The New York Times called Chocolat Bonnat, “The best chocolate we had ever eaten.”
Noted food writer David Lebovitz said, “There was an explosion of flavor like I’d never experienced before.”
Is this the best chocolate in the world? Read all about it at The Good Life France.
You’ve probably heard of famous magicians like David Copperfield and Penn & Teller, and maybe even earlier ones like The Great Houdini. But did you know that the man considered the father of modern magic was French? And that he’s the reason magicians today wear top hats and tails?
Read the whole story at Frenchly!
I recently picked up a book called Legendes de Provence by Eugene Bressy. Over the next few months I’ll dive into some of these stories and let you decide whether you believe them or not. The first one was about the fearsome Tarasque monster.
Here’s the second one, about truth, lies and jealousy in the court of the Count of Provence. As Molière once said, “There are no ramparts against gossip.”
Read all about it at Perfectly Provence!
Becoming a fonctionnaire (government bureaucrat) is a popular career choice in France. Fonctionnaires have jobs for life, lots of vacation, and they are known for not working very hard. This makes them envied but also the butt of a lot of jokes. You can read all about the life of a fonctionnaires in France, plus learn a few of the best jokes, here at Frenchly.
I recently picked up a book called Legendes de Provence by Eugene Bressy. It’s a series of short stories about the legends of Provence: famous heroes, spiritual leaders and the occasional monster. Over the next few months I’ll dive into some of these stories and let you decide whether you believe them or not.
I’ll start with the most famous legend of them all, that of the fearsome Tarasque, who terrorized Provence until he met a plucky young lady named…Well, I’ll let you read all about it at Perfectly Provence.
My wife Val and I spend part of each year in Provence and it’s allowed us to learn the language and appreciate French culture. We knew before we moved there that food and wine are a big part of French life but we didn’t realize quite how big until our neighbor Fabienne gave us a “taste” of real French life. She invited us to her birthday party, which went on and on and on…
Read my funny story about a real French birthday party at A French Collection.
She was the most powerful woman in 16th-century Europe, ruling France for nearly 20 years. She brought haute cuisine to the country, created the Tuileries Garden in Paris, and was responsible for one of the bloodiest massacres in French history. People thought she was a sorceress who murdered her enemies. Her name is Catherine de Medici and she was one tough lady.
Read her fascinating story at Frenchly.
French wine is delicious, but it can be intimidating…and expensive! What to do?
Here’s a friendly introduction to French wines–how to read the label, how to pronounce the names, what they taste like. All of these wines are easy on the budget and widely available.
Check it out at Frenchly!
“Every day my cooking has to be great.”
That’s Emmanuel Billaud, the owner and chef at Le Clos Saint Roch in Maussane-les-Alpilles, a charming town near St-Rémy. He once won the award for “best-value” restaurant in Paris and has now opened a delightful place in Provence.
If you want a great meal at a great price, be sure to check it out! You can read all about it at Perfectly Provence.
France is a country with a lot of traditions, and some of the best come from Provence. You may have seen people there playing pétanque, or heard the story about Saint Martha and the Tarasque. But how about the Blessing of the Truffles? Or the young men in their tight white pants? And don’t forget the great sheep migration!
Read all about these and other fun traditions at Frenchly.