Jean de Florette…My Father’s Glory…Marius and Fanny. These and other beloved works were all written by Marcel Pagnol, the bard of Provence. Ask a local what author best describes their part of the world and chances are they’ll name Pagnol.
A fascinating character, Marcel Pagnol was not only an author but also a great filmmaker, the first to be elected into the prestigious Académie française. And he’s my favorite French author. No one else can conjure life in the south of France the way he can.
Want to learn more? Read my article about Pagnol in Perfectly Provence!
I just found your website and the Life in Provence blog. I love it and already subscribed! Both are so helpful! Thank you!
I listened to the short audio excerpt from your book One Sip at a Time. Where did you all live? I heard a small village an hour north of Marseille but I didn’t quite catch the village name.
My husband and I are doing something ‘similar’ to you and Val but not for nearly as long. From Southern California, we are consultants and can work from anywhere so we are going to France for a month in the fall. We want to “blend” into a town and take advantage of its cafes, museums, markets, and parks. I would love Paris but my husband wants a small (almost village) so we are looking for a vibrant town. I looked for the perfect town outside Paris but couldn’t find one as it is such a vast search.
Provence is written about everywhere so Old Town Aix-en-Provence is at the top of my list. It seems to offer a Parisian lifestyle with a Provencial lifestyle at its fingertips. Do you think that is a correct assessment? Saint Remy, Uzes and Vaison-la-Romaine were on my list to consider but I received some feedback on Fodors that they would be too small for a month, and we’re not renting a car (except for the occasional Saturday).
Would love your thoughts on the various part of Provence and France you seem to know so well.