Provence from Fayence: Provence Guide

Cote d'Azur 1975

In our darkest moments we all imagine how horrid the French Riviera can be: the crowds, the campsites, the crush on the beaches, the traffic and the pollution.

The Cote d'Azur in summer, can be, let's face it, a bit grim. This TV footage - backed by an exquisite deadpan delivery and an ominous soundtrack and drumbeat - grimly covers the problem.

And that was in 1975!

PS. It's in French.

St Tropez promo video

St Tropez got me quite excited when I discovered this. Nearly enough to induce me to brave the awful traffic to get there.

Provence Rosé picks

New York's wine cognoscenti are recommending five rosés from Provence for good 'ol BBQs this summer - and I quote:

• Chateau de l'Escarelle 2005: An aromatic nose, fruity and sensual, make this wine ideal with spicy food.
• Chateau Miraval 2005: Made from handpicked old cinsault vines and new grenache, this pale-colored, refreshing, delicately fruity wine has a bracing acidity. Try it with spicy barbecue.
• Chateau du Galoupet 2005: Elegant and complex, this full-bodied wine comes from one of only 18 estates that are permitted to produce cru classification wines in the Provencal region. It's perfect with spicy Provencal cuisine and would stand up to real barbecue.
• L'Estandon Cotes de Provence 2005: This well-balanced wine has hints of exotic fruit and is a good match for barbecue and Asian foods. It is a combination of grenache, cinsault and syrah from 150 wine growers - Cercle des Vignerons de Provence - who devote a small portion of their vineyards to making it.
• Le Grand Cros Jules Rosé 2005: Grenache and carignan grapes, macerated with the skin for a long time, give this juicy, bright wine a deep pink color and a nose of red berries. Those who have previously shied away from rosé may like it.

Provence best culinary destination

It's official. Provence is one of the top five culinary destinations on the planet. "Referred to by the locals as cuisine du soleil et du coeur—cuisine of sun and heart—Provencal gastronomy places an emphasis on using age-old recipes and methods while cooking with nothing but fresh meats and locally-grown produce in this sun-drenched corner of France. And, unlike the rest of the country, the natural flavors of food are not drowned with heavy sauces but expressed more fully with herbs and olive oil."

For a real treat, ogle at the list of Michelin-starred restuarants within 50km of Fayence.

Cannes boos Da Vinci Code

After all that publicity, it's thumbs down from the jury at Cannes for the Da Vinci Code. "There was no applause when the credits rolled; instead, a few catcalls and hisses broke the silence. No chemistry exists between the hero and heroine, and motivation remains a troubling sore point," wrote reviewer Kirk Honeycutt, panning Tom Hanks' "remote, even wooden performance."

I have owned three copies of the book (bought one, lost it, gifted another) & recognise that it is poorly written. "Langdon worried how he would tell Sophie about the history of the Knnights Templar..." If he was Langdon, that would be the last thing on my mind.

Still, the guy knows how to spin a yarn & sell a book or two. And the film rights, despite those obdurate French critics.