Want To Talk About It?

Periodically people ask me where they can get counselling in Provence in English...it’s not so easy to find. So when I come across someone really good who does just that, I’m very happy to share the info.

After training and then working as a therapist in London for four years, my friend Jitesh Odedra has officially hung out his counselling shingle in Tarascon.  

Since moving from London to Provence in 2015, Jitesh has done a variety of jobs including teaching English and consulting to the European Union on their Erasmus Program.

Last year, however, he realized he really missed the intimacy of the work--and saw how Covid amplified a need for therapy--so he decided to update his certification so he could practice here in France.

I did some sessions with Jitesh early this year and found them extremely rewarding.  

Jitesh practices “humanistic counselling” which has developed over the past 60 years within the larger field of professional psychology. 

“The focus is predominantly on the individual’s unique story and their potential to explore,” he says. “It includes self-learning, creativity, acceptance and empathy. My goal is to create a space that’s non-judgmental, supportive and understanding, in a setting that’s always safe and confidential.”

Above all, humanistic counselling adheres to the belief that the client has vast resources for self-understanding, for altering their attitudes and for putting new more-constructive behaviors in place.

“The approach focuses on you and your world,” Jitesh continues, “and provides an empathetic, attentive and accepting space in which you can explore the past, present and future, instead of concentrating on one specific period of time. I believe that our stories, memories and feelings are a good starting point. Therapy enables one to change focus and navigate life in a different direction. Culture and cultural differences make this journey richer and more challenging."

Jitesh works in English and in French, in person and online, for individuals, couples and families of all nationalities. His bright, pretty office in Tarascon is located in a renovated priory adjacent to the Eglise Saint-Jacques, in the heart of the village. Personally, I love the guy and find him funny, insightful, discrete, compassionate and wise...and I think you would too.  You’ll find his bio, prices and other details on his website below. 

Jitesh Odedra
+33 (0)6 16 36 52 62
counsellinginprovence.com 
counsellinginprovence@gmail.com
Ancien Presbytere de St Jacques
Place St Jacques (Rue Emile Zola)

Tarascon 13150

Just Opened: Two New French Ski Hotels

Club Med Val Thorens

Michelin two-star chef Edouard Loubet is creating dinner menus at the new Club Med Val Thorens (two photos above) which opened this weekend (December 14). Loubet was born in Val Thorens and is chef/owner of the Bastide de Capelongue and the Moulin de Lourmarin in the Luberon region of Provence. The new Club Med, at 2300 meters, boasts “doorstep access” to the largest ski domaine in the world, the “Three Valleys,” which offers 600 kilometers of powdery slopes along with paragliding, mountain biking on ice and tobogganing. The new Club Med has 384 rooms, three dining areas, an indoor climbing wall and Carita spa. Doing the day-to-day cooking in the fine-dining Epicurious restaurant is resort exec chef Thierry Van Rillaer, who came from Club Med La Plantation d’Albion, part of Club Med’s exclusive Villas & Chalets collection. (Two are open; a third will launch in the Maldives in February.) The “Chef de Village” (Club Med’s title for GM) is Daniel Guimaraes, who was at Club Med Chamonix last winter season. The advantage of an all-inclusive Club Med stay is that ski passes and lessons are included with your accommodations, along with meals, drinks, and entertainment. The new Club Med will finish its first season in May, 2015. Rates begin at $1332/€1330 per adult per week, all inclusive. For more info on the hotel, click here in English or here in French. For info on Val Thorens, click here.

Hotel des Dromonts

Maisons et Hotels Sibuet, which operates ten elegant villa and hotel properties around France, launched their newest hotel this weekend as well. Located in Avoriaz in the Haute Savoie, the four-star Hôtel des Dromonts (two photos above) is just under two hours from Annecy and three hours from Lyon, within the family-oriented Portes du Soleil ski area (296 ski runs, 11 snowparks, 11 bordercross runs). Perched at 1800 meters, it's an area known for sustainable development, one that Lonely Planet recently called "one of the finest ski resorts in France." The hotel first opened in 1966, with panoramic views and innovative cedar-shingle siding which gave it its signature pinecone shape. Since 1973, it's been host to the Avoriaz Fantasy Film Festival: Steven Spielberg, David Cronenberg, Brian de Palma, David Lynch, Luc Besson and other luminaries have been here to screen their work. When Jocelyne Sibuet and her team took over, everything was done to keep the hotel's original spirit; look for warm, 60s-inspired decor, custom fabrics and a focus on natural, local materials such as slate mined from a quarry in neighboring Morzine. The hotel has 28 rooms and six suites. For dining, there's Les Enfants Terribles Up for intimate dinners and classic cuisine. For more festive meals or lunch close to the slopes, there's Les Enfants Terribles Down, set around a famous bar and serving small plates, burgers, fondue and raclette. Avoriaz is completely carless and the hotel is accessed by a four-minute cable car ride. It will stay open until late April. Rooms range from 156€ to 516 €, suites from 506 to 786 €. For more info on Dromonts, click here. For info on Avoriaz, click here.

My Friend the Rock Star

In 2010, my Canadian friend Carolyne Kauser-Abbott (top photo) convinced her husband Andrew (and Labrador Jade) that a few months in France would be fun...and they stayed for more than a year. They currently split their time between Canmore in the Canadian Rockies, Southern California and Eygalieres in Provence. At home or on the road, Carolyne writes the food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg, creates travel apps under the brand Edible Heritage and does social media consulting. I think of Carolyne and Andrew as extreme travelers: their idea of good fun runs along the lines of biking 100 kilometers to poke around a new village...or flying the ridges of the Alpilles Mountains in a glider...or driving a couple hours to meet a top French cowboy who raises bucking bulls. When Carolyne told me about their latest escapade--climbing the Via Ferrata in Cavaillon—I was completely intrigued...and I asked her to share the info. This is what she sent.

Waiting for the bike technician to check the brakes on my velo, I was thumbing through the random pile of ad flyers promoting local restaurants. One pamphlet caught my eye:  a new Via Ferrata in Cavaillon. This was something I really had to try but it took more than a year to convince my husband to “harness up.”

Via Ferrata (iron road) is an Italian term. The phrase was used to describe alpine military routes created during World War I in the Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy. Wooden ladder rungs and heavy ropes were installed to fixed points along rocky ledges. These rustic vertical corridors provided somewhat sheltered approaches to the summits for the troops.  

Post-war, the appeal of the Via Ferrata as an adventure activity for non-alpinists became apparent, offering approachable routes to breathtaking European mountaintops. In the 1930s, the Italian Alpine Club began converting makeshift army equipment into more permanent installations (the whole story is here).  

Currently there are more than 1,000 Via Ferratas in Europe including 200-plus in France alone. Two French websites with lots of additional info are here and here. Adventure seekers will be pleased to know that there are several Via Ferratas in Provence.

The “iron road” in Cavaillon opened in June, 2013, about 40 meters up on the cliffs of the 180-meter Saint-Jacques’ Hill overlooking the city. It’s the only Via Ferrata in a European city that’s accessible on foot from downtown. More than 20,000 people have ‘’done’’ it  since the official opening.

There are two loops: the shorter Via Natura that takes about two hours to complete and the four-hour Via Souterrata. On both routes, you’ll be treated to an expansive view of the Durance Valley. Up close, you will enjoy seasonal fauna that sprouts from seemingly impossible perches.

The Cavaillon Via Ferrata is open all year and there is no charge to use it.  However, it’s highly recommended that novices engage one of the certified guides listed on the Cavaillon website here for their first time on the circuit. We chose David Malbos of Vertical Session.

We left our car in the parking lot at the top of the hill on Chemin de l'Hermitage and David welcomed us with a broad smile,  then introduced us to the rest of the group; we were eight in total for this adventure.  David is not only fully certified and clearly passionate about his job--he was one of the early visionaries for the Via Ferrata in Cavaillon. He was involved in all the stages, from the initial proposal in 2011 through environmental studies, design, installation testing and now guiding.  So, I felt that we were in good hands.

After a brief run-through on proper equipment usage, we were ready to start our tour. David did warn us that there is no easing into this Via Ferrata…and he was right! After passing through a spring-loaded gate, you clip onto the first metal wire, descend a few rebar rungs and you’re crossing your first canyon on a single strand of cable.  Despite the fact that the risk of tumbling is nearly impossible, it’s difficult to convince your brain otherwise. 

Our group completed the Via Souterrata in roughly four hours with David’s coaching. I was never afraid of falling as you’re anchored at all times. However, the via ferrata was more physical than I had expected: there’s one notable climbing section, a few suspended crossings and even two short tunnels. Had I checked the website beforehand I would have realized that the Via Souterra loop was ranked TD --très difficile--so although you do not require any rock climbing experience a base level of physical fitness and some time spent in hiking boots will make for a more enjoyable tour. 

All in all, it was a terrific afternoon on the rocks overlooking Cavaillon.  Have a look at this video clip to give you a feeling for the adventure.

When you hire a guide, they’ll provide a helmet and Via Ferrata kit, which includes the harness and necessary clips. In addition, you should wear lightweight hiking shoes, and carry a backpack with water, sunscreen, gloves, an extra layer and a snack.

For more info, the Tourist Office in Cavaillon can be reached on +33 (0)4 90 71 32 01 or via their website here. 

Photos: Social Climbers! Carolyne...the view...the warning...Carolyne's husband Andrew Abbott...guide David Malbos...another climber...and four folks hanging on by a thread on the Cavaillon Via Ferrata. All photos by Ginger and Nutmeg except final shot, which is by Sam Bie.

You Cruise, You Lose

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. 

Dukan is an MD, nutritionist and "food-behavior specialist" who created the protein-based diet after 20 years of research. The regime became widely known--and wildly popular--in France in the year 2000, with the release of Dukan’s book, I Don’t Know How to Get Slimmer.  (According to the Dukan website, it “has remained the number one diet there ever since.”)  The Dukan Diet Book, as it’s also known, has been published in 32 countries, translated into 14 languages and sold ten million copies. The book was released in the UK in May, 2010 and in the US in April, 2011.

A team of nutritionists, dieticians and a Dukan-trained physician will be onboard to give advice and care throughout the cruise, which departs Genoa and calls at Barcelona, Casablanca, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Funchal (Madeira), Malaga and Civitavecchia (Rome). Even shore excursions and walking tours of the famous ports where Fantasia docks will be part of the structured program.

At the start of the cruise, guests will receive a diet kit and personal health assessment, then get advice on diet and sports training. They’ll also be invited to daily workshops, culinary demos, cooking lessons and seminars.

I write about the cruise industry often and enjoy seeing how clever companies keep creating new theme cruises to lure first-time passengers and keep regulars coming back. From what I can tell, this is the first cruise in which Dukan has been involved.  And whether you like the diet or not, I think this is a great idea: a week to focus on weight loss and fitness while enjoying the amenities of a beautiful ship. I know quite a few people who would love to cruise but say they’re concerned about the overeating, so for them this could be a win-win. Good for MSC Cruises for the idea and good for the passengers lucky enough to go. And good for Dr. Dukan, who is probably making a bundle!

The Fantasia holds 4,000 people but MSC says it’s too soon to know how many will sign on for this particular package. Prices range from 759€ to 2779€ per person (double occupancy), based on cabin class. For more info on the cruise, click here. Meanwhile the Dukan Diet book is on Amazon US here and Amazon UK here.

Easy Rider: Electric Bikes in Provence

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 through the vineyards on electric bikes (vélos électriques). After a little time to acclimate—neither of us had been on a bike for years--we were off and running, at a pace that topped out around 40 kilometers per hour.  It’s really a wonderful sensation: you pedal as usual and then the motor kicks in and gives you a little extra push. Then a little more pedaling…and another push. The bikes are like a cross between a traditional bike and a moped or scooter…and they’re a perfect way to ramble up and down winding roads and gentle hills without any major effort. It’s like cheating and getting away with it—a kinder, gentler Tour de France. The only time I felt a wee bit foolish was when “real” bikers blew past us, all sweaty and Spandexy and serious looking. But I got over it quickly.

You can rent the bikes year round but this is a perfect time, as the weather has cooled, the leaves are turning and there’s far less traffic on the roads.

At Vélo Relax du Ventoux, your electric bike comes equipped with a saddle bag, mileage counter and helmet; for longer rentals you’ll want an extra battery as well. The shop has traditional bikes as well--plus all the accoutrements such as bike trailers for kids, bike racks for the car and more. 

The electric bikes are surprisingly cheap: 22€ for a half day or 35€ for a full day. (If all you want is an hour or two, that’s fine too.) Owners Michel and Francoise Guieysse will help you out with maps and suggested routes--Michel particularly recommends the Gorges de la Nesque—and a guided tour can be arranged.

The shop is located between Carpentras and Sault, in the foothills of Mont Ventoux, in the A.O.C Ventoux winegrowing region. Complete contact info is below.

Just down the road from Vélo Relax is a wine co-operative called TerraVentoux. They offer a wide range of “Wine and Vineyard Discoveries,” including a guided vineyard tour on electric bikes, usually led by a local winegrower. You’ll enjoy tasting along the way and more tasting—with snacks--at the journey’s end.  Unfortunately, Terra Ventoux only offers the tours from late April through late September but Gabriel Valverde, who oversees wine tourism there, says he’ll be happy to arrange a bike tour for your group, weather permitting, until the end of October. (During their regular season, TerraVentoux also offers twilight walks, truffle tastings, moped tours, harvest workshops, winegrower walks and vineyard visits in a horse-drawn carriage.) See the TerraVentoux website here and the wine tourism section here. You can also upload the complete wine tourism program here. 

Velo Relax du Ventoux

Velorelaxduventoux.com

04-90-11-72-65

06-12-57-74-11
velorelaxduventoux@gmail.com

TerraVentoux Wine Tourism

TerraVentoux.com

Route de Carpentras

84570 Villes sur Auzon

04-90-61-79-45

04-90-61-79-47
To contact Gabriel directly: oenotourisme@cave-terraventoux.com 


*Update: Since this story was written, I've been looking around for other places to rent electric bikes in Provence.  Lo and behold, they rent them at the Marseille St-Charles Rail station, along with scooters and other fun things. All the info is here. There are also two places to rent them in Aix en Provence: Cycloplanet and Electric Cycles. And Luberon Biking biking has them for rent as well, with pick up and drop off in a number of villages.  But wait, there's more! My friends at Vaucluse Tourism have just emailed with some exciting news: A new service called Sun-E-Bike has just been set up in the Luberon. They have more than 200 electric bikes for rent, with battery points for recharging all over the Luberon. Pick up and drop off is at three locations...and delivery is available as well. Get all the info by calling 04 90 74 09 96 or clicking here. Bike Tours Direct currently offers eight bike tours in France with e-bikes as an alternative to traditional bikes, including 5 in Provence. See all their e-bike tours here. 

*Update: Sun-E-Bikes has opened another base, this one in St. Remy de Provence, on January 7, 2013. Ask for Maxime and tell him I sent you! Tel: (+33) 4.90.74.09.96, Cell: (+33) 7.86.13.62.98, www.sun-e-bike.com, bonnieux@sun-e-bike.com

*Update April 15, 2013: Up in Vaison la Romaine, my friend Sharon DeRham (tour guide extraordinaire!) writes: "This morning I spoke with Cycles Chave in Vaison to confirm that they have electric bikes. They also have folding electric bikes as well (velos pliants.) They also seem to be the nicest of the bike rental companies here. You should definitely reserve, as Vaison attracts many cyclists and this year will be bigger than ever, since the Tour de France starts in Vaison on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, for the Mont Ventoux climb.  Cycles Chave is located at the entrance to Vaison on the road coming from Avignon, just before the Pont Neuf; here's a map. Their email is: cycleschave@gmail.com and their website is here."

Sharon also tells us that you can get a guided tour on an electric bike through the local tourist office (located across from the post office " La Poste.") For info, click here. The company that provides these tours is a bit cheaper than Chave, with e bike rentals around 25€ per day. For info on them, click here

*Update May 2013: I just learned (from Sheila at marvellous-provence.info) thatyou can take e-bike tours in Marseille through, yep, E-bike Tours Marseille, which runs small-group or private guided tours on electric bikes. Several routes are available, and the guides will take you down backstreets away from the traffic and talk about Marseille's colourful history when you stop for breaks. The tours last between 2.5 and 4 hours and are offered in English as well as French. The price (from 35 €uros a head) includes the bike hire and use of a helmet and fluorescent jacket. Baby seats and fun child trailers are available too at a small extra charge. Sheila also tells me that electric bikes and scooters can also be hired (without a guide) from the Wattmobile kiosk on the lower level of Saint Charles station, by the entrance to the metro: take the down escalator opposite Platform F. Click here for the Wattmobile website (in French only) where vehicles can be reserved online.

A Few Announcements...

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, head chef at the Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche (in the Var), has won First Place in the second season of the French TV cooking competition Top Chef. Her prize? 100,000€. Stéphanie,  28, received an overwhelming 76% of the vote in the finals at the Trianon Palace in Paris on April 5th, with a seasonal three-course meal that wowed both judges and guests. Her dishes? A starter of asparagus and morels; an Asian-style bass, lightly spiced with raw and cooked fennel; and an olive oil ice cream with crushed raspberries. “This experience was very intense to say the least, and it forced me to go beyond my limits in particular in terms of creativity," she says. "I tried to give always my best and worked really hard and today, I am so happy to have won.” Stéphanie is now back in her kitchen at the gorgeous Four Seasons, where she launches a new menu today, to coincide with the re-opening of the restaurant Faventia after its winter break. Stephanie has been at the hotel since 2006 and was promoted to head chef in 2010; this is the first time the menu features only her dishes. At this time, the only Top Chef dish available is a gazpacho of smoked mozzarella (from the run-up to the finals) but dishes from the winning menu may follow.


New Book Club Forming

Tricia Harris, an Englishwoman living in Paradou since 2007, is organizing an English language book club. She tells me "It's principally for the social aspects of it. I don’t see it as being too serious, more an excuse to have a glass of wine and a chat with other English-speakers. It would be a nice way for us all to meet some new people." Tricia sees the club meeting once a month, drawing people from within a 10 or 15 minute radius of St Rémy and rotating the host each session. Interested? Email her: tricia.inprovence@gmail.com

Vernissage This Weekend

The St. Remy-based ceramic sculptor Catriona Manoury and the painter Nissim (who lives near Les Baux) will be showing their work at the L'Atelier Gaston de Luppe (5 rue de la Bastille, Arles) from April 16 to May 15. The vernissage is Sat April 16 at 6 p.m. and all are welcome. For info: 04-88-65-50-80, caitrionaplatts-manoury.com or click here. Pictured: Catriona's Spiky White.

Pilates in Provence

Carlos Stelmach and Olivier Coste Renoult have a few spots left in their weeklong Pilates-themed getaway to be held in St. Rémy June 25 to July 2. You'll stay in an eight-bedroom home with a large pool, nestled among olive groves and pine trees in the hills just outside town. Days begin with viennoiseries, juice, coffee, and tea, followed by a Pilates session. Then the group heads off in a mini-bus for the day, visiting sites such as L'Isle Sur la Sorgue for the Sunday market, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Les Baux, Eygalières, the ruins of a Roman town, the abbey where Vincent Van Gogh stayed and kayaking at the Pont du Gard. You return home for another Pilates session, followed by an apéritif and Provençal dinner at home (most evenings). Pilates sessions are in English. For more info, click here or go to coeurdeprovence.eu. You can also see videos of some of the destinations on Facebook. Mention Provence Post and get a 5% discount.

Artist Seeks Work Space

Cabinet-maker Lenny Heitov is looking for studio/work space in St. Remy, minimum space of 50 square meters, to rent or buy. He's willing to renovate/upgrade at his expense and prefers to be within centre ville. Contact him: 04 90 90 50 69 or 06 43 31 99 32 or lenzoil@comcast.net

New Culinary Tours in Paris and Provence

Diane Shaskin and Mark Craft introduced a generation of Canadians to organic food.  Now the founders of Planet Organic Markets (think Whole Foods, but in Canada) are carrying on their love of food and cooking with their culinary tours of Paris and Provence, brand new this season. Diane gave me a taste: “We'll bake baguettes with a Parisian boulanger, take a private cooking class at the Ritz, make bouillabaisse with a chef in Avignon and enjoy a wine-tasting picnic in the Côtes-du-Rhône." The couple is offering four week-long Paris trips (beginning in late June) and two week-long Provence trips (both in September). For more info: paristoprovence.ca 

Last Minute Rental Discount  Natalie Milani is offering some great prices on rental of her renovated 19th-century "maison de village" in Maillane, near St. Remy. Pick any week in May, 2011 and she'll knock 25% off the regular price: you pay €1,155 per week. The three-story house has four bedrooms (to sleep 8), a cozy living room, family room with plasma TV, gourmet kitchen, dining room, two washer/dryers, a pool with sunbeds, a BBQ and outdoor eating area. For pix and info, click here or email: natalie@lagouttedor-provence.com  B&B for the Festival d'Avignon Michelle Victor has a large bedroom with private bath to rent in her gracious home in Villeneuve-les-Avignon, just across the Rhone from Avignon, for July 1st to 14th, 2011, which coincides with the Festival d'Avignon, which runs from July 6 to 26. The price is 1,000€ total for two people, including breakfast daily. Michelle says that since the master bedroom and bath are upstairs, guests will have privacy on the main floor. Villeneuve is a small, historic village where the Pope's cardinals once lived. The house is in a quiet neighborhood, with a large garden and patio/terrace. It's about ten minutes by car to Avignon and 15 minutes to the TGV (high-speed train) station. Buses and small boats run back and forth to Avignon, Michelle says. For photos and info: cabinetvictor@orange.fr