Born in the United Kingdom (UK) to parents who worked in the diplomatic service, Deborah Lawrenson spent much of her childhood moving around the world to China, Kuwait, Europe (Belgium and Luxembourg) and Singapore. After completing English studies at Cambridge University, Lawrenson worked as a journalist in London. Today, she …

Mention Provence as a destination to your friends, and most people have either been and want to return or are dreaming of their first visit. Gayle Padgett and her husband “flirted” with Provence for two decades, often travelling during their vacation time from US government jobs in Germany. As their …

From the bright lights of one of the world’s biggest cities to a rural village in the South of France, Susana Iwase Hanson has plenty of experience with relocations. Tri-lingual (English, French and Japanese) and armed with diplomas in linguistics, and international business and marketing, she launched Provence Living in …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: It’s now nearly 4 months since Millie, our Golden Retriever, arrived for her first visit to France and I think it’s fair to say she has settled in very quickly and already considers Provence as home. I admit that it didn’t start too well, …

Italian by birth, Chiara Orlandi moved from the heart of the country, near Umbria’s capital Perugia, to the somewhat rainy, northern city of Edinburgh, in Scotland. According to Chiara, “I’ve always had a passion for travelling, learning new languages and experiencing different cultures.” While in Scotland, she worked with the …

While reading Gayle Smith Padgett’s book, Passion for Provence, 22 Keys to La Belle Vie, I kept thinking this lady is someone you would enjoy getting to know in person. The book (her first) is just over 260 pages long, after each of the 22 chapters she shares her “key” …

When you have an appointment at the prefecture to renew your French expat visa, you’d better show up. Rain, shine … or flu! Today was the day to update my 12-month French expat visa — or carte de séjour. The event seems to come around much faster each year. I …

Sometimes you wake up suddenly from a dream only for it to disappear from grasp, but in other cases, that vision becomes clearer with time. What if your dream was to live in Provence? Over 25 years ago, Julie Whitmarsh and her husband Andy visited the Vaucluse for the first …

Relocating to the South of France is often a lifestyle choice, for those seeking a milder climate and slower pace of life. However, it is not every couple who willingly choose to spend their semi-retirement years managing a boutique, 5-bedroom B&B in a new country. In December 2010, Jane and …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Looks like the 3-year renovation at Piscine Yves Blanc is going well and that the pool will re-open in September 2018 (yay!). The main work of enlarging the pools and developing changing rooms and offices is done; now it’s over to the plumbers, electricians and tilers. …