spring in provence Archives - Curious Provence

May Events in Provence 2019

May 3, 2019 by ashleyt 1 Comment

arlesienne 1er mai arles — An Arlésienne at the Fête des Gardians in Arles

On the 1st of May, make sure to visit the celebrations in Arles where the Fête des Gardians takes over the city. Worth a visit! You may even see the queen of les Arlesiennes.

This is the month of public holidays in France. Make sure to be aware of store closings. I would just give up on getting anything official done this month. Beware of “faire le pont” where everyone combines a public holiday with a weekend- even if the holiday is in the middle of the week!

You’ll find the landscape to be full of red poppies, wild peas, elderflower, rocket and more. The markets display stunning varieties of artichokes, peas and mountains of fresh herbs. Book an insider’s market tour with me if you’re curious.

Jours Féries/Public Holidays:

1 mai : Fête du Travail (French Labour day, A LOT is closed. Luckily, there are numerous festivals. This is when I met my man 11 years ago. The public holiday was the excuse for drinking all his wine and eating all his chocolate while stranded at a youth hostel in deep wine country Languedoc….

8 mai : Victory in Europe Day 1945

30 mai : l’Ascension

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April Events in Provence 2019

April 7, 2019 by ashleyt 2 Comments

April Tendencies

foraging for asparagus, roquette, dill, thyme and rosemary curious provence — Foraged finds from a recent rather long walk. Roquette (arugula), flowering rosemary, wild asparagus, aneth, and flowering thyme.

So I’m perhaps little nuts but at this time of year I love to sit in the evening with a glass of wine, talk to my man and shell fresh peas. Those plump lovelies are so delicious it’s worth the effort, and relaxing too.

Right now in the Luberon it’s all about the cherry blossoms. There are many weekend vide greniers and lots of fresh foraged asparagus, arugula/rocket, thyme and more to be had in the hillsides.

Yesterday, we spent 3 hours at the notary as we’re buying a house. It’s a complete ruin and very old so all the boundary lines are tricky. There’s even a secret passage! Things won’t really move ahead for another couple months (it’s France) but exciting nonetheless!

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Early Spring Landscapes in Provence

March 31, 2018 by ashleyt 7 Comments

May I brag for a moment? Just look at how beautiful these landscapes are, even at this time of year. Most of these pictures were taken with my phone, as many were impromptu pit spots on the side of the road. Which is your favourite photo? Let me know in the comments below.

Early morning in Gordes.

Spring in Provence

I’ve noticed a sudden change this weekend in more visiters to the area. (Basically in the form of jostling for the parking spot outside my house).

Early Spring is wonderful time to visit Provence. Easter weekend is when many businesses re-open after the restful winter months. Although the poppies may not be out yet (soon), the evergreen Cypruses and olive trees colour the landscape as well as the flowering blossoms. I’ve learned to appreciate the low season pastel light in the villages because without leaves on the trees, you can see more clearly the beautiful architecture.

Here are some photos from my travels around the area in the last 3 weeks. Enjoy!

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