Archive for February, 2011

Latest Provence News (265)

Estrosi meets electric car and parking commitments
After installing over 1000 bicycles around the city centre, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, opened a new electric charging station at the Thiers tram stop in a bid to encourage car sharing.
Estrosi calls for a national debate on religion
Coming off the back of Anne Sinclair’s comment at the weekend that French political leaders are playing with fire if they re-open the issue of Islamic practice in France, Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, has spoken out against those who have taken to the streets to pray for fellow Muslims in North Africa and the Middle East.
France targets Tunisian migration following revolution
Police in the Alpes-Maritimes have been targeting an influx of Tunisian refugees entering the department from Italy.

Vernegues-temple0018bTheRoman Temple of Verneguessits in a beautiful glade in the woods, northwest ofAix-en-Provenceand just northwest ofLambesc. Most in ruins, but one tall Corinthian column remains, along with some walls and an adajcent Medieval chapel built into the temple walls.

 

By Russ

Latest Provence News (264)

Mons matchstick models (en Provence)

Mons matchstick model

I am reminded of one on Mons’ special treasures. The Mons schoolbus driver, M. Audibert, has been building  matchstick models for more than half a decade. Mostly ships. The largest sailing ship he has made uses 32,000 of them. It’s quite astonishing

to see the attention to detail and love that goes into these creations which have occupied the artisan for close to 60 years.

My favourite production is the scale model of Mons, which you can see below courtesy of Provence Beyond. Every street, pa

Mons matchstick man

Peter Mayle leaving Provence

Peter Mayle, whose book ‘A Year in Provence’ popularised the region,is selling his house in Provence. Some might feel this is the end of an era or just selling out or killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Reading the news about the sale, his house is not actually the house the books described. It’s the one he could afford after the sales of the book. And very nice it looks too.

“Three storeys high, the 600sq m (6,458sq ft) house is shaded by enormous plane trees, and has several terraces

Four Seasons Provence – best place to perfect your golf?

There’s a spanking new golf performance centre at theFour Seasons Terre Blanche hotel. They claim its the best in Europe.

Opened in 2004, the Terre Blanche Golf Club includes two par-72 courses, both designed by Dave Thomas to make the most of the Provençal hillsides. The 6,005-metre (6,567-yard)Rioucourse is highly technical with steep slopes and winding fairways, while the 6,616-metre (7,235-yard)Châteauis the demanding and competitive showpiece.

Golf Director Jean-Marie Casella explains, “T

Alleins0070bAlleins is a fortified Medieval villagewith narrow old streets, picturesque doorways, castle ruins on top and windmills nearby.Alleinsis located just north ofSalon-de-Provenceon the plains of the Durance, about 30 km northwest ofAix-en-Provence

By Russ

Mallemort0029bMallemorte is new on Beyond, an interesting Medieval town with castle ruins and fortified defensive was a much more pleasant place than indicated by the 11th-century origin  of its name, meaning bad-death.

The new bridge across the Durance was built beside the 19th-century suspension bridge, still there and the last of its kind intact across the river.

Mallemorteis located about 30 km northwest ofAix-en-Provence, just south of the Luberon mountain range.

By Russ

Latest Provence News (263)

Three ‘mini-quakes’ hit the the Cote d’Azur
Just days after a minor earthquake was recorded off the coast of Menton, three further tremors have been registered in Monaco.
Mons matchstick models (en Provence)

Mons matchstick model

I am reminded of one on Mons’ special treasures. The Mons schoolbus driver, M. Audibert, has been building  matchstick models for more than half a decade. Mostly ships. The largest sailing ship he has made uses 32,000 of them. It’s quite astonishing

to see the attention to detail and love that goes into these creations which have occupied the artisan for close to 60 years.

My favourite production is the scale model of Mons, which you can see below courtesy of Provence Beyond. Every street, pa

Mons matchstick man

Police continue to search for clues into Valbonne murder-suicide
Police are searching for answers after a Valbonne woman killed her two children before committing suicide.
Peter Mayle leaving Provence

Peter Mayle, whose book ‘A Year in Provence’ popularised the region,is selling his house in Provence. Some might feel this is the end of an era or just selling out or killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Reading the news about the sale, his house is not actually the house the books described. It’s the one he could afford after the sales of the book. And very nice it looks too.

“Three storeys high, the 600sq m (6,458sq ft) house is shaded by enormous plane trees, and has several terraces

Lawyers take to the streets to protest against Sarkozy
Around one hundred judges and magistrates gathered in front of the Palais de Justice in Nice yesterday as part of an ongoing protest against comments made by Nicolas Sarkozy about the effectiveness of lawyers in France.
Four Seasons Provence – best place to perfect your golf?

There’s a spanking new golf performance centre at theFour Seasons Terre Blanche hotel. They claim its the best in Europe.

Opened in 2004, the Terre Blanche Golf Club includes two par-72 courses, both designed by Dave Thomas to make the most of the Provençal hillsides. The 6,005-metre (6,567-yard)Rioucourse is highly technical with steep slopes and winding fairways, while the 6,616-metre (7,235-yard)Châteauis the demanding and competitive showpiece.

Golf Director Jean-Marie Casella explains, “T

Meyrargues0013bMeyrargues, 15 km north ofAix-en-Provence, has been added to Beyond. A rather plain town, with a dominating castle and a Roman aqueduct,Meyrargueshas a top-end hotel and good hikes in the nearby Forest of Peyrolles.

By Russ

Vauvenargues-chateau0022bWe've addedVauvenarguesvillage and chateau to Beyond. A Medieval village 15 km east ofAix-en-Provence, on the northern side of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, this was the penultimate home of Pablo Picasso, and his final destination.

By Russ

Tholonet0015bLe Tholonet village, a favorite place ofCézanne, has been added to Beyond. This tiny village, 5 km east ofAix-en-Provence, has a 17th-century chateau, a 16th-century windmill tower, at sits at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire mountain.Cézannedid a lot of his painting in this area, and ate frequently in a restaurant inLe Tholonet

By Russ

Latest Provence News (262)

Schizophrenic escapee posed as supply teacher in region’s schools
A British man who escaped from a psychiatric unit in Northern Ireland has been found teaching in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
Mons matchstick models (en Provence)

Mons matchstick model

I am reminded of one on Mons’ special treasures. The Mons schoolbus driver, M. Audibert, has been building  matchstick models for more than half a decade. Mostly ships. The largest sailing ship he has made uses 32,000 of them. It’s quite astonishing

to see the attention to detail and love that goes into these creations which have occupied the artisan for close to 60 years.

My favourite production is the scale model of Mons, which you can see below courtesy of Provence Beyond. Every street, pa

Mons matchstick man

New tourism objective: Nice opens its doors to gay and lesbian travellers
Tourism authorities in Nice have launched an advertising campaign to emphasise the city’s potential as a holiday hotspot for gay and lesbian travellers.
Peter Mayle leaving Provence

Peter Mayle, whose book ‘A Year in Provence’ popularised the region,is selling his house in Provence. Some might feel this is the end of an era or just selling out or killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Reading the news about the sale, his house is not actually the house the books described. It’s the one he could afford after the sales of the book. And very nice it looks too.

“Three storeys high, the 600sq m (6,458sq ft) house is shaded by enormous plane trees, and has several terraces

Construction of hi-tech water treatment plant in Vence to start next year
Plans to build a new 14.5-million euro hi-tech water treatment plant in Vence next year were revealed on Monday.
Four Seasons Provence – best place to perfect your golf?

There’s a spanking new golf performance centre at theFour Seasons Terre Blanche hotel. They claim its the best in Europe.

Opened in 2004, the Terre Blanche Golf Club includes two par-72 courses, both designed by Dave Thomas to make the most of the Provençal hillsides. The 6,005-metre (6,567-yard)Rioucourse is highly technical with steep slopes and winding fairways, while the 6,616-metre (7,235-yard)Châteauis the demanding and competitive showpiece.

Golf Director Jean-Marie Casella explains, “T

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