I have taken with students during their visits. Some of these …

It’s hard to compete with a long list of magnificent, historically significant gardens in a country that includes gardens built for French royalty. The Palace of Versailles and its immaculate grounds are on your list of must-sees in Paris. Then there are the Jardins du Château de Fontainebleau south of …

Lavender’s intoxicating fragrance is like a journey into a perfume bottle. So why not take that into the kitchen? The herb is a member of the mint family, and specifically grown culinary lavender is edible and adds a unique flavour to baked goods, desserts, and savoury dishes. The important thing …

In the tiny town of Vergèze, near the fabulous Roman city of Nîmes, stands the mega powerhouse producer of bottled water bubbles known worldwide as Perrier. The Perrier Museum The story behind this “Champagne of table waters” becoming a globally recognized brand began over 160 years ago. While on a …

Lavender blooms for a relatively short time in Provence. Like any plant, the exact peak flowering time depends on several factors, including weather and altitude. Generally, the lavender fields in the South of France peak in early July and are harvested by mid-August. Many people plan their trips specifically to …

Thankfully, “gap year” was not something I had ever heard of when I was in school. Otherwise, I would have lobbied to spend a year, or a lifetime, in Europe. Instead, I followed the traditional and well-beaten path, graduating and then travelling through Europe on a Eurail pass for as …

Beautiful Gardens of Provence France has many magnificent, historically significant gardens built for French royalty. The Palace of Versailles and its immaculate grounds are on your list of must-sees near Paris. Then there are the Jardins du Château de Fontainebleau south of the capital and the stunning Château de Chenonceau …

With superhighways, fast trains, and air travel, it is hard, if not impossible, to imagine a time when the well-stocked grocery store did not exist. The Provencal culinary relationship with goat cheese or chevre is centuries old and continues today. Listed below are several of our favourite goat cheese recipes …

May is one of my favourite months in Provence, with longer days and milder temperatures. Even though I often recommend discovering Provence during winter. May is a month when it is good to explore our region. It is also a month with several public holidays. The text below is in …

It is hard to beat French patisseries (pastry shops) for viennoiseries (croissants, pain au chocolate, and brioche) and their selection of tartes. Throughout France, pastry chefs make a culinary art with exquisite fruit tarts and classics like mille-feuille made with puff pastry and crème pâtissière. Below, we highlight five tarts …