You're Invited: Heavenly Silk

On a cold January night 84 years ago, Jean Moulin landed in a field on the outskirts of the village of Eygalieres…carried to safety by a parachute made of silk. And now, in homage to this hero of the French resistance—and the silk production industry that thrived in the villages of Southern France until dying out shortly after WWII—Luberon-based artist Joanna Staniszkis will show her monumental silk art this spring. 

The exhibition, called Soie Tombée du Ciel (Silk Fallen from the Sky), will take place in a 12th-century former church at the top of village of Eygalieres.

In the magnificent setting of the Ancient Eglise Saint Laurent, Joanna 's large scale installations show off the beauty of this noble fabric, which she calls a ''wonderous miracle of nature.’’

The show runs from April 15 to May 12. The artist will be present on April 17 to welcome the group La Table des Amis (more on that below), at the official vernissage on April 18 (starting at 6 pm) and at other times as well.

Joanna is a Polish/Canadian textile artist who has lived in the Luberon for 20 years, in an ancient stone quarry. She studied at the Warsaw Fine Arts Academy and graduated from the School of the Chicago Art Institute in Chicago. Today she is Professor Emerita of the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) where she taught design and textile design for more than three decades. Joanna has exhibited her work extensively, in group and solo exhibitions worldwide.

In what she calls her ''atelier practice,’’ she created large-scale architectural commissions for public buildings, embassies and banks. Since coming to Provence, however, she’s been more focused on textile traditions and the history of cloth in the region. Her solo exhibitions on that theme have been shown in Bonnieux, Menerbes, Avignon and Salzburg, Austria.

When her schedule allows, Joanna is willing to welcome visitors into her home and studio in the tiny village of Taillades, for what she calls ''textile adventures.’’

''I have a very interesting home and I’m usually working on interesting projects!’’ she tells me. ‘’These days I’m making and selling one-of-a-kind wearable art. I love to explain the process: the printing, the dyeing, etc. Also, I raise silk worms and love to talk about that as well.’’ Sometimes it’s even possible to combine a visit with a short indigo-dying session in the garden. ''People love to bring home something they’ve made themselves,’’ she says. Visits are by appointment only and Joanna’s email is below.

The show in Eygalieres opens with a vernissage on April 18 at 6 pm and all are welcome. It will remain on view until May 12, open every day except Monday, from 11 am to 6 pm.

On Friday April 17 from 11 am to 12 noon, the food, wine and travel club known as La Table des Amis is organizing a visit to the exhibit followed by a no-host lunch in the village. This could also be a great day to enjoy the wonderful weekly Eygalieres market, which happens on Friday mornings. Joanna is a member of the group and will be on hand, to greet everyone and take them around the show. ''And I won’t be alone,’’ she tells me, ''I’ll definitely have my silk worms with me!’’ For info and to reserve (5€) for the Table des Amis outing on April 17, click here.

For more info on World War II hero Jean Moulin, there’s a small but excellent museum in the village of St. Andiol, not far from Eygalieres. It’s located in a the former village school, where he was a student. There you’ll find 200 rare photos, archives, period objects and videos, including a reconstruction (with sound and visual effects) of the fuselage of the plane from which he parachuted on January 2, 1942. Today Moulin’s ashes are in the Pantheon in Paris, the final resting place of France’s greatest heroes, and his name is found widely across the country; it’s said that only Charles de Gaulle and Louis Pasteur have more French streets named after them. For info on the museum, click here or here.

To reach Joanna directly: jstanisz@mail.ubc.ca, joanna-staniszkis-in-provence.com.

Photos: (1) Poster for the show. (2) L'Ancienne Eglise Saint-Laurent in Eygalieres was built on the northern rampart of the magical old village (Vieux Village) in the early 12th century, then remodeled in the 18th and 19th. Purely Romanesque in style, it was used as a place of worship from 1155 to 1905 and became a Historical Monument in 1983. Today the interior is accessible only when artistic or cultural events are being held...and during the Journées du Patrimoine each September. If you don't know Eygalieres, be aware that the old (Ancienne) Saint-Laurent church is at the very top of the hill while the new (Nouvelle) one is in town. (3) Joanna working on the exhibition in her atelier in Taillades. (4) Two works for the show: a silk parachute and "The Cloudscape.'' (5) More works for the show. (6) Joanna makes unique linen clothing, which can be purchased her studio. (7) The Musée de Jean Moulin in St. Andiol.

Just Opened: Picasso and Kahlo at Carrières des Lumières

The Carrières des Lumières (Quarries of Light) is a magical space in a vast cave-like quarry at the base of the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. There in the cool darkness, 100 video projectors splash 2,000 still and moving images over an area of more than 75,000 square feet, onto the 45-foot-high walls and onto the stone floor, while 74 speakers provide the perfectly choreographed soundtrack. The sound-and-light show changes once a year and is one of the most-popular, most-visited sites in Provence. 

The 2026 show opened this week and it looks sure to be a huge hit, just like the Monet and Rousseau show was last year. As always, there are two separate ‘’immersive experiences’’ and they run on a continuous loop. This year the main show (35 minutes) is "Picasso, Art in Motion" and the shorter one (15 minutes) is "Frida Kahlo: At the Very Heart.’’

Pablo Picasso was, of course, one of the most influential artists of the 20^th century. In addition to his painting and drawings, the show displays the other techniques that the Spanish artist explored such as engraving, sculpture, collage, assemblages, folding and ceramics. It’s a journey through his entire palette, from the warm hues of his native Spain to the whirlwind of colors in his paintings of Parisian cabarets and balls to his legendary melancholic blues to the delicate pinks that precede the striking grays of his monumental Guernica.

From Celestina to Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and The Supplicant, you’ll discover the faces of the women who filled his life and inspired some of the major turning points in his work.

The Frida Kahlo projection, meanwhile, explores the intimacy and creative force of the legendary Mexican artist (1907-1954) ‘’through an explosion of colors, symbols and emotions.’’ The walls are transformed to reflect the rhythm of Frida's life: from her early works marked by physical suffering and the search for self to her most assertive paintings ‘’where the power of her identity and commitment bursts forth.’’

In just a few short minutes you’ll see the evolution of an artist who ‘’transformed pain into art, fragility into strength, and the intimate into the universal.’’

As in years past, there’s an accompanying soundtrack and the playlists are available via Spotify on the Carrières website. I’ve always felt that the soundtrack plays a huge part in the impact of the show…and people around here still talk about the brilliant pairing of Salvador Dali and Pink Floyd in 2020.

The program will be on view until January, 2027. 

In addition to Picasso/Kahlo, there will be special repeat showing of The Little Prince in the Carrières on certain dates in April and May, to mark the 80th anniversary of the publication of Antoine de Saint Exupéry's masterpiece. Set to music, the words of the story come to life as Saint Exupéry's watercolors unfold around you, bringing all the characters to life. Details are on the Carrières website. 

The Carrières des Lumières sits in the Val d’Enfer, a stone's throw Les Baux itself; you can easily walk between them but on foot you have a bit of a climb up to the village itself.  These quarries produced the white limestone used for the construction of the village of Les Baux, the Château des Baux and many buildings in surrounding villages including St. Remy. Aluminum ore bauxite was discovered here in 1821 by geologist Pierre Berthier, who named it after the village. In 1935, the use of more-modern materials led to the quarries' demise.  

Dramatic and otherworldly looking, the area has inspired artists of all sorts; it provided the setting for Dante’s Divine Comedy and Gounod created his opera Mireille here. Later, Cocteau came here to film The Testament of Orpheus.  A 16-minute film tracing Cocteau’s life can be seen in the Salle Cocteau, adjacent to the main space.

The Carrières du Val d’Enfer have been awarded Natural Monument status in France. 

The first transformation of the abandoned quarries began in 1976 with the development of a project using the huge rocky walls for sound and light performances.

Formerly known as the Cathedrale des Images, the venue closed in 2011 and re-opened (after a €2 million re-do) as the Carrières des Lumières the following year. Since then, it’s been managed by Culturespaces. Founded by Bruno Monnier in 1990, Culturespaces is the leading private operator/manager of monuments, museums and art centers in France. The Culturespaces Foundation, founded in 2009, fosters access to art and culture for children affected by illness, disability or poverty. One of France’s benchmark foundations, it’s known for initiatives that blend culture, education and solidarity.

Based on the wide popularity of the Carrières des Lumières, Culturespaces went on to launch a number of similar “digital art centers” including the Atelier des Lumières, Paris (2018), the Bunker des Lumières, Jeju (2018), the Bassins des Lumières and Bordeaux (2020). More recent openings include the Hall des Lumières (New York), the Fabrique des Lumières (Amsterdam) and the Théâtre des Lumières (Seoul). To see all the locations and their programing, click here.

Heads up to first-time visitors: it’s cool inside the quarry so you might want a sweater or light jacket. The stone floors are uneven so you might want a cane or walking stick as well. There are stone benches around the perimeter of the interior and you can stay as long as you like. As you exit, there’s a small but interesting shop selling books and other items pertaining to the history of Provence, Les Baux, the Carrières and the Val d’Infer.

The Cafe des Carrières is open every day except December 25, from 10 am daily, serving drinks, sandwiches and sweets. It closes at 5 pm, 6 pm or 6:30 pm depending on the season.

As in years past, you can just show up at the Carrières and buy a ticket. But to avoid long lines in season, they suggest you book online here.  You can also buy tickets in advance at the Carrières ticket office or at all FNAC stores.

Pricing for 2026 is:  €16.50 (adults), €15.50 seniors (65 and up), €14 students and free for journalists, jobseekers, the disabled and kids under 7. On the website you’ll also see family rates and combined-visit prices (for the Carrières, the Chateau des Baux and the Musée Yves Brayer), along with background, directions and much more. 

The Carrières is open seven days a week and last entry is one hour before closing. Hours are as follows: 

March: 9:30 am - 6 pm
April, May, June, Sept & Oct: 9:30 am - 7 pm 
July & Aug: 9 am - 7:30 pm
Nov, Dec, Jan: 10 am - 6 pm 

Carrières des Lumières 

Route de Maillane  
13520 Les Baux de Provence 
Tel: +33 (0)4  90 49 20 02
carrieres-lumieres.com

Note: In addition to Picasso/Kahlo, there will be special showing of The Little Prince in the Carrières on certain dates in April and May, to mark the 80th anniversary of the publication of Antoine de Saint Exupéry's masterpiece. Set to music, the words of the story come to life as Saint Exupéry's watercolors unfold around you, bringing the characters to life. Details are on the Carrières website. 

Photos: (1) Poster for the new show.  (2-6) Three Picasso and two Kahlo scenes from the show. Photos courtesy of Culturespaces. (7) The old bauxite quarry in daylight; the geologist who first discovered aluminum ore here in 1821 named it after the village. (8) One section of the vast space is lit beautifully when the Carrieres hosts private parties and other events. I took this photo at the launch party for the new show a few years ago. (9) One of my favorite photos of the village of Les Baux, taken by Philippe Clairo (@craignos). (10) To celebrate the book's 80th anniversary, there will be a special repeat performance of The Little Prince, on certain dates in April and May. See the website for dates and details.

Guest Post: One Great Day in Provence

Whenever I get together with my friends Keith and Val Van Sickle, we love to share French intel. Where've you been, what'd you do? Who'd you meet, where'd you eat? The Van Sickles split their time between Provence and Northern California, spending three months each year based in St.-Rémy. Because they do lots of exploring, I asked them to suggest ''One Great Day in Provence'' for you. They chose to focus on the Alpilles (''Little Alps''), our beloved home turf, named for the 25-km-long mini-mountain range where, to the north and south, you'll find villages such as St.-Rémy, Eygalieres, Les Baux, Maussane and others. Keith and Val are both retired (Val from consulting, Keith from finance) and they travel widely. Keith is the author of An Insider’s Guide to Provence, One Sip at a Time, and Are We French Yet? He also publishes the blog Life in Provence. So read on for Keith's guest post about One Great Day!

One of the many things that Val and I love about St-Rémy is that it sits at the foot of the Alpilles Mountains, a great place to hike and bike. 

The Alpilles aren’t particularly high, with the tallest peak about 1,600 feet, which means there are plenty of hikes that aren’t too strenuous. A great day for us is to hike in the Alpilles, enjoy a leisurely lunch at a favorite restaurant, and then shop for Provençal essentials like wine and olive oil.

Hiking in the Alpilles

One favorite hike starts from a parking lot called Parking de la Caume, at the top of the road between St-Rémy and Maussane-les-Alpilles. After parking, we head to the paved trail that begins at the back of the lot. Because Provence can get hot, we usually hike in the morning and carry plenty of water.

The trail is called the Randonée de la Caume and if you follow it all the way, it will take you up to the giant communication tower that you can see for miles around. This is a nice route, but instead of following it, we turn off onto a dirt road marked as the AL 115, about ¼ mile from the start. It can be found on a helpful hiking map we use to for this and other trails in the Alpilles.

We like this route because it is never crowded and the views are great. Sometimes we see the forest and sometimes sheer rock walls rising up next to the path. From a few spots we can see a long way to the south, to near the Mediterranean coast. The one thing we have to watch out for are bikers, because they can show up suddenly if they are riding fast.

We hike as far as we want and then turn around, and at this point we are usually getting hungry. If we’ve timed it right it’s lunch time, so we head to Maussane and one of our favorite restaurants, l’Oustaloun.

L’Oustaloun

This is a family-run hotel/restaurant that has been in business for decades. The couple that runs it is very friendly—“We love our clients,” they say—and the food is always good.

The chef has been awarded the title of Maître Restauranteur, a special honor that means everything is fresh and homemade. I can’t eat gluten and the chef knows exactly what is in each dish, so he is able to guide me to safe eating.

The cuisine is authentic Provençal and I love the timbale, an eggplant confit surrounded by a tomato and red pepper coulis. The menu changes with the seasons so the dishes always use fresh ingredients, many of which are sourced locally.

On a warm day we sit at the outdoor tables on the town’s lovely central square, and if it’s cool we enjoy the cozy dining room with its arched ceiling.

The Best Olive Oil

The area around Maussane is known for olive oil, and local producers have captured several world championships. It is said that oil from here was used to anoint France’s first Christian king, Clovis, in the year 496.

Our favorite place for olive oil is Moulin Castelas, just outside of Maussane. The staff speaks English—the owners once lived in the United States—and is very friendly. They let you taste anything you’d like and sometimes you can tour the olive mill itself. Tables are arranged outside if you’d like to taste there, or just rest your feet for a few minutes.

One of Castelas’ specialties is their wide range of flavored oils, where they add ingredients like citrus, rosemary, and basil. Unlike many producers that just add flavorings to their oils, Castelas macerates their olives together with the other ingredient—thyme, for example—and then filters it at the end. The results are great for salad dressings, to put on fish, or whatever strikes your fancy. We stock up every time we arrive in Provence.

Something for the Cellar

After olive oil, another essential is wine, and one of our favorite caves is Mas Sainte Berthe, which sits in the shadow of Les Baux-de-Provence’s fortress.

Sainte Berthe is known for its rosés, but all its wines are excellent. You can try them in their friendly, English-speaking tasting room, then buy what you like. Besides wine in bottles, they also sell it in 5 or 10 liter “bag in box.” These boxed wines are quite good and a great bargain, especially if you will be entertaining a group.

Back Home

We are now tired, well fed, and well stocked. It’s a routine we often follow when we are newly arrived in St-Rémy. But it’s only the beginning, as many more hikes and meals await. And you never know when you’ll need more olive oil or another bottle of wine! 

Photos:

(1) Keith, Val and their sweet dog Mica at the Aéro-Club De Saint-Rémy, the Alpilles behind them. (2) A glorious coquelicot (poppy) field with the Alpilles in the background; photo by Barbara Tyler. (3, 4) Hiking photos by Keith. (5) L'Oustaloun, in Maussane; photo courtesy of the restaurant. (6) Timbale and (7) Moulin Castelas, photos by Keith. (8, 9) The vineyard and tasting room at Mas Sainte Berthe.

Thanksgiving in Provence 2025

Because I live to please you, once again I've rounded up a great selection of American Thanksgiving celebrations here in the South of France. Who attends these gala soirées? Local expats of course, but also hungry French folks and other Europeans, travelers, house guests...whomever! 

Over the years, many of my French friends have told me they love the idea of celebrating this American holiday...to meet new people, to sample unusual foods, to learn the history and traditions. At a friend's Thanksgiving in Provence a few years back, one French guest told me he loved how the various dishes were served all at once—family style--rather than in courses. Another said he was looking forward to his first taste of cranberry sauce, which he called red fruits jam. 

While the literal translation of Thanksgiving is Action de Grâce, most French people just call it Thanksgiving...except for my friend Philippe who refers to it as Merci Donnant, which he says "means absolutely nothing at all." Over the years, we’ve shared many wonderful Thanksgivings together at various friends’ houses. “It’s like having a second Xmas in the same year,” Philippe says. “But I miss that I never got to see the big family argument part you see in many movies!” 

As of this writing, all of the celebrations below have space available except one that's wait list only. But book soon because most have limited capacity and they'll all fill up. I've also included a source for Thanksgiving takeaway (at all three Biocoop - La Coumpagnie stores in Aix, with an eat-in option at one of them).  If you know of any that aren't listed here, please email me (whattodoinprovence@gmail.com) so I can share the info. 

If you're looking to celebrate Thanksgiving in a Paris restaurant, have a look at the listings here and here. You could also try the American University Clubs of France, the American Church of Paris and the American Club of Paris...they've all hosted events in the past. And for a Thanksgiving cooking class in Paris click here but hurry...there's only two spots left. 

Finally, a big American hug and thank you from me to you: for reading and supporting my blog...for sharing it with friends...for commenting on the stories you particularly enjoy. I wish you all the most joyous and delicious Merci Donnant, wherever you plan to spend it!  

La Table des Amis at La Galine in St. Remy

Over the years I've been to many fantastic Thanksgiving celebrations in Provence but last year, none of my friends wanted to cook. So we convinced Bastien Maltagliati, owner of the Bistrot de Saint Remy, to host a Thanksgiving celebration at the restaurant. My friends at the culinary-and-travel club La Table des Amis offered to handle all the booking through their website, which made things super easy. The event was a huge success--I think 72 people came--and the food was super, thanks to chef Richard Smache and his crew. 

This year, however, Bastien will be closed during that period, to give his staff a break before the holiday rush. So the 2025 St. Remy Thanksgiving celebration will take place at another one of our favorite restaurants, the Bistrot de La Galine...just east of the village on the D99. David Carpita, one of the founders of La Table des Amis, has done the menu planning with La Galine's owners Ingrid and Marc Devaux...and once again the group will handle reservations as well. The lunch is Thursday Nov. 27, from 12:30 to 3:30. It's open to anyone who wants to join in--singles, couples, families, kids--and all nationalities are welcome. Seating will be at communal tables of 10 to 14 each, the meal will be served family style and 70 people are expected. It's 60€ (members), 65€ (non members) and half price for kids under 12. For more details or to book, click here. 

La Table des Amis de Provence is a non-profit association that ''connects wine and food lovers to a table of friends.'' Founded in 2022, they now have close to 200 members and offer events such as a lunches on fête days (such as Transhumance), farm-to-table visits, “safaris” to Italy and Spain and more. Membership is 15€ for singles and 25€ for couples. To join, click here.

Biocoop - La Coumpagnie in Aix

This will be the 10th year that Biocoop - La Coumpagnie in Aix has been offering homemade organic Thanksgiving meals, made from owner Rick Harrison’s family recipes. This year they'll offer an eat-in option for lunch on Thursday Nov. 27 at their Pioline (840 ave du Camp de Menthe) and Puyricard/Célony (20 chemin des Gervais) locations, as well as take out from all three of their service delis, including their deli location near the center of Aix (4 rue Pierre de Coubertin). 

The delivery and take-away service has been a huge success for people who want to celebrate at home...but not cook. ''Our French, English and American clientele really love it and we have a very loyal clientele who comes back year after year," Rick tells me. ''Anyone who wants a home-cooked holiday meal without the fuss!” As in year’s past, the menu (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and classic cheesecake) will be “100% organic, 0% GMOs and 100% homemade from American family recipes.” To come for lunch, no reservations are needed...just show up. For takeaway or delivery, please order with Rick before Monday Nov. 24 at 5 pm: +33 (0)6 81 34 85 74, rick@biocoop-lacoumpagnie.fr

Le Saint Hubert in the Luberon

The lovely Le Saint Hubert in Saint Saturnin les Apt will serve their annual Thanksgiving long table dinner for 48€ per person on Thursday Nov. 27. They welcome guests to arrive around 7 pm for a cocktail and the dinner begins at 7:30 pm. To reserve, please call ‪+33 4 90 75 42 02‬.

Thanksgiving at Les Halles in Avignon 

Once again, American chef Jon Chiri will offer a holiday plat du jour lunch on Thanksgiving Day, at his cafe and cooking school in the Les Halles Market in Avignon. Lunch is 26€ without pumpkin pie or 32€ with. Jon will be serving brined, slow-cooked turkey leg roulade with all the accompaniments. A mug of mulled wine is included and other wines will be available. For info or to book: +33 6 46 89 85 33, contact@jonathanchiri.com. 

American Club of the Riviera in Nice

This year, the American Club of the Riviera will hold their Annual Thanksgiving Day Luncheon at the iconic Hôtel Negresco. They'll start with a Champagne reception at noon followed by a traditional Thanksgiving lunch at 12:30 pm. Pricing and all other details are here. Non-members who join the ACR now will get members pricing for events for the rest of 2025 and all of 2026.

MonacoUSA in Monte Carlo

MonacoUSA will host their annual Thanksgiving Dinner at Marius Restaurant and Bar. (MonacoUSA is a social and business network for Americans, Monegasques and other English-speaking members of the international community.) Festivities kick off at 6:30 with a happy hour cash bar, and dinner will be served at 7:30. It's €100 for members, €120 for non-members and all the details are here. For more info: monacousa.mc@gmail.com.

Adrian Leeds Group in Nice

In Nice, the Adrian Leeds Group is having their third annual Thanksgiving at the restaurant Carre D'or. It's currently sold out (at 90 people) but there is a wait list...and all the info is here. To be put on the wait list, use the use the “Contact Us” button on the website.

Just Added: Democrats Abroad--Avignon Chapter Lunch in Cavaillon

Once again the DA-Avignon Chapter will gather for Thanksgiving and all are welcome. The family style event is Saturday Nov. 29 from 1 pm to 5 pm in Cavaillon. The catered turkey will be supplemented by traditional potluck favorites. Everyone is asked to contribute something such as a starter, side, dessert or drink. There are always leftovers so doggie bags will be provided! Seating is limited so please confirm ASAP with the number of guests and your food or drink contributions. Suggestions include a pasta dish, cheeses, fish, sausages or other meats, potatoes, yams, turnips, your favorite stuffing, salad, desserts/pies, etc. Once you reserve, you'll be sent the address and contact info of the host, who'll follow up with you to organize your food contribution. To reserve: dennis.shibut@gmail.com

Above: The much-loved, often-parodied painting is Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want" from 1942. Everyone in it was a Rockwell family member or friend; they were photographed individually and painted into the scene. Learn more about the painting and artist here. 

Journées du Patrimoine is Sept 20 & 21

It's that time again: The 42nd annual Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) takes place next weekend, September 20 and 21, in cities and villages all over France. The program was launched by the French Ministry of Culture in 1984 and has since spread all over Europe; this year 50 countries are expected to take part. 

Officially it's called European Heritage Days or JEP (for Journées Européennes du Patrimoine) but everyone just calls it Patrimoine.

Roughly 20,000 sites or so across France are expected to participate in 2025. This is one the biggest events in the country and one of my favorite weekends of the year.

The idea is that a wide range of monuments, religious sites, estates, gardens, museums, workshops, galleries, ateliers, factories and more are open for special visits, including many that are normally closed to the public. Most sites are offering free entry and will have a guide on hand; some host special tours and events. Some of these events may require you to sign up in advance, for others you just show up. 

Throughout the weekend, some activities happen at specific times, on one day of the weekend on both. You can expect tours to be in French but a translator is sometimes provided or the guide may speak some English. Often someone in the group will offer to translate.

Some cities and villages will have events on Friday Sept 19 as well. For example, there's a special nighttime double-decker bus tour in Marseille from 7 to 9 pm on Friday night, with an exceptional opening of the Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica. 

Every year, Patrimoine has a loose theme. This year it's ''Architectural Heritage,'' highlighting the richness and diversity of architecture across France.

Ok, allons-y! What to see and do?

The main Journées du Patrimoine website is here and the department-by-department listings are here. But keep checking back because details continue to roll in as the weekend draws closer. Local tourist offices have Patrimoine info on their websites and over the years I've found that their info tends to be more comprehensive and up-to-date than the nationwide Patrimoine website. 

Every year, my village (St. Remy) publishes its own terrific map/guide to all its Patrimoine sites and activities. To see it, click here. This year, in addition to tours and visits, there's a 20 km bike ride on Saturday ''with five sensory stops to awaken the senses and rediscover historic riches.'' The ride is open to all but please reserve here or here. There's also live jazz around town both Saturday and Sunday. You can grab a printedcopy of the schedule and map at the St. Remy Tourist Office and elsewhere around town. And the Mairie of St. Remy has published additional info on some specific visits here.

Moving on, here are the programs for Avignon, Vaison-la-Romaine, Apt, Carpentras, Aix en Provence, Arles, Nimes, Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Nice and Monaco.

The department of the Vaucluse, which includes the lovely Luberon, has published their Patrimoine intel here. And you find lots of Luberon info here.  

Don't forget about our hundreds of smaller, lesser-known villages which sometimes offer fantastic tours and visits as well. A lot of villages have published their Patrimoine schedules here.

Then there are listings for the six departments of PACA (Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur): Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone, the Hautes-Alpes and the Var. For the Vaucluse, try here and here. And here's the Gard (which is not technically in Provence but never mind…we love the Gard anyway!). 

Up in Paris, there are more than 1,500 sites participating this year. See a great listing of events and highlights here.

As the Patrimoine weekend gets closer, organizers will continue to update the clickable nationwide map, which you can see here. It's all a bit clunky but you're smart and you'll figure it out! Vive le Patrimoine de France! 

Photos: Get out there and explore! (1 - 4) A few of the thousands of sites holding Patrimoine events include the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseille, the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, the Glanum architectural site in St. Remy and Le Jas de Bouffan, the Cezanne family home in Aix, shown here as painted by the artist. (5) Discover 250 varieties of bamboo (along with rare trees and shrubs) in the 4-hectare garden called Bambous en Provence, in Eyragues. Visits are discounted for JEP but not free. (6) To see what's being offered at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh in Arles, click here.  (7) LUMA Arles will participate too, of course...info is here. (8) Chateau de Fonscolombe (in Le Puy-Saint- Reparade, near Aix) dates to 1730 and is now a five-star hotel. They're offering guided visits, by reservation. (9) The Chocolaterie de Banon has free guided tours with tasting, reservations required. (10) Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on the Cap Ferrat has posted their JEP offerings here. (11) Free guided tours of Les Docks Village in Marseille, taking visitors from its construction in 1856 to the present, will be available Sat and Sun. For info click here.  (12) For historical tours of the Marseille St. Charles Station, click here. (13) The Jewish Cemetery in St. Remy will be open Sat (10 to 11 am) and Sun (3 to 4 pm), with a local historian present. (13) Further on up the same road, you'll find the Lac Peïroou, a gorgeous reservoir originally dammed by the Romans to provide water to the town of Glanum below. Meet at Les Antiques at 10 am for a hike up to the lake with narration by a local historian. (14) The Maison Carrée in Nimes. (15) Rides on the TER Zou train are free all weekend during JEP...but you have to buy a pass...do that here. There's also a special narrated round-trip (Sat only), leaving Gap at 10:59 am, arriving Briancon at 12:16. For the return, leave Briancon at 1:19 pm and arrive Gap at 2:41. Boarding at intermediate stations permitted. (16) In Paris, take a free guided tour (Sat or Sun) of the historic Hotel du Nord, the legendary Right Bank brasserie created in 1913. (17) The Museum of the History of Medicine in the 6th has free entry and tours all weekend; see how medicine and surgery have evolved over the centuries. More info here.  (18) Visits to the Dior Gallery in Paris are discounted for JEP but must be reserved in advance. (19) One of the many, many Paris tours during JEP is a free guided architecture tour of the Marais, by reservation. (20) This year's Patrimoine poster.