December Events in Provence, 2018

November 29, 2018 by ashleyt 2 Comments

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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New Book: Starry Night, Van Gogh at the Asylum

November 28, 2018 by ashleyt 8 Comments

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.

Learn about Van Gogh at the Asylum in Saint Remy de Provence

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.

saint-paul-de-mausole-panneau-maison-sante

Poster for the Asylum from Van Gogh’s time.

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Provence Landscape Photography Prints

November 26, 2018 by ashleyt Leave a Comment

Provence Landscape Fine Art Photography Prints

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)

Eygalières October Sunset

50x43cm (20×17 inches) 200€
80x70cm (28×31 inches) 290€
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Le Pistou Cookery School Uzès

November 23, 2018 by ashleyt 2 Comments

Cooking Classes in Uzès

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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Foodie Moments in Corsica Series: Sartène

November 22, 2018 by ashleyt 1 Comment

Eating in Sartène, the Heart of Corsica

*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.

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5 Souvenirs to Bring Home from Alsace

November 19, 2018 by ashleyt 2 Comments

Best Foodie Souvenirs from Alsace

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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Guide to Lavender in Provence

November 16, 2018 by ashleyt Leave a Comment

The Curious Guide to Lavender in Provence

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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Fort Buoux Ancient Ruins

November 9, 2018 by ashleyt 5 Comments

Evening at Fort Buoux.

Fort Buoux Ruins in the Luberon

Fort Buoux, in the Luberon, is an ancient site that is definitely worth a visit. Lesser known than some of the main attractions of the Luberon, you’ll find yourself on a winding road, at this time of year in the fog, that feels a little like the middle of nowhere. But this site was inhabited by pre-neathderthals, then Celtic peoples and the the persecuted Vaudois from Piemonte. The site hasn’t been inhabited for about 300 years. The layers of history are fascinating even though all you can see now are remnants.

Located in the Aiguebrun valley, the fortress remains were built in the early middle ages on top of a Ligurian-Celtic oppidum (fortified Iron Age settlement). You’ll find the ruins on top of a plateau high in the Luberon mountains about 10km south of Apt. Follow the signs for Fort Buoux that will take you to a parking lot, and from there it’s a 15 minute walk to the house where you can buy a ticket.

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Hot Air Ballooning in Provence !

November 8, 2018 by ashleyt 3 Comments

Hot Air Ballooning in Provence: The Ultimate Day Out?

A couple months ago we were invited on a hot air balloon ride with AeroProvence. I think Tom, the owner, felt obligated with my enthusiastic likes and comments on all his instagram posts of fields and fields of lavender. Experiencing a ride in a hot air ballon has always been a dream of mine.

We slept for about 3 hours after a crazy week before driving the 1.5 hours to our liftoff spot. We arrived, amazingly early, and ate croissants in the car in the pitch black parking lot while watching the others arrive, equally a little confused in the darkness.

The experience is only possible if you leave very early in the morning. This is to take advantage of the best meteorological conditions. I can say it doesn’t hurt either that as soon as you’re in the sky you’re treated to the sunrise from behind the mountains.

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November Events in Provence 2018

November 2, 2018 by ashleyt 3 Comments

November in Provence. Bring on the chestnuts! Have you ever had crème de marrons (chestnut cream)? It’s like a gourmet version of Nutella. How about chestnut honey? Now that’s different!

Are you in the holiday spirit yet? The massive amounts of high-quality chocolate boxes at the supermarkets are tempting me… Has anyone made a Christmas cake already? Spiced German cookies? It feels a little early for me but the first Christmas market is on this weekend in Maussane. You’ll find two of my favourite Christmas markets in Provence during this month; the Foire du Gras and the Alsace-Sénas market.

Here is my selection of some of the most interesting events in Provence this month, focusing on the Bouches du Rhône region.

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