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,
Tag Archives: Dominique-Strauss Kahn
“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