The heart of Apt, where the market unfolds every Saturday, is a labyrinth of narrow streets dating back to its Roman period. Julius Caesar is said to have christened the town Apta Julia in 125 BCE. Then, it was an important town on the Via Domitia, the main passage between Italy and Spain. Later, in the Middle Ages, Apt was a principal religious center. Little evidence of Apt’s Roman days remain but the lovely 11th/12th century Sainte Anne Cathedral–actually, it was relegated to a basilica in the early 19th century–dedicated to the mother of the Virgin Mary, is testimony to Apt’s importance as a religious…

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Note: This is not an experience for everyone–those with an aversion to narrow winding roads, a preference for vegetarian meals, and disinclination to dining with farm animals would want to skip this excursion. Fans of David Sedaris’ most recent book, “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary,” will no doubt be inspired. Tired of white linens, sommeliers, and Michelin stars? Consider lunch at Le Castelas, a working goat farm, for another kind of Provençal dining experience. Susan and David From Lourmarin, where La Bonbonnière, our apartment, is located, the drive is just 22 kilometers (a little over 12 miles), but—up the hill, through the woods, into…

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We are grateful to David Scott Allen of Cocoa & Lavender for developing an original menu and to Win Rhoades (proprietor of South Street and Vine) for his knowledgeable recommendations on wine and cheese.  We are indebted to Mark Sammons for his erudite synopsis of the history of Bastille Day. I was lucky enough to be in Paris on Bastille Day in 1974.  I saw tanks and military troops parade down the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, hundreds of French flags flying everywhere, and huge numbers of proud citizens lining the famous avenue from the Place de La Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile, all waiting to view…

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This post is the third in a series that will feature each of the ten markets that The Modern Trobadors always visit when in Provence. The markets were selected primarily on the basis of the quality of the offerings of the vendors and the ambiance of the venue although practicality was also considered to some extent (e.g., distance from our home in Lourmarin, market options on that day of the week, convenience of parking, etc.). Bottom line is that these are the markets we visit when we are in Provence. Again and again…and again. The Sunday Market at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a cornucopia of the usual fruits,…

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This post is the second in a series that will feature each of the ten markets that The Modern Trobadors always visit when in Provence. The markets were selected primarily on the basis of the quality of the offerings of the vendors and the ambiance of the venue although practicality was also considered to some extent (e.g., distance from our home in Lourmarin, market options on that day of the week, convenience of parking, etc.). Bottom line is that these are the markets we visit when we are in Provence. Again and again…and again. Cucuron, population hovering around 2,000, swells to capacity every Tuesday morning during…

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On June 17th, some 2,000 years after its construction, the Theatre Antique in Orange, will lift the curtain for its 142nd annual Les Chorégies d’Orange festival, the oldest festival in France.  If you are traveling in Provence, don’t miss the opportunity to attend one of the lyrical and musical performances in this extraordinary venue:  the performers world renown, the acoustics considered perfect, and the venue extraordinary.  You are guaranteed to be transported to another world. If you know Provence, you know that the Romans, who hailed over the region from the 2nd century BC to 5th century AD, left much behind.  Besides its name–Provence comes…

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The Modern Trobadors ventured beyond Provence for this story.  The Canal du Midi is a short drive from Provence–for example, it is a three-hour drive from Lourmarin to Carcassonne, the world-famous medieval castle and fortified city.  This is one of those “must-see” destinations in one’s life.     We celebrated Easter on the Canal du Midi eleven years ago.  It was a glorious day in every respect.  The details of holidays past often fade or blend together as the years go by, but that Easter stands alone from all the others for me.        For one reason, there was considerable worry among the…

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This post will be the first in a series that will feature each of the ten markets that The Modern Trobadors always visit when in Provence. (If you’d like to guess the other nine markets, you may win a cool Absinthe tote bag and a booklet on wine tasting.  See end of article for details.) The markets were selected primarily on the basis of the quality of the offerings of the vendors and the ambiance of the venue although practicality was also considered to some extent (e.g., distance from our home in Lourmarin, market options on that day of the week, convenience of parking, etc.). …

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I have been known to follow the scent of a crêpe into the depths of an unfamiliar Parisian neighborhood thereby compromising our timely arrival for dinner with friends; into the longest line in Saint-Malo—in August around the French holiday, Assomption—at one of Brittany’s oldest and clearly busiest crêperies; and into the intricate maze of the Tuesday market on a very blustery November day in Vaison-la-Romaine. I adore those thin French pancakes and when the scent of a crêpe wafts past my nose, it beckons. With my daughter in tow and my indulging husband not far behind, the detour is invariably rewarding  for all! The French…

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France is poised to implement its controversial yet very popular law that bans the full Islamic veil in all public places. On April 11th, it will take effect. At the same time, Muslim leaders in Marseille, with the support of local and national politicians, are overseeing the construction of the nation’s largest mosque. Perhaps ironically, work began the day after the French government put its stamp of approval on the burqa ban bill, back in May 2010. On the very north side of Marseille’s famous Old Port district the €22 million Grand Mosque of Marseille will soon complement Notre Dame de la Garde, the Roman…

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