Getting Ready

Travelers' Tales Provence

This immersion into the abundant joys of Provence features tales by a cast of mostly contemporary writers, journalists and travelers, including the ever-present Peter Mayle, wine-maven Kermit Lynch and philosopher Alain de Botton. Buy now

The Most Beautiful Villages of Provence

Celebrates the beauty and spirit of 34 small towns and villages in Provence. With an excellent introduction on the history and pleasures of the place and hundreds of stunning photos by Hugh Palmer, this oversize book is an informative and stunning keepsake. Buy now

Vincent Van Gogh, The Passionate Eye

Engaging, compact and extravagantly illustrated, this book traces the life and art of Vincent Van Gogh, the tortured genius who did some of his finest work in the south of France. Buy now

A Year in Provence

The original best-selling tale of settling down in Provence, told with warmth and a great deal of humor. It offers a wonderful inside look at the charms and quirks of the people and the countryside in the south of France. If you like this, you may also enjoy Mayle's Toujours Provence and Encore Provence. Buy now

Vincent Van Gogh, Portrait of an Artist

Well-written and geared for kids, this compassionate biography debunks myths about Van Gogh while helping readers develop an appreciation for the man and his art. Includes an eight-page insert of color reproductions. Buy now

The Yellow House, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin Side by Side

An illustrated book depicting the two months Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin spent together in Provence. Intended for children, but appropriate for anyone with an interest in the two legendary painters and the way their friendship influenced their art. Buy now

The Little Prince

Beloved by millions, this modern fable was first published in 1943. It tells of a charmingly naive extraterrestrial who wanders from planet to planet, gaining wisdom as he goes. Buy now

A Year in Provence (BBC TV Production, 1993)

Based on Mayle’s best-seller, this 12-episode miniseries describes Peter and Annie Mayle’s escape from the London rat race to the South of France, and the idiosyncratic characters and traditions they encounter. Buy now

Jean de Florette (1986)

The screen adaptation of a novel by Marcel Pagnol, it’s the story of an old man and his nephew in a French village, who divert the water from a new neighbor’s property in order to force him to sell. In their greed, they ignore the devastating effect this has on their neighbor. In French with English subtitles. Buy now

Manon de Sources (1986)

In this film, the second part of the Pagnol duology, a beautiful young shepherdess vows to take revenge on the men who caused her father’s death in their eagerness to acquire his land. In French with English subtitles. Buy now

La Gloire de mon Pere (My Father’s Glory) and Le Chateau de ma Mere (My Mother’s Castle) (1990)

Two magical, moving films based on the memoirs of Marcel Pagnol. These films are heavily imbued with the atmosphere of summers in Provence and the wonders of growing up. In French with English subtitles. Buy now

Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)

A luminous retelling of the classic tale. Cyrano, an expert duelist and romantic poet, is in love with his cousin Roxanne, but ashamed to tell her because of his oversized nose. He enlists Christian, a dull but handsome cadet, to deliver love letters to her, but Roxanne thinks the poetry comes from the messenger and falls for him instead. In French with English subtitles. Buy now

On Guard (Le Bossu) (1997)

Historical action/romance about Lagardere, a skilled swordsman framed for the murder of a Duke. Behind the murder is the Duke’s cousin, who wants claim to the inheritance of the Duke’s illegitimate son. Lagardere rescues the child, who is revealed to be a girl, and raises her to be a fencing master. In French with English subtitles. Buy now

Pack light. Some essentials are:

• Sunscreen and hat, swim suits, goggles, inflatable water toys
• Comfortable walking shoes, sandals or flip flops
• Mosquito repellent if you are going to the Camague
• Rain gear for an occasional shower or two
• 35 mm digital camera with range of lenses and possibly a monopod or tripod for the serious shooter in the family, inexpensive digital cameras for each child
• Extra nylon duffle bags to bring back purchases