Mont Ventoux soars from the Provencal orchards and vineyards to its stark limestone summit at 1909 metres (6,263 ft). In the winter, the top of Mont Ventoux can have snow, and then a tiny ski hill operates. The stark white limestone peak is visible all year from a fair distance …

If you like French wine, there is a good chance that you have sampled some vintages from the Rhône Valley. Some vineyards in the southern Rhône are near the famous Mont Ventoux – Provence’s giant mountain. This article focuses on six (6) villages in the Côtes du Rhône wine region. …

While Provence provides many opportunities to visit local vineyards or village cooperatives, this one is close to Aix-en-Provence. Here is a parcours for a visit to Puyloubier, a village a short drive east from Aix. Situated on the lower slopes of the Sainte-Victoire, its vineyards are covered by the appellation …

Between the intense month-plus-long heatwave and lack of rain this past summer, our planet is obviously not happy. There was a moment during the pandemic when the planet was given a chance to take a big breath of fresh air. But that didn’t last long, and we are back to …

As long-time readers of Our House in Provence blog know, one of our favourite villages besides Sablet is Villedieu. It’s a small village (population 505), built on a hill overlooking vineyards, olive grows and pine trees near the Eygues River on the border of the Drome Provencale. Villedieu is located …

While in Mougins to give a talk on my latest book, The Birdwatcher’s Wife, I was delighted to reacquaint myself with the enchanting area. My previous visit had been three years ago when I made a presentation on my first book, Passion for Provence: 22 Keys to La Belle Vie. …

Named after a rocky outcrop in Pennes-Mirabeau, the 18th-century Pallières windmill stopped working sometime between 1862-66. Finally, after a lengthy restoration project commencing in 2019, the mill is functioning and open for visitors. Once again, sitting on its rocky ledge, the Pallières windmill has operational blades and a dedicated miller …

Discovering Bonnieux Our family first visited Bonnieux during a week in Provence in early June 2003. We stayed in a nearby village and spent a few hours in Bonnieux one afternoon. The Luberon truly captivated all three of us. The following year we returned for a longer stay—six-and-a-half months—renting a …

Cotignac is a small but lively village in the Var region with a rich and fascinating history that goes right back to medieval times. It is an ‘open village’ that already provides a colourful history, but for lovers of art, there is far more than meets the eye, as Cotignac …

We arrived at our Sablet home last Tuesday after being away for five (5) months. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to shop at the weekly market in Vaison-la-Romaine, which, as faithful readers know, is our very favourite market in Provence. On Thursday morning, we headed to Nyons just 28 km …