Greetings dear readers and friends. I’m very excited to bring you the latest addition to the My Provence interview series – a “conversation” with Erin Jordan of Aixploring Provence tours. Erin and her family have lived in Provence for nearly 8 years and her journey is one of those “oh wow” expat stories you come across …
Greetings dear readers and friends! Well, summer is just around the corner and I couldn’t be happier. Now starts the long beach days, longer lunches (capped off with a few glasses of rosé of course), and a general “slowing down” of life in the south – the time of year when Provence really shines.
And also a great time of year to visit the South of France and experience all the wonders of the region. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to participate in one such experience that is certain to be a favorite for discerning foodies visiting Provence – a pastry class in the heart of Aix-en-Provence. Continue reading
Greeting dear readers and friends! Well, spring is finally here, hurray! Of course winters in Provence are not as terrible as elsewhere in the world, but we do get our share of bad weather, whipping Mistral winds, and the occasional thunderstorm. So these first few rays of sunshine and blooming flowers are greatly appreciated.
And I felt especially lucky to sneak in a trip to the Aix-en-Provence market during one chilly Saturday morning in the beginning of February. Much to my surprise, the Saturday market on Cours Mirabeau has grown by leaps and bounds and was almost nothing like I had remembered.
Greetings from a sunny, but quite cool, Provence. And as I think I say in almost every post, it’s a great time of year to be in the South of France. All of the towns and villages are decorated for the holiday season – twinkling lights are hung around the main squares and neighborhoods, the Christmas markets are buzzing day and night, and Provençal crèches (Nativity scenes) are on display (some complete with lavender fields!) to be marveled at by children of all ages.
Greetings from a very hot south of France! The beaches are full and everyone is in vacation-mode… meaning things are very lente, slow, here in Provence.
And speaking of a perfect time to relax and unwind… I had the absolute most relaxing and insightful time at the Soul Revive Retreat at Ashtanga Yoga Shala Provence in June. The retreat was organized by Claire Saunders, an accomplished yoga instructor and yoga teacher-trainer, and Sue Paget, a life coach who specializes in working with women at midlife. The retreat was held over one week, with yoga sessions in the morning, life-coaching activities until the early afternoon, and then evening strolls through the village of Calas and visits to enchanting Aix-en-Provence… with more than a bit of French food and wine thrown in for good measure.
Claire helping me find just the right position
I was able to attend the Saturday yoga session and life-coaching afternoon and upon receiving the invitation, I remember thinking, “Well, if this isn’t just perfect!”. It’s not always easy to connect with English-speakers in Provence, let alone practice yoga in such a supportive atmosphere and with such a well-versed, knowledgeable teacher. Being a yoga novice (which I felt obliged to blurt out before our session started) I have never felt so comfortable, and so relaxed, in a class. Claire made sure that we each advanced at our own pace and suggested different positions that might be easier / more challenging based on our individual needs. Plus, she has just the most soothing voice… ever.
And I thought I was most certainly dreaming when, at the end of the class, she gently placed a blanket over each participant, followed by a lavender sachet for our eyes, and then, well, I’ll leave the last “treasure” we were treated to as a surprise for anyone who is lucky enough to attend a class at Ashtanga Yoga Shala.
The ladies & I sharing our thoughts after our life-coaching session with Sue
I was quite literally on another planet when our class finished and we were gently guided to the cosy kitchen area and offered an array of tasty treats lovingly prepared by Sue. She also provided each participant with a workbook to use during our life-coaching activities, and made sure that we all got to know each other through introductions and sharing a bit of what was going on in our lives at the moment. As Sue specializes in helping women at midlife, I found the session particularly helpful and have already applied several of the tactics we discussed to my own personal life. The overall theme was about finding out what’s most important to you, your core dreams, and giving a voice to them – however great or small.
My day spent at the Soul Revive Retreat was about as relaxing and insightful as they come. It was a chance to connect my physical self while being mindful of my own emotional well-being. Claire and Sue will be hosting another Soul Revive Retreat in June of 2017 (dates to follow) and I’m looking forward to being even more involved in this lovely event.
The Soul Revive Retreat is also coming to several locations in Australia in 2017 – you can book early-bird pricing now, for either Australia or Provence, directly on the Soul Revive Retreat page of Sue’s website, The Change Guru.
A delicious welcome to our life-coaching session.
We’ve been lucky enough to spend the last few Saturday mornings in Aix-en-Provence and I think there are few places as lovely as a Provençal market to witness the beauty of spring in the south. All around the market, the stands were a-buzz with chatter of what looked good (frankly, all the stands are gorgeous) …
Belle Provence Travels 