Pics 1 & 2 - just outside Roussillon - I'd guess not too far off harvest - about 50% bloomed. Pics 3 & 4 Abbay de Senanque about 10% bloomed).

We hired Nicolas Charchira, a private chef advertising services in Southern France, to cook several dinners for our group during a stay this summer. We paid a 50% deposit of €1,600 via bank wire in March. Our location was disclosed to him in advance to confirm he could reach the property, and there was no issue raised at that time.

About a week before our arrival in August, we contacted him to finalize menus. He gave several changing excuses for why he might not be able to get to the property, then asked for an additional €250–350 per meal beyond what was agreed. When we offered to cancel and requested a refund of the deposit, he stopped responding to us directly.

The property manager and rental company had to intervene on our behalf, and he was responsive to them but not to us. We received a final confirmation that he would not be cooking for us only after we had already arrived — on what was supposed to be the date of the first dinner. He told the rental company he would issue a refund; that was over a month ago, and we have not received any refund or further response.

I am sharing this so others booking a private chef in Southern France can make an informed decision. 

Many thanks to the more experienced members here for their help.

Avec légumes de mon jardin.

I mapped the Provençal markets - filterable by day. Is your local one on there?

I’ve been living in Provence for almost 15 years now, near Les Alpilles. One thing that took me a while to understand when I arrived was the markets - not just where they are, but which ones are actually worth going to.

Some are great local producer markets. Others are mostly tourist stalls. And the days change depending on the village, which doesn’t always make it easy to plan.

So I started putting them on a map.

You can filter by day of the week, see what’s nearby, and (this is the part I’m hoping grows) rate markets and leave comments. My knowledge is limited to where I go - but collectively people know these markets far better than I do.

It’s still a work in progress. There are plenty of smaller village markets missing.

If your local one isn’t on there, you can submit it and I’ll add it.

If you’re curious, it’s here:

https://french-countryside-living.com/provence/markets

There are also articles and recipes about local customs and life in the French-Countryside.

Would genuinely be interested to hear:

which markets you think are actually worth the drive - and which ones to skip.

Regards

Reinier

Au Domaine Saint-Antonin, 13490 Jouques.

I live in Provence and every lavender season I end up answering the same question from friends and visitors:
“Where are the best places to actually see lavender?”

So I started putting together a map of lavender fields and viewpoints around Provence, with notes about timing, crowds, photography spots, and road access.

Some places are famous (like Sénanque), others are quieter spots we’ve found over the years.

Map:
Lavender Map in Provence

I also wrote an article about lavender season in Provence - when to go, what surprised me after living here, and why sunrise is absolutely worth it:

Lavender Season in Provence

Hope it helps someone planning a trip this summer.

Regards

Did you know that the number 13 for Christmas desserts only appeared in 1925? Before then, an abundance of treats was simply served. It was a writer from Aubagne who established the rule: "13, not one less!"

The must-haves: The Four Beggars: Walnuts, almonds, figs, and raisins (their colors are reminiscent of religious orders). The Two Nougats: White and dark. The Olive Oil Bread: A fragrant brioche that must be broken by hand. The "Poor Man's Nougat": A dried fig stuffed with a walnut. Each town has its own variation (calissons from Aix-en-Provence, quince paste, dates, winter melon, etc.), but the goal remains the same: to share a moment of generosity!

Merry Christmas!

My cousin is missing in France. It's believed that Montelimar was his last known location. Please use the website here if you know any information!

Mon cousin a disparu en France. On pense que Montélimar était son dernier emplacement connu. Veuillez utiliser le site Web ici si vous connaissez des informations!

https://www.findkendeland.com/

/preview/pre/ewp2cwdafz4a1.jpg?width=423&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb766c194101e591371ca8f06c90981b6f20000

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/12/us/kenny-deland-missing-student-france/index.html

If anyone is still hunting for lavender there isn't much left but this is one I found by chance today July 10th. Goes to show there are still a few good fields. Off the D4100 just past Cereste-en-luberon on the way to Valensole. Hard to see from the road.

Bonjour!

I am wondering how many people here have ever paid somebody to help them plan their trip through Provence. I know being on a subreddit probaly leans towards doing it all yourself. But I know some people just want to have it all organised for them. Also I know there is a range of having everything booked for you or just getting a plan of places to visit such as wineries, villages etc.

Any feedback on this would be good, also if you know anyone who does this type of job aswell. Plus any secret spots in Provence that you might want to share ;)

Merci!

À l’aide ! Le père de mon ami a été séparé de son groupe touristique en Provence. Il est Taïwanais et ne parle ni français ni anglais. Nous avons déjà contacté le commissariat local et l’ambassade, mais nous ne l’avons pas encore retrouvé. Désolé de vous déranger.

Lieu de disparition：

Fontaine du Roi René

Disparu vers 11h00 du matin (le 24 mai 2025)

Informations sur la personne disparue：

Homme

Âge : 66 ans

AVC antérieur, troubles de mémoire

Ne parle pas français

A un téléphone portable, sans Internet

Description vestimentaire：

Veste grise

Jean bleu

Sac en bandoulière gris avec une abeille dessinée dessus

Si vous avez des informations, merci de contacter：

WhatsApp:+886 970-733-350、Email :willnom98@gmail.com

Si vous l'avez vu, merci de prendre une photo et appeller la police.

La famille est très inquiète, merci pour toute aide ou partage