a Curious Canadian in Provence
Just for fun, I printed some of these fun Provence-inspired drawings onto stickers. Something to brighten up the winter months?
You’ll find 2 drawings of “rosé piscine”, an essential during the Provençal summers. This is where you ask for a large glass of rosé with ice cubes, or “a pool of rosé” perfect for sipping and people watching on a terrace during market day.
There are 3 drawings of heirloom tomatoes (yum!), fish soup, a map of Provence, a 2CV car and of course, lavender.
…We have decided to put up our house in Maussane-les-Alpilles, as seen on the Househunters International show, for sale. We’re hoping to start a new renovation project sometime soon. This house is a perfect pied-à-terre for someone wanting to experience Provencal village life in the heart of Les Alpilles.
Maussane-les-Alpilles is a small Provencal village of 2000 residents, located 10 minutes from Saint Remy de Provence and right next to Les Baux de Provence. At the foot of Les Alpilles national park, the surrounding scenery is stunning with olive groves and vineyards for miles. Maussane also has many restaurants, some of which are the best restaurants in the region.
Our charming house is 3 blocks away from the centre square in the historic centre of the village. You’ll find a wine cave, artisan cheese monger, organic vegetable store and fresh fishmonger at the end of the street. Maussane also has three bakeries and a weekly market! This village has all the chic of Saint Remy, while being lesser-known.
Price 194,000€
Contact Ashley about our Provence village house for sale at curiousprovence@gmail.com for inquiries.
The villages of Provence become quiet after the holidays. People tend to stay in, stoke their living room fires, and leave a pot au feu (stew) on the stove for many hours.
There are fewer of the festivals that celebrate one particular type of local produce that I so much love; however, that doesn’t mean there still isn’t quality produce to be eaten. Rabbit, truffles, sea food and all manner of fresh root veggies and beautiful enormous cabbages fill the markets. I must admit I quite enjoy seeking out a sunny café and overlooking the quiet landscape dotted with stems of chimney smoke. This is a great time of year for foraging, visiting the sites of Provence that are otherwise crowded (Roman ruins, museums) and hiking.
…During December in Provence the local bakeries and gourmet grocery stores are filled with delicious specialties and the winding streets of hilltop towns come alive again (after quiet November) for the Christmas markets. The gift of food is king here. I have to say I cannot be more on board with that French policy.
Attend any of the events below and you’ll find yourself nibbling roasted chestnuts and wandering around a town square with a glass of champagne or mulled wine in your hand. Provence may not be known for it’s festive season in comparison to the Alsace region of France, but I’m certainly not complaining. If you happen to be in the area, I’m still offering market tours despite the more chilly weather. We’ll just have to sneak an extra glass of red to keep us warm!
Just about every single village in the Provencal countryside has their own Christmas market. I like the outdoor markets better than the markets held in the local community centres. I also prefer the markets that last only a weekend or a day. See Noel.org for a complete list of the many many Christmas markets and light festivals. Christmas markets (Marchés de Noel) generally only start at 10am and go until 6pm.
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Vincent Van Gogh is a fascinating figure. Learn about his time in a rental institution in Saint Remy with this new book about his time there.
I have to admit that I didn’t really appreciate the works of Van Gogh before I moved to Provence. I found the bright colours challenging. However, now that I live here I have a profound love of the works of Van Gogh! I just can’t get enough of them. The contrasty, textured paintings perfectly depict this area of Provence. Thanks to this new book, I understand more about Van Gogh’s mental struggles and appreciate his paintings even more.
Saint Paul de Mausole, close to where I live in Les Alpilles, is the mental hospital that Van Gogh checked himself into after cutting off his ear in Arles. If you’re in the area, the asylum is worth a visit and is one place I often bring people on my private tours. If you can’t get here and would like to know more about Van Gogh’s experience at this monastery/asylum, you should read the new book Starry Night, Van Gogh at the Asylum by Martin Bailey.
Poster for the Asylum from Van Gogh’s time.
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It’s a month until Christmas and a few people have asked me if I’ll be selling any prints this year. The answer is yes! I need to fund my delicious food consumption and Provence wanderings somehow…
Here is a selection of 12 beautiful landscapes from all over Provence that are available for purchase in 2 sizes. The photos are printed on 300g fine art satin paper. These prints are open edition and unframed. In order to facilitate framing, photos will be printed with a small border and signed by the artist. To order, send me an email (curiousprovence@gmail.com). Payment is via Paypal, or even better, Transferwise. Prices include shipping. The sooner you order, the higher chance that you’ll receive your prints before in time for the holidays. Thank you so much in advance for your support!
Eygalières October Sunset by Ashley Tinker (CuriousProvence)
50x43cm (20×17 inches) 200€
80x70cm (28×31 inches) 290€
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I’ve been to about six local cooking classes offered by cooking schools in the Luberon, Alpilles and the Languedoc. I have to say, Le Pistou Cooking School, owned by Petra, is one of my favourites.
Petra’s kitchen is located down a little road in the centre of the medieval streets of Uzès, which is in Occitanie, just west of Provence. Uzès is a great stop if you’re visiting the amazing Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct or pottery town of Saint Quentin la Poterie. As cooking classes are held in the mornings, you can visit these places after lunch… that’s if you aren’t too in need of a sieste after all that delicious food and wine…
Petra is an experienced chef informed by her experiences living all around the world including Nairobi, the Netherlands, Ireland and France. That’s quite the mix! A woman of many talents, she has re-invented herself numerous times. After running gourmet retreats in the B&B that she renovated herself in Narbonne, she has now moved to Uzès where she specialises in cooking classes.
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*Forgive me vegetarians, this one is for the meat lovers- well, the entire island of Corsica is for the meat lovers. This is number 2 of a 5 part series about our experience eating in Corsica after a 3.5 week trip in the Autumn of 2017. Yum.
Once you’re familiar with the history of this evocative village, you look around at the buildings composed of large grey blocks of granite and can’t help but wonder about the vendettas and women dressed all in black that occupied these streets for centuries. Despite the austere history and architecture, it was in Sartène that we experienced the most welcoming locals.
You’re visiting Alsace and your brain is saturated with so many charming scenes that you think you’ve had your fill. You feel the choucroute garnie and specific wine of Alsace can only be consumed in these particular surroundings. You can make choucroute at home if you’re ever craving it. But who wants to?
Forgive me Americans, Australians, or anyone that travels to Alsace by plane outside of the EU. Three of the five things on this list to bring home are for consumption. They’re for those chilly February nights when you need a break from boeuf bourguignon, roast beef, carbonara, spicy curry or whatever your go to winter comfort food might entail. You can always live on the wild side and become a raw milk cheese smuggler (the clothes in your suitcase might not be in agreement). I have a friend who does this for friends back in the US and even managed to fit 8 bottles of local wine into their suitcase. At your own risk…
Keep an eye out for these delicious and traditional products from Alsace and think of the people at home, or that night when you need a deep casserole… The old lady next door ate this cheese as if she’s never had any. Our wheel of munster was displayed proudly on her windowsill, where French people keep stinky cheese, for 4 whole days before it was impressively consumed in its entirety!
If you’re curious about beautiful Alsace, see my extensive article on 5 Villages to Visit in Alsace. It doesn’t get much more Christmassy than this. I wish you a delicious holiday!
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Purple bliss.
You either love lavender or you hate it. The essence is used for insomnia, headaches, to cleanse cuts or insect bites, deter mosquitoes and more. Despite it’s uses though, there’s no denying that it’s absolutely stunning in the plant form, and oh so iconic of our beloved Provence.
You can see, prance and document the rows and rows of lavender that seem to go on forever in various shades of purple as long as you plan your trip to Provence during the lavender season, which is sadly quite short. Farmers have to cut the flowers when they’re at their peak for producing the essential oil.
If you can’t make it during the season, I have to say that’s there’s PLENTY more to see here in Provence. But if your heart only beats for purple…
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