Keith Van Sickle's Blog, page 28
June 26, 2019
Going to the Market in St-Rémy
One of the best things about Provence is being able to go to the outdoor markets, and there’s a market every day in one village or another near where we stay in St-Rémy. You get to taste samples, buy delicious produce, rub elbows with the locals–it’s great! And we are lucky because the best market of all is our own, held every Wednesday morning. One of our favorite things to do is to get up early and wander over to see what’s available.
What’s it like to go to our market? Follow me and find out!
Read all about it in Perfectly Provence.
June 19, 2019
Those Crazy French Political Parties
In most countries, it’s hard for a political party to get on the ballot, but not so in France. In fact, a whopping 34 different parties were on the ballot in the recent election for the European Parliament. And not all of them are what you would call mainstream.
Do you love pirates? Does the “universal language” of Esperanto set your heart aflutter? Do you think it’s time to dispense with this democracy nonsense and bring back the King? Then France has a political party for you!
Read all about it in Frenchly!
June 12, 2019
The Great Wall Of Provence
When most people hear of “the Plague,” they shudder and think of the Black Death that killed so many people back in the Middle Ages. But did you know that in the 1700s an outbreak in Provence took the lives of thousands? And that the King of France teamed up with the Pope to build a great wall to stop it?
The outbreak of the Plague should never have happened, but you know how it is: someone in power was motivated by greed and let an infected ship enter Marseille. From there it spread north until the only solution was to “Build That Wall!”
Part of the wall still exists and you can visit it today. Read all about this fascinating and little-known chapter of Provence history in Perfectly Provence.
June 5, 2019
The Fabulous New Roman History Museum in Nîmes
For lovers of Roman history, the city of Nîmes in southern France is a must-see. It was once a major metropolis in Roman Gaul and today boasts a plethora of important sites: there’s the beautiful Maison Carré temple that Thomas Jefferson used it as a model for the Virginia state capital building, a large and well-preserved amphitheater, a massive Roman guard tower, and more.
There are plenty of reasons to visit Nîmes and now here’s another: the Museum of Romanity that opened in 2018. This museum exhibits thousands of fascinating artifacts and covers over 2,500 years of life in the city. And it’s great for kids as well as adults.
Val and I visited it a few weeks ago and had a great time. You can read my report on this terrific museum in France Today.
May 29, 2019
The French Don’t Like Their President…So What’s New?
President Macron of France has plummeted in the polls since his election. But that’s not unusual; the French just seem to fall out of love with their presidents.
Here’s a quick report on what’s happened to Macron, and what still might happen, in Frenchly.
May 22, 2019
Fjords? In Provence?
An hour east of Marseille is the cute little port town of Cassis, one of the prettiest in France. And in between the two are the rugged calanques, the mini-fjords for which the region is famous. With their steep grey cliffs against the deep blue waters of the Med, they are a sight to behold. And the good news is, they are easy to get to.
From Cassis you can take a boat ride to see a few or many of the calanques, with the rides ranging in length from 45 minutes to a couple of hours. You can even hike to some of the calanques if you wear sturdy shoes. It’s a landscape like no other and not to be missed.
Read all about it at Perfectly Provence!
May 15, 2019
What to See and Do in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
One of the prettiest spots in Provence is the little town of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. It sits next to the Sorgue River and has lovely restaurants along the riverfront, plus some interesting museums and craft centers. But the most amazing thing is the source of the river.
Rather than a series of little streams that slowly build into a river, the Sorgue arrives fully formed, at the base of a cliff just a few hundred yards from the town. This is the “fontaine” (fountain) that gives the town its name–one of the largest springs in the world. Waters gather deep underground and then come to the surface in a pool that spills out in a cascade and becomes the river.
Read all about it in The Good Life France!
May 8, 2019
Book Review: The Arab of the Future
Want to read a terrific book? Want to try your hand at reading in French? Have I got something for you!
The Arab of the Future is one of the most popular books to come out in France in the last few years, the story of a boy growing up between two cultures. It has been translated into more than a dozen languages so you can read it in whatever language you want. But the French is easy, really easy, because The Arab of the Future is a graphic novel.
I’m not usually a fan of graphic novels, preferring “real books,” but sometimes the format is the perfect way to tell a rich and fascinating tale. This is one such tale.
Read my review of The Arab of the Future in MyFrenchLife!
May 1, 2019
Do the French Drink Too Much Wine?
The French government has decided that French people are drinking too much. And the French people (unsurprisingly) disagree.
France’s Department of Public Health has just launched a new campaign that warns of the dangers of alcohol consumption. It includes a slick commercial and an “alcoholmeter”–you tell how much you drink and it gives you back scary statistics about how you are damaging your health.
The French are not happy about this. I read an article in a leading newspaper and then went through the comments section to find the best ones for you. They are very funny!
Read all about it at Frenchly!
April 24, 2019
Van Gogh in Paris and Provence
If you are visiting Paris or Provence this year, don’t miss the fabulous sound and light shows at the Carrières de Lumières (Provence) and the new Ateliers des Lumières (Paris). They feature the works of Vincent Van Gogh, projected onto massive interior walls and choreographed with beautiful music. You’ve got to see it to believe it!
The Carrières de Lumières is in Les Baux-de-Provence, near both St-Rémy and Arles, where Van Gogh did much of his most important work. You can combine a visit to the Carrières with a visit to those towns, even seeing the room where Van Gogh lived in the asylum in St-Rémy; it’s a beautiful place and very moving.
Read all about it at The Good Life France!
