events in provence Archives - Curious Provence

August Events in Provence 2018

August 5, 2018 by ashleyt Leave a Comment

This is the month where just about the whole of Northern France descends onto the beaches of the Côte d’Azur. On the radio, they announce “black weekends” which signify lots of Parisians heading south causing a rather lot of traffic. Everyone is finally on vacation. Don’t expect to see a dentist or a lawyer this month. No point trying to get an appointment of any kind. Everyone else being on vacation forces you to relax. Drink rosé, swim in the sea, visit local markets and take long, lazy naps. This is August in Provence. The heat will force you to take it easy as you listen to the loud cigales (locusts) in the trees. And my, has it been hot hot hot recently!

This month there are a few little pottery markets and some annual events that we wait for every year.

Local Fêtes

Many villages have their own fêtes that generally only the locals know about. You’ll know you’ve stumbled upon one of these when you find the main square full of normally 1-2 glass of wine people drunk off their faces. I even know people that have it written into their work contract that they have to take this specific day off every year for their local village fête.

Make sure to check out some of the ongoing exhibitions before the end of the month. This is my list of some of the most interesting August Events in Provence this year.

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June Events in Provence 2018

May 28, 2018 by ashleyt Leave a Comment

Scene from St Eloi in Saint Remy this past weekend.

There are many events this month including the Fête de la Saint Eloi. Saint Eloi is the patron saint of metalworkers, blacksmiths, cart drivers and craftsmen of all kinds. He is a particularly favourite saint here in les Alpilles. The Fête is normally transferred to the end of June rather than the 1st of December which is the official day. Most towns in the Bouches du Rhône dedicate a day of celebration to this saint. Normally, it starts with the decoration of a local horse cart using olive branches, wildflowers, and hay. The cart is then paraded throughout the town often followed by and different types of bull running. Oh, and copious amounts of rosé.

Spring Weather

Also this month, very exciting, the lavender comes into bloom. The weather has been uncharacteristically wet this Spring, so that will most likely affect the flowering times of the lavender. Usually, the grass is already dried out by now but it’s still very green here in Provence. We’ve also been treated to the most spectacular poppies.

Here is my selection of some of the many events happening in Bouches du Rhone, Provence this month.

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February Events in Provence 2018

January 30, 2018 by ashleyt 1 Comment

Mimosa and Sea Urchins

Despite it being February, the coast of France bordering on the Mediterranean becomes bright yellow during this time of year.

Synonymous with the Mediterranean, I’ll never forget when I was in Italy during International Women’s Day. It’s the custom there to hand out Mimosa to every woman you see in the streets. I had quite the bouquet by the time I got back to my apartment!

Otherwise, this is also the month of sea urchins (oursins).

A lot of the action in Provence is on the coast in February. Comment below if you’ve ever been to any of these events, or if you have any more suggestions.

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June Events in Provence 2017

June 9, 2017 by ashleyt 2 Comments

June in Provence

A cloudy day in Les Baux de Provence last week.

Forgive me, I’ve been a bit absent on CuriousProvence as I’ve been doing many photo shoots and market tours and even a Provencal fish soup dinner for 14 people. It’s been crazy busy but I’m loving it!

There are many events this month but the most common is the Fête de la Saint Eloi. Saint Eloi is the patron saint of metalworkers, blacksmiths, cart drivers and craftsmen of all kinds. He is a particularly favourite saint here in Provence. The Fête is normally transferred to the end of June rather than the 1st of December which is the official day. Most towns in the Bouches du Rhône dedicate a day of celebration to this saint. Normally, it starts with the decoration of a local horse cart using olive branches, wildflowers, and hay. The cart is then paraded throughout the town often followed by and different types of bull running. Oh, and copious amounts of rosé.

Also this month, very exciting, the lavender comes into bloom. In a couple weeks I’m taking pictures of a man proposing to his girlfriend in a lavender field. Ah! Wish me luck!

Here is my selection of some of the many events happening in Bouches du Rhone, Provence this month.

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February Events: Mimosa and Sea Urchins

February 2, 2017 by ashleyt 1 Comment

Mimosa. Image from Pixabay.

Despite it being February, the coast of France bordering on the Mediterranean becomes bright yellow during this time of year. Acacia dealbata. Or, known in the florist trade as Mimosa. If you’ve never seen this growing in the wild, now is your chance. This spectacular shrub can grow to 30 metres high. It is often one of the first plants to grow after a fire, a common occurrence on the dry coasts in the summer.

Otherwise, this is also the month of sea urchins (oursins).

Most of the action in Provence is on the coast in February. Comment below if you’ve ever been to any of these events, or if you have any more suggestions.

Happy February!

February Events in Provence

3-5

Salon du Chocolat – Marseille
A salon celebrating the fine art of chocolate confectionary. A great excuse to get out on a February day. I think it’s chocolate that gets me through the winter.

4-5

Fête du Mimosa – St Maxime
One of the many Mimosa festivals on the coast this month. Celebrate carnival style this yelllow flower.

Mid-February – mid-March

Carneval – Nice
There are all kinds of events that happen during Nice’s Carnival. Think of a toned down version of Rio’s carnival. Every bit as colourful. Check out the website for more.

11 February – 1st of March

84ème Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) – Menton
Another event with all kinds of activities including parades, gastronomy, films and more. Celebrate the lemon! Something that I must always have in my kitchen.

5-19

Oursinades (Sea Urchin Festival) – Carry le Rouet
In the town centre on the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th.
Since 1960, this small town has been paying homage to the artisanal fishing, as they call it, of the sea urchin. With each sea urchin picked by hand, by experienced divers, it’s impossible not to appreciate their luxuriousness. Are you a fan? Here, you’ll find flea markets as well as be able to buy large platters of all kinds of seafood to eat at long communal tables.

Ongoing:

Until Mid-March

Sentier de Mimosa – along the coast
Click on the link to find the best places along the coast for hikes among the mimosa trails.

Marché aux Truffes
Truffle markets happen normally very early in the morning, and with some secrecy. The best known in the area are Richeranches (great atmosphere) and Carpentras.

Saturday mornings at Richerenches and Apt
Wednesday mornings at Valreas
Friday mornings at Carpentras

APRÈS BABEL, TRADUIRE – Marseille
Musée des Civilisations d’Europe et Méditerranée MuCEM – Littérature et poésie
The latest MUCEM exhibition focusing on literature and poetry and how it’s translated.

Until 1st of May

MARILYN I WANNA BE LOVED BY YOU – Aix en Provence
The beautiful Centre Caumont is offering an exhibition on Marilyn Monroe. This exhibition, interestingly for me, focuses on the photographers that immortalised her beauty. You’ll find photos from her entire life, with special emphasis on the last photo shoot before she died.

The 9 Best Markets in Provence

April 19, 2016 by ashleyt 70 Comments

CuriousProvence Market Tours

Curious about in the ins and outs of working in a market in Provence?
Do you want to taste the best Provencal ingredients?
Would you like to eat breakfast at the market with the workers?

Book a foodie market tour with me!

Tours are about 2.5 hours in the towns of St Remy de Provence and Eygalières. There’s lots of tasting to be done so come hungry! Tours are private and cost 70€ per person. Send me an email to ask about availabilities. curiousprovence@gmail.com

My Favourite Markets in Provence

Just about every village in Provence has a weekly market. Some villages have markets that occur twice a week or even daily! Markets are absolutely my favourite part of living in Provence. We can easily spend a day wandering through the stalls and people watching as we sit at a wonky table with a couple glasses of rosé. The weekly market is a ritual that is truly part of living in Provence. On Sundays, you’ll see whole families shopping together as kids amazingly express great interest in the new vegetables of the season. Here are my 9 favourite Provençal markets.

Seasonal mushrooms at Le Thor market

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April Events in Provence

April 15, 2016 by ashleyt Leave a Comment

The cherry trees are flowering in Provence and there are punnets full of local tasty strawberries varieties at the local veg shop. We’ve officially (only today) moved into our new house and though we’re quite busy- here is my list of all the festivals and events happening primarily in the Bouches du Rhône region of Provence.

Take advantage of outdoor activities before it gets too hot! Get those hiking boots on and make sure to gorge on the very seasonal Spring produce of artichokes, peas, new potatoes, fresh garlic, asparagus (wild and cultivated) and strawberries. At the bottom I’ve included some foraging ideas and recipes for this time of year.

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First Year Anniversary of Curious Provence!

April 8, 2016 by ashleyt 2 Comments

1 Year Curious Provence Blog Anniversary!

First Almond Blossom! The first image and post on the site last March

As soon as I moved to Provence with Robin it seemed like just about everyone I knew was pushing me to start a blog about our experience here. I stalled for quite some time, which is a shame as I missed opportunities for great content, for many reasons. Firstly, I had always been someone to shy away from technology on principal. There’s a reason I moved to Europe- give me history and imperfection! I had a hard time grappling with the seemingly narcissistic aspect of writing a blog. I still can’t seem to bring myself to take a selfie. Why would people care about me and my little life?

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January Events in Provence

January 1, 2016 by ashleyt 9 Comments

No snow yet this year!

January in Provence

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.

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