I make no bones about it – I love a good coffee stop and La Vie en Rose at Coustellet has to be one of my favourites. The tea shop isn’t exactly in a perfect location as it’s situated on the side of the road just behind Super U in the village, nor is it in a traditional … More A perfectly quirky coffee stop
Not every day starts with blue skies & sunshine in Provence and Saturday was one of those days! When we woke, the rain was drumming on the roof & the whole place just looked soggy, so any thoughts of a bike ride went out of the window & we quickly decided on Plan B, … More A Saturday hop across the Rhone
When I packed my cycle kit to come over this time I put in enough layers to keep me warm in the expected arctic temperatures, hoping to snatch a few precious moments out on the bike before dashing home to thaw out in front of the fire. I think in hindsight I rather over-packed … More Beyond the Veloroute cycle #8 – Through the Vineyards
This morning I hopped in the car & headed across to Forcalquier, a short distance from us in the neighbouring Department of Alpes-De-Haute-Provence. Monday is its market day and provides the perfect excuse for a visit (if such a thing is needed?) and it is a lovely drive across along the northern flank of the … More Incredible views, a Citadelle & Art at Forcalquier
I always love Sundays in and around the Luberon, whether it’s an early morning start in the summer to head off bargain-hunting at the vide-grenier in a nearby village or a gentle cycle out for breakfast at the wonderful ‘Farmers’ Market’ at Coustellet. In January too there’s plenty to do to keep me busy and today was … More A Winter’s Sunday pottering in Provence
There is something about arriving in the Vaucluse that just makes the stress slip from our shoulders and today’s arrival in the depths of winter was no different. Travelling at this time of year is a little bit more complicated than during the summer as at this time of year there are no flights from … More Mid-Winter break in Provence
I’ve mentioned before that Winter is a great time to visit Provence – of course it can be very cold, thanks to the clear night skies and subsequent frosts, but the days can be stunning with bright blue skies, little or no breeze and the wonderful light that cheers you up in the depth of … More A colourful circular winter walk
The first snow fell in the Vaucluse yesterday and Mont Ventoux started its shift from being a summer cycling venue to a winter ski resort, bringing with it thoughts of long walks across the hills that are so often out of bounds during the summer due to the fire risk and evenings spent eating rich … More Provence in Autumn is just lovely!
Some people must think we’re mad, but having bought the house in France, we had to decide what to do with our pets as between us we’ll be over here for about 5 months this summer. Our dog Millie (a gentle & rather dim Retriever) is adored by a friend who immediately offered to have … More Pusscat’s French Adventure
I always think it’s a shame that we don’t have the same approach to markets in England as they do in France. As I sit with my first coffee of the day and a ‘pain au chocolat’ in a cafe in Apt the whole town is bustling, full of people and chatter. What is a … More Saturday is market day and I love it!
Vaucluse Dreamer 