We've added the Medieval Varvillage of Brue-Auriacto Beyond. A group of three villages in the 11th century, these were eventually combined into a single commune. In the 18th century George Roux de Corse bought the lands. The original villages had fallen into ruin and been abandoned. George Roux built the “new” village in 1750.

The nicest pigeonnier of Provence stands here at Brue-Auriac.

By Russ Collins

We've added the ancient Varvillage of Brasto Beyond. Sitting in an area of forests, rivers and vineyards,Bras villagehas chapels, castle and old-village ruins, and an interesting “pigeonnier”.

Just a couple of km out of town is the lovelyTombereau Falls, a waterfall at the junction of the Argens and Cauron rivers.

By Russ Collins

The little Var village ofMazauguesis now online in Beyond. Located in the hills southwest ofBrignoles, this small village has some nice hiking, a good café, a hotel-restaurant open all year, and an ice-making museum.

This photo is of the castle ruins at the site of the original village, overlooking the current Mazaugues.

By Russ Collins

We've added the town ofTourvesto Beyond. This little town is located between St Maximin andBrignolesin the western part of the Var (east ofAix-en-Provence).Tourveshas some excellent old fountains and lots of chapels and castle ruins sitting on hilltops all around the town.

By Russ Collins

We apologize but our ProvenceBeyond website will be offline for about 4 hours. Our host is doing a big technical update and transferring our site to new equipment.

Russ

By Russ Collins

We've added the Var village ofBelgentierto Beyond. A Medieval village in the lush Gapeau valley north ofToulon,Belgentierwas famously visited by the Sun King, Louis XIV, in 1660. Less famously, the royal party include the Mousquetaires Comminges and D'Artagnan.

A Saturday visit on a cool winter day, the trees were bare and the sun was low, but this is still a colorful village. A few houses in the old village are especially brightly painted, and the large fresco on the side of the church,

By Russ Collins

We visited the Var village ofMéounes-lès-Montrieuxon Saturday, one of the rare sunny days during the 2010 monsoon season in the South of France. Méounes-lès-Montrieuxis a small villages tucked in a very green valley north ofToulonin the Var department.
By Russ Collins

The day after the amazing Snow inCanneson the Côte d'Azur. Friday, 12 Feb 2010, and the snow blanketing Cannes is almost gone.

This snow-sprinkled beach sported snowmen yesterday, but they didn't last long under the sun.

It is very, very rare for these “pointu” fishing boats in Cannes to be covered in snow (below).

By Russ Collins

Thursday, 11 February 2010, and some serious snow in Grasse. First time this has happened in quite a few years.

This is a view of Grasse old-town from below.

The Fragonard Parfumery on Bvd Fragonard in Grasse (below).

The Jardin des Plantes in the Snow, beside the Fragonard parfumery (below).

Snow on the Cours Honoré Cresp in Grasse, Feb 2010 (below)

Fetching the daily paper, Grasse Bvd du Jeu de Ballon, Feb 2010 (below).

Snowey steps and statue, Grasse,  Feb 2010.

The old flower market i

By Russ Collins

We've added a page about the2010 edition of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Guide, that was published on the first of February. We've included pages with listings of the Bib Gourmand (great dining for reasonable prices) restaurants in Provence:
-04 Alpes-de-Haute-ProvenceBib Gourmand restaurants 
-05 Haute-AlpesBib Gourmand restaurants 
-06 Alpes-MaritimesBib Gourmand restaurants 
-13 Bouches-du-RhoneBib Gourmand restaurants 
-83 Var  Bib Gourmand restaurants 
-84

By Russ Collins