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The Most Beautiful Villages in Provence

The Most Beautiful Villages in Provence

Choosing the most beautiful villages in Provence is not easy because Provence is filled with divine flower-filled, stone and terracotta-tiled villages, many of them perched high with stunning views or with attractive rivers running through them.

Many visitors to Provence see the Big 3 “A” cities—Avignon, Arles, and Aix-en-Provence. But what about the smaller towns and villages of Provence? My wife and I live part of the year in St-Rémy-de-Provence and love to wander around the region. Let me tell you about some of our favourite and most beautiful villages in Provence.

A New Beautiful French Subscription Box

Coming in 2020 - A New French Subscription Box

Woohoo! I am so excited to share something new and special just for you, and coming in 2020. I know you'll love it! Coming around mid 2020 we will be offering a deluxe French subscription box called, My Beautiful French Collection Box.

The name says it all - a collection of beautiful French products in a box. And best of all, it gets delivered to you automatically once you've subscribed. For those of you who don't know what a subscription box is, it's an easy way of receiving, directly to your doorstep (or PO box of course), things that you love the most on a regular basis.

Our Ultimate Must Watch List of French Movies

Our ultimate list of French movies has films from all genres including classics, comedy, drama, romance, children and documentary categories and is perfect for Francophiles. Some films are French with English subtitles and some are English so whether you want to improve your French or be entertained, our movie list is just in time for the holiday season. Most films are for an adult audience but there are also a few cartoons and kids movies included in our list that we enjoy as a family.

Santons of Provence: A French Tradition

Santons of Provence: A Christmas Tradition

Santons of Provence – Christmas is celebrated in a special way in Provence with little figurines called Santons.

They are a lovely French tradition. Santons are used to create a nativity scene (crèche) with the key religious figurines of Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus together with the people of the south of France.

The most popular Santons representing the people from southern France are the baker, butcher, shepherd, fisherman, wood cutter, washer-woman and vintner. Many of the trades are represented by the Santons and adding these folk to the nativity scene is what makes this Christmas tradition unique to Provence.

French Frangipani Tarte Recipe

French Frangipani Tarte with an Aussie Kiwi Fruit Twist

This Frangipani tarte recipe is another classic French recipe from our Le Cordon Bleu pastry chef Janet Newton. Delicious and with an Australian twist I know you'll love her original recipe. Get your apron on and get baking this traditional French tarte.

"The beauty of this traditional French tarte is that it can change with the season offering cooks and sweet connoisseurs’ endless possibilities. Only limited by the fruit available at a market near you or, if you are lucky enough, your own garden. Be adventurous and try using a fruit you haven’t used before. That's what I did with this Kiwi Fruit Frangipani Tarte.

Claude Monet’s House at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's country farmhouse, with its long plain pink walls surrounded by gardens, painters studio and greenhouse in the town of Giverny in Normandy, France is simply breathtaking. Colourful, beautifully decorated and full of Monet's personal art collection, visiting his house is a highlight on any trip to France.

Claude Monet's House at Giverny

The house bequeathed by Michel Monet on his death in 1966 to the Académie des Beaux-Arts with the aim of safeguarding his memories of his father and to create a place that could be visited by his admirers, is now a place of homage for art and garden lovers and one of the major tourist attractions just outside of Paris.

Le Dîner en Blanc – French White Dinner

An intimate French inspired picnic with guests all dressed in white meeting at a secret location for an evening of dining, music and dancing is the Le Dîner en Blanc. Le Dîner en Blanc started in Paris by François Pasquier in 1988 and has taken the world by storm for those that love to meet new dinner guests, dine under soft candlelight and dance into the night at a public location in a place that is kept secret until the very last minute.

Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny in Normandy

"At Giverny, Monet created an ideal home for his family, a haven protected from the outside world and surrounded by the countryside that he loved. But this was also where he gained recognition as a major artist after years of rejection." - Adrien Goetz

Visiting Claude Monet's Garden

Visiting Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny in the region of Normandy, France is always a surreal experience for me and something I seriously recommend you try and do at least once. The house and gardens are where Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. The gardens change with the seasons and sometimes the best season to visit is hotly debated, but I suggest you take the chance to visit Monet's Garden whenever you can - it will not disappoint.

At any time of the year wandering around the petite garden paths amongst the vibrant rainbow coloured flowers is like stepping into his paintings. I hope you enjoy my photos as I try and show you something a little different than what you may have already seen photographed in this garden.

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The Most Beautiful Villages in Provence

The Most Beautiful Villages in Provence

A New Beautiful French Subscription Box

Coming in 2020 - A New French Subscription Box

Our Ultimate Must Watch List of French Movies

Our Ultimate Must Watch List of French Movies

Santons of Provence: A French Tradition

Santons of Provence: A Christmas Tradition

French Frangipani Tarte Recipe

French Frangipani Tarte with an Aussie Kiwi Fruit Twist

Claude Monet’s House at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's House at Giverny

Le Dîner en Blanc – French White Dinner

Claude Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France

Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny in Normandy

Visiting Claude Monet's Garden

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