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 exhibits 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.

And 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 in her studio. (7) The Musée de Jean Moulin in St. Andiol.

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.

17 Perfect Provence Vacation Rentals

Three photos above: who wouldn't want to wake up here? This gorgeous eight-bedroom, eight-bath villa was crafted from an 18th-century olive mill, just a short drive from Les Baux.

A super-popular home with a luxurious-but-laid-back French country vibe, perched on a hillside in the Luberon, with sections dating to the 12th century. 

The roof terrace and dining/living room of a designer three-bedroom apartment I love in St. Remy.

This dreamy five-bedroom, five bath "farmhouse" in Eygalieres, restored impeccably and loaded with amenities, is nestled in an olive grove in a walk-to-town location.

A bright, airy three-bedroom on a lush, terraced property in the foothills of the Alpilles, just 1 km from the heart of St. Remy.

When I visited this gracious, old-world-style three-bedroom home (with drop-dead views, pool and tennis) I told the owner "I'd love to buy this!" Her reply? "Everyone says that!"

This magical sun-drenched compound in Eygalieres offers multiple art-filled houses, two pools, gorgeous landscaping, horses grazing next door...and the most-charming owners.

This ten-bedroom, nine-bath beauty, on 10 acres just 2 km from Gordes, has a small vineyard, lavender field, pool and tennis.

Families love this five-bedroom open-plan house in a lovely, laid-back village where you can walk to shops, cafes and restaurants. It has a separate kids wing, large yard and heated saltwater pool. Great hiking, biking and wineries nearby!

This 18th-century, seven-bedroom bastide was fully redone in 2016 and sits just 2 km from L'Isle sur la Sorgue, a postcard-perfect village with 250 or so antique shops and vendors.

If you're one of the lucky ones who can travel to France this year--or think you may be able to, once travel bans from your country are lifted--then you're probably thinking about where to stay. I know all the best hotels in Provence (for all budgets) and would be happy to help you choose. I love hotels!

But for lots of obvious reasons, this is a great year to rent a house. Provence has thousands of cottages, gîtes, apartments, townhomes, houses, villas and châteaux available for vacation rentals...all sizes, all prices. They range in style from cheap-and-cheerful to over-the-top elegant...rustic to highly refined. They're in city, village and countryside settings, with outdoor spaces ranging from tiny balconies overlooking terra cotta rooftops to sprawling terraces giving onto olive groves, lush vineyards and stunning lavender fields. Some have private pools while others have one pool for all guests to share; some have potagers and fruit trees and encourage guests to help themselves. All have kitchens, one of the major advantages of a rental house over hotel. Whether you dream of waking up in a renovated olive mill or a gorgeous family "farmhouse" with original beams or a 15th-century hunting lodge or a romantic tree house or a simple cottage among the vines, you'll want the perfect location, size, decor and amenities. And of course you want it to have that undefinable je ne sais quoi...no matter what your budget is.

But how to find that dreamy house, with so many options online...so many rental agencies...and so many villages to choose from? So glad you asked!

I have close to 400 rentals in my database and there's definitely something for every taste: from cute studios for singles and couples on up to vast multi-home properties sleeping as many as 50 people. You tell us what you want and when you're traveling...and we'll come back quickly with a selection. Then together we'll discuss pros and cons, narrow the list and help you choose. Et voila! 

This year, of course, we're all paying super careful attention to cancellation policies. We'll go over this carefully with you and make sure everyone agrees on a payment schedule and cancellation rules that are fair to both parties. My experience this year has shown that homeowners in Provence are far more flexible and forgiving than online booking sites are. And of course you'll want to buy trip-cancellation insurance, with a careful eye on the policy's specific pandemic-related coverage. Please note that I'm a matchmaker, not a rental agency, and your rental contract and payment arrangements will be handled directly between you and the homeowner.

Finally, one more quick caveat. Many houses are already heavily booked up for summer 2021 thanks to "rollover" guests who weren't able to come in 2020. So if your passport allows you to travel to France this year and you're dreaming of a very very very fine house in Provence, I suggest we start the hunt tout suite! 

To get the ball rolling, I chose 17 rental properties that I absolutely love and just published them on my trip-planning site ProvencePostTravel.com, arranged loosely by size and price. Click here to see the list. Why such an odd number, you ask? Well I was going for ten but it was so hard to choose that I settled on 15 instead. Then I got a bit nuts and kept going and then finally, at 17, I decided basta la comedia...that's enough! Rest assured my list of "17 Perfect Provence Vacation Rentals for 2021" is just a very-small sampling of our many offerings...an amuse-bouche rather than a full menu! Still, they're all terrific options and I'm pretty sure you'll find one (or more) that make your heart sing. So have a look and reach out to me at WhatToDoinProvence@gmail.com to discuss. Operators are standing by...

So...What's Happening?

Quoi de Neuf? This week I thought I'd share a couple short, newsy things that recently caught my eye: a vintage ice cream truck, a new place to store your luggage in Avignon, a farm for fresh flowers all winter, upcoming fundraisers, the starting lineup for Jazz à Juan and some other fun things to do. We're not gonna win any Pulitzers here but hopefully you'll find some things of interest...

Scoop! Vintage Ice Cream Truck Ready to Roll 

My friend Nicola Christinger-Grant and her daughter Victoria Moss are just about ready to unveil a vintage ice cream truck named Esta, after months of restoration. The classic 1976 Renault Estafette is still in Corsica finishing serious cosmetic surgery but she'll arrive in France  at the end of the month. "We thought Provence needed a good old fashioned classic ice cream van," Nic tells me. "Given the sensational weather I can’t believe they don’t really exist! When I first found Esta, she was a total rust bucket...but I knew immediately that I loved her!" As of February, Esta will be ready to rent for all types of events (she's booked for a number of weddings already) and will be rolling up at weekly markets including Eygalieres on Friday, Uzes on Saturday and the July/August Thursday evening night market in Nimes. Esta can travel roughly one hour from Nimes and will serve a range of ice creams (whole milk, vegan, fat-free, organic). The four pix up top show the ongoing restoration; the two below them are "befores." When the work is complete, I'll post more photos because you can be sure she'll be a beauty! The website (vintage.ice.fr ) is still under construction but email Nicola for info in the meantime: nicolachristinger@me.com.

Got Baggage?

Did you know...the folks behind La Consigne in Nice have opened a second location in Avignon? It's a luggage checkroom where you can store your stuff safely (they've got scanners, cameras and alarms) at super-reasonable prices. Located close to both the Avignon Centre (city) Train Station and the Avignon Tourist Office, La Consigne also rents baby strollers and wheelchairs, offers a bike-courrier baggage delivery service and will store oversized items if you book ahead. Plus, they have free and speedy WiFi which you're welcome to hang out and use. La Consigne Avignon is open May 1st to Aug 31st, at #1 ave Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, 84000 Avignon, +33 (0)6 63 68 91 09. Lots more info on both locations is on the website here.

Brand-New St. Remy Home for Summer Rental

Ian and Lizzie Ferris are just putting final touches on their new home in St. Remy...but have learned they'll need to spend the summer back in the UK.  That means they want to rent the house out, for the whole summer if possible, or at least for a month at a time, starting in June. You can see it here on Homeaway and on AirBnB. Located less than ten minute's walk from the historic center of the village, it has three double bedrooms, an upstairs bathroom and downstairs shower room, off-street parking in a gated community, a south-facing garden with private pool, A/C, WiFi and a nice modern kitchen. Ian says his ideal would be one family for 12 weeks (mid June to mid September,  €17,000) but will happily consider monthly rentals for June (€6000), July (€7000) and August (€8000). For info: ianferris56@gmail.com.

Shmoozing for Social and Business 

Since I first wrote about it here almost three years ago,  the women's group Network Provence has grown tremendously, thanks to the hard work and creativity of director Rebecca Ronane and the giving spirit of its members. The group now holds regular meet-ups and activities in a variety of Provencal villages (Aix, St. Remy, Maubec, Orange, Eygalieres, etc.) and continues to expand. Pay 50€ to join for a year and attend all the events you want...or pay as you go (most events are 10€ each). The group's Facebook page (sign up required) has become an extremely valuable resource for info sharing among English-speaking women of all nationalities in the region. Upcoming NP events include a a crash course in pairing wine with chocolate with Sophie Bergeron in Avignon (Jan 23rd at 2 pm), a talk on happiness by Trudi Bannister in Aix (Feb 13, 3 to 5 pm) and a presentation and light lunch with Nicky Ginsberg, at her new NG Art Creative Residency Program in Eygalieres (March 23, noon to 2:30). See these and other events  (and reserve...and become a member) on the Network Provence site. Questions? Email: rebecca.ronane@me.com.

Another Super Support Group for Expat Women

Another networking group that's really gathering steam is called LiANU. It's described as "An Anglophone support group of ex-pat ladies for ex-pat ladies living in, or with strong ties to, the Avignon-Nimes-Uzès region." According to Petra Van Der Wal, one of the group's five informal leader/organizers, the first "Ladies In..." group, Ladies in Languedoc, was created in 2013 and as it grew, a need was identified for other locally-focused ex-pat groups "where you can find a local tradesman or places to buy your halloumi cheese! Ladies In groups are now in Perpignan and Carcassone too...and they've all been likened to a big, chatty, online coffee morning!"  The next LiANU event is a New Year's Dinner, to be held Jan 24 in Nimes; see all the info here. I've not been to a LiANU event yet but a few friends of mine are active in the group and they give it a hearty thumbs up. To get involved, click join on their Facebook page here. If you'd like to start a Ladies In group in another region of France, contact Nicole Hammond by messenger through the LIL group here.  

Friday Morning: Coffee and Cake for a Great Cause

Lucy Bakr will hold a "coffee morning" fundraiser for Busoga Trust this Friday Jan 19 from 10 am to noon in St. Remy, with homemade Gâteau de Roi. Entry is 5€ pp, please. Lucy will also be selling her famous homemade marmalades (including a brand-new batch of orange marmalade & Bergamot lemon marmalade--woot woot!) plus new olive oils, books, DVDs and more. All proceeds go to build wells for clean water in Uganda. The address is: 1 Av Jean Baltus;  park inside the courtyard or on the street. For more info: lucydavid@bakr.fr.

Flowers All Winter, Fresh from the Farm

People often forget about their favorite farm markets in winter but the very-popular Boutique at Ferme Fleurie, between Tarascon and Graveson, sells their beautiful home-grown blooms all year long. The prices are wholesale and the flowers are gorgeous! (Read my recent story about them here.)  Debbie, who runs the farm with her husband Marcel, tells me: "All good down on the farm this winter! And full speed ahead for the season 2018!" Deb tells me they have anemones now until May, tulips from the end of February to April,  narcissi and daffodils in March and of course their star performer, peonies, at the end of April through May. For daily hours and what's available, check their Facebook page. The Boutique at Ferme Fleurie is at 4583 Route d'Avignon, 13150 Tarascon. 

This Friday in Avignon: Cabaret at Theatre Le 9

If you're up for some entertainment in English and like to mingle with other expats, this one's for you. This Friday Jan 19 at 8 pm, the Aix-Marseille and Avignon Chapters of Democrats Abroad will team up to take in a cabaret show in Avignon with Stefan Bednarczyk, a stage and screen actor, director, choirmaster, organist and composer.  (Stefan brought the works of Noel Coward, Flanders and Swann and Comden & Green to the stage...and has worked as musical director with the most prominent theaters in the U.K., including the National and the Barbican.) His latest cabaret adventure, "Beyond a Joke," explores in piano and song the works of three of the 20th-century’s greatest satirists: Allan Sherman, Tom Lehrer and Jake Thackray. The show takes place at the splendid Théâtre Le 9; I wrote about the theater and its charming owner Hilary when it opened here.  After the show, the group will mingle and meet Stefan over a glass of wine. The theater is tiny and there are seats set aside for the DA group so make sure to mention DA when you reserve. Plus, please bring something sweet or savory to share with 30 people. Tickets are 20€ pp. To reserve, call +33 (0)4 84 14 27 28 or email: le9theatreavignon@gmail.com. Then, let kwildau@gmail.com know you're coming. For more info: theatrele9.com.

Calling All Wine-Industry Insiders

All wine pros  (winemakers, retailers, restaurateurs, hotel f&b staff, etc.) are invited to a two-day "Naked Wine Fair" sponsored by the Languedoc-based Vignerons de L'Irreel, a group of local winemakers, on Jan 28 and 29 in Montpellier. Both days, there will be 50 French, Italian and Spanish winemakers present and pouring, along with five artisan brewers. A Sunday evening party will have concerts and a DJ, with lots of Italian charcuterie, the Le Duke food truck and more. More than 200 people have signed up and many more will certainly join in.  The event will be at the Dieze Warehouse, at 188 ave. du Marche Gare. Admission is 10€ and all the details are on the group's Facebook page here.  

Lenny Kravitz to Open Jazz à Juan 2018

And finally, down on the Côte d'Azur, the International Jazz Festival Jazz à Juan (the oldest jazz fest in Europe), has just announced, following a well-established tradition, the names of the first three artists who will perform this year, the 58^th edition of the festival. After the opening concert on July 12 with Lenny Kravitz and his “Raise Vibration Tour,” the festival welcomes Chick Corea (one of the most important and influential pianists of his generation), Youn Sun Nah (who has led a brilliant international career exploring in risky ways the infinite possibilities of her voice), and Marcus Miller ("promising an incredible performance!"). The full program will be announced in March. For all the info: jazzajuan.com, antibesjuanlespins.com.