tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50869875958431136622012-01-30T07:54:52.980+01:00For anyone who lives in, travels to or dreams of visiting Provence. Provence hotels, restaurants, museums, events, art, photography, shopping, wine, vineyards. Provence news, articles, videos and more!Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.comBlogger2991100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-92148952127677909062012-01-28T08:52:00.005+01:002012-01-30T01:15:21.944+01:00

Raymond Blanc may be Britain’s most-famous French chef, yet he has never cooked professionally in France. (Born in Besançon, the popular television chef, cookbook author and hotelier has held two Michelin stars for 28 years at his Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire and operates a number of other restaurants as well.) In Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman, a five-part series

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-26231179118050051862012-01-24T09:56:00.003+01:002012-01-24T10:08:18.183+01:00

My very first trip to Provence was in 1997, when I took a two-week photo workshop sponsored by the Maine Photo Workshop (Rockport, Maine). Based in a hotel in Fontvieille, we set up a makeshift darkroom and spent two glorious weeks exploring the history, culture, architecture and light of Provence, with two fine photographers (Craig Stevens and Antoine Godard), as our guides. It was, as they say

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-10079349030870529412012-01-20T09:30:00.006+01:002012-01-20T09:59:57.608+01:00

The famous Saatchi Gallery has created SaatchiOnline.com, to sell reasonably priced paintings, prints, photos and multi-media art from all over the world. I searched "France" and an amazing number of sensational works popped up, such as the photo Oyster Point, above, by Nick Shepherd (London). What a fabulous way to browse for art...and how great for the artists, who can simply upload their

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-6787387623007553112012-01-17T23:39:00.009+01:002012-01-19T01:46:52.110+01:00

In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, as Alfred Lord Tennyson said. But in winter in Provence, those thoughts definitely turn to truffles. And it’s possible that no man, old or young, has thought more about truffles than Auguste Escoffier. Escoffier is, of course, the famed French chef (1846–1935) credited with pioneering modern French cuisine and the French dining

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-60352455834318783212012-01-13T15:10:00.007+01:002012-01-14T18:56:02.196+01:00

Walking home from town a couple weeks ago, I spied this wall-size installation from a full block away and my heart skipped a beat. It's at La Maison de  Cédric, a quirky and elegant furniture, antiques, decor and design shop in my neighborhood in St. Remy. Owner Cédric Schmitté has given the sculpture pride of place; it fills a full wall of the glass-enclosed satellite space he has in front of

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-26138405848275878792012-01-09T08:26:00.018+01:002012-01-09T16:26:18.253+01:00

Finding a great burger in Provence isn't so easy. I know, I know, I know...burgers aren't French and they're not good for you (or the cow). Then again, neither is drinking 14 bottles of red wine at dinner...but do I say anything when you do that? Jamais! So I'm here to report that I've found what seems to be the perfect burger in Provence. It's at Cafe Mirabeau in St. Remy, where they have seven

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-68460042520264319042012-01-04T21:38:00.002+01:002012-01-05T20:31:31.206+01:00

Born in Tunbridge Wells (Kent, England), and raised in a village in Sussex, Angela Billows  and her husband, artist Jake Paltenghi, have had a home in the medieval town of Tarascon for eight years and lived there full time for four. Angela works as a costume designer for film and television…and blogs about her life in Provence at Provence Calling. Like its sister city Beaucaire, just over the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-27977166090211758732012-01-01T10:17:00.002+01:002012-01-01T10:21:35.575+01:00

Kristin Espinasse is a rock star in the Francophile blogging world; her site and its corresponding newsletter, French Word a Day, has an astounding 33,882 subscribers. The site, now updated three times weekly, introduces new words and phrases in French and then illustrates their meaning through charming stories drawn from Kristin's daily life: she's an American married to a French winemaker,

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-72615220301186799122011-12-28T12:54:00.003+01:002011-12-28T13:00:10.760+01:00

The sponsors of The France Show (January 13 to 15, 2012 at Earls Court in London), are offering the readers of ProvencePost.com a special two-for-one deal on tickets for this popular French lifestyle expo. (At-the-door tickets are normally £13. Kids under 16 are free.) This year there will be wine tastings, cooking demos, info on relocation and property buying, a wide selection of French

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-3307553133736343752011-12-24T00:15:00.004+01:002011-12-25T21:14:22.980+01:00

Born on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, Willy Dabriou was raised in Paris and came down to Provence to study art in Avignon. He settled in St. Remy in 1996. I've known Willy for years: he and his partner, Cornelius Alsen, have a thriving home-rental and management business here and are involved in lots of local activities. I see them at parties, gallery openings, concerts--and even

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-41305509013521608892011-12-20T08:22:00.000+01:002011-12-20T08:22:48.914+01:00

Have you guys seen this Dior commercial, with Charlize Theron, Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe? It was directed by Oscar-winning French director Jean-Jacques Annaud and made using CGI or Computer Generated Imagery. Now I adore Dior even more...

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-68680969567040947542011-12-16T09:38:00.008+01:002011-12-18T00:09:01.779+01:00

A couple weeks ago I borrowed a copy of Pierre Deux's French Country, written 27 years ago by my old pal Linda Dannenberg. I needed a break from work...and a few hours on the couch with this gorgeous book was the perfect way to spend it. French Country is one of those timeless coffee-table books filled with captivating interiors that make you want to pull apart your house and redecorate

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-61660889123073857302011-12-13T17:02:00.000+01:002011-12-13T17:02:07.011+01:00

The Canadian shop Raindrops has this "shit it's raining" umbrella in a wide range of colors. It's $45 (Canadian dollars) for the full size and $35 for the folding version. To see all of them or order, click here.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-4125839580838533802011-12-10T17:22:00.000+01:002011-12-10T17:22:58.862+01:00

The Italy-based MSC Cruises is launching a Dukan Diet-themed cruise in late January designed for passengers who want to to “shed kilos, tone up and tan.” The 11-night cruise (Jan 30 to Feb 10, 2012) has been created especially for French-speaking guests aboard the flagship MSC Fantasia, pictured above. Guests will have the chance to meet Dr. Pierre Dukan himself at a private onboard party. 

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-39736989516896294532011-12-06T20:00:00.002+01:002011-12-07T01:48:15.084+01:00

If you're thinking of visiting Provence next year...do it this way and you'll learn new skills, give something back, leave your mark on an ancient village and meet people from all over the world. Since 1969, the international volunteer program La Sabranenque has been devoted to the safeguarding and restoration of traditional rural architecture in Southern France. They're now accepting

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-812420302938726832011-12-02T08:47:00.040+01:002011-12-02T14:36:06.126+01:00

Everyone has a great camera these days but there are times when you need—or should use--a professional. I’m often asked if I know a great photographer here in Provence and the answer is mais oui! Based full time in Arles, Remi Benali began his career in 1989 after receiving a law degree in Grenoble. He worked with the legendary photo agency Gamma for 12 years, including three years as a press

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-48372881431563608912011-11-29T07:00:00.011+01:002011-12-14T23:08:43.448+01:00

Mark Craft and Diane Shaskin are crazy passionate about three things: France, food and wine. They live most of the year on Vancouver Island where they pine away for France and count the minutes until they can return. Over the years, the say, they've cooked and eaten their way through a small fortune in France. And for more years than they can count, they dreamed of ways to share the France that

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-33884409229620238862011-11-25T06:45:00.045+01:002011-11-25T07:08:53.973+01:00

Philippe Clairo was born in Megève, France and now lives in Calgary, Canada where he works as a video editor/photographer for clients such as Tourism Calgary and Nissan. Visiting his Dad in Montpellier last week, he took his stepson to see Les Baux and captured this wonderful image. "Les Baux is always peaceful in the low season and the view is breathtaking," he says. "But I had never been on the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-50828490993773635222011-11-20T11:45:00.008+01:002011-11-21T11:40:59.820+01:00

Thanksgiving is Thursday and that means Americans all over France are scurrying around trying to find cranberries, pumpkin pie filling and of course, the butcher who will order that big fresh turkey even though it's really late. (If you're a turkey, I'd lay very low the next few days.) While I'm sad to be missing Thanksgiving with my mom and the Minkoff gang at home in Milwaukee, I'm super

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-76887290647262799712011-11-17T12:56:00.023+01:002011-11-18T16:22:43.132+01:00

I’ve spent lots of time in the Caribbean and the French island of St. Barts remains one of my all-time favorites. So when my friend James Jondreau told me he was on his way there, I asked him to keep an eye out for juicy news. James is a chef and serious Francophile who splits his time between New York and the Hamptons. “But if I had my way,” he says, “I’d definitely add St. Barts to that list!”

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-64913933312448141342011-11-14T09:46:00.013+01:002011-11-14T14:03:58.600+01:00

One of the many joys of blogging is how it encourages connections, virtual or otherwise, with other bloggers. I "met" bloggers Delana Nelsen and Libby Wilkie online, long before I met either in person. Delana (who's from Wisconsin, like me), writes about her expat experiences in Aix-en-Provence; Libby blogs about design and decor. Delana and Libby met online as well and quickly became good pals.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-46793523055030086952011-11-11T14:06:00.002+01:002011-11-11T17:46:38.717+01:00

If you're free on Thursday evening November 17 and you love red wines, you need to be in Avignon for "G-Night," a grand Grenache degustation. Twenty-five winemakers from France and Spain will be pouring their hearts out, serving up tastes of their best Grenache-based vintages along with small nibbles. The event is sponsored by InterRhône, the Grenache Symposium, Tavel and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-11809530421164822982011-11-07T13:14:00.013+01:002011-11-14T10:09:49.679+01:00

Looking for a light dinner on a wet and chilly October night a few years ago, a friend and I popped into Cuisine de Comptoir in Arles because it looked casual, warm, inviting—and a little hip. And, unlike all the other spots nearby, it had customers. A long room with wood floors, bare wood tabletops, leather banquettes, a simple chrome light dangling over every table and a small open kitchen/bar

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-11265022014340827772011-11-04T00:36:00.005+01:002011-11-04T00:47:52.893+01:00

The Quebec-born artist Claude A. Simard first discovered Provence in his early 20s, traveling around France with a friend. “There was little time for sketching since those were the days when girls were more important than the sights and the history!” he recalls. He returned in the 1990s, but says the trip that really hooked him was a one-week stay in St. Rémy about ten years ago.  “This time,

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-70378489645090840322011-10-31T10:46:00.006+01:002011-11-02T18:25:52.645+01:00

All of a sudden, the stores were filled with mums. Every market, every roadside stand, every InterMarche parking lot--overflowing with mums. Fat, healthy, brilliant mums, just 35 francs per pot. It was late October, 1999, and my little garden was calling out for color.Having left Manhattan (and my one-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side) for Provence, just four months before, I was ecstatic

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-48110287469769636142011-10-27T08:21:00.003+02:002011-11-02T18:50:26.925+01:00

Claude Monet (1840-1926) spent the last 43 years of his life at Giverny, an hour northwest of Paris, creating the paintings for which he is most revered. He had rented the house in 1883 and by 1890, was successful enough to buy it. With two acres of land, Monet composed his famous gardens with an impressionist’s care for color and form. He had his large family and seven gardeners to help him, but

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-14820107451019210742011-10-23T09:40:00.003+02:002011-10-23T10:07:55.862+02:00

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-31597769363737432102011-10-19T19:13:00.004+02:002011-10-19T19:26:09.791+02:00

Forget raindrops on roses: Paris and chocolate are two of my favorite things. If you feel the same way, check out the SALON DU CHOCOLAT (October 20 to 24) at the Porte de Versaille. You'll find top pastry chefs and chocolatiers doing demos, a workshop for kids, a chocolate fashion show, all the best chocolate books--and of course aisle after aisle of irresistible sweets to taste and buy.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-844276275093807202011-10-16T10:18:00.058+02:002011-10-19T15:11:14.304+02:00

I was delighted to find out recently that my old pal Anne de Ravel is the chef at the fabulous  Château Les Carrasses, a 19th-century wine domaine near Beziers, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the South of France. It’s midway between Montpellier and Perpignan. The property has just been extensively restored and converted to a boutique winery and luxury hotel estate; it opened officially in

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-16910761395814497582011-10-13T08:10:00.000+02:002011-10-13T08:10:58.334+02:00

Buoyed by the success of his first Pilates Getaway in St. Rémy in June, 2011,  Olivier Coste Renoult will host a similar program this winter, this one designed to give clients a delicious taste of this splendid region during the joyous holiday season. The dates are December 3 to 10, 2011. The group--limited to 14 participants—will stay in a large, gracious villa where twice-daily Pilates

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-52174207216025522502011-10-11T09:15:00.020+02:002011-10-11T10:11:14.964+02:00

Only in Monaco would you find a Bentley Azure T that’s managed to plow into a Ferrari F430, damaging an Aston Martin Rapide, a Porsche 911 Carrera S and a Mercedes S-Class in the process. (Don't you hate when that happens?) Thanks to Autogespot.com for the photos and to Jalopnik.com for letting me steal this post.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-34405249943417059122011-10-08T08:20:00.006+02:002011-10-08T14:39:52.456+02:00

Yesterday Amazon launched its French Kindle Store with 35,000 French-language book titles to choose from. At the same time, Amazon unveiled the first French-language Kindle, calling it the smallest, lightest and most affordable Kindle ever. Priced at just 99€, the newest Kindle will be released on October 14 but you can pre-order it now by clicking here. The Kindle store now offers more than

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-31164082519681123922011-10-04T23:07:00.006+02:002012-01-26T12:17:16.448+01:00

Here in Provence, winemakers are deep into the vendange (grape harvest) but great stretches of countryside are still blanketed with row after row of beautiful green-golden vines, dripping with fat clusters of grenache, syrah, cinsault, mourvedre and viognier grapes. It’s one of the most beautiful times of the year. So last weekend my friend and I went up to Villes-sur-Auzon and took a spin

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-17009186809587722102011-09-28T09:29:00.005+02:002011-09-28T19:51:13.583+02:00

If you’re traveling to the South of France for business or pleasure, or live here all or part of the year, there are bound to be times when you wish you had insider info. Or better still, someone to simply take care of it for you…whether “it” is as small as a restaurant reservation or as big as a wedding or corporate retreat. Et voila: now you do. Absolutely Southern France is a destination

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-53327552851792169402011-09-25T01:23:00.005+02:002011-09-25T21:25:09.664+02:00

Photographer Michael Bastia was born in Cassis, which he describes as a small fishermen's village by the Mediterranean. He had a troubled childhood but found comfort in his surroundings. "Growing up in Provence helped me appreciate the beauty of nature early on," he says. His first job was taking pictures of ski tourists in the French Alps and every day when his work was done, he’d turn his lens

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-82978315782806071772011-09-20T11:12:00.004+02:002011-10-02T01:25:32.762+02:00

We all know there’s something magical about Provence, something that touches people deeply…something that inspires artists and authors and chefs and all sorts of other creative types….that draws people back again and again from all over the world. And Deborah Lawrenson is clearly one of them. A British novelist and journalist, Deborah has loved Provence since she first visited “more years ago

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com129tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-7780325804037764062011-09-16T08:42:00.005+02:002011-09-19T23:20:04.962+02:00

In addition to their spring and summer workshops, the folks behind the international photo festival known as the Rencontres d'Arles have just launched a series of weekend workshops to be held in Arles the rest of the year. The workshops will provide two days of total immersion in practical photo skills, combining the technical and the artistic.  Directed by professionals, they focus on themes and

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-53316683740047283752011-09-12T08:11:00.008+02:002011-09-12T10:11:24.000+02:00

If you're a foodie, September is a fantastic month to be in France as there are three major culinary events on the calendar. (If you're an escargot, however, this could be a very bad month indeed.)  If you're a history, architecture or French culture buff, we've got you covered as well. And if you love jazz--yep, we've got that too! First, for the foodies.  September 19th kicks off the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-68944752627283680762011-09-08T02:21:00.023+02:002011-09-08T02:55:05.148+02:00

I don't know what it is with me and cabins--I just love them. Certainly they remind me of all those summer vacations in Northern Wisconsin in our favorite cottage by the lake. Creaky old bedframes, the smell of pine drifting through open windows at night, wet swimsuits hung on the deck railing to dry, wood smoke from the fireplace--bring it on! So I was delighted when I just happened to come

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-69478184001190210922011-09-05T08:35:00.004+02:002011-09-05T08:48:45.156+02:00

Margaret Clayton was a late bloomer, at least in terms of her passion for painting. She took her first art class in 2005, at age 45.  When she, her husband John and their three kids decided to leave their home in Galway, Ireland, and spend a year in Provence, Margaret enrolled in oil painting classes at La Cour des Arts in St. Remy--a village which will forever associated with the paintings of

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-61242057821969194282011-09-01T09:28:00.020+02:002011-10-02T01:27:04.014+02:00

There's something so inviting about staying in a fresh, brand-new hotel. So here's one to consider the next time you visit the Côte d'Azur: Five Hotel & Spa, the newest luxury property in Cannes. It opened in June with 30 rooms and 15 suites, just next to the famous Croisette in the center of town.  To run the restaurant, the hotel owners snagged superstar chefs Jacques and Laurent

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-51039158534034837142011-08-29T15:43:00.007+02:002011-08-29T15:53:27.108+02:00

So what's a nice boy from Chicago doing producing Dijon mustard in Burgundy?  Jeff Goto, an avid cook, decided to do just that when he wasn't able to find a traditional Dijon mustard that delighted him as much as those he had tasted and cooked with in France. "Dijon is one of my favorite ingredients and it's so important in so many recipes," he says. It took Jeff a couple years of research and

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-37250176195306109702011-08-25T08:05:00.003+02:002011-11-02T04:11:06.003+01:00

While you've all been out snipping lavender, drinking rosé, playing boules and being fabulous by the pool, you may have fallen a bit behind on your reading. So because I live to please you, I've gathered some recent articles you may have missed.... A week in Provence...on a budget.The magic of the Var.The Provence of Mistral and Daudet.Eighteen years of free travel for baby born on the TGV.The

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-48392382636625037202011-08-19T06:45:00.008+02:002011-10-02T01:44:05.714+02:00

Born in Toulon and raised in nearby La Farlede, chef Guillaume Delaune has worked at some of finest hotel restaurants in the South of France including Le Moulin de Mougins, La Chèvre d’Or and Villa Gallici. Today he and wife Stephanie Clemares, who hails from Lyon, live in New Brunswick, Canada, where Guillaume runs the kitchen at the gorgeous 10-room Relais & Châteaux property called Kingsbrae

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-20593018112072469522011-08-14T08:24:00.005+02:002011-08-16T18:09:10.111+02:00

Shortly after moving her family to the South of France, Sophie Reed finds a lacy bra in her husband’s luggage….and it’s not hers. Her husband admits it: he’s having an affair. So what should Sophie do?  Should she give up on her dream of becoming a winemaker and move back to England with her three kids?  Or embrace her inner French woman, carry on and start a new life? Well clever thing that you

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-5559450181623361322011-08-12T08:42:00.004+02:002011-08-21T09:27:11.429+02:00

The two-week Festival Durance-Lubéron will open its summer 2011 season this weekend, featuring a broad range of musical styles presented in unique venues under open evening skies. On the schedule are Indian folk music, classical and comic operas, and the Marseille-based Bamboo Orchestra presenting their original score for the 1932 silent film classic “Les Gosses de Tokyo.” The Festival

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-3107392060962858602011-08-10T08:55:00.001+02:002011-08-10T08:56:21.983+02:00

A couple years ago, I wrote about a drive-through boulangerie just outside Paris where you could buy fresh-baked bread from the comfort of your car. Last week, I shared the news that McDonald's in France had just begun offering baguettes. And now I have the pleasure of reporting (thanks to an article in the Guardian), that Paris has its first 24-hour baguette dispenser. The bread is partially

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-3367846648010361492011-08-03T21:21:00.003+02:002011-10-02T01:33:33.599+02:00

The magnificent Palais des Papes will once again be open at night this August, every night of the week.  The Avignon landmark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,  is one of the most-visited monuments in all of France. Construction began in 1335 and was completed in less than 20 years under the leadership of Pope Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI. With 15,000 square meters (161,000 square feet

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-86008819977655568012011-07-31T11:14:00.012+02:002011-07-31T19:01:39.086+02:00

They don't like to admit it, of course, but the French are the #2 consumers of McDonald's in the world. And now McDo, as it's known, plans to start serving just-baked baguettes.  Rest assured: we'll be hearing a lot about McDough in the months to come! A new line of French breakfast items (baguettes, butter, jam, etc.) will be rolled out across France next month in the chain's 130 McCafés (

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-76360730923026416642011-07-28T15:40:00.041+02:002011-08-16T18:11:02.369+02:00

Emma Bovary—one of literature's greatest dreamers and worst mothers—has been discussed and debated for centuries. But overlooked and often forgotten is her unloved, neglected and orphaned daughter. Now, in an epic tale of pluck and perseverance, a new novel released this week picks up at the end of Flaubert’s classic and asks, What happened to Emma Bovary's only daughter? One year after her

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-1884204337858074452011-07-25T21:45:00.021+02:002011-07-26T12:11:04.114+02:00

This weekend ushers in the finale of the Chorégies d’Orange at the Theatre Antique in Orange. Opera lovers will be blessed with what some say are the best acoustics in the world and a fabulous setting in the Roman Amphitheater, for a tour de force production of Rigoletto starring Leo Nucci as Rigoletto, Patrizia Ciofi in the role of Gilda and Vittorio Grigolo as the Duke of Mantova. With only two

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-85634628470797130082011-07-22T00:19:00.000+02:002011-07-22T00:19:26.809+02:00

Fancy sleeping in a teepee or a log cabin in Provence for a few nights? Who wouldn't?  For all the info, click here. For other glamorous camping (they call it "glamping"--don't ya love it?), options in France and around the world, go here.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-36120083223095322962011-07-18T11:40:00.017+02:002011-07-18T18:15:04.566+02:00

Pam Siddiqui’s love affair with all things French blossomed many years ago--on that first trip to Paris after college. “It was love at first sight,” she says, “and smell, taste and language!” Since then, she has traveled extensively throughout the country, always on the prowl for new experiences and beautiful things. “I’ve been lucky to have visited my grand-père's birthplace in the Haute-Saone

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-34681249065456846322011-07-15T08:36:00.011+02:002011-07-15T16:06:18.519+02:00

Classical Music in EygalieresAmerican flutist  Julie Scolnik, who spends her summers in Eygalieres, will give her fifth annual recital in the local church, Eglise St Laurent, this Sunday, July 17, at 7  p.m. Julie offers a free concert for the village every summer "as a way of giving back to this most beautiful corner of the world, my home away from home." Julie and Parisian pianist Aurelien

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-12995016837286947152011-07-12T08:41:00.001+02:002011-07-12T08:46:20.684+02:00

Planning any travel? Then check out Hipmunk. It's a huge improvement over the other popular travel booking sites--a much quicker and more-organized experience. "Our goal is to build the best travel site on the Internet," Hipmunk co-founder Adam Goldstein said in a recent article in Fast Company. "And by 'best' I mean the site that helps people find what they're looking for with a minimum of agony

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-1741853969297221582011-07-08T08:58:00.002+02:002011-08-16T18:13:18.494+02:00

I love to read about France, my adopted country, and particularly the South. And I especially love books by and about expats in Provence, for all the obvious reasons. So when I received an advance copy of The House in France, I shoved all the other books and magazines aside and dug in right away. I knew the author Gully Wells was an editor at Conde Nast Traveler in New York and I knew, from bits

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-83982349226345139042011-07-03T10:39:00.004+02:002011-07-03T11:21:46.362+02:00

The annual international photo festival in Arles known as the Rencontres begins tomorrow, July 4. This is one of the major events on the summer arts calendar in Provence. The Rencontres encompasses gallery exhibits, slideshows, seminars, workshops, lectures, visits with curators, evening events and much more. There are an enormous number of things to choose from, particularly during opening week,

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-56566185394119344932011-06-30T22:35:00.006+02:002011-06-30T22:43:54.703+02:00

The long-awaited, much-anticipated 138-room Mandarin Oriental, Paris officially opened June 28th. It’s at 251 rue Saint-Honoré, in the first arrondissement, with the Garnier Opera, the Louvre and the Tuileries all close by.  The company worked with an international design dream team including architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte (renovation of the building, facade, patio), Sybille de Margerie (rooms,

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-43182223098264528342011-06-27T10:50:00.007+02:002011-08-16T18:18:11.277+02:00

How can anyone resist a cookbook with the words “French” and “Easy” in the title? I mean, after all the food trends that have come and gone lately…after nouvelle and molecular and modernist cuisine…after fusion, sustainable, locavore, organic and vegan…gluten-free and carbon-neutral and low-carb and no-carb…after all that good and noble politically correct food…doesn’t a warm soufflé or coq au

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-10965322908612725172011-06-22T12:44:00.008+02:002011-06-22T12:58:23.233+02:00

Comment dit-on "Chick Flick"? In the new summer romantic comedy Monte Carlo, three young American women use their savings for a long anticipated dream trip to Paris, which turns out to be a bummer. Then one of them is mistaken for a spoiled British heiress (don't you hate when that happens?) and before they get the chance to reveal their true identities, they're whisked off to Monte Carlo

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-2378638657096140602011-06-18T22:23:00.009+02:002011-06-18T23:22:54.661+02:00

Nicholas Delbanco and his wife, Elena, lived in Provence as newlyweds; they returned recently to celebrate their 40th anniversary. His moving, beautifully written then-and-now story ran in the New York Times this week and I didn't want you to miss it--you can read it here. If you love Nicholas' writing like I do, you may want to pick up a copy of his 1989 book Running in Place: Scenes from the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-41100418358315044802011-06-14T16:13:00.016+02:002011-11-07T23:08:53.178+01:00

OK so this this has nothing to do with Provence...but it's new and sounds extremely inviting so I thought you'd like to know. The owners of the 20-room Hôtel de Toiras, a Relais & Châteaux and the first five-star hotel on the tiny island of Île de Ré, opened a sister property last week: the nine-room Villa Clarisse. The two hotels are just a short stroll from each other. And guess what? 

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-28187186745077295892011-06-10T16:13:00.098+02:002011-06-13T23:37:40.020+02:00

The Photos Are Coming! The Rencontres Begins July 4  I wanted to give you all the heads up on the annual international photo festival in Arles known as the Rencontres. This is one of the major events on the summer arts calendar in Provence. The Rencontres encompasses gallery exhibits, slideshows, seminars, workshops and more. I'll do a longer update soon but in the meantime, you can get all the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-35544359501353382702011-06-05T15:03:00.017+02:002011-06-10T19:19:50.675+02:00

Every year round this time, Provence seems to pop up in the press more than usual. Here are some recent articles you might enjoy.  Wow--a 70 million massive solar-panel "farm" in Provence.  Trouble at the new Cocteau Museum in Menton. From The Independent, 48 Hours in Avignon. And from the New York Times: Marseille's thriving arts scene. House hunting in France? Look no further! House hunting

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-338013405156530172011-06-01T05:33:00.067+02:002011-06-06T17:46:50.690+02:00

The 2,000-year-old aqueduct called the Pont du Gard is one of the most magnificent sites in Provence; I never get tired of gazing at it, tromping around on it, photographing it. (I've yet to kayak the Gard River underneath it but hope to soon.) So I can only imagine how breathtaking my favorite Roman relic will be when she’s all lit up with video, light, flame and fireworks in a new evening

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-78703660586762430592011-05-27T15:11:00.039+02:002011-05-27T16:13:10.040+02:00

If your idea of camping is bug bites, sleeping bags and baked beans, think again. How about roughing it in a three-bedroom “caravan” with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom (with tub or power shower) and air conditioning throughout? It also has private garden area, barbecue and dining furniture on the deck…and a bakery just down a wooded path for fresh croissants in the morning. Or perhaps you

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-2588961783924148782011-05-24T20:43:00.009+02:002011-05-24T22:09:48.696+02:00

Sunday May 29th is Mothers Day in France but I think these personalized chocolate letter boxes, from Jadis et Gourmande, would delight any mom, anywhere, any day. Compose your short message in French or English; they'll ship your gift out tres vite no matter where mama lives. Jadis et Gourmande makes all their own chocolate, using 71% cocoa and pure cocoa butter, in their workshop not far from

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-27644153107139126202011-05-21T15:56:00.055+02:002011-09-04T18:13:49.428+02:00

When I was first looking for a house to rent in Provence, I realized quickly that it wasn’t going to be easy. “Cela n’existe pas!” was pretty much the standard response each time I explained to yet another realtor what I wanted: a small, traditional, renovated village house, with two bedrooms or more, a garden and plenty of charme. It doesn’t exist, I was told over and over again. It’s

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-27364558034470193642011-05-16T20:50:00.020+02:002011-10-03T14:59:46.927+02:00

I received this charming email the other day.  Anyone have any ideas to share? Dear Julie, I found your blog while researching food and restaurants in Provence. I'm in need of some serious recommendations.  I will be proposing to my girlfriend during our trip to France this summer.  We'll be spending our time all over Provence (Marseilles, Cannes, St. Tropez, The Luberon, etc.) and also on

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-31790552847413877832011-05-11T07:50:00.002+02:002011-05-11T09:11:55.755+02:00

Check out the beautiful blog Tartelette produced by Marie-Helene Dujardin. Born and raised near Aix-in-Provence, Helene (as she refers to herself) has been living in Charleston, South Carolina since 1998. She launched Tartelette (it's a family nickname) after leaving her restaurant pastry-chef job and today makes her living as a food writer, stylist and photographer. Her first book,  a how-to

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-5862166117676598872011-05-08T16:06:00.020+02:002011-05-09T22:27:24.013+02:00

Rainey Vivier (American, from Florida) and her husband Pierre (a retired French pastry chef and chocolatier), recently moved from Tallahassee, Florida, to their home in a small village near Uzes in Provence. Their daughter, Dominique, and her husband, Christophe, also live in France and lead culinary tours. Rainey came to me late this winter asking for Avignon restaurant suggestions; with input

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-30535263270924486282011-05-03T19:27:00.011+02:002011-05-05T07:07:58.461+02:00

After standing empty for years, the spectacular Midland Grand Hotel, overlooking one of the world's great train stations, has been restored to its former Victorian Gothic glory. It officially reopens as the 245-room St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London on Thursday. The dramatic red-brick building, first opened in 1873, was designed to cater to travelers coming in and out of St. Pancras, the major

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-62784962999876824502011-04-29T05:46:00.009+02:002011-05-30T21:25:10.736+02:00

Through writing about the English painter and Provence transplant Julian Merrow-Smith, I met his wife Ruth Phillips. We felt instantly sympatico although I must admit (and I told her this) that I felt more than a bit indimidated by her accomplishments. These include: fluency in French, two masters degrees and a successful career as a professional cellist. She's also a talented cook, an avid

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-81296072187476565482011-04-24T18:34:00.000+02:002011-04-24T18:34:14.942+02:00

Woody Allen's 41st feature, Midnight in Paris--starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy--opens this year's Cannes Film Festival, which runs May 11 to 22nd, 2011. Robert DeNiro is president of the Jury. See more trailers and read all about the fest here and here.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-76374849094100431052011-04-21T07:29:00.003+02:002011-04-21T17:20:35.294+02:00

Compagnie de Provence is having a little sale of their body and bath products on the fashion discount site Swirl, now through Friday April 22. $40 items are now $27; $15 items are $9. Have a look but hurry...sale ends tomorrow. You have to join the site to shop (click here) but it's quick and free. 

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-44345063964826340542011-04-17T14:17:00.000+02:002011-04-17T14:17:27.759+02:00

Flying from San Francisco to Paris recently on a Boeing 747-400, Nate Bolt  took 2,459 photos--that's one photo about every two miles for 11 hours--and turned them into this remarkable two-minute video. (If you click the link here rather than the arrow on the video above, you can watch the video full screen and also read some info from Nate about how he did it.)  To see Nate interviewed on the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-26208151440941412012011-04-14T16:40:00.024+02:002011-04-19T08:41:02.429+02:00

First, I wanted to call your attention to my new(ish) blog pages "Advertise on Provence Post," "Where to Stay" and "France Travel Experts." Click the tabs just above this post to open them. More pages will be coming soon but in the meantime, you might find helpful information there. Meanwhile, here are a few other fun things I wanted to share... Provence Chef named Top Chef Stéphanie Le Quellec,

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-14622577483054940652011-04-11T07:37:00.029+02:002011-04-11T15:01:51.739+02:00

I just came across one of those "help wanted" ads you can't help but be intrigued by... We are currently seeking an experienced and exceptional estate manager to manage a magnificent private estate in southern France for one of the world's wealthiest families...The estate is set amongst extensive grounds and consists of six properties, two swimming pools and a mini-golf complex. The successful

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-53946356771561108002011-04-06T16:59:00.003+02:002011-08-16T18:16:16.969+02:00

This novel, just published, looks like one I'm going to have to read. Not that I'm brokenhearted or anything but how can anyone resist a story set in the place they live and love? Plus, I'm told the plot contains many things dear to my heart, including shocking confessions, nosy neighbors, enigmatic Frenchmen, old houses in small French villages, lavender, vineyards, warm winds and pistou! Have

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-3913750607299222962011-03-30T18:44:00.005+02:002011-03-31T16:44:20.297+02:00

Deep in the heart of the Luberon, one of Provence's loveliest regions, you'll find a hotel that rivals the finest auberges and inns worldwide. Created in and around an 18th-century farmhouse, La Bastide de Marie is snuggled within its own 18-acre vineyard, with 14 guest rooms (all with views of the vines), one freestanding villa, two swimming pools, an elegant indoor/outdoor restaurant and

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-13775364801377552432011-03-27T16:42:00.003+02:002011-03-27T16:51:49.127+02:00

How cute is this pillow? Before you look at the price, keep in mind it's entirely hand embroidered. The light cotton cover buttons off for cleaning and it's accented with black velvet piping.  Other countries--America, Ireland, Italy--and all sorts of popular U.S. vacation destinations are available in the series too. Check them out on the Whispering Pines website here. What's that you say? $149

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-50328767142874135112011-03-22T17:42:00.010+01:002011-03-22T18:45:35.025+01:00

Yesterday Michelin launched its springtime promotion called Printemps du Guide Michelin. Until June 21, approximately 1,000 restaurants in France will be offering specially priced menus, events such as gourmet workshops and cooking classes and discounts on both fixed-price menus and à la carte dishes. The specials are available to anyone who presents the Pass Printemps.   Many restaurants have

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-52043765302495604132011-03-18T15:20:00.005+01:002011-03-18T20:01:05.567+01:00

Philip and Jude Reddaway run a wine-tour company called La Madèlene Rhone Wine Holidays, based in a renovated 12th-century priory just outside Malaucène, between Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail in the Haut-Vaucluse. (Lonely Planet recently picked La Madelène as one of the four top places to stay around Avignon.) The Reddaway’s most-popular offering is a three-day Southern Rhône tour,

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-69629287522592682492011-03-15T15:40:00.002+01:002011-03-15T16:36:01.279+01:00

You've seen them in photos and paintings: those shimmering fields full of glorious red poppies in Provence. (They're so gorgeous they actually stop traffic; people see them, pull over and spring from their cars, cameras and sketchbooks in hand.) Well here's your chance to experience them firsthand, with a well-known, fully bilingual artist/instructor as your guide. Oregon-based watercolor painter

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-38488964553196952452011-03-10T14:46:00.003+01:002011-03-10T14:52:09.129+01:00

French fashion house Christian Lacroix has introduced its first line of textiles for the home. The collection includes patterns such as Riviera, Feria and Arles (pictured), which features well-known city monuments.  “As it was the first collection, I really thought it was important to make it happen in the south of France, because Mr. Lacroix was born in Arles,” creative director Sacha

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-48224003848648626242011-03-06T16:02:00.006+01:002011-03-07T15:50:15.317+01:00

Previously available only in French, a popular two-hour guided tour of the "Secret" Palais-des-Papes will soon be offered in English but only for a limited time. The Avignon landmark is one of the most-visited monuments in all of France. Construction began in 1335 and was completed in less than twenty years under the leadership of Pope Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI. With 15,000

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-49002338922902343212011-03-01T15:08:00.016+01:002011-03-01T16:56:07.875+01:00

I happened on this photo and found the scene—the composition, dappled light, low-slung modern furniture, lush materials and, of course, the Matisse--just incredibly beautiful.  I had to know more! The Brody House, in the Holmby Hills section of West Los Angeles, was commissioned by philanthropist art lovers Sidney and Frances Brody in 1949. It was designed by architect A. Quincy Jones and

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-59100705742823633062011-02-20T13:42:00.018+01:002011-03-01T16:20:42.486+01:00

Miami will get a big taste of France this week as the South Beach Wine & Food Festival celebrates its 10th Anniversary (Feb 24 to 27) and a slew of French chefs show up to strut their culinary stuff. For one long weekend each February, sixty to eighty of world’s most-popular chefs drop what they’re doing to transform southern Miami Beach into the world’s largest and liveliest kitchen, providing

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-42821359176025993412011-02-14T08:22:00.000+01:002011-02-14T08:22:39.472+01:00

If you loved LIFE like millions of others did, then Life.com might ease your withdrawal. The magazine was a mainstay of American culture, an icon in the world of photojournalism, the first all-photographic American news magazine. LIFE dominated the market for more than 40 years, from its launch as a weekly by Time founder Henry Luce in 1936; as an intermittent "special" until 1978 and as a

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-13210965580126608562011-02-10T18:15:00.002+01:002011-02-10T19:56:08.979+01:00

Inspired by tilt-shift photography, which plays with depth of field and makes real world scenes appear like miniature models, art student Serena Malyon simulated the effect with Photoshop, transforming a number of well-known Van Gogh paintings. You can see more of her images and learn how she made them here. To see other striking tilt-shift photos by various artists, click here. Pictured: Van

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-51499123186636726492011-02-06T00:25:00.012+01:002011-02-10T14:17:49.849+01:00

Now more than ever, we want good value for money when eating out. In response, Michelin this week released the fifth edition of the Bonnes Petites Tables Guide for 2011. This is the “Bib Gourmand” book of lower-priced restaurants, where you can get a three-course meal for less than 35€ in Paris and 29€ outside the Paris area (33€ on weekends.)  The 2011 Guide includes 601 restaurants total, the

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-39346573019526825982011-02-03T08:48:00.000+01:002011-02-03T08:48:50.930+01:00

Ben Collison and his wife, Alice, moved to France in 2003. Originally from Preston in Northwest England, they now live in Cotignac, in the Var region of Provence. They have two children: William (age 3) and Eva (11 months). Ben launched his design business in 2003 and has grown it into one of the leading English-speaking web and graphic design agencies in the South of France. Pure Design

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-47672656938499695852011-01-28T10:30:00.000+01:002011-01-28T10:30:43.435+01:00

Best-selling author Peter Mayle, who wrote A Year in Provence and 12 other books, is selling his 18th-century house on the outskirts of Lourmarin in the Luberon region of Provence. And as you can imagine, it's magnificent. Read all about it here, then see the listing and photos here.

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-70071498117025071792011-01-24T16:50:00.002+01:002011-01-24T18:53:54.521+01:00

There’s a new very-affordable hotel option in Cannes, the 134-room Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalasso. It's a re-do of the 1835 White Palm Hotel and it opened last month. Situated in the old quarter of Le Suquet, overlooking the harbor, it’s within walking distance of Palais des Festivals et Congres, site of the Cannes Film Festival. It’s also just a short stroll from La Croisette, Cannes’ famous

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-83148129573563715722011-01-19T11:29:00.004+01:002011-01-19T13:18:05.805+01:00

If you’re currently looking for--or have recently bought--a home abroad, 'House Hunters International' might want to put your story on TV. The hit U.S. show is looking for energetic individuals, couples and families to share their story about moving abroad…to France or any other country. Contributors should be fluent in English and have owned the home abroad for four years or fewer. The

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-67440341359643159612011-01-14T05:28:00.009+01:002011-01-17T10:51:21.654+01:00

A couple years ago, my friend Joan Nathan, a Washington, D.C.-based food writer and author, called and said she was coming to France, doing research for a new book. I snapped to attention, not just because I love Joan but also because I loved the topic: Jewish food in France. Joan was looking for cooks, stories, recipes, family lore, historical documents--anything that would help her piece

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-34063399503954444952011-01-10T20:01:00.012+01:002011-02-11T10:56:11.727+01:00

You still have time to see “David Hockney: Fleurs Fraîches,” an exhibit of images (flowers, places and people) created by the British artist on his iPhone and iPad.  It's at the Fondation Pierre Bergé - Yves Saint Laurent in Paris until Jan 30th. With “Brushes” and other apps, Hockney used his thumbs and fingers to create full-color images directly on the device’s screen, modifying the hues and

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-52453593294146238872011-01-04T14:25:00.010+01:002011-01-04T15:03:48.270+01:00

Bravo to Sheila Johnston and her website Marseille-Provence for yesterday’s post: The Top Ten Wine Drives in Provence. Sheila tells me it took the better part of a week for she and her husband, Robert, to produce…and I can see why.  “Although there's a ton of info about wine on the net, it tends, I feel, to be very fragmented and confusing," she says. "We've tried here to consolidate and

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-49212883488939735142010-12-30T23:00:00.005+01:002010-12-31T00:27:02.047+01:00

When the King—any King--opens a hotel, you don’t exactly expect a Travelodge, Days Inn or Formule 1. Yet even by royal standards, the Royal Mansour is a beauty. The King in this case is His Majesty the King Mohamed VI of Morocco and the hotel, the Royal Mansour in Marakech, was developed to be one of the world’s finest. It opened in July, with 53 individual riads, three restaurants and a 27,000-

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5086987595843113662.post-76273165413307216182010-12-27T13:32:00.003+01:002010-12-28T15:13:06.780+01:00

Holiday decor is now 50% off and clothing is discounted 30% at the Christmas Market at the Chateau d’Estoublon, a magnificent 16th-century estate near Fontvieille where wines and olive oils are produced. This is the one market my friends and I never miss; each year the selection of food, decor, toys and tableware grows more elegant, eclectic and whimsical too. The items for sale come from all

Julie Mautnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03600036888193273854noreply@blogger.com6