A Great Day in Provence

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

A friend of mine, Julie Mautner, asked me to how Val and I would spend a nice day in and around St-Rémy. That was hard because there are so many fun things to see and do that I had trouble deciding.

But decide I did, describing a lovely day of hiking with Val in the Alpilles mountains, eating lunch at a favorite restaurant, wine tasting, and buying delicious olive oil. Dogs are welcome in France, so of course our good girl Mica would come along to everything.

You can read all about our great Provençal day in The Provence Post!

New and Improved!

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

I’ve written two guidebooks about Provence, sharing my insights after nearly 20 years of living here part of the year. I update them regularly because things change–restaurants close, new ones open, and I’m always discovering interesting things to include.

The 2026 versions are now available! I even updated the cover on the St-Rémy guide.

Please let your friends know about my books if they are coming to this lovely corner of France.

There is a nice review / interview about the Provence guide that you can read in Perfectly Provence.

Here are the links to An Insider’s Guide to Provence and An Insider’s Guide to St-Rémy-de-Provence.

Are the French Too Conservative?

Posted on February 18, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

“It’s ok to fail.”

I was struck when my French friend told me this over coffee in Palo Alto. We had been talking about her husband’s startup company—he was trying to raise new capital, and if he didn’t succeed his company would soon run out of money.

“It must be stressful,” I said, “not knowing if he’ll be able to keep his company alive.”

“Yes,” she said, “but we’ll be ok if it doesn’t work out. One of the things I’ve learned from living in the United States is that it’s ok to fail. That’s not true in France. There, if you fail you have a black mark that follows you forever.”

Are the French too conservative? Or is it more that they cherish and protect their heritage?

I share my thoughts on the subject in France Today!

Rest Stops in France

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

If you are driving through France and need a place to stretch your legs, use the facilities, and maybe get something to eat, where do you go? Especially if there is not a decent-sized town for miles?

The answer: an aire.

An aire is what English-speaking countries call a rest stop, motorway service area, lay-by, or something similar. Aires are generally clean, convenient, and well-maintained.

Like rest stops, there are different kinds of aires in France.

Read about aires and how to find them in The Good Life France!

Dry January in France

Posted on January 28, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

There is a program called Dry January that encourages drinkers to forgo alcohol for the month and ask themselves questions like: How many drinks do I have a day? Why? And how do I deal with the social pressure to drink?

Begun in the UK in 2013, Dry January has spread throughout the world. In 2020 it was launched in France as Défi de janvier (January challenge), but it was unclear if it would be welcomed in a country where wine is an important part of daily life.

Surprisingly, this month-without-alcohol has been a success, though not without controversy.

Read all about it in Bonjour Paris!

A Conversation with Author Mark Greenside

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

In Mark Greenside is one of my favorite authors. His books are funny, thoughtful, and always a good read.

In 1992, at the age of 47, he bought a house—almost by accident—in a tiny Breton village. He has lived there ever since, splitting his time between Brittany and California.

His three books about life in France are full of self-deprecating humor and interesting insights. You can read my review of them at MyFrenchLife.

Even better, on February 7, I’ll be chatting with Mark about his life in Brittany. Please join us! You can find more details and sign up here.

France’s Most-Loved Bestsellers Now in English

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

The French love to read—the average français knocks off more than a book a month. But what do they read? Is it all Proust and Flaubert or are there some page turners in there?

If you’d like to read like the French do, you’re in luck, because many of their recent best-sellers are now available in English. They are typically translated a few years after publication, especially the top prize winners.

I’ve put together a selection of recent best-sellers in France that you can read in English. You’ll find serious novels, thrillers, non-fiction, and France’s favorite Gaul, Asterix.

Read all about it in France Today!

How to Sound Like You are From Provence

Posted on January 7, 2026 by Keith Van Sickle

It’s a new year and in Provence people are telling each otherl Diéu nous fague la gràci de vèire l’an que vèn, e se noun sian pas mai, que noun fugen pas mens !

This is in the Provençal language and translates as “May God grant us the grace to see the new year, and if there are not more, let there be not be less!” In other words, even if no babies are born, let’s hope nobody dies!

I’ve always liked this expression and have learned a few more in my time in Provence. Most are in French, and some are pretty funny.

Read about 15 fun Provençal expressions in Frenchly!

7 Tips for Understanding French Wine

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Keith Van Sickle

With all of the holidays this time of year, you may want to buy wine to add to the festivities, and the French make some of the best. But the labels can be confusing–how can you figure them out? What should you buy?

I’ve put together a primer on French wines to help you make sense of all this. It points you to wines for different tastes, and don’t worry it’s not about the expensive stuff.

Learn about the basics of French wine in Frenchly!

Making French Friends

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Keith Van Sickle

For the last 20 years, Val and I have split our time between California and Provence, and before that we lived and worked in Switzerland.

When we were in Switzerland, our social circle was mostly made up of fellow expats. But in France we wanted a difference experience–we wanted to make French friends.

Given the reputation the French have for being aloof, we expected this to be a struggle. But it wasn’t hard at all, and today some of our best friends are French. How did we do it? Read about some of the things we’ve learned in France Today!