Provence is a lovely place to spend Christmas. You are certainly not guaranteed a white Christmas, but the beautiful markets and sunny skies make up for it.  Join Jill at the Christmas market in Aix en Provence here.

By aixcentric If you are in Marseille for the Christmas lights and market, you may like to drop into the new exhibition at the Maison de l’Artisanat which is showing three centuries of seasonal objects from St Petersbourg. Fine china and costumes are arranged in tableaux taking the visitor back …

I’m still getting used to a Northern Hemisphere Christmas. Yes, I’m one of those strange people from the south who thinks Christmas should be hot, spent outside by the barbeque, enjoying a traditional festive menu of prawns and mangoes, before an afternoon swim to cool off.  

By aixcentric Today is the feast day of Saint Barbara – Sainte-Barbe – and in Provence, the day for planting blé d’ésperance ready for the Christmas table. If you are new to Aix, these are the corn-seeds currently being sold from makeshift stalls – and grocery shops – usually for …

By aixcentric English-speakers in Aix will have a tough decision to make on Sunday 7th December – go along to see two one-act plays by J.M. Barrie chosen to commemorate the centenary of the 1st World War, or hurry along to the great Cathedral in Aix to join in the …