Why Living in Provence Is A Good Idea
Keith Van Sickle is my favourite part-time Frenchman, dividing his time living between tech hub Silicone Valley and St-Rémy-de-Provence, France with his wife Val, who seems to have an uncanny ability of getting them out of jams and finding the most interesting cafes. Here's Keith's thoughts on why living in Provence is such a good idea ...
My wife and I live part of the year in St-Rémy-de-Provence, a charming town not far from Avignon. We fell in love with Provence on our first visit 25 years ago and started coming back every chance we had. Finally, we decided to move here part-time and are so glad we did. Why do we love Provence? Let me count the ways.
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The Food - Provence Is Famous for It's Fresh Food and Wine
Provence is a breadbasket of France, providing much of the country’s fresh produce. And it doesn’t get any fresher than here, where it’s grown!
Provence is famous for its open-air markets and nearly every village has at least one a week. There’s nothing better than strolling through the market to see what looks good, and you can track the seasons by what’s available. The arrival of spring is marked by the first asparagus and strawberries of the season, summer’s highlights are the melons and stone fruits, and autumn is time for mushrooms and truffles, the “black diamonds” of Provence. And let’s not forget the wines—Provence is a major wine-growing region, with plenty of tasty bottles of both red and white.
If you don’t eat and drink well in Provence, you really aren’t trying.
The Beauty - Provence Is a Feast for the Eyes
If you love color, take a stroll through the old ochre quarries of Roussillon. You’ll see cliffs with different shades on vivid display — red, purple, orange, and yellow. It’s a photographer’s dream.
Or visit Fontaine de Vaucluse to see one of the largest natural springs in the world. Crystal clear water bursts forth to create the Sorgue River — it’s like it arrives fully-formed out of nowhere.
On the coast you’ll see the calanques, deep inlets that are like miniature versions of Norway’s famous fjords. The contrast between the grey of the rocky cliffs and the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean is stunning.
Don’t forget springtime’s flowering fruit trees and summer’s vibrant fields of lavender and sunflowers. Or the many charming villages, some perched precariously on hilltops. This part of the world is beautiful year-round.
The History - Churches, Roman Ruins and Synagogues
Like most parts of France, Provence is full of churches and other marvelous buildings going back to the Middle Ages. But it is also thick with Roman sites, as it was once an important hub of the Empire.
Cities like Arles and Nîmes have some of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, while Orange is famous for concerts in its ancient Roman theater. And no visit to the region is complete without seeing the magnificent Pont du Gard aqueduct, as tall as an 18-story building.
A surprising side of Provence’s history is its rich Jewish legacy. For centuries, Provence was the center of Jewish life in France, and there are reminders of it everywhere. Be sure to see the synagogue in Carpentras, the oldest in France.
The Traditions - Transhumance and Other Festivals
Visiting Provence can sometimes seem like stepping back in time. In my town, for example, there’s an annual transhumance festival where thousands of sheep scamper along the main road. It’s a reminder of days of old, when sheep passed through town on their way to cool mountain pastures for the summer (today they go by truck).
And there’s the festival of St. Eloi, when plow horses are given the day off and stroll around town with flowers in their manes. And be careful when there’s an abrivado, because that’s when French cowboys — the famous gardiens — run bulls through the streets to show off their skills as horsemen.
The People - Friends and Dining Together
French people have a reputation for being standoffish, and maybe that’s true in other parts of France, but we haven’t seen it in Provence. Instead we have made wonderful, close friends that we miss when we’re not here. And it wasn’t hard to connect with them—we just had to extend the hand of friendship, which they eagerly grasped.
A lot of our time together revolves around meals — this being France, after all. And they are usually simple affairs, like a picnic in a vineyard or lamb chops on the grill. The ingredients are so good in Provence, and so fresh, that you don’t have to fancy them up to make a delicious meal.
Our friends have taught us a few things about wine. The most important is that the best wine, the very best, is a wine that you share with friends. It doesn’t matter what kind of grapes are in it, or the vintage, or the name on the label. It’s the act of drinking it with friends that makes it great.
There is much more we love about Provence, like the weather, the slower pace of life, and the funny local expressions. But don’t take my word for it—consider a trip to this fortunate corner of France and see for yourself!
Wow, these are all good reasons to plan a stay in Provence, and maybe even a visit to Keith's hometown village of St-Rémy-de-Provence. To visit this region of France without even boarding an airplane though, you can read Keith's two humorous books about his experiences with Val in Provence, 'One Sip At A Time' and 'Are We French Yet?' This is another good idea!
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