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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,
Tag Archives: Hotel
Lacoste: Domaine de Layaude Basse (au lieu d’un Gite)
“La Coste is a château that looks like a fortress, without the slightest regularity. The approaches are quite steep and unpleasant because of the rockslides and the height of the mountain. There is no shelter anywhere near the château, a … Continue reading
St. Rémy de Provence: Compositions as Body Art by Jacopo Baboni-Schilingi at the Outrageously Trendy Mas de l’Amarine
A virtuoso of raw force, the composer Jacopo Baboni-Schilingi has a quick hand – one with great élan for applying musical scores to the bare skins of those willing to model the music which he composed for an evening of … Continue reading
Posted in Reportage
Tagged a-part festival, Art, Hotel, Restaurant, St. Remy de Provence
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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