My Excellent Autumn Luberon Adventure

Huile on Wheels! If you know the Luberon, you know this truck.

(Four pix) Lunch at Chez Auzet in Menerbes: squash soup, a rich Roquefort and walnut tart, goodies to take home,  Gérard and his son Vincent, 6th and 7th-generation bakers.

Local rosés on display at Maison de la Truffe et du Vin. The annual truffle market in Menerbes is December 28.

(Four pix) From Le Clos de Buis in Bonnieux: breafast, a pretty guest room, owner Pierre Maurin, view of Mont Ventoux.

(Two pix) Who could resist the charming Roland Masset or his Bonnieux antique shop Au Detour d'Une Promenade?

(Three pix) At the Bastide de Gordes: me and my new best friends, setting the dining terrace, view of the back of the hotel...and its knockout view.

(Three pix) Anthony Mathieu at Le Phebus, his dad's Michelin-one-star dining room, the pool at night.

The lower "new" church in Bonnieux.

Eighty-six steps up to the 12th-century "old" church in Bonnieux...and fantastic views.

The Restaurant de la Gare: before Pierre Cardin took over...and now. It may or may not be closed for the winter...their hours remain a mystery.

The Roman bridge Pont Julien

Corinne Russo is my secret weapon when it comes to all things Luberon.

One of my Luberon tours will include a guided visit to the Ochre Conservatory.

 Sunset over Roussillon means the party's over, at least for today...

This is the time of year when I do much of my research, checking out new and renovated hotels, visiting rental villas, trying restaurants I've heard good things about, finding cool new places to share with my readers and clients. There are always so many things to discover...I keep a list and am adding to it all year. And it’s so much more fun when someone totally in-the-know, like my sweet friend Corinne Russo, goes with me. So a couple Saturdays ago, when Corinne said "let's go exploring in the Luberon!," I jumped at the chance.  Plus, she offered to drive. Bonus!

Born and raised in Cavaillon, Corinne left her job at the Cavaillon Tourist Office last year and has teamed up with two partners in a company called Culture Couleur, which provides color research, expertise and team building for private companies, tourism organizations and economic development. But tourism remains Corinne’s passion and she is frequently called upon by hotels, restaurants and tourist boards to help with marketing, PR and development projects...throughout all of Provence but especially across the Luberon. No one knows the region better! Using her extensive network of contacts, Corinne is helping me put together some fantastic new day trips and activities to add to my offerings at WhatToDoinProvence.com, where you’ll already find lots of fun things to do in the Luberon such as cooking classes, a foodie bike tour, a lavender tour, art workshops, photo safaris and more.

Our first stop was the Le Clos de Buis in Bonnieux, a perfect little eight-room, three-star hotel with great prices, a large garden and pool, gorgeous views and a super-warm atmosphere created by owners Pierre and Lydia Maurin. (The hotel isn’t new but I’d never visited.) If you like the idea of staying in the heart of an ancient village--but still want a country feel—this is your place. Among other things, I loved the hotel’s pretty Provencal decor and the extra kitchen for guests who want to do some of their own cooking.  I also loved how they kept the old bread oven, back from when this was one of a few village bakeries in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  No one is quite sure when the bakery actually shut down but Pierre’s cousin, age 96, says he’s never seen it open in his lifetime. If you need a handicapped guest room, by the way, they have a really nice one which opens right onto the streets of the village...no steps.

Speaking of steps, I love how Bonnieux—the highest perched village in the Luberon—has  an upper and lower church, so folks who lived in the valley didn’t have to climb all the way up top to attend mass; the 12^th century "vieille église" or old church is 86 steps up from the upper-most village street! The one everyone calls the "église neuve" (new church) was built in 1870 and perches on the slope in front of the lower village. These days, Sunday services are held in the new church every few weeks, on a rotating schedule with other villages, while the old church is open occasionally for tourist visits, classical music concerts, marriages and funerals, and special services like Christmas Eve Mass.

Bonnieux’s steep upper streets are lined with 800-year old buildings, most of which are built on top of even older structures and ancient caves; from up top you get a spectacular view. To the east, is the Fôret de Cèdres (cedar forest), with trees imported from North Africa during the Napoleonic era. Three km north of town, you’ll find the Roman-built Pont Julien Bridge, which crosses the narrow Calavon River and was in use until 2005! (The main road through the Luberon Valley, the D900, pretty much follows the route of the Via Domitia, which linked Italy and Spain in Roman times.) Beyond that, you’ll see the mighty Mont Ventoux, “the Giant of Provence,” well known for many grueling stages of the annual Tour de France.

But back to our own tour! Neither Corinne nor I can resist a cute antique shop and the one directly opposite the hotel Clos de Buis, called Au Détour d’Une Promenade, beckoned us. Owner Roland Masset was just closing up for vacation but invited us in to poke around and chat. He’ll reopen in spring, at which time I plan to go back and buy at least half the shop.

We had hoped to lunch at the Cafe de la Gare in Bonnieux, one of my favorite haunts in days gone by. Pierre Cardin took it over a while back and I’m curious about the changes he made. But no luck there...they were closed up tight...despite the sign that says “Open Monday to Saturday.” (Their voicemail says the same.)  This was my third attempt to try it in the last year and a half...but I’ll try again in Spring.

Instead, we toodled up the hill in Menerbes to see Corinne’s old pal Gérard Auzet, at his tiny cafe just next door to the Dora Maar House. A 6^th-generation baker, Gérard sold his well-known boulangerie and tea room Chez Auzet in Cavaillon a while back, thinking he’d retire. But he quickly grew bored and decided to open a small cafe “for friends,” next door to his hilltop home, this summer. At this new Chez Auzet (52 rue du Portail Neuf, Menerbes, 04 90 72 37 53), Gérard and his son Vincent prepare just a few things each day for lunch and sometimes dinner...closing up “when there’s no more people.” It’s perfect! Every day, père et fils make a few savory tarts, a few sweet tarts, salad and soup; a terrifically satisfying lunch with a glass of wine, dessert and coffee costs well under 20€. I had the Roquefort/walnut tart; Corinne had the pissaladiere tart; we both had squash soup and salad and a glass of red wine from nearby Domaine de Jeanne. Best of all, Vincent pulled out his guitar and serenaded us after lunch, starting with The House of the Rising Sun, one of the very first songs I learned to play on piano. If Gérard’s name seems familiar, he became a bit of a celebrity in these parts with the 2005 publication of Confessions of a French Baker, a book written (with him and about him) by none other than Peter Mayle.

After lunch we strolled over to the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin, which combines a restaurant, party space, wine shop, tasting room and bookstore....all designed to promote the truffles and wines of the Luberon area (which includes three AOCs: Côtes du Luberon, Côtes du Ventoux and Côteaux de Pierrevert). And yes, you can buy truffles here! If you plan to eat, request a table on the terrace...the view, the view, the view! I’m told they can also arrange truffle hunts for those who want them. And if you love truffles, don’t miss the Petit Marché à la Truffe de Ménerbes (truffle market) which happens in the village on December 28. 

Next stop: the hotel Bastide de Gordes, which I hadn’t seen since their recent and very-major renovation. The big news there is that they’ve just received the prestigious “Palace” hotel distinction from Atout France, the French Agency for Tourism Development; only 23 hotels in France have this higher-than-five-star rating for exceptional facilities, architectural heritage, personalized service, superb location and outstanding design. (My friend Stella hosted her daughter's wedding here just after the renovation, in June 2015, and said the whole event was beautiful beyond words.) Our adorable host was named Manon but since they didn’t have that name tag, she was wearing one that said Julie instead. Works for me!

We capped the day with a visit to another gorgeous hotel, the five-star Relais & Châteaux called Le Phebus, in Joucas. There we were greeted by Anthony Mathieu, the 21-year-old year old son of owner Xavier Mathieu, whose hotel dining room has one Michelin star. Set to close for the season the next day, Le Phebus was completely full except for one large lovely room, but seeing it—and the rest of the property--gave me a perfect sense of this family’s refined sensibility. (I loved the helicopter landing pad...and the indoor/outdoor kitchen, where summer cooking classes are held. How great to learn some new French dishes and techniques...and then settle in for your meal on the shaded poolside terrace!) Over coffee and petits fours, Anthony told us all about their winter renovation plans, which include expanding the restaurant, building a new indoor pool, adding a meeting room and putting finishing touches on a smashing, 3400-square-foot, five-bedroom rental villa with butler service and a private pool. All work will be complete before the hotel reopens in April. Note to Xavier: if and when you retire and hand over the keys to your son, your beautiful hotel will be in very good hands indeed! Anthony couldn’t have been warmer or more welcoming.

When we weren’t jumping out of the car to take photos— the Luberon’s rolling hills and vineyards were magnificent in the autumn sunshine--Corinne filled me in on all the local news and gossip...and pointed out all sorts of places that she loves, such as the indoor/outdoor restaurant La Fleur de Sel in Les Beaumettes, where Nathalie Sodavalle does the cooking and her husband Frédéric runs the front. “Terrific food, very fresh and very reasonably priced!” Corinne proclaimed. This would be a great lunch stop if you’re biking the Veloroute de Calavon, the 37 km path running east/west along the Luberon’s old train tracks: a little trail leads from the bike path to the restaurant.  Corinne tells me that each village along the path purchased the parcel of land on which it sits...just in case they ever want to restart train service through the Luberon. Clever!

What usually happens on days like this is that I run out of time about halfway through my to-do list....and this was no exception.  So Corinne and I scheduled a second recon mission a few weeks later, when we visited two five-star Relais & Châteaux hotels (the Domaine de Capelongue and La Coquillade), the fantastic Ochre Conservatory outside Roussillon, the new hotel La Maison des Ocres in the village itself and the artist/designer Frederic Medina, who will offer sketch classes to my clients next year. But I’ll write about that day another time.

In the meantime, Corinne and I are putting finishing touches on the tours I’ll be adding to my site for 2017. Among other things, you’ll find a day devoted to ochre which will include a visit the Ochre Conservatory, an outdoor painting class and a stroll on the Sentiers des Ochre (Ochre Trail) to see the gorgeous red/orange cliffs for which Roussillon is known. (A bit of advice: don’t wear white!) Another tour will focus on antiques and artisans. Watch my site WhatToDoinProvence.com for more info on these and other Luberon activities in the weeks to come! 

Photo Credits: Pont Julien courtesy of ProvenceGuide.co.uk. Lower church in Bonnieux via Net-Provence.com. Corinne took the photos of Chez Auzet, the portrait of Anthony Mathieu, me at the Bastide de Gordes and the wine bottles. I took the rest...or swiped them from the Bastide de Gordes, Le Phebus or Clos de Buis websites.

A Luberon Tour for Foodies (By Bike or Car)

So a couple months ago I got a call from a woman coming to Provence with her husband and two daughters in July. She was looking at my list of Delicious Experiences and couldn't decide what to do. "We really want to do the Foodie Tour," she said, "but we also want to bike the Luberon with a guide. And we only have one free day left!"

You can probably guess where this is going, right?

So I got together with my bike-guide friend Jon and we mapped out a wonderful route, the idea being pretty similar to my St. Remy Tour for Foodies but this one designed for two wheels. Not only is Jon a professional bike guide, he's a professional chef too--with 15-plus years cooking experience in Provence and a shiny Michelin star for pastry on his resume. Let's just say that Jon knows a lot about Provencal gastronomy: the ingredients, the purveyors, the dishes and culinary traditions. I mean, how perfect is that? 

That's how this new tour came about... and it sounded like so much fun we thought other people might love doing it too. Et voila: A Luberon Bike Tour for Foodies!

Biking is hugely popular in the Luberon but not just because of the stunning scenery; many of the most-beautiful roads are often serenely, surprisingly traffic free. The region offers a wide range of terrific routes through rolling hills and lush valleys, with steep climbs up to medieval hilltowns and over pretty pine-covered mountains. Vineyards, olive groves and farms blanket the landscape left and right, their ancient stone farmhouses done up Elle Decor-fantastic or left tumbling literally into the fields. The produce grown in this department--the Vaucluse--is considered among the finest in France. 

Sound good? All you have to do is book your day (as much in advance as possible, please) and choose your bike--road bike, hybrid or electric--so it can be ready and waiting for you. Then off you'll go on a glorious full-day, food-fueled adventure. Depending on the day of the week and the season, your day might include a local outdoor market, an olive mill, a goat farm for a tasting of fresh goat cheeses, an ancient bread bakery still in use, a studio making superb confitures, the winery made famous in Peter Mayle's movie A Good Year, a tasting of truffle products and who knows what all else. 

Plus, you'll experience some of the top historic sites in the Luberon such the Chateau de Lacoste, the former home of that freaky Marquis de Sade (now owned by Pierre Cardin), the Abbaye de Senanques (home to silent honey bee-tending Cisturcian monks) and the hill towns of Gordes, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Menerbes and magical Oppede-le-Vieux. 

Since it's only you and your family or friends riding, you can go at whatever pace feels most perfect, but Jon expects to do 60 km (38 miles) or so. The day starts in Bonnieux around 8:30 am and ends about 5 pm. The cost is 350€ per person for two people or 250€ per person for three to six. For larger groups, please inquire. The price includes bike rental, helmets, market tastings, artisan visits, restaurant lunch and any museum entry fees. And if you love the food tour idea but the biking part not so much, we'll happily do the whole thing for you in a big comfy car for 300€ per person, including lunch and tastings.  The tour is available pretty much all summer and fall, with a couple weeks off here and there, when Jon is bike-touring groups around France or cheffing in private homes. 

For more info or to book, contact me: provenceblog@aol.com.

For more info about the Luberon, click here or here.

*Note: Since this story was written in 2014, we've added another version of this bike tour, in and around St. Remy, in the foothills of the Alpilles Mountains. Along the way you'll visit a few of our favorite local artisan food producers: a goat farm where they make delicious chevre and sometimes raise adorable baby pigs; the family-owned olive mill where they make 6 award-winning oils and a wide range of other delicious local products such as tapenade and confiture; a manade (ranch) where they raise bulls and make saucisson; a bee farm to taste the honeys; a beautiful and historic winery, etc. If you choose a full-day tour, we'll break for a casual picnic or have lunch in one of our favorite local cafes or bistros; the cost of lunch is extra. Half-day tours are normally 9 am to 1 pm or 2 pm to 6 pm but variations are possible. The half-day tour price includes electric bikes, helmets, bottled water, all tastings and your foodie guide. Half day: two people, 175€ pp. Then add 50€ per person. Kids prices depend on age. 

Photos:  (1-3) The village of Cucuron, fruit in the market at Gordes and goat cheeses in the market at Bonnieux, courtesy of Pamela Goode. (4, 5) The gorgeous winery Domaine de la Citadelle, and the adjacent corckscrew museum, are both owned by Yves Rousset-Rouard, the Mayor of Menerbes. (6-9). Grapes, olive oil, cheese and honey: the four food groups of the Luberon! Cheese and honey photos by Pamela Goode. (10, 11) And the bakery isn't bad either...(12) If there's time, you can pop into the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin, to learn all about two more of our favorite Luberon goodies. (13) When your guide Jon isn't in his biking gear, he's most likely wearing his chefs' jacket. (14) Pretty pinks, just waiting for you to taste. (15) Pull off the road to snap this view of Gordes; everyone does. (16, 17) The Abbaye de Senanques, inside and out. When the lavender is in bloom, this must be the most-popular photo-opp stop in Provence. (18) A splendid view of Bonnieux, courtesy of Linda Bailey Zimmerman. (19) Chateau la Canorgue, which stood in for the winery Le Coin Perdu in the movie "A Good Year." 

Peter Mayle's New Book Is Out

To coincide with the publication of his lighthearted thriller The Marseille Caper, Peter Mayle just did a fun little interview with the New York Times. In it, he's asked about the proliferation of mediocre travel memoirs, Japanese tour buses in his driveway in the Luberon and whether or not he ''ruined the South of France.'' (I'm here to attest he did not. In fact, I just returned from a day out in the Luberon and was struck, as always, at how gorgeous and unspoiled it is.) The new 224-page book--a follow up to The Vintage Caper--features an iffy real-estate scheme, shady characters, all sorts of local landmarks (including Cassis and the Camargue), a healthy dose of distrust when it comes to Parisians...and meal after meal of delicious Marseillaise cooking. Publishers Weekly calls it ''a breezy excursion to southern France’s least appreciated city.''  The Irish Independent calls it ''a thoroughly enjoyable romp that happily doubles as a tourist guide to the best bars, restaurants and bouillabaisse in Provence.'' And while the Denver Post allows that this ''is not a novel of great depth or gravitas...'' the reviewer also says: ''But like an excellent meal at a beloved restaurant, you'll savor every morsel, and you'll be sorry to see it end.'' The book is on Amazon in hardcover, Kindle and audio editions; a paperback version comes out in July 2013. And if you missed my recent Q&A with Peter, you can read that here.

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Another Fine French Book Giveaway!

Whether you fancy yourself a modern-day Escoffier or rarely set foot in the kitchen, the new book Dejeuner en Provence (Lunch in Provence) will definitely get your jus flowing! Just published by Flammarion in French and in English, it's a cookbook, scrapbook, photo essay and love letter to the exquisite food, wine, people and traditions of La Belle Provence. From petanque to pistou, from lavender-drenched landscapes to lemon-confit tarts, the book captures all the evocative ingredients (both culinary and otherwise) that make the South of France one of the world's most-beloved destinations.

I've got three copies of the English version to give away so read on...

Lunch in Provence? ''The meal need not be grand but the experience can surely be,'' writes author, critic and cooking teacher Patricia Wells, in the book's introduction. ''...In Provence we have the chance--not the promise--of dining outdoors at lunchtime 365 days a year. Even in the winter months of November through March, the blazing sun might decide to shine warm and bright, and that's when we take out our crisp, white, monogrammed linens, ceramic knife rests, silver cutlery and fine wine glasses, and construct a culinary celebration.

''Lunch in Provence always offers the potential of bringing you new levels of happiness, discovery, contentment,'' Patricia continues. ''The possibilities are endless.''

This new 232-page hardcover was a labor of love between Rachael McKenna, a New Zealand-born author/photographer now living in the Languedoc region of Southern France, and Michelin-starred chef Jean-André Charial, who earned his world-wide reputation at the L'Oustau de Baumanière, the legendary Relais & Châteaux hotel and restaurant nestled in the valley below the medieval hilltop village of Les Baux. Wolfgang Puck and Georges Perrier are just two of the many well-known chefs who worked there over the years.

Baumanière was founded by Jean-André's grandfather, chef Raymond Thuilier, back in 1945, the year Jean-André was born. The family business later expanded to include the restaurant and hotel La Cabro d'Or (Les Baux), the restaurant and hotel La Prieuré (Villeneuve-les-Avignon) and the restaurant La Place (Maussane). But the beautiful Baumanière remains the family's flagship, having held three Michelin stars for an astounding 35 years. While Jean-André handed over day-to-day kitchen duties to chef Sylvestre Wahid in 2005, he remains involved in every aspect of operations.
 
To create the book, Rachael crisscrossed Provence for a year, photographing the markets, farms, waters and vineyards that produce the essential elements of Charial's cuisine. (''A dish, a meal, is only as good as its ingredients,'' the chef proclaims.) Then the duo settled into the kitchen at Baumanière to carefully select and photograph the 35 recipes that best capture the essence of Jean-André's sun-drenched, Mediterranean menus.

''Great chefs express their feelings through their food,'' Charial says. His thoughts on cooking, dining and Provence are scattered throughout the book, along with those of Frédéric Mistral, Alexandre Dumas, Peter Mayle and many others.
 
For this giveaway, the fine folks at Baumanière have offered me three copies of the English-language version of the book. To enter, simply leave a comment below, under ''comments.'' And please don't forget to leave us your email address, so we can reach you if you win. (Signing in with your Google account is not enough.) Tip: The more creative your comment, the better! And if you'd like to go ahead and buy the book, you can do that on Amazon US here, UK here or France here.

Bon Chance and Bon Appetit!

My Q&A with Peter Mayle

I’d say ¾ of the people who come visit me in Provence ask if I know the author Peter Mayle. I don’t…but of course I’d like to! So last week I rang him up and invited him round for dinner. I cooked the most-amazing meal and we had a fabulous evening, sipping stellar wines and talking literature late into the night. Ok, that’s a total lie. But I did email him to ask for a little Q&A. And much to my delight, he said oui! First, a bit about Peter, in his own words:

Peter was educated at Brighton College, England, and Harrison College, Barbados. He left school at 16 and returned to England, where he failed to distinguish himself as a waiter and a laundry van driver before joining Shell as a trainee. At 21, he moved to New York to work for David Ogilvy's ad agency, and subsequently spent almost 15 years in the advertising business on both sides of the Atlantic before leaving honest employment to become a writer.

His first book, Where Did I Come From? (explaining the facts of life to children) was published in 1973 and is still in print today, more than three million copies later.

Peter moved to Provence in 1987 with the intention of writing a novel but the distractions of his new life interfered. These became the subject of A Year in Provence which was published in 1989; it stayed on both the London Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller lists for three years. The book has since sold more than five million copies in 28 languages. The sequel, Toujours Provence,  followed in 1991.

Peter’s  subsequent books – Expensive Habits, Hotel Pastis, A Dog’s Life, Anything Considered, Chasing Cezanne, Encore Provence and French Lessons--have appeared on bestseller lists in Britain, America, Germany, France and Japan. The book  A Good Year was made into a film starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott; much of it was filmed in the glorious Luberon region of Provence. The Vintage Caper was published in 2009 and Peter’s latest book, The Marseille Caper, will be published this autumn; it picks up where The Vintage Caper  leaves off.

Peter lives in Provence with his wife, Jennie, and their two dogs. 

And here’s our Q&A...

Peter, last year you put your home on the market and we all wondered if you were leaving Provence. Great to know you’re still here!

We sold our previous house and bought something smaller. It’s not far from our old house so yes, we’re still very much in Provence.

Everyone knows you’re passionate and extremely knowledgeable about food. So how about a couple restaurant recommendations?

Le Jardin du Quai in Isle-sur-Sorgue, Lou Pebre d’Ail in Lauris, La Cour de La Ferme near Lourmarin, La Closerie in Ansouis, Le Mas Tourteron near Gordes and Le Fournil in Bonnieux. I like them all because of their good cooking, friendly service and lack of pretension. (I detest pompous restaurants.)

And where do you go for a big night out?

We tend not to have big nights out, preferring to have the occasional big night in, with something special for dinner.

What’s the house wine this summer at your house?

The rosé of Château Constantin Chevalier.

Ok, so what are you doing today?

Working on another book. Having a pleasant lunch. Taking a little sun. Walking the dogs. There might well be an aperitif at the end of the day.

And what are you writing?

A couple of years ago, I wrote The Vintage Caper. Last year, I wrote The Marseille Caper, which comes out in the Fall. This year, I’m writing the third in the series, provisionally entitled The Riviera Caper.

We all loved A Good Year. Are any more of your books soon to become movies?

I’d like to see any, or indeed all, of those three made into films. I’ll have to talk to Ridley Scott and see if he feels up to making another Provencal epic.

Last great book that you read?

The Passage of Power, the fourth volume in Robert Caro’s terrific account of the life and times of Lyndon Johnson. Wonderful stuff.

Author you’d most like to meet and why?

Most of the authors I’d like to meet—Dorothy Parker, James Thurber, Patrick O’Brian—are no longer with us. A living author I’d love to meet is Tom Wolfe, whose books have given me so much enjoyment over the years.

Any tips for would-be authors, memoirists, novelists, writers?

As someone (it may have been Hemingway) once said: write about what you know. I would add to that, write about what fascinates and amuses you.  A book takes a long time, so if you lose interest in the subject half way through you’ll bore yourself stiff.

When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?

I find writing fun. That’s my hobby. Other than that, I enjoy good friends, good food, good wine, a little light gardening, and my two dogs.

Tell me: what do you love most about Provence?

The landscape is magnificent, and so is the light. There are 300 days of sunshine a year. The wines are good, and getting better. And I like the people. What more could one want?

And what do you love least?

The month of August, which is oppressively hot.

For someone considering a move here, any tips?

Don’t rush into buying. Rent something in your preferred area first, to make sure you like it before committing yourself.

In the time you have lived in France, what are the best and worst changes to have taken place in this country?

Obviously, I can’t speak for the whole country. But here in Provence, very little happens fast, and I can’t think of any major changes. The wines have improved, there is a greater choice of restaurants and, in the summer, more people. But in the countryside, it remains remarkably calm and uncrowded.

Thoughts on the new French President?

I learned some time ago never to comment publicly about politicians because it always gets me into trouble.

Biggest personal or professional goal still not attained?

I think I’ve done pretty much what I ever wanted to professionally. On a personal level, I’m extremely content, which I suppose is some kind of achievement.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

Michael Palin, perhaps, or Nigel Havers—someone with a healthy sense of humour. 

Thanks, Peter!

Photos: Portrait of Peter by Carey Moore. ''A Year in Provence'' wasn't Peter's first book but it made him far and away the most-famous writer in the region. The delightful movie ''A Good Year,'' based on Peter's book of the same name, was directed by Ridley Scott and filmed mostly in the Luberon.