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.

Win a Three-Week Stay in Provence!

Having led art retreats in Provence for four years now, Nicky Ginsberg has just moved her NG Art Creative Residency & Gallery into a beautiful new space...and she’s giving away a three-week residency in Provence to celebrate. The deadline is October 1 and all the details are below.

Previously based in a lovely old farmhouse in Eygalieres, Nicky’s international non-profit arts association is now permanently settled into a renovated 17 th-century olive mill, nestled in the foothills of the Alpilles mountains. It’s just outside the village of Maussane, a stone’s throw from the historic medieval hilltown of Les Baux.

Christened Moulin de Gréoux some 400 years ago, the grand old property offers international artists, writers, poets, musicians, performers, filmmakers, photographers, academic scholars and other creatives “a place of respite, nourishment and enlightenment to enrich their creative process.”

Moulin de Gréoux was lovingly renovated by previous owners to retain many vestiges from its agricultural past, such as vaulted ceilings, wooden beams, stone troughs and its original olive press. The old stone walls and cathedral-like interior are now home to five guestrooms, a large kitchen, shared studio/atelier, gallery, arts library, piano room and indoor swimming pool. For artists working with clay or other materials, there’s a covered outdoor wet area along with shaded terraces, landscaped gardens and more.

Artists in residence enjoy quiet time to work but also the opportunity to mingle with the public and international visitors at festive dinners, musical soirées, cooking workshops and exclusive vernissage (art opening) events. This open-door philosophy allows residents to showcase their work to a local and wider global audience.

Residents can also participate in communal dinners, cooking workshops with local and international chefs, soirées and performance evenings, professional development and mentorship, seasonal studio exhibits, gallery exhibits, outings of cultural  interest and various networking and collaborative opportunities.

Nicky, a long-time gallery owner, entrepreneur and creative director, founded  the program and now runs it with her partner, aspiring artist Edwin Holder-Vale. (The couple met two years ago in a cooking class in Greece...awww!). You can read Nicky’s bio here and follow Edwin on Instagram here.

For residencies at Moulin de Gréoux, there are four different pricing options starting at €500 a week per person. The program includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, transportation to and from the residency and use of a car and bike for the duration of your stay. If needed, you’ll also have studio space including work stations, easels, professional hanging systems and projectors.

There are also subsidized residencies and a number of sponsorships and prizes offered throughout the year.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in your work amidst spectacular, natural surroundings, I can’t think of a nicer place to do it. Steeped in Provençal history, the area boasts olive groves and mills, vineyards and wineries, a large sheep farm, picturesque town squares, scores of restaurants and cafes and myriad historic sites dating to Roman times and beyond. And it’s all bathed in that famous light that inspired Van Gogh, Cézanne and so many others.

Ok so...on to the contest! The giveaway includes a three-week complimentary residency, breakfast and dinner daily, full use of the arts studio, professional development and mentorship, use of a car, en plein air activities, meeting art enthusiasts and like- minded creative folk, the opportunity to exhibit in a dedicated gallery and more.

To enter, you must be on Instagram so this is a great time to sign up if you haven’t. Then follow @ngartcreativeresidency, share their latest post (dated September 19) to your stories and tag them. Finally, leave a comment about why you want to win! The winner will be contacted via Instagram on Friday October 1. (And while you're at it, please follow me too! I'm here.)

If you miss this chance or don’t win this time around, you can learn all about the residency program and application process on the NG Art Creative website. Future contests and news will be announced via social media and in Nicky’s newsletter, so be sure to sign up for it by clicking the subscribe tab on the website.  

Bonne Chance...and hope to see you in Provence!

Photos: (1, 2) This 17th-century olive mill in Maussane has been converted into a beautiful live-and-work space for creatives of all types. Win the Instagram contest and you'll stay here three weeks. (3) Communal dinners are fresh, local, seasonal, colorful and, I hear, perfectly delicious. No starving artists here! (4) One of the five guestrooms. (5) Previous owners did most of the renovation and built a large lovely pool in an old barn.  (6) The shared studio/atelier is large enough for four people to work at a time. (7) An artist-in-residence doing his thing en plein air. (8) Come in May/June when the poppies are blooming and you'll get to paint scenes like this. (9) Everyone is welcome to use the large, beautiful kitchen. (10) In its new home, the residency program will operate year round. In cooler months, dinners may be served in the dramatic vaulted dining room. (11) Lovely terraces provide quiet spaces for work, lunches and more. (12) One of the pretty restaurants on the town square in Maussane. (13) The first group of artists-in-residence at the Moulin this summer. (14) Nicky and Edwin met in a cooking class and quickly discovered shared passions such as art, travel and Provence.

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...

A-Part Art Festival Starts Friday July 5

The fourth annual a-part contemporary art festival (yes, it's called "a-part") is a-bout to begin,  bringing a wide range of exhibits, events, performances and installations to various venues throughout the Alpilles region of Provence. This year's fest features 50 artists showing in 25 venues in seven towns and villages. 

As in year's past, most of the exhibits launch with their own vernissage (opening) and the artist or artists are almost always in attendance. All vernissages and shows are free and open to the public. So if you love art...or meeting artists...or just feel like enjoying a glass of wine and a nibble with like-minded people in a pretty place...jot down these dates. And be sure to check the a-part website for a map so you can take in as many of the shows as possible as you toodle around Provence. Don't forget to bring your checkbook because you're sure to find something you love! Virtually all the exhibits run until August 25 and all the info is on the a-part website here. You can email info@festival-apart.com with questions and you can see the full schedule here.

Friday July 5 at Maussane-les-Alpilles: 7 p.m. Opening Ceremony of the Festival at the C.C.V.B.A (on the Ave. de la Vallée des Baux, behind the Mairies), with artists Ana, Daniel Aulagnier, Gérard Fromanger, Frédéric Fourdinier, Jeronimo Hagerman, Tessa Joosse. Also, in front of the Mayor’s Office: artist Christian Gaillard. At Le Lavoir: Jean-Blaise Picheral

Saturday July 6 at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: 11:30 a.m. inauguration at Les Antiques with artists Philippe Chitarrini and  Yoann Crepin.

Sunday July 7 at Saint-Étienne-de-Provence: 7 p.m. picnic at Altavès with artist Jeronimo Hagerman. More info to come soon. 

Monday, July 8 at Les-Baux-de-Provence: 7 p.m. Vernissages at:

*Post Tenebras Lux (on Main Street or Grand-Rue), with artist Mounir Fatmi.

*Hôtel de Manville (The Mairie, on Main Street), with artists Frédéric Coché, Philippe Druillet,  Demián Flores, Liberatore,  Ilan Manouach, ORLAN,  Pleks, Daniel Spoerri  and Ma Tselin.

*On the walls of the village with artist Bertrand Gadenne.

*La Cure (Place Saint-Vincent),  with artists Ji Dahaï and Alexandre Rocca, Stéphane Guiran, Marie Piselli, Pascal Schmitt and Elizabeth Wejebe Iberri.

Tuesday, July 9 at Les-Baux-de-Provence: 7 p.m. projections at Les Carrieres de Lumières with a discussion with philosopher Philippe Serres and artist Bertrand Gadenne.

Wednesday, July 10 at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: 7 p.m. Vernissage at the Château des Alpilles with artists Frédéric Fourdinier, Francis Guerrier, Jeronimo Hagerman, Scenocosme, Vincent Scali and Barbara Thaden.

Thursday, July 11 at Tarascon: 5 p.m. inauguration at the Jardins de Payan (at the Mas de Payan on Chemin Mannoni), with artists Daniel Aulagnier, Jean Daviot, Marc Nucera, Constantin Rusu. This will be followed by 7:00 p.m. vernissages at:

*The Chapelle de la Persévérance (#8 Rue Proudhon), with artist Claude Lévêque.

* Les Cordeliers (on Place Frédéric Mistral), with artists Claire Becker, Anne-Catherine Becker-Echivard, Régine Cirotteau, Jesus Diaz De Vivar, Caroline Minjolle, Jeronimo Hagerman, Natalie Luder, Pleix, Julie Tanit, Daniel Spoerri and Elizabeth Wejebe Iberri.

Friday, July 12 at Eygalières: 7 p.m. Vernissage at the Église Saint Laurent with artist Chiharu Shiota and L'Atelier at Studio Stephane Guiran (on Avenue Leon Blum) with artists Halida Boughriet, Eric Bourret, Hayoun Kwon, Christophe Lucien and Enrique Ramirez.

Saturday, July 13 at Les-Baux-de-Provence: 7 p.m. projections at the Carrieres de Lumières with Bertrand Gadenne.

Sunday, July 14 at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: 11:30 a.m. Brunch at the Mas de l’Amarine with artist Natalie Luder.  More info to come soon.  

Sunday Aug. 11 at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: 11:30 a.m. brunch at Mas de l’Amarine in St. Remy with artist Anne-Catherine Becker-Echivard.

Monday August 12 at Saint-Etienne-du-Gres: 5:30 p.m. Guided tour/visit with artist Frederic Fourdinier.

Monday August 12 at St. Remy: 6:30 p.m. Vernissage for Picnic-Invasion by Jeronimo Hagerman at Agence Bosc Architects (#38 blvd. Victor Hugo).  

Thursday August 22 at St. Remy: 7 pm musical performance soiree with Jacopo Baboni-Schillingi at Mas de lÁmarine.

Friday August 23  at Les Baux de Provence: 10 pm Auction of selected a-part Artworks at Hotel La Cabro d'Or.

Saturday August 24 at Mouries: Tasting on the Grass from 5 pm to 8 pm with artists Ana, Frederic Fourdinier and Francis Guerrier.

Photos: (1) A video installation by Bertrand Gadenne, who will be showing his work at the Carrieres de Lumiere and on the city walls in Les Baux. (2) A photo by Regine Cirotteau, who is exhibiting at the Cloitre des Cordeliers. (3)  Marc Nucera's ''Poisson-ivre, 2012,'' made from Douglas Pine. Photo by Michel Jouve. Nucera will be exhibiting at Les Jardins de Payan in Tarascon. (4) A seriograph by Jesus Dias De Vivar, called ''Martha cocotte, what becomes a legend most.'' You can see Diaz De Vivar's work at Les Cordeliers in Tarascon. (5) A photo called La Lecon d'Anatomie, 2003, by Anne-Catherine Becker-Echivard, who'll show her work at Mas de l'Amarine in St. Remy and the Cloitre des Cordeliers in Tarascon. (6) ''Picnic Invasion'' by Jeronimo Hagerman. You can sees this installation in St. Remy at Agence Bosc Architects. Hagerman will also have installations at Les Cordeliers in Tarascon, Chateau des Alpilles in St. Remy and C.C.V.B.A. in Maussane.