Greetings dear readers and friends. It’s here, la rentrée! That time of year when kids go back to school and the French end their summer vacations. And what a busy time it’s been… This past weekend we traveled to the Alsace region to celebrate my husband’s grandmother’s 100th birthday. Yes folks, you read that right, 100 […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. Well, I’ve wanted to write about my working life in the south of France for quite some time but maybe the timing for this post is just a bit off… as we’re heading into August, the month where no one in France wants to think a wink about their jobs. […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. Well, one day you’re stocking multiple umbrellas in the trunk of your car, and the next the thermometer has climbed to 30°C (86°F)… so is the change from spring to summer in the south of France. It sneaks up on you and then bam, everyone and their brother-in-law is off […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. Well, I’m sending you a big « bonjour » from sunny Provence. We’ve had a few chilly days in France (it even snowed up north – in May!), but it looks like clear skies are headed our way. And the timing couldn’t be better. Summer’s in the air… This year I’ve vowed […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. We’re enjoying a lovely start to October here in the South of France. And one of our favorite events of fall is taking place this weekend, the Olive Festival in Ollioules. One of the “classic” events of the season, people come from near and far to this small, picturesque village about […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. We had the pleasure of visiting the recently opened Mas du Brulat hotel in the village of Le Brulat – a stone’s throw away from the beautiful hilltop village of Le Castellet and part of its commune. The Mas du Brulat is the second accommodation offering of Olives and Vines, […]
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It’s here! Spring has arrived… and not a minute too soon. This past weekend was the first sunny one we’ve had in the last 3-4 weeks. And it wasn’t much better before that… Snow, we had snow this year. It snowed in our front yard and covered our house and yes, it was magical… but […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. We have a lovely guest post today from author Jane Dunning. Jane has written several guest posts for the blog and I welcome her insights and colorful stories about Provence. In addition, she’s written two books which are set in “our” beautiful south of France and which you can find […]
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Greetings from a very hot south of France. We’ve had some lovely beach mornings – setting up camp at about 9am before it gets too crowded, and enjoying a few dips in the Mediterranean before a long lunch and a very-welcome afternoon sieste (nap). Today I’d like to share a bit of what a summer […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends! Well, it’s turning out to be a beautiful spring in Provence… but of course, would we expect anything less? With the blooming wildflowers, growing grapevines, and sun-washed beaches, the South of France is living up to its reputation as one of the prettiest spots in Europe. And we were […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. What an absolutely lovely time of year in Provence! We managed to make it to the beach in Bandol this morning at around 9am (a small miracle) and there was not another soul around. We spent a peaceful hour or so before a few families showed up, and what a […]
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Greetings dear readers and friends. Well, I’m writing this post from a very chilly South of France. Even though the snow hasn’t reached us yet, many towns to the north have had more than a bit of a white-dusting. Today’s post comes from a comment I received on the blog that really got me thinking […]
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Christmas is truly a magical time of year, no matter where you spend it, and Christmas in France takes beauty and pageantry to a whole new level. While a traditional French holiday might bring up images of strolling the Christmas markets in Alsace (which is indeed totally fantastic!) or warming your toes by the […]
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Just a short drive from the hilltop-village of Le Castellet you’ll find beautiful Mas des Avelines – a stunning luxury farmhouse awash in Provençal charm and about as relaxing a “haven” in the South of France as you can get. Surrounded by the natural wonders that the region is famous for – vineyards, centuries-old olive trees and […]
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