Two-for-One French Meal Deals

Booking opened today for the 10th annual Tous au Restaurant promotion, in which restaurants across France offer special "buy one, get one free" multi-course menus at lunch or dinner or both. Tous au Restaurant runs Sept 30 to Oct 13 and roughly 1000 restaurants are signed up. What a great opportunity to sample restaurants you’ve been wanting to try...or to plan a foodie road trip...or to make like a big shot and treat your friends to a fancy meal! 

Launched in 2010 by superstar chef Alain Ducasse, it's meant to encourage people to eat out more often: in mom-and-pop bistros, in top Michelin-starred restaurants and everything in between. Last year roughly 250,000 people reserved tables in close to 1800 restaurants. Organizers say the two-week festival is designed not as a money-maker—many restaurants just break even--but to get people out and about, discovering new chefs, neighborhoods, cuisines and more. 

So what's the deal? Book online and order the special Tous au Restaurant menu and a second person at the table enjoys the same menu free. (Pas mal!, as the French would say, when something is very good indeed.) The restaurants choose what meals to offer, on which days and times. In some cases there's no choice; you eat what the chef is serving. In many cases however, you have multiple choices for each course. Restaurant ratings come from the French restaurant-booking site La Fourchette, the major sponsor. 

A small caveat: the Tous au Restaurant site just went live this morning (10 am France time) and isn't quite up to speed. For example, if you choose Provence or Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur from the drop down menu, you get just eight or nine restaurant choices. But if you choose one city--Marseille, for example--you see 28. Hopefully the kinks will be worked out soon so be sure to check back. Also, restaurants are still being added and will be, probably right up to Sept 30. That said, the most-popular places and times sell out quickly so book early and book often!

To get started, click here and click the red box Je Réserve. Start typing your city and choose the correct one from the drop down. (In Paris you can search by arrondisement or see a complete list.) Find the restaurant you want, review the special menu and then click "Réserver avec cette offre." You'll be asked to pick your day, time and party size...and then be taken to another page to input your contact info and special requests. I assume they follow up with a confirmation email. The site is only in French but it's fairly easy to figure out; it also works pretty well if you have your web translator on although that leads to some cute names such as "The Plug of the Transplants" (Le Bouchon des Greffes in Nimes) and "Craftsman of the Marsh Truffle" (Artisan de la Truffe in the Marais neighborhood of Paris).

Reservations are online only. If you book and need to cancel, you can do that through the site as well. Cancellation policies vary but are clearly stated. Can't wait to hear where you ate and what you loved. Bon Appétit!

Two-for-One Meal Deals Oct 1 to 14

From October 1st to 14th, restaurants all over France will be offering special "buy one, get one free" three-course menus in the 9th annual Tous au Restaurant promotion.

Launched in 2010 by superstar chef Alain Ducasse, it's meant to encourage people to eat out: in mom-and-pop bistros, in top Michelin-starred restaurants and everything in between.

So what's the deal? Book online and order the special Tous au Restaurant menu and a second person at the table enjoys the same menu free. (Pas mal!, as the French would say, when something is very good indeed.) Participating restaurants can choose whether to offer the menus at lunch or dinner or both...and on which days at what times. In some cases there's no choice; you eat what the chef is serving. In many cases however, you have multiple choices for each course.  

Last year more than 200,000 people reserved tables to enjoy the promotion in 1500 restaurants. This year, an estimated 2000 restaurants are expected to take part. The booking site went live this morning and restaurants are still being added so if you don't see one you like, check back...but be aware that the most-popular places sell out quickly.

To get started, click here and choose your region or city from the drop down menu. (You might need to play around with it a bit. For example, for Provence you can choose Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur where you'll find all the listings...or choose one of the specific cities that comes up. For Paris you can choose "Paris" or a specific arrondissement.)  Then, click the links to view the restaurants' special menu and prices.  You'll see that most restaurants also publish selections from their regular menu as a convenience...but the two-for-one Tous au Restaurant menu is clearly noted. Then, to see the available dates and times, click the green bar that says Reservez une Table. You'll be asked to choose your day, time and party size...and then be taken to another page to input your name, email, phone and any special requests. I assume they follow up with a confirmation of your booking by email. The site is only in French this year but it's fairly easy to figure out.

If you book and then need to cancel, you can do that through the site as well. If you reserve but don't show, you'll be blocked from making future bookings.

Organizers say the two-week festival is not designed to be a money-maker—many restaurants just break even--but rather to get people out discovering and enjoying. It’s a great opportunity to sample a restaurant you’ve been wanting to try...or to act like a big shot and treat your friends to a fancy meal. Bon Appétit!

Posh and Becks are Selling in Provence

David and Victoria Beckham have listed their six-bedroom home in the Var region of Provence for €2.75 million. Marketed as "an exceptional estate in a pristine setting," the 200-acre property, Domaine Saint-Vincent, has three reception rooms, four bathrooms, staff accommodation, an infinity pool and pool house, a two-story guest house, a chapel, various outbuildings "with additional potential" and far-reaching valley views. 

The Daily Mail reports that the Beckhams bought the 19th-century home for €1.74 million in 2003 and spent €5.7 million on renovation. If it sells for its asking price, that could represent a loss of €4.6 million for the couple, who are estimated to be worth more than €500 million. 

The Daily Mail also says that the house is reportedly haunted by the former owner, who committed suicide in the study.

The reason Posh and Becks are upping sticks, however, is said to be that the couple and their four children--Brooklyn, 17; Romeo, 13; Cruz, 11; and Harper, 5--prefer to spend their time in London (where they recently spent £31 milllion on a townhouse in Holland Park) and in Los Angeles.

Other reports suggest the Beckhams are offloading real estate because they're planning to divorce.

Either way, everyone seems to agree they've hardly used the house. A story in The Sun quoted "a source": "The locals won't miss them as they were hardly ever here. When they were, David signed the odd autograph and he once had a kick-about with the villagers, but that was their only contact with them. You wouldn't have seen Victoria queuing for a croissant in the boulangerie."

Domaine Saint-Vincent is 4 km from the village of Bargemon, 23 km off the A8 motorway (exit Le Muy) and 99 km from Nice International Airport.

For all the details see the listing here... 

Winter Fun for Foodies in Provence

I'm from Wisconsin where winters can be brutally cold...very snowy...and gray for days on end. I once heard a great line: that summer in Wisconsin is just three months of bad sledding.  

So winter in Provence always seems quite tame to me...with some days bordering on balmy. Yes, it gets cold...but not cold cold. Every couple years we get a real snowfall but more likely it's a light dusting, once or twice each winter. December is extremely festive here, with villages all lit up beautifully, colorful Christmas markets on town squares, holiday concerts in churches everywhere and shops and stalls overflowing with seasonal foods: oysters, foie gras, confit, Champagne, truffles (both kinds) and the ingredients for hearty winter dishes such as daube and cassoulet. On sunny days you'll see people still eating on cafe terraces. Things quiet down in January: hotels close up again, shops and restaurants go on limited hours, and the locals who can go off seeking sun or skiing in the Alps. But with fewer crowds, lower prices, plenty of sunny days and lots of outdoor activities still possible, winter can be a wonderful time to visit Provence. 

That said, here are a couple really nice winter packages for foodies...and some great hotel discounts...and few a la carte ideas for winter foodie fun.

Madeleine Vedel--who hops back and forth regularly between Provence and the US--has a charming old farmhouse on the island of Barthelasse, smack in the center of the Rhône River opposite the history-rich city of Avignon. And once again, she's welcoming food and wine lovers with a decadent winter package.  Called the Winter Provence Truffle Tour (this year's dates January 24-31), it includes truffle hunting, duck confit and foie gras, wine tasting at Châteauneuf-du-Papes, chocolates, hill towns, feasts and your own personal guide to take you to to experience it all. For the details, click here. 

Philip and Jude Reddaway have a B&B and wine school called La Madelene, where they base their year round business called Rhone Wine Holidays. This winter, they're hosting a three-day Truffle and Wine Tour, January 20 to 23.  It includes truffle hunting in the Luberon hills; a truffle-and-wine pairing at a Châteauneuf-du-Papes estate; four top winery visits with tastings led by the winemakers; a visit to the famous truffle market at Richerenches and of course truffle-based dishes to savor in restaurants and back at La Madelene. For all the info, click here.

In Tarascon, Catherine Burtonboy is offering a special winter package at her foodie B&B Le Mas de Lilou. Rooms begin at 90€ with breakfast; book two nights and get a third free. Or, for groups of four or more staying a minimum of three nights, get a free gourmet dinner and a 10% discount on your stay. Cooking classes are also offered at a discount. 

At Provence Paradise in St. Remy, there's a winter special designed to encourage longer stays. Book a week at the B&B rate (two people minimum) and you get subsequent weeks at 50% off (up to a four-week stay). The winter special B&B promo includes breakfast Monday to Saturday, a wine-and-cheese welcome and a romantic dinner for two in St. Remy, for each two-week stay. When booking, use promo code: ProvencePost. 

The gorgeous Relais & Château hotel Crillon le Brave offers truffle-and-wine weekends, with some led specifically in English, in February and March. Click here for info.

In the Southern Luberon, truffle hunting continues all winter at the farm Les Pastras, run by the adorable Lisa and Johann Pepin.  Their 11-hectare farm produces grapes, olives (they have 600 trees!), a wide range of fruit and--wait for it--black winter truffles. Yes, they also have a a stand of oak that regularly produces the prized tuber melanasporum, AKA truffes noires, AKA Black Gold. Sign on for their truffle tour and you’ll learn how truffle trees are cultivated, the signs indicating your trees might have truffles beneath them, the lengths people will go to in order to steal or even sabotage truffle hunters, how to clean and prepare fresh truffles, what dishes taste best with them and much more. You'll tag along while a duo of dogs dig for the hidden treasure and then tuck into a sampling of fresh truffle hors d'oeuvres, with Champagne, and a tasting of Les Pastras' organic olive and truffle oils. In winter, two-hour weekday tours are at 3 pm; weekend tours are at flexible hours. For 2-12 people. Cost per person:  70€, with a 20€ reduction for children, age 10-17. To book: pepin@lespastras.com.

The ancient village of Richerenches  has the largest black-truffle market in Europe.  It’s in the department of the Vaucluse, which produces more than 90% of the black truffles sold in France.  The Saturday morning market runs from mid-November to late March…and attracts restaurateurs, exporters and truffle lovers from far and wide. The best way to do the market is with an expert tour guide…and I’ve got just the gal. She lives nearby, knows the market in and out, often cooks with truffles…and loves to share her passion. As you poke amongst the stalls, you’ll learn how to choose, clean and preserve them, what wines pair best with them, what local restaurants specialize in them…and much more.  You may even meet some trufficulteurs (truffle hunters), who work the market with their bulging linen bags, meeting discreetly with “courtiers” who evaluate and buy their precious “black gold.”  You’ll break for coffee at the locals’ favorite café and visit a few historic sites too. You may even get to enjoy a festive communal lunch of truffled omelettes (with salad, cheese, bread, wine and dessert) served in the village hall. Tours are 3 hours (longer if you have lunch) and cost €150 for the first person, 75€ for each additional person, lunch is extra. Available: Saturday mornings, mid Nov to late March. To book: whattodoinprovence@gmail.com.

In honor of the Fête de la Truffe in Uzès (Jan 16 and 17, 2016), chef Eric Fraudeau of Cook’n With Class Uzès is offering three workshops themed around truffles. Together you'll create seven different preparations, which will be paired with perfect wines. The class is offered in English January 15, 22 and 29; there are other dates for French speakers. For more info on the classes and to book, click here. Or, email: info-uzes@cooknwithclass.com.

Many of the tour guides, wine guides and cooking instructors I work with are happy to cut their prices to build winter business...some as much as 50%. If you're interested, have a look at WhatToDoinProvence.com and let me know what interests you. Everything there is customizable. (My email: whattodoinprovence@gmail.com). 

For info on seaside seafood festivals in winter, see my friend Sheila's website here. 

For more about truffles in Provence--including markets, tours and restaurants that specialize in them--see my story from last year here but be sure to check for 2015/2016 dates. 

For truffle festivals and markets in Languedoc-Roussillon, click here.

Looking for Christmas markets in Provence? See my growing list here...

And a really nice list of winter events in Provence here.

Photos: (1) Happy truffle hunter Pierre Sauvayre at the Richerenches Truffle Market. (2) Delicious truffled omelettes are served up on most Saturday mornings in Richerenches; check the schedule here and be sure to reserve ahead. (3, 4) Cooking classes at Mas de Lilou are discounted in winter, for two people minimum. The foodie B&B, in a restored 18th-century farmhouse in Tarascon, is also offering the third night free. (5) Prized black winter truffles from Provence--truffes noires--are also known as Black Gold. (6, 7) La Madelene, home to the company Rhone Wine Holidays, is hosting a three-day Truffle and Wine Tour in January. (8, 9) Madeleine Vedel's charming farmhouse sits on an island in the Rhône, opposite Avignon. Madeleine is a professional cheesemaker, a goat-raising expert and a passionate foodie...the perfect host for a winter food tour.  (10, 11). The village of Crillon le Brave and the Hotel Crillon le Brave; both are gorgeous. (12) The winter sea urchin festival in Carry le Rouet, along the "Blue Coast," is usually held in early February. Check with the Tourist Office for 2016 dates. (13) One of the pretty antique-filled bedrooms at Provence Paradise offered in the winter B&B package.

One Shop I Love: By dé Bo in Uzes

Spend any time with expats in France and before too long someone will start whining (or whinging as my English friends like to say) about how poorly they were recently treated by a shop keeper, restaurateur, bank, utility company, parking guy or what have you.  

My most recent gripe was how my bank here in St. Remy--a branch of one of three biggest banks in France--no longer takes or gives out money in the afternoon.  No cash in, no cash out, any afternoon.

Before that, I was grumbling about my phone/internet provider, who told me--after three of their modem boxes crashed within two weeks--to find another company if I didn't like their service. Oh, and I should stop breaking their modem boxes. Because if this one stopped working, they wouldn't give me another. (Anyone who has ever switched phone companies in France knows that's not an option any sane person would pursue.)

Every expat has a tale--or 20--of woe. One of my favorites: up in Paris, blogger David Lebovitz writes about leaving his apartment more than once only to find a ''Sorry you weren't home when we tried to deliver your package!" sticker on the front door.

And whatever you do, don't ever ask an expat about the process of getting a French resident card, long-stay visa or carte de sejour. By the time the teller gets round to the end of the story--cataloging for you every time-wasting hassle and indignity he/she suffered along the way--you'll have decided that getting the visa itself couldn't be anywhere near as painful as listening to the story is. Trust me on this one: Do. Not. Ask.

But come to think of it, my French friends do this too...meaning, complain about customer service. Not to go down that road but it does sometimes seem that businesses here (what with lunchtime closings, Sunday closings, seasonal hours, bank holidays, no-return policies, etc.) operate more for the convenience of owners and employees than customers. 

So it's always a nice surprise to have an experience that goes the total opposite way... meaning, you get treated exactly how you'd like to be treated. So here's a shout out to my new favorite clothes shop and its charming owner, who completely won me over with her warmth and cool attitude before I even had a look at her beautiful clothes.

Back in July, my friend Steph gave me a very-generous birthday gift: a 200€ gift certificate from a St. Remy boutique called By dé Bo. I noted the December expiration date, which of course I had to whinge about just a bit: I only had five months to use it? And what does 12/14 mean? Does that mean Dec 1? December 31? And how lame is it to make a gift certificate by simply scribbling on the back of your business card? Never mind--I was thrilled with the gift and taped it to my desk so I wouldn't lose it or forget.

So with that vague December deadline looming, I popped into town a month ago hoping to get a coat. Only to find that, after 15 years in business, the shop had closed and another had taken its place. But then I noticed that the gift certificate said "St. Remy and Uzes." So maybe all was not lost...maybe, just maybe, the other By dé Bo lived on! So the next morning, I called. Yes they were still in business. Yes they were open on Saturday. And so I drove an hour to the pretty town of Uzes, fully prepared to be told ''sorry, that gift card was good in St. Remy only'' or that the ownership had changed or that the gift card was fake or the manager's dog was sick so she stayed home...or something. 

Instead, the British owner Deborah Tunney couldn't have been sweeter.  Of course she would accept the gift card, she said. And when I didn't find a coat that fit or anything else that grabbed me, she--wait for it--offered to extend the deadline. Extend the deadline! In France! I thought I was hallucinating! And just as I was going to take her up on it and leave empty handed, Deb started bringing me the most beautiful tops to try--soft colors, elegant fabrics--and before too long I had found the sweater of all sweaters...and a new favorite store. 

Deborah's clothes (and shoes, boots and handbags too) are beautifully made and a bit edgy. She carries 40 or so different labels at a time, and another 40 brands of accessories and shoes. She stocks European designers only, with a focus--always--on high-quality fabrics. "I love quirky," she says, "pretty niche and charismatic stuff. The more unknown and beautiful it is, the more it appeals to me. I just love the idea that no one else has picked a new label up and I found it! So you can find established designers like Sarah Pacini sitting along side a new guy that no one knows like A.B. (Italian from Rome in stunning fabrics) which just happens to go with a German knitwear collection like Hannes Roether and a crazy Italian like Maliparmi… and then a bag from Campomaggi or M0851. Basically it's about breaking the rules and buying everything that catches my eye...things that shouldn't really all be in the same shop…but it works! And I pick up five or six new labels each season so there's always a new toy to play with!" 

So there you have it: a French customer-service story that ends with a happy customer. Ladies, next time you're in Uzes, do pop in; Saturday is a great day because that's when Uzes has its big (and wonderful) weekly market. Deb knows what will work for your coloring and body type...and will do her very best to hook you up with something fantastic.  And as your reward for reading all the way to the end here, there's this: the shop will be having "a mega Saturday bash" on January 3rd. "It's total havoc!" Deb reports, "with pretty much everything at 50%, which puts everyone in great spirits to start the New Year." 

By dé Bo
22, rue Jacques d'Uzès
30700 Uzes, France
04 66 03 43 99
bydebo@me.com 
Open: 9.30 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 7 pm, Tuesday to Friday. Open all day on Saturday. From April to September, open on Mondays as well.

Mama's Coming to Bordeaux

Sometimes you feel like a château, sometimes you don't! Mama Shelter will open in Bordeaux October 15th, bringing its quirky charms to the heart of Wine Country. They're already open in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Istanbul. The Bordeaux hotel, located right in the city center (10 minutes from the St. Jean rail station and 30 minutes from the airport), has 97 rooms, free WiFi, free in-room movies and a restaurant conceived and overseen by Alain Senderens (the former chef of Lucas Carton in Paris who famously "gave back" his three Michelin stars) and his culinary cohort, chef Jérôme Banctel. Just like at the other Mama Shelters, the hotel was designed by Philippe Starck, who is also a partner. To celebrate the opening, the company is offering 1000 rooms starting at 49€ (for stays between October 15 and December 17) and another 99 rooms for 99€ (same dates). All info is on the Mama Shelter site here.

Mama Shelter Bordeaux

19, rue Poquelin Moliere

33000 Bordeaux

T +33 0(5) 57 30 45 45

F +33 (0)5 57 30 45 46 

Reservations: mamashelter.com

Discounts on Last-Minute Provence Rentals

This time of year, I often get emails from villa owners and rental agencies looking for help filling up empty weeks. Sometimes it's because of a last-minute cancellation; other times it's because the owner changed his plans. Sometimes it's just because. And because I'm exceedingly gracious, I always try to help...but first I (ungraciously) ask them to offer my readers a discount to make things, as the French say, ''more interesting.'' So here are a few wonderful houses you can rent during August and September, with original and discounted prices. And of course all of these houses are available at regular prices the rest of this year and next. Book early and book often!

From JustFrance.com:

La Tourelle (top photo) is located in Sarrians, between Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise... and near Vaison-la-Romaine. This Wine Country home is available August 17 to 31. It has five bedrooms and four baths in the main house and one bedroom, one bath in the guest house. All bedrooms have AC and the pool can be heated. Original price per week:   $10,200. Discounted price $9,200. Note: This is for the main house only for up to 10 guests. An additional reduction is available for smaller groups. That means, you get $1,500 off for up to 6 people; $1,750 off for up to 4 people and $2,000 off for 2 people. The guest house can accommodate two guests max for $1,200 per week. For more info, click here.  

La Perle de Goult (photo #2) is in Goult, in the Luberon, and is available August 17 to September 14. It has three bedrooms and 3.5 baths. The company writes: ''This house is extremely popular and already firmly booked for late August through mid October of 2014." Original prices for one week: $7,000 a week in August, $6,200 a week in September. Discounted prices: $6,000 a week in August, $5,200 a week in September. For more info, click here.

La Maussanaise (in Maussane, near Les Baux) has four bedrooms and three baths. It's open from August 31 to September 14. Original price for two weeks: $16,000. Discounted price for two weeks: $15,000. That means: if you rent the house for two weeks or more, you get $500 off per week. For info, click here. 

From Just-Provence.com:

La Gallardo (photo #3) is within walking distance of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and sleeps ten. It has an alarmed pool for safety, 3000 square meters of landscaped gardens and its own petanque pitch. The house is available from August 17 to 31. The original rate is 5,640€ per week; the discounted rate is 4,680€ per week. For info, click here.

Mas des Florettes (photo #4) is within walking distance of Bonnieux, in the Luberon. It sleeps 15 in seven bedrooms. Normal weekly rates are 5,995€ (September) and 4,795€ (October). The discounted rate is 7,195€ for a 2 week booking in September or October, subject to availability. For more info, click here

Mas du Temps, between the historic perched villages of Ménerbes and Lacoste, has four bedrooms, a heated pool and lots of other nice amenities. For the first three weeks of September, the company is offering the house at 3,650€ per week instead of 4,560€ per week. For more info, click here.

From Owners: 

Mas La Belugo (photo #5) is located in Mas Blanc, 10 minutes west of St. Remy. The house has five bedrooms, three of them with en suite bathrooms, a family bathroom and a guest bathroom. English-language TV with DVD library, WiFi, iPod docking station, laundry room, high-end kitchen (two ovens, two American-style fridges, etc.), large pool and secure parking are a few of the nice amenities. The week of September 7th is now €2950 (normal price €3950) and any week after October 20th until Christmas is €2150 (normal price €2950). For info, click here.

Charming village house in Eygalieres, with three bedrooms and two baths, is available Aug 3 to 24. Normally $1800 per week. Now $1300 a week or $2500 for any two-week period within those weeks. For info, click here. 

This Elegant Provencal style town-house in St. Remy de Provence sits on the grounds of an old chateau, with secure private parking and electric gates. The house has two bedrooms and one bath (sleeps two to three), plus a kitchen/dining room, salon, a small private terrace and WiFi. The location is ideal: just a five-minute walk from the medieval town center of St. Remy, in a quiet garden setting. The owner is offering a nice discount on the listed price to my readers from October 13th onward: 800€ per week. You can see photos and get more info here.

This brand-new duplex "eco" home called Appartement Insolite (photo #6) was completed just a month ago and sits in the heart of the village of St. Remy. Perfect for a single or couple (3 people max!) it has a small terrace with dining table, fully equipped kitchen, small living room with fold-out couch, bedroom and tiled bathroom with shower. It has lots of light, gated parking, washer/dryer, AC and WiFi.  Total size is 40 square meters. Insolite is available the week of Aug 24, the week of Aug 31 (590€ per week, Saturday to Saturday) and the week of September 21 (350€). October, November and December (except Christmas week) are also 350€ per week. For info, call +33 (0) 6 10 92 64 87. If you speak French, see the apartment listed here...and/or email the owner at: marie-pierre13210@hotmail.fr. If you don't speak French, you can email me at juliemautner (at) aol.com and I'll be happy pass your message along to her.

*Note if you have empty space in your Provence rental property for August or September, feel free to leave the info as a comment below. Make sure to include a link so readers can see your property online.

Kit Golson's Design Tour de France

 

 

   

One of the many super-cool people I've met in the blogosphere over the years is Kit Golson, a California-based interior designer who's crazy passionate about Provence. (By the time Kit and I finally met face to face last year, we were already great pals.) Anyway, Kit just rang up to tell me that she still has a few spots left on her third annual Design Tour of Provence, May 4 to 11, 2013, and she's offering $300 off until January 20. Early May is a glorious time to be in the South of France and if I wasn't already living here, I'd sign up for sure. I'm totally planning to schlep along with the group one day if the charming-and-talented Kit lets me.

As in years past, Kit's week-long tour includes plenty of antiquing, with visits to design ateliers, fabric shops, markets and brocantes. There's a cooking class in a 13th-century chateau, optional yoga and massage, work with a digital photography coach, plenty of sightseeing in some of the most popular villages in Provence and, of course, fabulous meals with perfect local wines. You'll stay in an elegantly restored-farmhouse villa, with private bedrooms/bath and a private chef, in the village of L'Isle sur la Sorgue, a major European antiques center.  

Food, wine, antiques, design, markets, shopping, photography, a private chef...is there anything on that list we don't love? 

I'll let you get the rest of the info from Kit's site here. Or, you can download the brochure here. If you have any questions at all, just email or call her: kit@kitgolson.com or US phone 650-302-6883. Hope to see you in Provence in May!

Photos from top: On Kit's trip, you'll see beautiful buildings like this...serve yourself breakfast from here...sleep in this room or another like it...swim and lounge by this elegant pool...poke through brocante markets...and eat in charming bistros like this one. Kit's husband Chris Golson took the photos and he'll be joining the tour as well.

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If You Live in the UK and Love France...

The France Show is coming up again, January 18 to 20 at Earls Court in London, bringing a taste of France to the heart of London. And once again, the organizers of this large lifestyle expo are offering the readers of Provence Post reduced ticket prices. Until December 31st, you'll pay just £6 per ticket instead of the normal advance-purchase price of £10 and the at-the-door price of £13. From January 1st onward, you'll pay £7 per ticket, rather than £13. Children under 16 accompanied by a paying adult are free.  

This year's schedule includes cooking demos, bestselling authors (Kate Mosse and Carol Drinkwater); wines and Champagne you can sample at tutored tastings, petanque games, can can dancers, a French market, lots of info on relocation and property buying...and thousands of properties for sale in the French Property Exhibition. You can also enter to win a week-long holiday for four in a Mongolian yurt in the Auvergne, a three-day, self-drive Morgan experience in Southwest France, a Burgundy river cruise for two, a weekend break in the Champagne region and a Brittany Ferries crossing, among other prizes.

For full info, opening hours, a map, a list of exhibitors and more, click here or visit thefranceshow.com. To get the special £6 ticket price, use the promotional code TPP33 before December 31st. From January 1st onward, use TPP41 to pay £7 per ticket. You can also get tickets by calling +44 (0)1242 264777.

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