Provence from Fayence: Provence Guide

Folk from Seattle stung by weight restrictions on French Riviera sojourn

This sad episode is the only blight on pleasant stay in Provence by decent folk from Seattle. A few tips for the traveller, as well. Does this mean all their mates will come?

More about the Mistral: the icy wind that hits Provence from the North

Prompted by the comparison between french onion soup and the Mistral, I have been doing some research. The Beeb, as ever, comes up trumps.

I also enjoyed this wind mapping tool on XC Weather. Any visiting Provence should choose France and look at those arrows down Fayence way before catching that last minute flight.

French onion soup experience like the Provence's Mistral

I am not altogether convinced by this analogy. Generally, the big winds in Provence are not met with open arms - unlike the soup. The Mistral is cold (routinely shaving 5c off the already cool temperature) and the other one - whose name escapes me - blows sand everywhere, especially up in the hills around us in Fayence and Mons.

Still, love all the recipes!

Tomme de Savoie

The "chariot de fromages" is one of my great alltime moments at any restaurant in Provence. The endless list of resonant cheese names is a constant treat. I loved this description of Tomme Affinée au Marc de Raisin and the matching photo. Gorgeous yuk!

Mobile phone world descends on Cannes

Whilst the glitterati rabbit on about 3G, mp3, mms, video downloads etc - 45 minutes away, there is no mobile reception up near Fayence and Mons. The telco executives would, no doubt, be lost without the always-on connection. At our house, we have not even installed TV. But the France Telecom works.

Carol Drinkwater extols virtues of the Provence cailletier olive

Ms. Drinkwater wrote two books about her purchase and restoration of an olive-yielding property outside Mougins near Cannes. We liked it and it gives a great feeling of what it's like to own all those cailletiers.

This article in the Mail highlights a few of her picks for the area.

Fayence: the gliding capital of

Fayence: the gliding capital of Provence
Well, this really takes the biscuit! Fayence - "a delightful historical hilltop village that benefits from a mediterranean micro-climate " - has been called a lot of things, but never this. I am also encouraged to read that "Fayence is particularly recommended by doctors and there are convalescent homes and a cardiac centre nearby." My retirement strategy in nearby Mons is safe!

Marseille targetted by fun-loving females

A bit too Western Provence for Fayence-lovers, but I loved this potted history of Marseille: "It has lost its privileges to sundry French kings and foreign armies, recovered its fortunes, suffered plagues, religious bigotry, republican and royalist Terror and had its own Commune and Bastille-storming."

Stelios launches no frills cruise off the coast of Provence

"Closer to a passenger ferry" says Anne Campbell, editor of CruiseMates.com. The things will stop at Cannes, St. Tropez, Monte Carlo & Portofino. Sounds quite jolly for $150 per day.

Swiss call for tax on

Swiss call for tax on nasty tin-pot dictators on the Côte d'Azur
Marvellous quote in response to M. Chirac's demands for taxing secret bankers. "A far better idea would be if the oh-so-pious French were to impose a tax on nasty tin-pot dictators who purchase real estate on the Côte d'Azur, topped up with a tax on French bank loans and arms sales to countries with brutally repressive regimes."