A Year in Provence
Ratings31
Average rating4
15
Ratings31
Average rating4
The bestselling, much-loved classic account of an English couple escaping to enjoy the fruits of French rural summer living - an irresistible feast of humour and heart. Peter Mayle and his wife did what most of us only imagine doing when they made their long-cherished dream of a life abroad a reality: throwing caution to the wind, they bought a glorious two hundred year-old farmhouse in the Lubéron Valley and began a new life. In a year that begins with a marathon lunch and continues with a host of gastronomic delights, they also survive the unexpected and often hilarious curiosities of rural life. From mastering the local accent and enduring invasion by bumbling builders, to discovering the finer points of boules and goat-racing, all the earthy pleasures of Provençal life are conjured up in this enchanting portrait. 'One of the most successful travel books of all time... Mayle created a new travel genre' Guardian 'Delightful' Washington Post 'Engaging, funny and richly appreciative' New York Times Book Review 'Stylish, witty, delightfully readable' Sunday Times 'I really loved this book' Julia Child
Series
3 primary books4 released booksProvence is a 5-book series with 3 primary works first released in 1989 with contributions by Peter Mayle.
Reviews with the most likes.
Such fun! The dream was tarnished a bit when all the boorish uninvited guests started showing up; I simply do not understand the author's inability to tell them to fuck off. Once that part was past it was back into the fantasy life of rural France.
Overall a very good read.
I read A Year in Provence while I was in Provence. Perfect mesh of book and environment for reading. Mind you, I read this book when it first came out, but this reread was not in any way tedious as rereads (for me) can be. Little stories of life in a new spot, centered on the changes in the seasons, were delightful.
Delicious, descriptive writing, which kept me quite entertained and in various states of l'amusement.
A lovely, slightly caricaturised, lightly humoured recollection of an Englishman's year in Provence. Includes food, Provençal customs, wine, Provençal driving, normalmente, food, wine, English visitors, and a lot more.
