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. 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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Greetings dear readers and friends. Summer is here! And let me just say, thank goodness… this is by far the most exciting time of the year in the south of France. In our little corner of Toulon, the beaches are not full yet, which makes for great strolls along the seaside and early-morning dips in the […]
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Winter in Provence is a time to bundle-up, grab your raclette machine and fire up some tasty cheese-laden potatoes, and start dreaming of the spring and summer months to come. At least that’s what gets us through the winters here… given it was a tender 7°C today (with a biting Mistral wind nipping at our […]
Read moreWith all the events of the past week in France, it’s hard to get back into the normal groove of life. I’m just comforted by all of the support witnessed during the nationwide gatherings to condemn the horrific acts of terrorism in Paris. I’ve wanted to write more about our “hometown”, Toulon, for some time […]
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Since summer is officially here, and it is officially the most beautiful (and busiest!) time in Provence, I thought it would be a good idea to re-visit a few of the “travel tips” to keep in mind when coming to France. These are just a few of my thoughts, and you can certainly find many […]
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Greetings from a chilly south of France. Luckily, after a series of nasty storms, a touch of sun is forecast for this week… but until then, it’s been another weekend full of movies & hot soups. And as the saying goes, you don’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone – these cold, winter days […]
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Well, we’ve had more than a few rainy days here in Provence and looking at the photos from this post has definitely lifted my spirits. Between you and me, there’s nothing I’d love more than to dip my toes in those sandy beaches…the countdown to spring has officially started chez nous. This week we have […]
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I’m very lucky to present a guest post by Sue Aitken, owner of the fabulous Bountique Provençale and pretty much an expert extraordinaire on all things Provence. If you’ve been following the blog, you’re sure to remember her savvy post on Sanary-sur-Mer where she’s lucky enough to be a sometime resident (my dream city!). Today she shares with us […]
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This summer, amid beach days and a bit too much Rosé, we’ve started to explore different “off the beaten track” areas in our region… on foot. In my city-days, I was never much of a walker. Besides rushing down the street to grab my morning cup o’ Joe at Starbucks in sunny SoCal, or shuffling from […]
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Since it’s officially spring and the time when Provençal markets are at their finest, I thought it would be a great idea to share a few ideas for getting the most out of your market experience. The following are a few tips I’ve collected over the years, and I hope you’ll share your own market “must-do’s” […]
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For the second interview in the My Provence series, I was very happy to be connected with Philip Haslett, a man who seems to be living the Provençal dream to the fullest. Having lived in the South of France for six years, Philip is also the director of Unique Provence travel and tour company. Before he started traveling […]
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On the roads and in backyards all over the South, you can hear the distinct “chirp” of the unofficial mascot of Provence – the cicada (le cigale). And as anyone will tell you, it’s not officially summer in the South of France until that first tsi tsi tsi rings clearly through the air. And foolish […]
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