Rain or no rain, the flowers are always beautiful in Provence at this time of year. The poppies, iris, and wisteria are beginning their annual floral display. The flowers are one of many reasons to visit Provence at this time of the year. Please contact us if you want to learn about our partner’s tours.
The Alpilles and Luberon Valley are popular destinations for charming villages, markets, vineyards, and historical sites. We put together this guide for the Alpilles villages to help with your travel planning. The perched villages in the Luberon and popular market towns such as Lourmarin (Fridays) and Apt (Saturdays) should be on your list. Still, we invite you to discover Rustrel, a quiet, centrally located village that is a great place to base for a week in the region.
Springtime is elusive in Provence, although slightly more predictable on the Côte d’Azur. It is not the season for lounging poolside in your new bathing suit.
Temperatures are variable at this time of year. We hiked on the coast in March, enjoying summer temperatures, only to throw on winter layers a few days later when facing a mistral wind. However, March is a great month to visit and play golf. If you are near Aix-en-Provence, plan to visit Paul Cézanne’s Atelier before the summer crowds.
Private chef and cooking school owner Stephanie Villegas created this delicious 2024 spring menu. This 3-course meal includes seasonal produce – peas, artichokes and berries – and mouthwatering roast chicken. Enjoy the taste of Provence this spring.
After mid-winter celebrations in Provence, life returned to “normal” on the French Riviera after the annual festivities in Nice and Menton wrapped up on March 3rd. In Nice, the 151st Carnaval de Nice celebrated the “King of Pop Culture” with floats, flower parades, music, and street performances. This year’s Olympics were the theme for the 90th Fête du Citron® in Menton.
While February is not lavender season, you can dream about visiting in June on this tour. However, this month is excellent for visiting museums, art galleries, and historic cities like Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Avignon. If you go to Nîmes to see the Roman sites, try a Crocus de Nîmes, an inspired sandwich. On the French Riviera, it’s party time until March 3 with the 151st Nice Carnaval (“King of Pop Culture”) and 90th Fête du Citron (Olympic theme) in Menton.
If you are like Nutmeg, by this point in the winter, you are looking forward to warmer, longer days. February in Provence reveals early signs of spring’s arrival. Mimosas bloom along the coast, with towns along the 130 km “Route du Mimosa” hosting festivals, parades, concerts, and workshops celebrating the yellow flowers. Meanwhile, almond trees display their delicate white and pink blossoms in other parts of the region. Please watch for Virginie’s article on Provence’s Almond Trees, along with some tempting recipes.
While we don’t need a reason to drink rosé, Valentine’s Day is a good excuse. Wine guru Göran wrote an interesting article about the viability of the rosé business in Provence.
This newsletter is the 10th edition of the Where to Stay in Provence Côte d’Azur newsletter, and Perfectly Provence turns 10 this year. Please watch for special promotions throughout the next 12 months. Depending on where you live, you might already be tired of snow shovelling. One way to eliminate the winter blues is to book a holiday to the South of France, where the sun shines 300+ days yearly. Our travel partners are filling the final spots on their 2024 tours. Here are some of our curated collections for dreamy places to stay in Provence and the Côte d’Azur.
One challenge with visiting Provence is choosing from the incredible range of options. Sue Aran shares her thoughts on the best of the Camargue, from towns to wildlife. Art lovers should check out these 12 places for contemporary art. Author Keith Van Sickle is happy to answer questions about visiting St-Rémy-de-Provence in the Alpilles.
Happy New Year to all! 2024 is an Olympic year for France. While many events occur in and around Paris, there is plenty to get excited about in Provence. There will be sailing and football (soccer). However, before that all starts, the Olympic flame arrives in Marseille’s Vieux Port on Bélem, a beautiful three-masted ship from 1896. From there, the flame travels around the country after a few regional appearances. Here are the details.
January 6th is the Epiphany. So, in Provence, it’s time to enjoy Galette des Rois, a delicious puff pastry (pâte feuilletée) filled with frangipane and a fève, which can be a bean or a tiny ceramic figurine. Don’t break a touch on the fève. It could be your chance to rule the roost for the day. As with the rest of the holiday period in France, there is a ritual around eating this pastry.
Our 2024 winter menu is a culinary creation from Chef Burnell Shively. Start with some nibbles, then move on to swaddled oysters. Check it out below, and in case you missed it, here is her article on the ancient grains grown in the Var.
January 21st is La Mess de Truffes in Richerenches, with an auction and gourmet meal to follow. Please look for Keith Van Sickles’ article on this event next week.
Depending on where you are in Provence, the weather in January is an assorted mix. In the countryside, you might wake up to heavy fog, crunchy grass, or even the odd dusting of fleeting snow. However, if it snows, it’s magical and fleeting. Watch the website for the article on winter travel essentials for visitors by French immersion teacher Virginie.
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Travel is Back!
According to Reuters, American travel demand to Europe is surging this year. So, we are joining the crowd and heading to Provence in southern France, where the food, wine, culture and scenery are hard to beat. So, are you going to travel summer or later this year? If so, take advantage of this GPSmyCity giveaway.
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Located in southeastern France, the Estérel coastal mountain range straddles both the Var and Alpes-Maritimes departments. Of volcanic origins, the massif is roughly 32,000 hectares of rugged terrain awaiting exploration. Mont Vinaigre is the highest peak at 618 metres. According to the Estérel Côte d’Azur tourism office, there are 72 trails for biking (road, gravel and mountain), hiking, and walking that crisscross the range, including many within the protected Forêt domaniale de l’Estérel. We highlight here a few of the popular trails. From the coastline Sentier du littoral (previously the customs footpath) to the forested hills of the Pay de Fayence there are many hikes in the Estérels for all ability levels.
Romania was not at the top of Nutmeg’s bucket list, and neither was a 3-hour Ryanair flight from Marseille. The flight was a glimpse back to before Covid-19 days in its crowded boarding process and disorganized gate check. It was a mosh pit. Hopefully, no one lied on the pre-flight vaccine forms…
They arrived in Bucharest at midnight local time, so there was not much to see. The Hilton Airport Hotel could have been anywhere in the world and thankfully spotless.
The next day G&N picked up a rental car + TomTom unit and headed to Constanta. Unfortunately, the TomTom died (no battery) about 30 minutes into what should have been a 2 1/2 hour drive but now looked like a 3-4 hour excursion due to traffic. The roads are slowly improving thanks to huge EU infrastructure funds (read debt). In the meantime, the truck and car snarls are significant. From Bucharest to Constanta, the scenery for over 200km is mostly farmland with slight variation. We passed enormous fields, ploughed at this time of the year. Romania is the 3rd largest agricultural producer in Europe and crops include wheat, corn, sunflowers, potatoes, and even a few grapes.
Constanta in July and August is probably a scene that Nutmeg never wants to experience. The white sand beach stretches for 50km, lined by hotels, bars, restaurants etc. Yet, at this time of the year, it’s quiet, just a few walkers, dogs and swimmers in wet suits. Today the black sea was calm, but based on the infrastructure at the port, doubtful that is always the case.
The city itself is a bit of a contrast study with some beautiful old historical buildings, crumbling structures and partially constructed developments. Nutmeg had lunch on the water’s edge in Port Tomis, definitely a trendy area with lots of restaurants and good coffee. After lunch, she climbed the crumbling stairs covered in graffiti back to the hotel and called it a day.
About Ginger & Nutmeg
Ginger and Nutmeg is a Food and Travel blog for Active Foodies hooked on travelling. We love food, history and digging into cultural traditions. This is a blog with a bit of humour, informative travel information and some great recipes.
Perfectly Provence provides a vast online resource for all things Provence, France. Whether you are about to travel to Provence or currently live their as a local or ex pat, we have curated the region’s best experts to bring you everything you need to know. Perfectly Provence is all about great regional cuisine, France travel tips, local markets and things to do in Provence. Bon Voyage!
Calisson d’Aix a Sweet Almond Candy for a Queen of Provence
Canistrelli Recipe Sweet Corsican Cookies to have with Coffee
Couscous a Traditional Moroccan Recipe
Claufoutis aux Cerises Recipe for When Life Gives You a Bowl of Cherries
Banana Bread Love Affair
A Perfect Date Recipe
Easy Chicken Stew from the Pantry
Provence’s Olives Start to Finish
Aioli On Fridays in Provence
Sweet Memories in an Apricot Tart
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Ginger and Nutmeg is a weekly travel blog for worldly foodies.
Ginger and Nutmeg is a digital travel guide aimed at an adult English speaking audience. These are educated, tech-savvy tourists and locals who want to understand unique stories and details behind a destination’s sights and tastes.