Provence is famous for clear blue skies. Its brilliant sunlight has attracted painters such as Cezanne and Matisse as well as scads of tourists. There are plenty of things to see outdoors in Provence, like the colorful ochre mines of Roussillon and the lavender fields of Sault. But what if you happen to visit when […]
Orange in Provence is a sunny city with oodles of charm that has been built up over the centuries quite literally. The Romans were here two millennia ago and the town is proud of its ancient legacy. The UNESCO Listed Roman ruins You just can’t miss the incredible Roman theatre at Orange. It’s one of […]
You can’t go to Orange in Provence and not see the UNESCO listed Roman Theatre. I think it might actually be against the law! It’s not a theatre like we might know it, somewhere with a dark interior with plush velvet seats. It’s an open-air theatre with a 37-metre high wall and a stage facing […]
I nibbled on a flaky golden croissant for breakfast on the terrace of the hotel where I watched a couple of local fishermen down “keep me awake for a week” espressos. Across the Basin, the clock on the wall of the restaurant read the same time as it did when I arrived, the same time […]
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in Provence makes for a perfect holiday destination year-round thanks to its status as the antiques capital of France. Not to mention the fact that it is one of the prettiest towns you’ll ever meet. It’s a lovely sunny place, full of charming restaurants, bars and cafés and a buzzing atmosphere. Here are some […]
To enjoy Provence in the fall is one of life’s most beautiful pleasures. The shades of autumn colour the vineyards and tree lined squares and avenues. The rays of the sun seem more golden than at their bright summer peak, making everything they touch glow and shimmer like a magical paint brush has daubed the […]
Most of us think of lavender, sunflowers, gorgeous markets and hill top towns when it comes to Provence. But, it’s also an area of outstanding natural beauty from its beaches with dramatic cliffs and wonderful bays to its interior landscape of hills, orchards, vineyards and rivers. We asked Emily Durand, an expat local and guide […]
There are hundreds of restaurants in Nice – the only challenge in enjoying great southern French dishes, is which one to pick. They’re big on flavour in the south of France, the Mediterranean influence is tinged with a hint of Italian style. These four restaurants are in the centre, not expensive and all offer the […]
Ecrins National Park is about a 90 minute drive east of Grenoble. It’s the largest National Park in France and features some of the wildest and most dramatic scenery in the Alps. Perhaps because of that, it remains relatively unknown, its paths less travelled than those famous trails further north around Mont Blanc. One of […]
Imagine you’re wandering through the winding narrow streets in the old town of Nice. The sun is beating down, the sky is a deep spirit-lifting blue. You stop at Cours Saleya market to buy a snack – maybe socca, the local speciality, a pancake made from chick peas. Perhaps a punnet of sweet smelling strawberries, […]
Buying a house in France is the dream of many but what if you live on the other side of the globe and have never even set foot in France? This describes Annette Charlton who made her dream come true and now lives between her homes in Newcastle, Australia and Brittany, France. So, is the […]
A French shop assistant in Antibes’ old town asked me for the translation of a French word the other afternoon. We’d become bosom buddies in her quiet swimsuit store, but I was glad for the conversational distraction. I hated swimsuit shopping. It brought out all my insecurities. As my new friend rang up my purchase, she complimented […]
The first time I took my long-haired mini-dachshund, Ellie, to France, we spent two months traveling from Paris to Brittany and Normandy. Our last stop was the seaside resort of Agon-Coutainville, on the Cotentin peninsula which juts into the English Channel. There Ellie feasted on raw milk Camembert and prė-salė lamb. When we returned to […]
A French town without a baker – it’s unthinkable – everyone would move away! A butcher is almost as important to French village life as a baker. The butcher sells the usual roasts and chops and chickens, as well as a variety of prepared foods. My wife Val and I live part of the year […]
Nice might seem like an obvious place to settle if one is planning to move to France. After all, the Cote d’Azur is the second most touristed spot in France, after Paris But it wasn’t even on my list when I decided to fulfill my lifelong dream to live in France. I never considered moving […]
We talk to British expat Linda James who with her husband Alex runs Le Pommier gites and a cake making business in Riberac, Dordogne department, Aquitaine, south west France. What inspired you to move to Riberac? Coming here on holiday, I fell in love with the sunny weather, the stunning countryside, being able to swim […]
Life isn’t all sitting around eating cheese and quaffing wine for expats in France. There’s the tricky issue of everyday life and administration to deal with too! Never annoy a Fonctionaire… I read somewhere that 20% of the French population work for the government. If you buy a home in France, you will eventually come […]
Wikipedia defines ‘Francophile’ “as a person who has a strong affinity towards the French language, French history, French culture or French people.” When I read that, I thought, “Wow, that is totally me.” I grew up in Southern California, just an hour from the Mexican border. The most logical language to learn was Spanish. But from the first moment I heard […]