I couldn’t wait to get here. To this moment. As I write this, I’m listening to the winds blow outside our cottage in Provence. The sun is blazing across a vibrant blue sky, yet the day feels warm not hot. It’s very comfortable and pretty much the perfect day, rather nap-inducing I would say. And isn’t that part of what makes escaping to the south of France so magically mesmerizing? It’s the ability to completely slow down and give in to all the creature comforts that surround you. A cozy daybed on the covered patio. A book that’s been waiting to be read. A chilled glass of rosé and apéro sashaying you into the evening. The delight in knowing that another little town awaits you to explore it in the morning. Provence has been calling and we knew we had to answer.

Welcome to Mon Journal Français. I’ll be writing a little post about each day that we spend here. I love sharing the beauty of European travel and I hope that the moments of serenity and adventure we find here in Provence inspire you. Perhaps Provence is calling you as well.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know by now that we drove to Provence from Amsterdam. We rented a car, packed two weeks’ worth of provisions and our Lola girl, and the three of us set off for the distraction-free relaxation of a small cottage in Bonnieux. We spent the first evening having a lovely aperitif with the owner who lives in the other house on the property. Sipping white wine and snacking on a freshly made tomato tarte under a canopy of trees was the perfect way to begin our stay. Lola ran around freely and even jumped right into the pool. 

The next morning we drank espresso from blue and white floral demitasse cups and opened the sliding glass doors to the vineyard view beyond. It was so nice not setting an alarm and feeling the need to rush out the door. Since no French breakfast is complete without a proper croissant, we walked just a few minutes up the hill to the local boulangerie and sipped cappuccino while Lola made playful eyes at the other dogs on the terrace. I had pain au chocolat, one of my favorite morning treats. We picked up a baguette as well and set out to explore Bonnieux a bit. 

I stepped into a wine shop and purchased a bottle of Clos du Tilleul rosé. The gentleman in the shop told me it is produced just down the hill at a vineyard overlooking the town of Lacoste. You will be drinking Bonnieux, he said. Well I have to buy it now, I replied. 

Lunch was an impromptu find based on what was close to the big supermarket (which ended up being closed by the time we finished eating). Paolo’s Pizza is a food truck serving up some of the best pizza I’ve had right next to a bar serving glasses of rosé for three euros. We sat in the sun in plastic chairs and watched the endless parade of people walking by with their woven bags full of produce from the market. I saw tomatoes the size of cantaloupes and garlic bulbs the size of baseballs. The quality of produce grown in this region is astounding.

On the way back to our cottage we stopped at Moulin Saint Augustin for some olive oil soap and an olive wood mortar and pestle for the new house. The mill was originally run by monks and the property itself has been sold many times, including to the Marquis de Sade.

We made a quick stop in Lacoste for some groceries and perused an antique market before our final stop of the day at Aureto for a wine tasting. They have several really nice rosés and also whites and reds. They’re really friendly and helpful and the tasting room is large and modern. We brought four bottles back to the cottage with us.

Now it’s time to relax and prepare dinner. Something I love about staying in a place like this is the ability to live like it’s your home. Paul is making pasta tonight and I’m sure we will be having one of the rosés we found today with it.

Bonne nuit et à demain!

xo – Erin