Water sloshes against the sides of the shallow stone basin of the lavoir as weathered hands vigorously scrub at stubborn stains. Kneeling on their augets washerwomen exchange tidbits of town gossip as they work to brighten their laundry. Before communal lavoirs, personal washing was done sparingly by the side of …

Lacoste is a well-preserved village that sits on a mountain ridge with great views to the east across a valley filled with vineyards and orchards to Bonnieux and the Grand Luberon Mountains. At the top of the village are the ruins of the castle of the Marquis de Sade now …

Tania Laveder had hoped to write her own story, but over the years she has lost some of her Russian. She learned German only for the purposes of survival. The Italian of her in-laws remains fairly non-existent. And the French that has governed her life for almost 70 years now …

Aix must be a paradise for archaeologists: building work in town often yields ancient foundations and sewers, but sometimes sumptuous Roman mosaic dining room floors, everyday pottery and glass from the table, and even jewellery, oil lamps and statues. They dated from around 2000 years ago when Aix was the …

Aix en Provence is often referred to as the city of water. The Romans settled here in part due to ready access to natural springs. As the town began to take shape during the Middle Ages, there were hundreds of fountains created for domestic use. Today there are only about …