Customs and terminology can be confusing in a foreign country, and France is no exception. North Americans and other international travellers might not understand (or search for) terms like gîte, mazet, chambres d’hôtes, or hôtel de charme. What is a Gîte? A gîte is a terrific option for holiday rentals …

Do you own a holiday rental property (apartment, self-catered cottage, villa, village house, boutique hotel) in Provence or the Côte d’Azur? This article summarises a presentation given to holiday rental owners in the South of France in January 2022. We hope that you find some nuggets of helpful information when …

Cannes-do Holidays When you think of Cannes, you probably think of the Film Festival, A-List celebrities, superyachts, private jets, sports cars and all the glamour enjoyed by the rich and famous which bears little resemblance to your family summer holidays, right? However, with a little planning, a family holiday in …

Historic Charm Go on, allow yourself to be seduced by Uzes’s ancient winding, cobbled streets, its golden stone and hidden squares… As an early Roman settlement and France’s first Duchy, Uzes has attracted traders and visitors since antiquity. Today its airy squares and winding streets play host to a multitude …

Holiday planning is not for the faint of heart. Spending your precious vacation time with family or friends is a bit like rolling the dice at a casino. Striking the delicate balance between activity, sightseeing, and relaxation to suit everyone’s taste is a juggling act. To control what you can, …

An Address in Provence Michel and Shirley live in California’s wine country north of San Francisco but even surrounded by those beautiful vineyards they felt a tug to Provence. The couple searched for several years before buying a house in Sablet, a village in the Vaucluse. Perhaps it was Michel’s …

Back in October, our lovely foodie friends Alexandra Dudley, Laura Jackson and Billy & Jack visited us (see Cooking up some serious sunshine in Cotignac) and stayed just outside Cotignac in a beautifully renovated farmhouse from the 17th and 18th centuries, the Domaine Saint Joseph. Its owner, Charlotte Baring, is a talented …

While planning your Provence adventure, make sure your lodging, whether hotel, villa, or Airbnb, is located conveniently to the region’s best restaurants. Dining is an important part of the Provence experience, so here is a short list of highly regarded restaurants in the region. L’Oustalet, Gigondas The gem of the …

Diving into Provence Ten years after Peter Mayle’s book “A Year in Provence” was published, Georgina Causton and her partner decided to spend a sabbatical year (1999) in Provence. Completely enchanted by the lifestyle in the South of France they never returned to live in London. Suddenly, they found themselves …

That Provencal vacation that you have dreamed about is finally going to happen! You have tackled the family calendar, arm-twisted a friend into dog sitting and booked the flights to the South of France. Now what? With beautiful images of lavender fields, azure waters and chilled rosé floating through your …