ADOPT – DONATE
PROVENCE: GEOGRAPHY MATTERS
“Provence” has more efficacy as a "brand" than as a place. One rarely if ever hears any residents of the Vaucluse say that they live in "Provence." The word is heard frequently in its adjectival form: provençal.
As geography, the term "Provence" suffers abuse. The French consider contemporary 'Provence' to take in three administrative department:
- Vaucluse
- Bouches-du-Rhône
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Confusion pops up due to the administrative region PACA: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
When "Provence" is employed for the department of the Var (Toulon, St, Tropez) or the department of the Alpes-Maritime (Côte d'Azur) or even the five departments of the Languedoc-Roussillon, it is the "brand" asserting itself.
This is a regional distinction that Peter Mayle buys into 100% in his book Provence A-Z. In fact, if Mayle had been 'geographically-correct,' his iconic best seller would have been titled "A Year in the Luberon."
The Luberon and the Comtat Venaissin, referred to as the “Comtat,” are the two large regions within the Vaulcuse,
Category Archives: Reportage
Ménerbes: Wait Goes on for Buyer of Iconic Café Owned by New York Food Maven Eli Zabar, and for Pedestrians
November 15 marks the beginning of the winter season in the Luberon when numerous hotels, restaurants and cafés close, opening up in mid-March or early April. In Ménerbes, its principal café has been shuttered for nearly three years. Once a … Continue reading
PASSAGES: NORA EPHRON. REMEMBERING HER DAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH J.F.K. AND PIERRE SALINGER
“When you take someone to the airport, it’s clearly the beginning of the relationship” When Harry Met Sally (1989) The cherished screenwriter, director and author Nora Ephron, whose lustrous humor and nimble mind compelled us to laugh and to learn … Continue reading
Zen Master Meets Gentleman Farmer Meets Saffron Chef at L’Aube de Safran, a Bed and Breakfast Hideaway in Le Barroux
The backstory of L’Aube Safran (“dawn of saffron” alludes to the time of the day when saffron is harvested): A Parisian couple – Marie an interior designer and Francois an architect – check out of the claustrophobic mash of urban … Continue reading
PROVENCE ARCHITECTURE: THE TRADITION OF “PIERRE SECHE” AND “LA LAUZE”
In the Luberon and the Ventoux, farmhouses, animal shelters, walls, bridges and other structures display the ancient tradition of “pierre sèche” or dry-stone – the construction by careful stacking of stones without any adhesive or binding. Practiced worldwide, dry-stone building … Continue reading
“DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN: IN SIX WORDS OR LESS?” SUPPOSEDLY ABBREVIATED SENTIMENTS
PVB poses the following query to residents in France: “Dominique Strauss-Kahn: In six words or less?” Here are the supposedly abbreviated sentiments: “MOI, J’AIME LES FEMMES. SEXE MANIAQUE” “I LOVE WOMEN. SEX MANIAC.” Ben, artist, St.-Remy-de-Provence, July 10 … Continue reading
WSJ MAGAZINE OUT WITH A BRACING TONIC ON PIERRE CARDIN AND HIS PASSION FOR LACOSTE
In his book “Henri Cartier-Bresson : a biography,” Pierre Assouline reveals how Cartier Bresson envisioned himself as a ‘thief’ by capturing people in private and public moments and then fleeing with these “stolen images” that one would reproduce for display … Continue reading
LACOSTE REPOTTED: A DECIDEDLY ANGLOPHONE FLORA; AN ART STUDENT SLEEPOVER A WITH PRETTY VIEW
Fact or Fiction? The village of Lacoste has 450 residents as noted in an August 2009 article penned by a reporter from the Paris bureau of the New York Times (NYT). True or False? Referencing the same piece, in the … Continue reading
FOUR FRAGRANCES TO BRING TO PROVENCE
“She smelled the way Taj Mahal looks at moonlight” Raymond Chandler Frantic email: No time to pop into the perfume counter at Barneys, modern girl Chantal is off to Paris for a stopover before grabbing the TGV to Avignon. What … Continue reading