Mother Nature determines the exact timing of when the lavender fields bloom in Provence each year. However, there is a certain magic with visiting the region before the crowds arrive for summer. Typically, June is a lovely month to travel in the South of France before it gets too hot …

When I read on Kristin Espinasse’s blog “French Word a Day,” that her husband Jean-Marc, a wine professional, offered wine tours in Provence, I was in touch faster than you can open a screw-top bottle. We settled on a date for wine tasting in the Bandol and Cassis appellations. Although …

Not helped by its setting for gangster and crime movies, France’s second-largest city, Marseille, used to have an image problem. However, ask any local, this city is pure magic. Situated on the Mediterranean, Marseille residents can swim at their favourite beach before work and watch the sunset over the water …

Martine Bertin-Peterson is the founder of the travel company Goût et Voyage. Her focus is small group tours featuring culture and gourmet delights in Provence and Tuscany. These food and wine excursions in Provence are like travelling with your best friends, as a Goût et Voyage tour never exceeds six …

National Geographic photographer Catherine Karnow’s fabulous photo workshop in Provence from June 2 to 12, 2024, is fully booked. Inquire about registration for 2025. These workshops have space for eight (8) guests. Picture Perfect Provence Catherine Karnow is a talented photographer who organizes photo workshops in her hometown of San …

In Provence, dreams can come true. Raina Stinson’s move to France in February 2018 was brave. She was on her own and spoke limited French. Nonetheless, Raina was pursuing her goal of becoming a full-time photographer, a vision she had since she was 18. Today, Raina is a professional photographer …

Fall in Provence is a magical season. With the summer holidays over, the region feels calmer, and the seasonal colours make for stunning backdrops. Emily Durand, the founder of Your Private Provence, a small group tour operator, has designed an exceptional autumn adventure called “October in Provence,” which strikes a …

It’s not a dream. Outside your window, the cicadas are chanting as the sun moves higher in the morning sky, warming the Provencal countryside. You are in Provence during the lavender season and learning about photography. Now that is a dream! On holidays, you want to immerse in the local …

Céline O’Donnell is a private tour guide and native of Nice, France. She has lived in this Côte d’Azur city for 40 years and now runs guided walking tours of her city through her company Nice by Heart. After studying and working in the design field in London, and extensive …

Goût et Voyage is Martine Bertin-Peterson’s boutique travel company offering small-group tours in Provence and Tuscany. Martine was born in France and moved to the US with her family at seven. After visiting much of the world as a tour guide and for personal enjoyment, she tells me that the …