Visiting St Rémy de Provence? Get Insider Tips from a Local

The largest village in the Alpilles, St Rémy de Provence, has dangerously tempting boutiques, excellent restaurants, a dynamic Wednesday morning market, and even a movie theatre. Located at the base of the mountain range, St Rémy was the birthplace of Nostradamus (1503), and many of Vincent van Gogh’s canvases feature the surrounding countryside. In other words, St Rémy’s reputation and pedestrian-friendly centre are familiar to visitors long before arriving in Provence.

But how do you get a table at a romantic restaurant? Where is the best place to walk on a hot day? With so many market vendors, where do you start? Keith Van Sickle has the answers to some of those questions and many more in his latest publication, An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence. So, if you are planning to be in the Alpilles this year, make sure to buy a copy of this handy 146-page reference guide filled with countless local tips.

Who is the Author?

Keith Van Sickle is a lifelong traveller who discovered life overseas during a semester abroad in England. However, an ex-pat assignment to Switzerland made him fall in love with Europe. After returning to California, he and his wife Val dreamed of living abroad again but couldn’t find another ex-pat gig. So, they invented their own. Now they split their time between California and St-Rémy-de-Provence, delving ever deeper into what makes France so endlessly fascinating.

An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence is Keith’s fourth publication. In his first two books, One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence and Are We French Yet?. Keith shares amusing stories of ex-pats living in Provence. These books blend memoirs, travel journals, and funny antidotes. We highly recommend these books if you want a laugh while learning about living in France. Please read our reviews of these books here and here.

Our Book Review

An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence follows on the heels of An Insider’s Guide to Provence, published in December 2021 and intended as supplemental reference material rather than detailed guidebooks. Travel guides such as The Lonely Planet, Rick Steeves, and Michelin Green Guide have exhaustive information on accommodation, restaurants, and cultural venues. However, what is missing from these traditional guidebooks are those tips that make you look and feel like an insider, which is what Keith’s two books deliver.

Keith duplicated a few sections in both books as Resources for Planning your Trip, Tips on Traveling in Provence and Provencal Culture are essential regardless of where you are in the region. However, the real insider tips appear after the introductory sections. An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence includes My Favorite 10 things in and around St Rémy, Special Picnic Spots, ideas on walks and biking routes, and even Keith’s top picks for wine tasting.

The book also provides ideas for day trips from St Rémy, such as highlights of nearby villages and what to see in the two closest cities, Arles and Avignon. Packed with information, An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence is a book you need for your vacation.

Who Should Buy this Book?

An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence is the perfect travel guide for anyone planning a holiday in the Alpilles. In addition, regular visitors to the region will appreciate Keith’s “Pro tips” for new ideas and dining information. The Kindle/e-reader/smartphone version is for use while travelling and includes hyperlinks to websites, additional reading, and maps. It is also available in a paperback version for easy reference while travelling.

Where to Buy the Book

The book is available online at Amazon in paperback and e-versions by clicking this link.

Note: As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product via an affiliate link, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price.

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).