By the start of November our little place was in a state of chaos in readiness for the work to start. The rooms were piled high with relocated furniture & building supplies and Andy had laid new Travertine floors throughout the 2 main spaces upstairs that would become the new bedrooms and bathrooms. This was … More The building work starts and the water stops….
Firstly I have to start with an apology – the last few months have been rather chaotic with one thing and another and I find that this really is the first time I’ve been able to sit and write about our little half-life in France for quite some time. It’s probably best if I start … More Time for the transformation to begin
As you have probably gathered by now we tend to enjoy spending our time in France cycling, visiting brocante market & vide greniers and drinking coffee, with the days passing by in a blur and us inevitably falling into bed each evening tired and satisfied after the day’s activities. There are certainly worse ways of … More The Pleasure and Pain of cycling to a Brocante Market
It’s well over 2 years now since we finally picked up the keys and opened the door to our little house in Provence after so many years of dreaming about it. We couldn’t afford a perfect house with elegant gardens and a pretty pool and always knew that our little place would need a bit … More Let the renovation begin….
The pretty town of Sault sits on a rocky outcrop to the South East of Mont Ventoux and is at the heart of local lavender production. It sits above the valley that takes its name and the shaded Promenade opposite the Tourist Office on the road towards Aurel offers incredible views across the Southern flank … More A visit to Sault on Market Day
It’s a fact of life isn’t it that you recall where you were when you first heard about a major event – I was in the cloakroom at school when I heard John Lennon had been shot; in the car driving to the Supermarket when I heard about Princess Diana’s death and then drinking tea … More Brexit – 2 years on
I have always loved gardens, although I have to admit to not being a great gardener myself. A summer garden with deep herbaceous borders, filled with the scent and colour of roses is always a delight and we have some delightful ones around us in the UK, such as this one at Coombe Trenchard just … More The incredible gardens at Valsaintes Abbey
Having arrived back in Provence a few of days ago I’ve been really surprised at how much things have changed in the last 5 weeks. First, and probably the biggest surprise, is that everything is looking incredibly lush and green. This a such a stark contrast to the bleached colours and dry fields and verges … More Poppies & Cherries – Provence has turned red.
This time last year I was writing about our first year in Provence, borrowing the title from Peter Mayle, who so sadly died earlier this year, having fuelled the dreams of so many people over the years (us included) with his wonderful stories of life in the Luberon. It’s hard to believe now that another … More Another year flies by in Provence
There is something wonderful about a traditional French market and over the years we’ve spent a considerable amount of time ambling around them in different towns across the Country.The lively Saturday Market in AptThe nice thing is that each area expresses its own identity through its markets – with the wonderful seafood stalls, full of … More 3 ‘Small but Perfectly Formed’ Provence markets
Postcards from Provence and beyond 