Ma Provence

For a certain generation of Brits, Provence has long held a near-mythical status as a place to live the good life. We spoke to resident, Claude Fussler to see if the myth was true. Here are his suggestions for casual meals in wine shops, concerts in historic abbeys, ancient ice houses, eco restaurants and finding famous ceramics in a village that floats above Europe’s Grand Canyon. 

Provence locals –
Martina & Claude

I’m from Strasbourg in the north and Martina is German, but we came to Provence a long time ago, looking for a certain lifestyle and for nature. There’s an optimism to Provence, with blue skies 270 days of the year, great weather in Spring, forests for shade in summer and the warmth to dine outside right through October. When guests stay with us at Une Campagne en Provence, we try to help people feel what we’ve found. We tend to suggest simple, relaxing things, like yoga, or riding or walking to discover the countryside, but there’s so much to see and do, so here is just a little of it! 

Do

  • Visit Cotignac when the market is on. It’s a beautiful town all the time, but on market days you can buy some cheese and go to one of the wine shops, who often have barrels outside. If you buy a bottle of wine, they can usually find you plates and a knife, and you can eat your cheese and drink your wine right there
  • The Verdon Gorge, a couple of hours north of us, is called the European Grand Canyon. It’s a spectacular sight itself, but there are also some lovely villages around it, like Moustiers Saint Marie, or just Moustiers. This is an important place in French ceramics, like Wedgewood or Dalton in England, so you can browse shops and galleries for exquisite work in a village that hangs on a cliff over the most spectacular views. If you’re driving back towards Cotignac, you’ll also pass through truffle country
  • Hear a concert at Thoronet Abbey. The unique acoustics of the Cistercian abbey, with long stone walls that forced the monks to sing slowly and perfectly together, have lead to many people recording here and a decent programme of events. It’s a great place to visit, but if you can go when a concert is happening, it’s a wonderful experience.  

Eat

  • Something a lot of our guests do, especially with the difficulty of booking restaurants, is order a pizza (something we do very well in the region) and eat here on the terrace. The region is famous for its rosé wine too, and changes in production methods mean some will now keep for a year or so. You can take a few bottles home
  • In Cotignac, there’s Lou Calen, which has a green Michelin star and a microbrewery on site. They have a few options to choose from in terms of how formal you want to go, from bistro food to a real treat
  • Another famous local institution is Hostellerie de l’Abbaye de La Celle, in the town of La Celle. They had a Michelin star for a while but decided not to keep going for it. I haven’t noticed any drop in quality since they did that though. 

See

  • For almost 1000 years Saint-Baume was famous for producing ice. Farmers in the hills would dig small ponds that would freeze, then cut the ice and store it in massive stone silos that were dug deep into the ground. One of them, near Pivaut, has been restored and is a striking thing to see
  • It’s one of the great clichés of Provence, but if you’re here at the right time (July), then the lavender fields are truly beautiful. There are some particular spots that we usually guide people to, so ask someone near where you’re staying to help you find one
  • Just to the east of Marseille on the coast are the calanques, mini fjords which have their own national park. You can swim, climb, kayak and dive there, but it’s also just a special place to walk and explore the pebble beaches.  

Featured places to stay in Provence

Minoustan - Gallery

Minoustan

Gattières, Alpes-Maritimes

Getting there

Cycling is great here. The EuroVelo 8 runs right past us and actually comes all the way from Andalusia. I was involved in the development of some local circuits that branch off. Some of it is on the roads but they are quiet outside of rush hours and most of the time cyclists have their own lane.

 

Getting around

By train:

Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord. Transfer to Gare de Lyon – Metro Line 4 towards Mairie de Montrouge, change at Châtelet to Line 1 towards Château de Vincennes, then TGV to Avignon, the regional gateway from which local trains and buses depart. Total journey time is around 6-8hrs depending on final destination.   

By ferry:

As with all French regions, a cross-channel ferry and a long drive IS a viable option. From Calais to Avignon, for example, is around a ten-hour drive, although a few stops along the way would let you see much more of France. 

By plane:

Marseille is served by most UK airports with regular flights and has decent transport links with the rest of the region, as well as plenty of car hire options. 

Top tip!

Haggling at the markets (for antiques and so on, not for food) is absolutely fine, but don’t make a big show of it, pointing out cracks or damage on what you’re buying. Just offer what you want to pay and the seller will decide. Sometimes they will go and consult a partner or take some time to think, but it’s not offensive to ask as long as you’re reasonable. People here are generous unless you hurt their ego!  

A few days in…Provence

Using a welath of tips and insider knowledge from the owners of our places in Provence, we’ve created a six-day itinerary that takes you from plunges into the Mediterranean, to musical abbeys, vertiginous gorges and riverside bars in antique-shopping heaven. 

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Foodie guide to the South of France by Carolyn Boyd

In her new book, Amuse Bouche, Carolyn Boyd takes a gastronomic tour of the regions of France. In these extracts, she looks at the sweet callisons of Provence, Basque peppers and the humble beginnings of the Salade Niçoise.  

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