Why Visit Aigues-Mortes
ExploreOur House in ProvenceVillages Towns and Cities

Why Visit Aigues-Mortes the Old Mediterranean Port

It had been quite a few years since we visited Aigues-Mortes, so when cousin Jean-Marc suggested we go somewhere on the sea, I suggested we go there. I still recall the first time we went to Aigues-Mortes, years before buying our house in Sablet, with Tante Edith, Jean-Marc’s mother. Aigues-Mortes …

READ MORE  
Gypsy Pilgrimage Saintes-Maries
InspireProvencal History & TraditionsSue Aran

Gypsy Pilgrimage to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue

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 …

READ MORE  
Provencal Beef Stew
BeefCook'n with ClassMain CourseProvencal RecipesTaste

Gardiane de Taureau Provencal Beef or Bull Stew

Are you looking for winter comfort food? This French meat stew makes a cold day a little warmer. Gardiane de Taureau, or gardianne, is also known as a daube camarguaise or daube des gardians. Our recipe for this traditional Provencal stew includes marinaded, slow-cooked meat from the black bulls (taureaux) …

READ MORE  
Aigues Mortes Camargue Visit
Carolyne Kauser-AbbottExploreVillages Towns and Cities

Aigues Mortes the Fortified Town in the Camargue

Don’t Argue with a King Aigues Mortes (Eaux Mortes or Dead Waters) is where King Louis IX chose to build a fortified presence in 1240. However, King Louis IX was not the first to construct near this marshland. Charlemagne beat him to it many years before when he had the …

READ MORE  
Nature Photography Provence Alain Poirot flamingo head up-down
InspirePhotographers in ProvenceRebecca Ronane

Capturing Nature Photography in Provence

In recent years, my husband, Alain Poirot, discovered a passion for photography. Although he has travelled extensively, one of the many benefits of living in Provence is that nature is literally outside our door. Nature Nearby Photographic passion is a little more than the iPhone snap. It means making multiple …

READ MORE  
Adventures Camargue Kids
ExploreLaura SnoekVillages Towns and Cities

Wild West Adventures in the Camargue with Kids

Provence’s Wild West Beaches, black bulls, ancient fortresses, and pink flamingos, the Camargue is like the Wild West of the South of France. The Camargue is a great place to spend your holidays. It feels less explored and lies between the Cote d’Azur and the Languedoc-Roussillon regions. The Camargue is …

READ MORE  
Visit Pink Flamingos Camargue
Ashley TinkerExplore

Visiting the Pink Flamingos of Camargue in Provence

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: Flamingos in Provence Did you know that we have a lot of pink flamingos in Provence? It’s not something that one would associate with the place of hilltop towns, olives, almonds, sunflowers, and lavender but that is my favourite thing about this region- it’s diversity. From our location …

READ MORE  
Cowboy Culture Bulls Taureaux Camargue Provence @PerfProvence
InspireKeith Van SickleProvencal History & Traditions

Cowboy Culture Living Dangerously in Provence

“The bull has escaped!” Cowboy Culture in Provence I looked up to see a thousand pounds of anger barreling down the street at me. Everyone scattered, frantically jumping over the metal barriers to safety. The bull thundered past, followed by closely by French cowboys on horseback. It was a terrifying …

READ MORE  
Book Review Drawing Lessons
Books on ProvenceInspire

Book Review Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands a Journey in Provence

Lunch with a girlfriend is always a treat, but the chance to visit with Patricia Sands twice during her stay in Provence was a gift. On the first occasion, we met at Cuisine de Comptoir, in Arles, a down-to-earth restaurant that serves tartines (open face sandwiches) on pain Poilâne (a …

READ MORE  
camargue-horse-in-sea @Margo_Lestz
ExploreLocals Travel TipsMargo Lestz

The Camargue: Horses, Bulls, and Gardians of Provence

Southwest Provence, around Arles and the Camargue, has a very distinctive culture: it’s a horse and bull culture. This marshy area, unsuitable for development, has been of little interest to humans over the years. Thus, it was a perfect place for herds of wild white horses, black cattle, and a multitude …

READ MORE