Eating out, or more to the point eating outside, is very much a part of restaurant life in France. There are lots of places to choose from, and we love finding new ones. Here are a few restaurants we've just discovered as well as some old favorites.

Uzès

Restaurant Ten

Restaurant Ten, in the middle of beautiful Uzès, is somewhere we've been returning to since it first opened several years ago. One of the most delightful things about this restaurant, apart from the food of course, is the owner, Kate Tucker. A bubbly, warm, English girl from Devon with a million dollar smile who make you feel like she's welcoming you to her home every time you arrive.

And I'm pretty sure that Kate is the reason that celebrity chef and writer Rick Stein recommends and speaks so highly of Restaurant Ten in his fabulous cookery book Secret France.

Cocktails at Ten

Kate just get's it right; the ambience the vibe, the service and the menu. Doubtless drawing on her experience at The River Café in London (where Jamie Oliver also learned a few tricks) together with her French husband and their fabulous chef Damien Rolain, they've created an unpretentious little jewel of a restaurant. Interesting, well priced, beautifully presented, delicious food which never fails to impress, quite fabulous!

Crispy trout and quinoa salad at Ten

Restaurant Ten

10 Pl. Dampmartin, 30700 Uzès  +33 (0)466 22 1093

Open Wednesday - Sunday 12.00 -14.00 and evenings from 19.30

Reservations are advisable ~ tell Kate I sent you!

Click here for menu and website

Petits Fracis Provençeaux at Restaurant Ten

Other favourites in Uzès

Bec-au-vin

Le Zanelli

Pizza Duchy

Villa Curti we haven't here yet but it's recommended by Kate from Ten & it's where she goes out to eat!

Saint-Remy-de-Provence

Bistrot Les Pieds dans L'Eau

We normally go to St-Rémy-de-Provence on a Wednesday, market day, and if we have visitors, after lunch we often go on to Les Baux de Provence to the incredible art show, Carrières des Lumières. We've eaten in several places in St Rémy but no one restaurant has really stood out. Then a few weeks ago we stumbled upon Bistrot Les Pieds dans L'Eau, an old manor house and former school right in the middle of town where lunch is served on an expansive terrace.

The ambience was delightful and the staff cheerful and attentive. The overall concept at the restaurant of shared, family style plates was perfect, especially for lunch.

The building itself is an interesting property. The dining terrace restaurant is at the rear and there is a lovely courtyard at the front.

When you walk through the courtyard, before you reach the Terrace restaurant, you pass through a charming shop selling household goods, gifts and clothes.

On a busy day, should you have to wait for a table, you can watch the world go by out on the street from the comfort one of the restaurant's arm chairs and order a cocktail until your table's ready!.

Click for more information on Bistrot Les Pieds dans L'Eau

22 boulevard Victor Hugo , Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
+33 04 90 90 74 49

For restaurant ideas & information about St Rémy visit my friend Keith Van Sickle's website here. I'd highly recommend his guide book, 'An Insiders Guide to Provence' which you can purchase from this link.

Aix-en-Provence

Café Hôtel de Caumont

'Café' in France can mean many things, a place just for a coffee and lights snacks, somewhere serving casual meals, or an elegant restaurant such as the café at Hotel de Caumont, a beautiful art museum in the center of Aix-en-Provence. The dining room is exquisite, and when the weather allows the Terrace is a wonderful setting for breakfast, lunch or afternoon drinks.

My salade crevette was delicious and the desert trolley is outstanding!

Café Hotel de Caumont is open daily from 10.00 -19.00. Unfortunately it is not possible to make a reservation. Check their website for unusual hours

Click here for Café Hôtel de Caumont website

Hôtel de Caumont a historic property and center for the arts

And of course Hôtel de Caumont is not all about the food, it's primarily a wonderful art museum boasting a vibrant history.

Hôtel de Caumont was built in 1715 by the President of the Court of Auditors in Aix-en-Provence, François Rolland de Réauville, the Marquis de Cabannes, in the desirable Mazarin quarter of the city.

In 1758 it was purchased by François Bruny de la Tour-d'Aigues, the richest ship-owner, merchant and banker in Marseilles who named it Hôtel de Bruny. The property was inherited by Bruny's son who died shortly afterwards and so in 1796 it passed to his sister, Pauline. This resulted in a further name change to Hôtel de Caumont, after Pauline's husband the Marquis de Caumont.

Entrance to Hôtel de Caumont, Aix-en-Provence

During the late nineteenth century the property fell into decline. By 1939, it had been divided into apartments run by Resistance member Hélène Ardevol (1892-1976), who during WWII bravely sheltered other Resistance members in the apartments. Its' last private owner was General Isenbart who completed extensive restorations before he sold it to the city of Aix-en-Provence in 1964 when it became the Darius Milhaud National Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Hôtel de Caumont today

In 2010 Hôtel de Caumont was sold to Culturespaces (who run Carrières des Lumières and other fabulous exhibitions throughout France) and they restored it to its former glory. It was reopened on 15 April 2015, and now hosts two temporary exhibitions annually. A film on Cézanne is shown every day, and a variety of concerts, musical performances and lectures are scheduled. Currently, until September 18 2022 the work of Raoul Dufy is on display.

The gardens are beautiful and well worth a visit.

Tickets to the museum can be bought online, click here

Hôtel de Caumont  3 Rue Joseph Cabassol, 13100 Aix-en-Provence  +33 04 42 20 70 01

Click here for website of Hôtel de Caumont

Le Four Sous le Platane

How often do I hear from perplexed overseas guests 'We're going to a Pizza Restaurant  in Provence, we're not in Italy?'

We may not be in Italy (although it's not far away) but the French certainly love, and know how to make great pizzas normally in wood fired ovens, feu de bois. The terrace at Le Four Sous le Platane is one of our favorites.

And if we can, we try to grab a spot by the fountain from where the restaurant get's it's name. Scrumptious pizzas served as huge wedges with a green salad and glass of wine, yum!

Click for more on: Le Four Sous le Platane

Lourmarin

There's no where new to recommend in Lourmarin and sadly a few places we thought were great have changed owners, not for the best ~ Le Moulin in Lourmarin and Petit Resto in Vaugine.

But we still love:

Louche au Beurre ~ the best steak frites!

Pizza Nonni ~our favorite for Pizza

Gina's Café ~ delicious homemade food, great for lunch

Café Gaby ~ the place for people watching in the very heart of the village, be it for coffee, an apéro or a casual meal!

La Maison Café ~ Great cocktails and small sharing boards, we love coming here after the Friday market  or for an evening drink.

If you'd like more information, download for free:

A PDF Travel Guide for Lourmarin

A PDF Travel Guide for Uzès

I'd love to know any restaurants you recommend in Provence!

The post Restaurants we love in Uzès, Aix-en-Provence & St-Rémy-de-Provence appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

On Saturday we went back to the beautiful bastide town of Uzès. An hour and a half from Lourmarin, just west of Avignon, we often visit on a Saturday. We get up early to stop off on route at the Antique Market in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, a weekly event across the river from Avignon, to then hurry on to Uzès where on a Saturday Uzès plays host to arguably one of the finest markets in the region. This delightful duchy holds a special place in my heart. It's where we lived in 2012 and where the story of Shutters and Sunflowers began. It's also the stage for my World War II historical novel, The Sunflower Field, the true story of the Polish cryptologists who having cracked The Enigma Code in 1932, lived in hiding in Uzès, for two years during the war.

And within minutes of arriving back I was reminded of the inspiration for the title of my blog. The shutters adorning the windows of Uzès that so captivated me,

and the golden smiling faces of the sunflowers, which long after they've danced their annual repertoire in nearby fields, still fill the flower baskets in the market.

A market that was in full swing when we found our way there, shaded below its' leafy canopy in Uzès central square, Place-aux-Herbes.

Amongst the abundance of fresh produce was local purple garlic,

and colorful whicker baskets, greatly reduced in price as the summer season has begun to dwindle to a close.

And announcing the arrival of autumn, there was a wide variety of mushrooms, including a Provençal speciality, cèpes, only available for a few weeks at this time of year.

The market winds its way along the cobbled streets between the town's splendid golden arches.

And by lunchtime the restaurant tables are full, weary shoppers tempted by the plat du jours. Laughter and chatter fill the air and no-one seems to notice the market slowly slip away.

Leaving the bustle behind, it's an ideal time to explore the now deserted streets.

One quickly becomes immersed in the charming ambience of this truly special place. A timeless enchantment which never fades.

The worn steps of Rue rue Saint-Théodorit entice us down.

And finding our way back to Place-aux-Herbes, all swept and cleaned, it's hard to believe just moments earlier this was the hub of a busy, heaving market.

Crossing the square we wandered into a local favorite, the one shop I always have to return to, Les Pots d'Uzès

I wished I could buy some more, especially the very largest ones for my outdoor patio.

I had to content myself with just looking ......

As we made our way back through the streets we caught a glimpse of one of the treasures of Uzès, the Fenestrelle Tower, peeking its head above the roof tops.

Nearby a sunflower smiled in greeting outside one of the local artisan's shops.

We passed by more ancient, shuttered buildings,

and lingered for one last time in Place-aux-Herbes, not wanting to leave.

Standing wistfully outside the house where we lived (which I've featured in my novel)

we wandered back down the street and as always, I wondered disloyally, if maybe we should have bought in Uzès, it always beguiles me so....

Driving back, we promised ourselves to soon make a trip back to the magnificent walled city of Avignon.

And through the front windscreen, as we caught a glimpse of Le Pont Saint Benezet, we found ourselves humming the nursery tune we'd both learned in Primary school, 'Sur la Pont d'Avignon...'

That evening, back in Lourmarin, sitting outside our beloved Café Gaby, my doubts about where we should have our house in Provence, fade. I'll always adore Uzès and love every moment we spend there, but this is where we belong.....

Come and see for yourself!

Download  The PDF Travel Guide for Uzès my travel tips about Uzès

Rent Maison des Cerises ~our house in Provence, already taking bookings for 2022!

The post Uzès where Shutters and Sunflowers began appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

'It's a small world'

'It’s a small world', maybe an over used cliché...... Yet things often happen to me, fine gossamer strands weaving connections to my life in California and very often Provence. These invisible threads do indeed shrink my world, just like this story about the charming owner of a shop in Lourmarin, Rose de Bagatelle.

My 'small world' connections to Provence and especially Lourmarin are numerous ~ Our very special Lourmarin real estate agent, Gilbert at Sud Durance Immobilier who sold us our house has a daughter who lives in San Francisco. Ben, at L'insolite, a Lourmarin brasserie, who until recently was also in San Francisco where he ran a restaurant for five years. The American who recognizing me from my blog introduced himself outside Café Gaby and who lives three streets away from my son in San Francisco. The lady I met in Lourmarin who worked for our friend in San Francisco. The English chap I met in Lourmarin whose former colleague in Germany now works with my son in California and the English couple in Uzès whose daughter-in-law’s sister from New York works with my daughter in Michigan. The list continues and it’s one such small world connection which led me to meet Nanou in Lourmarin.

The village of Lourmarin

Rose de Bagatelle

Tucked along one of Lourmarin’s cobbled streets on 18 Rue du Temple lies the delightful gift and clothing store Rose de Bagatelle. Nestled within ancient golden stone walls this tiny enclave is brimming with carefully selected alluring treasures warmed by the bright, friendly smile of its proprietor Nanou.

Rue du Temple, Lourmarin

The Lourmarin family

First told about this lovely lady by Zennat, a designer in San Francisco who follows my blog, I went to  introduce myself. Someone once told me that the most endearing people are those that are interested, interesting and curious, Nanou is all three. On discovering I had recently bought a house in the village she immediately welcomed me telling me I was now part of the Lourmarin family, a Lourmarinoise.

“But,” I stammered surprised, “unlike you, I’m not French, and surely the locals consider me a stranger?”

“Non, non, non, Caroline!” Nanou insisted “You are one of us! I maybe French, originally from Paris but I too am not from here. I also chose Lourmarin because like you when I first came here in 2006, I knew I had to live here. It was love at first sight, after only one minute!”

Nanou smiled at me her azure eyes intent and serious, full of emotion.

“Oh.” I muttered flattered to have a such a connection with a Parisian. “I love it here, it's utterly intoxicating, it fills my soul, yet I can never truly explain it.”

Nanou smiled knowingly. “Caroline,” (I so love the way she speaks my name as if savoring a rich, velvety wine) “Trying to share such a feeling is like trying to articulate why you chose the man you love. You might say he is handsome or kind or patient or many such things. Others may agree or not but that's not important, he's those things to you… and it is the same about a place. This little village that fills your heart does so for reasons that are special to you and that’s all that matters.”

The magical romance of her wisdom immediately resonated and I knew I’d found a soul mate. The small world connection continued as when I explained I lived in California she laughed telling me that her Italian husband had a long standing love affair with USA. “Sometimes,” she laughed “I think he thinks he is not Italian at all but American and so we have a home in Arizona. And like you we go back and forth between Lourmarin and USA.” Really, someone else was as crazy as me?!

We’ve chatted and laughed together many times since, getting to know one another, sharing stories, learning about each others lives......

Not long after that first visit to Lourmarin in 2006, Nanou persuaded her husband to move there from Bologna, Italy. Shortly afterwards Nanou opened Rose de Bagatelle (named after Bagatelle Park in Paris where she has fond memories of walking with her grandfather.) Luring her daughter Tatiana from Paris to run the shop with her, Tatiana initially wanted to explore other locations in Provence. However she quickly understood her mother’s entrancement with Lourmarin.

“There is something about this place.” Nanou told me wistfully “It is difficult to put into words, I call it the ‘Lourmarin effect’. Tatiana felt it too."

Inside Rose de Bagatelle, 18 Rue du Temple, Lourmarin

Domaine La Cavale

Months after meeting Nanou, those delicate threads spun their invisible magic again. During a visit to a local wine domaine La Cavale, the vivacious and knowledgeable young woman who spent over an hour with us explaining about the grapes and the wine and all things viticulture turned out to be Tatiana…….

La Cavale, 3017 Route de Lourmarin, Cucuron

 As delightful as her mother, Tatiana works at La Cavale and Rose de Bagatelle. 

The tasting room of Domain La Cavale

Had Zennat in San Francisco not followed my blog and not got in touch maybe I'd still not have met Nanou, a lady who lives in Lourmarin and spends half her life in USA. If Tatiana hadn't been so engaging maybe we'd never have chatted and I'd never have discovered she was Nanou's daughter. Somehow I think those 'small world' ethereal threads will just keep spinning and connecting.............

If you are in the Luberon do visit the state of the art winery at La Cavale. And 10 minutes away in the middle of Lourmarin, Nanou and Tatiana's charming boutique, Rose de Bagatelle where you'll find clothes, accessories and jewelry which as their website says ‘are as elegant as these ladies are feminine.' 

Rose de Bagatelle

18 Rue du Temple, Lourmarin 84160

 +33 490 791 282 

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Lourmarin is ready for Fête de Noël. Frosty white fir trees have appeared along our petite rue below a canopy of lights.

Throughout the village, once night has fallen, these fine strings of twinkle line the streets in rows of sparkling ribbons.

The stores are full of Christmas treasures and stay open later to help the busy shoppers.

Amongst ancient, stone buildings, along narrow, cobbled streets, somehow everything appears just that bit more entrancing.

Enticing seasonal settings

to celebrate the time of year.

Opening the shutters to find the world transformed by a soft, powdery, icing sugar dusting of snow completed the enchantment.

Bundled in up in scarves and mittens I tried to encapsulate my fairy tale village adorned in a winter gown.

Almost expecting  'Mr Tumnus' to be hiding behind the lamp posts

and from the church, the sweet voices of children in the village choir. It felt as if Lourmarin was preparing for her very own Christmas story.

For as we ventured out, driving only a short distance, the snow seemed to have only fallen on Lourmarin. Beautiful elsewhere but not quiet as magical.

The streets of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence were lined with les sapins; fir trees adorned with satin, bows and bells.

The shop windows were bedecked in seasonal finery, both in Saint-Rémy

and Uzès.

Our lovely Rue de la Grande Bourgade, where we'd once lived in Uzès, looking more festive than any other.

A truly special part of the world at any time of year and one which was hard to tear ourselves away from.

Packing our suitcases we prepared ourselves for our journey home. No deserted stables or donkeys but crowded airport terminals and rental cars; no reindeer driven sleighs but enormous metal birds quite equally miraculous to transport us back across the skies. We're returning to our other home, briefly pausing in that treasured place where we are from before taking off again to a very different place but also a very special one. This English girl in love with Provence is finally going 'home', 'home' for the Holidays..........

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I am delighted to share my recent interview with Carolyne at Perfectly Provence about my World War II novel, The Sunflower Field:

The Sunflower Field, a World War II Novel set in Provence ~ by Perfectly Provence

Inspired by her expat experiences in the South of France, Caroline Longstaffe began writing her blog “Shutters and Sunflowers” in 2012. Her stories transport you from the United States to Provence, with the occasional dispatch from the United Kingdom. Longstaffe’s articles, provide readers with well-researched “Travel Tips from an English Girl in California, in love with Provence.“

Since 1999, San Francisco has been home-base for the Longstaffe family. However, once their children were pursuing advanced study programs in Europe, it seemed like the time to explore the couple’s dream of owning a house in the South of France. Although they spent 18 months between Uzès and Lourmarin, they did not come away with a new home. However, did have a deeper enthusiasm for the area. Read the full backstory here.

On her return to California, Caroline Longstaffe had the germ of an idea for a novel. A book inspired by real World War II characters set in Provence. After, two years of research and writing she has finished the draft of her debut novel – “The Sunflower Field.”  The book combines Longstaffe’s background as a student and teacher of history, with her love of Provence.

It may have been serendipity when Longstaffe discovered, through her mother, this historical nugget:

I was already familiar with the Polish cryptologists, Jerzy Rozycki Marian Rejewski and Henryk Zygalski and that they, contrary to what most people think, were the first people to crack the Enigma code, but I had no idea that they had lived in Uzès.

Caroline Longstaffe agreed to share some of the novel’s details with Perfectly Provence readers. “The Sunflower Field is their story, interwoven with a fictitious story set in 2010 about the solving of a second world war mystery.”

What is the Polish cryptologists’ connection with Uzès?

The Polish cryptologists first cracked the Nazi’s communication system – Enigma – in 1932 in Poland. They shared their intelligence with the Allies, in 1939, on the eve of World War II. Escaping the Nazi invasion of Poland, the trio went to Paris to join an Allied code-breaking group working closely with the British team at Bletchley Park. Alan Turing came from Bletchley to visit them in January, but by May with the capitulation of France, they fled again, this time to Algeria. A few months later the three Poles secretly crept back into southern France arriving at Château des Fouzes in Uzès. Here, they continued their vital work (decoding messages from North Africa) for the next two years assisted by the Resistance.

What spoke to you about this war era story?

During times of war, people are frequently called upon to do extraordinary things, finding inner strength, which they never realised they possessed. I have often wondered whether I would have been able to find such courage. What would I have done if I had been in the perilous situations they confronted? The bravery and fortitude of such people, especially those involved in espionage and the Resistance, within the enemy occupied territory, is both humbling and often inconceivable in its magnitude.

Weaving the threads of a story within such a rich tapestry, during the treacherous days of World War II was, in part, a way of exploring such ‘what if’ questions. As a historian, once I learned the story of the Poles, whose work was the foundation for one of the most significant contributions to the ending of World War II, setting my story during the war was enticing and irresistible.

Can you describe your character, Collette?

Collette is an eighteen-year-old member of the Resistance. A young girl caught up in the horrors of war, coping with stressful situations. Someone with a steadfast determination to play her part whatever the cost, but at the same time still a young girl. At times struggling with the misery of her situation, with her raw emotions and someone, like most young girls, capable of falling in love. I hope that her courage and resolve leaps from the pages!

The code breakers were based in Uzès. What is the book’s connection with Provence?

Provence is the primary setting of the story. The Sunflower Field tells the cryptologists’ story interwoven with a fictitious story set in the present. When in 2010, Sophie’s father dies, she finds a letter written in 1944 which takes her to Uzès and then to Lourmarin. She finds herself unravelling a spellbinding wartime drama. A mystery involving a priceless art treasure and the indomitable Resistance, both of which prove to have connections with the present. The bulk of the narrative, set during the war and in 2010, takes place in either Uzès or Lourmarin. Provence is the stage for “The Sunflower Field.”

How did you do your research for the novel?

As a student and teacher of history, the research was fascinating. The book takes places in two eras, the story of the cryptologists in 1940-42 and solving the mysterious letter in the present. For the World War II part, I have endeavoured to incorporate an account of what happened by introducing some fictional characters to facilitate the intertwining of their story within that of the present day.

Some of my research was done online and from resources such as the Uzès archive office. I also interviewed local French people who shared their genuine and fascinating stories. These have enriched the narrative by retelling real events. My desire is that in addition to revealing the truth about the Polish decoders, “The Sunflower Field” will deepen the understanding of life during the Second World War by the sharing of these incredible tales.

What advice do you have for anyone thinking they might want to write a book?

Have a passion for your subject. Just as in any creative process, the biggest challenge is believing in yourself enough to keep going. Like many things in life, it is easy to abandon your dreams, and convince yourself that what you are trying to create is not worth the effort. Don’t allow that little bird called ‘doubt’ and her twin sister ‘fear’ to land on your shoulder and stay there. If you have a passion for what it is you are trying to create you will succeed in finishing your project.

As much as I would love my book to become a best-seller, and I have the cast for the screenplay all picked out. If that never happens, I have a sense of accomplishment in knowing that I didn’t give up! I have written a book, and even if it isn’t that good, I did it. It is my debut novel, and I am sure I have much to learn. But how do we learn, if not by the actual doing. Maybe what I learned next will help me with the sequel.

How did you land on the title for your book?

As you know, my blog is called Shutters and Sunflowers. Because those wonderful French shutters and endless fields of sunflowers are two things that come to mind when I think of Provence. I didn’t plan to choose a book title to connect it to my blog, the title found me…

We look forward to reading “The Sunflower Field” to discover more about the brave Polish code breakers, Collette and Sophie. Read more of Caroline’s blog posts and travel tips here.

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My life, as an English girl living in California in love with Provence, spending time in these three special places is made easier by just how interconnected our world has become. Sometimes I feel it’s as if we live in a iridescent spiders web of connectivity, gossamer veins joining us to everyone, everywhere.

And a few days ago those fine shimmering threads, that so intertwine our lives came together in a way that can only be described as unbelievably serendipitous.

My daughter, Kate, as many of you know, is currently living in Michigan and the other day she was chatting with her work colleague and friend in New York. As friends do, they share their joys and sorrows which sadly for many months has included the worry of her friend’s sister’s ill health. During their last call Kate’s friend mentioned how supportive her sister’s in-laws have been, despite the fact that they live far away. When Kate inquired, that far away place turned out to be France, not just any town anywhere in France but Uzès…….

Kate was amazed, she explained that she knew Uzès that she knew it really well, that I had lived there and that she had been there several times.

Kate was also surprised to learn that her friend’s brother-in-law was French …… only to be told that he wasn’t French but British,

like his parents, who had retired to France from England several years ago, he a doctor, she a midwife.

Light bulbs began to illuminate the telephone strands from Michigan to New York and then became quite dazzling when Kate was further told that the father-in-law had been a radiologist. Hardly believing that what she was thinking could be true, she gingerly inquired their names, remembering some friends of mine she had met in Uzès, he a retired radiologist and she a midwife. ………

And yes, they were one and the same people, coincidence, serendipity or what?!

So a phone conversation between Michigan

and New York

became about my British friends who live in Uzès….

and their son is married to my daughter’s friend’s sister who lives in New York….  

And my daughter, who is connecting all these dots, lives in Michigan.

A phone call from Michigan to California explained this incredible serendipity to me

and then I cast those incandescent strands even further with a call from California to Uzès….

Once my astounded friend in Uzès has taken all this in, she remarked "how strange, just this morning I was sitting in the market place in Uzès at the coffee shop where we used to go together wondering, 'when might Caroline next be here?'"

Actually sooner than she thinks…….and very soon I, in California, hope to hear from my friend in Uzès of happier news; better health for her lovely daughter-in-law in New York whose sister works with my daughter in Michigan…..

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I am often asked if I could help to plan a stay in Lourmarin, so voilà! This itinerary would work from any of the nearby Luberon villages, I've planned it round my favourite market days, listed below. But don't rush around too much, allow yourself to simply ‘be’ ~ to enjoy just being there, immersing yourself in the captivating ambience of this intoxicating part of the world! And don't forget if you need a place to stay I have a village house right in the middle of the village, do get in touch if you're interested in learning more.

SUNDAY

Maybe a day to stay home, explore the village, discover the story of the Lourmarin chateau.Perhaps take a drive around the immediate vicinity, visit the chateau in tiny Ansouis or sample the local wine at the neighbouring vineyards, Château Constantin just along the road from should not be missed, tell the owners that I recommended you visit them, they will take extra special care of you! Sunday is a very popular day for the French to go out for lunch so definitely make a reservation. If you have just arrived & need to stock the pantry, local supermarkets close at lunch time, locations & hours below.

MONDAY

Within 30 minutes
 THE LUBERON
Drive up to Bonnieux, visit the Bread Museum (1 April - 31 October: 1 pm to 6 pm every day except Tuesdays). Enjoy a lazy lunch in the lovely gardens of La Bergerie, afterwards discover Lacoste Ménerbes & the nearby wine domaines before meandering the streets of the ghost town of Oppède-le-Vieux. If you wanted to book a wine tour for later in the week we loved Avignon Wine Tours.

Within 90 minutes 
Avignon (70Km) visit Les Palais des Papes and Avignon's famous bridge Pont d'Avignon/Bénézet, remember the song 'Sur La Pont D'Avignon?' Click here for what to see in Avignon.  Combine a trip to Avignon with a visit to its neighbouring iconic wine region Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

 The Roman towns of Arles (84km) and Nimes (115km) & their incredible Roman arenas.
Aigues Mortes (130km) the most well preserved medieval walled city in Europe, famous for its salt, Le Saunier de Camargue, mined since the 8th century, factory tours available, so worth the drive!

TUESDAY

Gordes and Roussillon
Tuesday is market day in Gordes! After lunch maybe visit the Le Village des Bories. Don't miss L'Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Senanque, a great photo opportunity especially in June when the lavender is blooming. The tour takes an hour & is in French but is a fascinating insight into a working Silent Order. Then continue on to explore the ochre wonders of the village of nearby Roussillon.

WEDNESDAY

 St Remy-de-Provence, Les Baux de Provence & Carrières de Lumières
If you only do one day trip it should be to the video art spectacle at Carrières de Lumières by the perched village of Les Baux de Provence. Admission to the château ruins at Les Baux (an excellent self-guided audio tour, allow an hour)  and to Carrières de Lumières is combined at a discounted rate if you have time. 

Visit on a Wednesday, stopping first at the charming town of St Remy-de-Provence where it's market day. Have lunch in St Remy (poor options at Les Baux) before you take the short drive through the olive groves & vineyards; the view of Les Baux will catch your breath as it become visible on the rocky escarpment to your right!

Within 90 minutes
If you are feeling in need of some sea breezes, Wednesday (& Friday) is also market day in the pretty coastal town of Cassis.
 Take a boat tour to see the incredible finger like inlets Les Calanques de Cassis.

THURSDAY

Within 30 minutes
Bonnieux  Lacoste, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux  ~ see Monday. This time have lunch at the delicious La Terrasse in Goult. If like me, you love the film 'A Good Year' (shot locally in Bonnieux & The Luberon) you could visit Chateau la Canorgue & the filming locations, click here for details.

If you haven't already done so maybe this is your day to spend in beautiful Aix-en-Provence. (39km)

Within 90 minutes
Avignon(70Km), Nimes(115km), Arles(84km) and Aigues Mortes(130km) ~ (see Monday)

FRIDAY

Lourmarin market day
Stay local enjoy the market and lunch in the village!!

SATURDAY

Within 30 minutes
Market day in Apt. You could drive back from here on a different route stopping for lunch at L’Auberge des  Tilleuls in Grambois and then go on to the Occitane factory at Manosque. If you still haven't been to Aix-en-Provence go there today!!!
Within 90 minutes 
Uzès' (107km) Market day, reputedly the best market in Provence, if you haven't visited this delightful bastide city it is truly heaven, again leave early parking is tough on Saturdays, click here for the Uzès Travel Guide! Do stop at the Roman Aqueduct Pont du Gard (UNESCO site) on your way home, quite unforgettable!

SUNDAY

l'Isle sur la Sorgue antique market, stroll the rows of antique stalls by the canals! Great fun but get there early as parking is tough and beware, prices are higher than Paris!! Afterwards you could visit Fontaine de Vaucluse the mysterious source of the Vaucluse river!

MARKET DAYS IN PROVENCE

Monday: Cadenet, Cavaillon, Lauris
Tuesday: Cucuron, Pertuis, Gordes, Lacoste, Coustellet, La Tour d'Aigues, St Saturnin les Apt
Wednesday: Mérindol,Cheval-Blanc, Salt, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, St Remy-de-Provence, Le Thor, Nimes, Cassis
Thursday: Goult, Ménerbes, Rousillon, Pertuis, Lauris, L'Isle sur la Sorgue, Aix-en-Provence,- La Motte d'Aigues & Ménerbes evenings
Friday: Lourmarin, Lagnes,, Les Taillades, Bonnieux, Aix-en-Provence, Cucuron evenings July & August, Cassis
Saturday: L'Isle sur la Sorgue, Maubec, Vaugines, Mérindol, Apt May- mid November, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, St Remy-de-Provence, Uzès
Sunday: L'Isle sur la Sorgue antiques, Ansouis, Coustellet, Mormoiron, Aix-en-Provence, Aigues Mortes

LOCAL SUPERMARKETS
Lourmarin  
VIVAL: Place du Clos Building Savournin 84160 Lourmarin
~ just along from the Tourist Office, a small grocery shop
Tuesday - Saturday: 08:30-13:00/15:30-19:00  Sunday:08:30-13:00 Monday:closed

SUPERT TAF 2:  42 Rue Philippe De Girard 84160 Lourmarin

BOULANGERIE:  8 Rue Henri de Savornin 84160 Lourmarin
Tuesday - Sunday: 07:00-13:00/15:00-19:00  (Summer hours:15h30-19h30)

Larger Supermarkets
SUPER U PUYVERT: RN 913  84160 Puyvert ~ a 5 minute drive towards Lauris.
Open every day 09.00-20.00 Sunday until 13.00

CARREFOUR PERTUIS:  Route d'Aix En Provence, 84120 Pertuis ~23 minutes drive
Mon- Sat:08.30-20.30 Sunday:08.30-12.30 (In Pertuis there are a few large supermarkets)

To read more about this beautiful region download the printable The Lourmarin Travel Guide

If you need an on-sight expert contact Christel. Christel manages my village house Maison des Cerises in Lourmarin. She also offers wonderful gourmet cooking and other great concierge services. Christel has a wealth of local knowledge, speaks fluent English & is charming. Tell her you found her through me, she'd be delighted to help make your visit special.

There are many others places I've yet to discover, let me know what you find!

The post Plan a stay in Lourmarin the Luberon, Provence appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

Easily reached on a day's excursion from Lourmarin is the one of the most magnificent cities of Provence, Avignon and vibrant university town of Aix-en-Provence.

The Mediterranean coast is a short drive further; Marseilles, and the quaint fishing towns of Bandol and Cassis.

Not more than an hour from Lourmarin are the charms of Provence's Bouches-du-Rhône region; the bustling market town of St Remy-de-Provence and probably the most splendid of all of Provence's perched villages; Les Baux-de-Provence!

Uzès and the World UNESCO Heritage site, The Pont du Gard, are under two hours from Lourmarin, well worth a visit!

Avignon

Aix-en-Provence

This colourful university city in the Bouches-du-Rhône region of Provence is only 30 minutes from Lourmarin. Stroll the famous Cours de Mirabeau, visit the wonderful daily markets and walk in the footsteps of Cézanne and other great artists, you'll be entranced!

Cassis and Bandol

St- Remy-de-Provence

Les Baux-de-Provence

Les Carrières de Lumières

Uzès

Pont du Gard

The post Cities of Provence an hour from Lourmarin appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

There are many places to dine near Uzès, all just a short drive away.
Amidst the rolling countryside,
abundant with vineyards and olive groves ,
you'll find a few special dining spots,
worth driving a little way out of town for!

LA BEGUDE ST PIERRE

HOSTELLERIE LE CASTELLAS

LE TRACTEUR

The post Where to eat in the Uzès vicinity appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.

 The fabulous Uzès market can be found every Wednesday and Saturday
by the arches of its magnificent central square, Place-aux-Herbes.
On Wednesdays in the Uzès market you'll find smiling locals offer mouthwatering, regional produce.
Cheeses, garlic, wine, flowers, lavender, olive oil, honey and soaps.
On a Saturday at the Uzès market the stalls tumble out onto the streets,
baskets, linens, jewelry and art, everything and more
that you would hope to discover in a marché-provencal!
Take a peek here, I think you'll see what I mean!

Download The Uzès, Travel Guide for Uzès  and the surrounding regions of Languedoc Roussillon and Provence.

The post Visit the Uzès Markets! appeared first on Shutters & Sunflowers.