After nearly 30 years of dreaming we've finally bought our own bit of Provence and spend as much time there as possible. A lover of everything about the area especially the markets, the Brocante hunting & cycling the quiet lanes. Blogging about my favourite things in the area from places to visit, shopping and cycle trips
We have come to Villefranche, with our walking shoes and clothes for walking in all-weathers (after our trip to Antibes last month, we hav decided that it’s better to be safe than sorry) Happily, today was destined to be dry and bright, so after breakfast, we pulled on our shoes and set off to walk … More Exploring the coast between Nice and Villefranche.
I will start with a very simple admission. I love Mimosa. Not the orange juice and champagne version, although I won’t turn one away if it’s offered; but the bright yellow pompoms of the mimosa trees that herald the start of Spring, in the hills of the Cote D’Azur. There is something simply joyous about … More Exploring the mimosa woods above Cannes
It would be fair to say that the last few weeks have been very soggy indeed. In fact, I don’t think that I can ever remember it being this wet, and this has been our 10th winter here now and even our late January trip to Antibes was a washout, with the town recording its … More Planning for an autumn walking holiday.
If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll know that we like to have our little adventures, and that often, we plan trips, which change, and morph into something different. And that was the case, with this latest ‘birthday trip’ to Antibes. Originally, we had planned to have a quiet and gentle couple of … More Exploring Carcassonne – A winter break.
This year, January seems to have lasted for a least 6 months, if not slightly longer. The days seem to have flown by, yet at the same time, it feels as if the month has passed at a snail’s pace. It’s really very bizarre. But, the weeks have been filled with the basics of life, … More January trip to the Cote d’Azur
I should start by saying Happy New Year, and wishing you a gentle, healthy and enjoyable next 12 months. I don’t know about you, but I really can’t get my head around the fact that we are already a few days into 2026. They say that the older you get, the quicker the time passes … More Hello 2026, what do you hold?
It’s all been a bit busy, since we arrived back from Japan and have been settling back into our happy, gentle life in Provence. Our trip to Japan was everything we had hoped it would be, and if we’re honest, totally exceeded even our wildest dreams. We loved the simplicity of living day-by-day, with just … More An auction and an adventure.
Where have the last nearly 6 weeks gone. At the start of this adventure, it felt as if we had all the time in the world, yet the days have slipped by so easily, and tomorrow morning we will say goodbye to the van that has been such a comfortable home for our time here. … More Day 39 – A perfect last day with the van
After yesterday’s long drive, we arrived in Hakone, in the pouring rain, planning to stay there until Sunday, when we would make our way to a spot, by a lake. not far from the van hire company. That was last night’s plan, but when we woke this morning, we both felt that we’d already done … More Day 38 – The joy of changing plans
Having decided to stay at the beach near Shima again, we were both woken in the middle of the night by the roar of the sea, which seemed to have been whipped up by a wind. We had been watching the weather forecasts closely, as strong winds, and heavy rain & seas were predicted for … More Day 37 – Outrunning the storm & a homecoming
Postcards from Provence and beyond 