Winter Festivals and Events in Provence What is winter like in Provence? It’s a good question. So, many images of the South of France are summer scenes; ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation and beautiful people in enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less …

Festivals and Fall Events in Provence Fall in Provence directs you towards a heartier menu. Enjoy meat (lamb, wild boar, taureaux, rabbit, fowl) roasted with herbes de Provence, root vegetables and delicious red wine blends. At this time of year, the hiking is fabulous, biking is possible, and golfers might …

What’s On? During the summer in Provence and the Côte d’Azur, daytime temperatures range from warm to hot. So, you don’t need an excuse to laze by the pool. At this time of year, the lavender is in bloom and the sunflowers put on a spectacular floral show. From music …

Lunch the Movies On the day of the special red carpet screening of Dolar Y Gloria by Pedro Almodóvar at the Grand Théâtre Lumière (Palais du Festival) at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, I headed to one of my favorite beachside spots, Nikki Beach. This restaurant is a regular pop-up …

Spring Events in Provence Spring in Provence is absolutely lovely. As is the case with most of the year, the sun shines brightly, but expect the odd rain storm. Moisture in this period is critical for the grapes, olives, and almonds to start their growing cycles. In March and April, …

Spring is Upon us! Or, at least, it is here. The almonds are blooming and it’s about 20 degrees in the sun. I remember growing up in Montréal when you could smell the spring mud and ice thawing, there would always be one last snow generally right before my birthday …

Sea Urchins, Truffles, and Long Walks The villages of Provence become quiet after the holidays. People tend to stay in, stoke their living room fires, and leave a pot au feu (stew) on the stove for many hours. There are fewer festivals that celebrate one particular type of local produce …

Wishing you the happiest 2019! Hoping that readers have had a restful festive season – locking out the realities of the world for a few days. French Riviera Winter Festivals The ferris wheel in Nice might soon be “taking a rest” but the French Riviera never sleeps. Your waistbands may be …

During December in Provence, the local bakeries and gourmet grocery stores are filled with delicious specialties and the winding streets of hilltop towns come alive again (after quiet November) for the Christmas markets. The gift of food is king here. I have to say I cannot be more on board …

November in Provence. Bring on the chestnuts! Have you ever had crème de marrons (chestnut cream)? It’s like a gourmet version of Nutella. How about chestnut honey? Now that’s different! Are you in the holiday spirit yet? The massive amounts of high-quality chocolate boxes at the supermarkets are tempting me… …