A Precocious Talent “As a young boy in Brittany,” says Joël Durand, “I had three dreams—to be a chef, a pastry-maker, or a race car driver.” A smile crosses his face. “My parents made it clear that driving race cars was not in the cards, so I started cooking when …

Jewel of the Alpilles Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (often written as St Rémy) is perhaps the ideal-sized town in the Alpilles. Plenty of tempting boutiques, chic hotels, a charming pedestrian-friendly centre and many restaurants exist. The largest city in the Alpilles, St Rémy, has roughly 9,800 people. Popular all year, St Rémy can …

St-Rémy-de-Provence is one of the most charming towns in Provence. It’s a great place to spend a few days nestled at the foot of the Alpilles Mountains and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Here are some fun things you can do while you’re there. Walk in the Footsteps of …

Weather Moves If you are in Provence in the spring or fall, you might see the movement of sheep and goats to greener pastures – transhumance. These organized transhumance events in Provence are kid-friendly and entertaining. Watching several thousand animals moving through village streets is worth experiencing. Seasonal weather dictates …

I’m always on the lookout for interesting spots in the Alpilles, and I’ve recently found a new one! Les Gourmandises de To is an Epicerie Gourmande in the countryside between Saint Remy de Provence and Les Baux de Provence. I visited a couple of days ago after the market in …

After many years in Provence, Jane Satow has realized her dream of combining her two passions – food and culture. Earlier this year, she launched La Cuisine Provençale – a new interactive cooking school in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Jane moved to Provence with her young family and built her business around, introducing …

Gayle Padgett and her husband Ralph maintained a long-distance relationship with Provence for two decades. They often travelled to the South of France during their vacation from US government jobs in Germany. As their retirement years approached, the “Where are we going to live?” question loomed. The couple chose a …

Les Alpilles are a small mountain range in Provence, about 20 minutes south of the papal city of Avignon. These mountains and the surrounding countryside are dotted with charming villages and rolling vineyards, the perfect place to spend a few days. My wife and I live part of the year …

They fell in love with the South of France, although apparently not at first sight. It took 20 visits to Provence before Keith, and Val Van Sickle decided to make the region their part-time home. The couple’s home is near San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley. However, a contract assignment …

Camping in Provence Like most French regions, Provence lends itself to camping and the outdoor life, especially with its wall to wall sunshine, blue skies and healthy Mediterranean cuisine. A quick Google search will show a great variety of sites in every part of the Region, especially near the coast, …