Lately I’ve been on a sewing spree, and enjoying the nicer spring weather we’ve been having. With the start of theFestival de Cannes(Cannes Film Festival), the usual stormier spring weather has returned, so I have a bit more indoors time.

This morning I had several errands to run, but didn’t think to take my good DSLR with me. In any case, I walked my favorite street for variety of type styles in Nice and took some photos with my cameraphone. Someday Iwillthink to take my DSLR h

Great editorial for my business
admin says: by Julie Mautner – see her wonderfully interesting blogs on http://theprovencepost.blogspot.com/ “When I was first looking for a house to rent in Provence, I realized quickly that it wasn’t going to be easy. “Il n’existe pas!” was pretty much the standard response each time I explained to yet another realtor what I wanted: a small, [...]

Life – 786th Edition is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

Cannes is a festival is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

Yesterday, rather than sew, I realized I had better go to themairie(city hall) to request my French ID. At thecitizenship ceremony, ourcartes de séjour et de résidence, visitor/work/residence permits, were taken by thepréfecturesince gaining French nationality meant we’d no longer be “visitors”. We were given our new French birth certificates, which are one of the documents needed to request French ID. Rather than go to city hall on a Saturday morning, likely to be crowded, I decided to use one of my weekday vacation mornings and then make the most of my detour in the old town. Afterune flânerie(a stroll), I hadaïoli, a traditional Provençal dish with a garlic, basil, pepper and egg white sauce. In fact, the nameaïoliis the name of the sauce, which, theoretically, could be served with anything that goes along well, but asthe name of a dish, it usually comes with potatoes, courgette (zucchini), leeks, carrots, boiled egg, and

By fraise

Un aïoli dans le Vieux Nice is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

Just a quick post to share the unusual expression of team spirit in Nice this evening. Nice’s football (soccer) team made it to the Coupe de France semifinals, and are playing Lille in Nice tonight. The football stadium is in earshot of my apartment, so I’ve seen plenty of red and black scarves, flags and jerseys in the streets. Much more than for other matches, it’s fun. Even this women’s clothing store got into spirit. The guys below are dressed in Nice team jerseys, I passed them on my walk home, among dozens of others (who were harder to photograph).

By fraise

Issa Nissa is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

As of yesterday, licensed drivers in Nice can now get around with pay-per-use electric cars, dubbedAuto Bleueand decorated with wings. One of the stations is near my apartment; all of us in the area are delighted by the concept. Currently, it costs (“les tarifs” on the website) 25 euros to sign up, for which you have to provide a scan of both your driver’s license and a second form of valid ID, then:
- 8 euros for one hour
- 20 euros for four hours in the morning (if you first take the car between 7am and 9am)
- 20 euros for five hours in the evening (if you first take the car between 7pm and 9pm)
- 50 euros for a full day (if you first take the car between 7am and 9am)
- or, for 50 euros a month, you can use the service for a total of ten hours in the month, beyond which it’s 5 euros an hour. (You have to sign up for a minimum of 6 months for this offer.)

The price includes the electricity, mileage, insurance, and round-the-clock assistance from the car – they

By fraise

Hermes’ cars is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

I just had my first experience of voting in France. Today was the first round ofélections cantonales, regional elections. Like in the States, public schools are used asbureaux de vote, polling stations. Yours is marked on yourcarte d’électeur, voter registration card. In France, you’re part of acanton, a “seat”. What I didn’t realize is that each seat is also subdivided intobureaux, offices. So I was surprised when I went to the elementary school, entered what I thought to be mycanton‘s voting area, and was told that it wasn’t mine… I had to find mybureau.

After some searching, and wondering how such a small seat could have a half-dozen offices, I did eventually find mine. Then I was nearly led astray by an elderly woman whose actions I was following, figuring she knew better. She went straight to the table of candidate cards and to the polling booth without signing in! I too had gone right to the candidate cards and taken a

By fraise

Madame Stevenson a voté is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

Just back from a rather wet weekend in Roussillon however there was plenty for us to do getting the house ready for the new season. The village was just waking up after a long winter and we noticed one or two new things. Nino, opposite us in 'Le Petit Snack' has done a fab job rearranging the interiors and has created a terrace which will be great in the summer. We had dinner there Monday – a very good bit of taureau and chips!

It was pouring on Sunday however we popped over to Isle sur Sorgues and had a quick potter around. Found a great cafe by the church, 'Cafe de France' – clearly the place to go judging by the crowd..

By cliffordrosen

A wet weekend is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

La Flambee

Place du 4 Septembre, 84400 Bonnieux

0490 75 82 20

A simple restaurant in the centre of Bonnieux which has a terrace with a great view (which hasn’t been open when we’ve been there, having been out of season). However it has some tables outside at the front and quite a cosy interior dining room if the weather isn’t too good.

As well as very good pizzas, there is a fairly straightforward bistro menu. Fish soup was pretty good and duck breast with ceps was good. Other standards on the menu include Daube Provencal, Salmon fillet in a cream sauce. A good spot for lunch but nothing special food wise.

La Bartavelle

Rue du Cheval-Blanc, 84220 Goult

0490 72 33 72

La Bartavelle is an exceptional restaurant which requires booking well in advance. But it’s not cheap. Set in a cave with some tables outside in the summer, it is in a quiet alleyway just near the main square in Goult.

The cooking is outstanding and uses seasonal ingredients. My terrine of rabbit and fois gras first course w

By cliffordrosen

3 recently visited restaurants is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

I do my grocery shopping at a small shop in Nice calledDiététique Malausséna, located on the avenue of the same name (Malausséna). Having gone there for seven years now, I know the owners and employees well — they’re really nice people, and very helpful, which is great when you have food allergies and/or intolerances. In addition to foods for those with special dietary requirements, they carry a lot of delicious organic foods that I rarely, if ever, see in larger stores here.

Last week they brought in red and roséwines from Bellet, for instance. Bellet is part of Nice. All the Bellet wines I’ve tasted have been wonderful, quite unique compared to other areas, even those from nearby Provençal vineyards. The store also had olive oil from Bellet, which I’d never seen before. I didn’t even know olive oil was produced in Nice, but one of the shop owners told me it was hard to come by. The color was stunning, and it smell

By fraise

Tasty local products is a post from: 1st for Provence Property

While the Riviera is generally known for its sun and warmth, this winter has been exceptionally wet and dark. We went nearly two months without seeing blue skies or dry ground. This week it’s gotten better, and today was chilly but clear. While walking to a store this morning, I passed our Notre Dame, which was recently renovated for Nice’s 150th anniversary as part of France. There was a protest in front of it, not sure what for, but with my cameraphone’s blocky colors, it made for an interesting play of contrasts with the sun, sky, cream church, bronze-windowed shop building and black-winter-coat crowd.

The fact that I have French citizenship has finally been sinking in these past two weeks. No more yearly visits to the prefecture to renew residence; no more need to declare changes of address with them; no more running every decision through the filter of “as a non-EU citizen, do I have the right to do this, will it be more complicated, will it cause any proble

By fraise

Sunny weather is a post from: 1st for Provence Property