Keith Van Sickle

My wife Val and I first visited Provence in 1994 and it was love at first sight. We came back every chance we got, and in 2008 we began a part-time life here. Now we split our time between Provence and California. It was challenging at first because our French wasn't very good (mine could generously be described as laughable.) But after hard work and plenty of mistakes, we can now speak the language reasonably well and have a wonderful circle of French friends. Over the years, we've traveled all over Provence, visiting sights both well-known and obscure. So, while we've visited the famous lavender fields and Roman arenas, we've also seen Provence’s medieval Plague Wall and learned about its rich Jewish history. Our French friends have generously introduced us to regional specialties and taught us local expressions (some more polite than others.) They've taken us to their favorite restaurants and shown us hidden picnic spots, and together we've tasted more wine than I care to admit. My first book, One Sip at a Time, describes our many misadventures during our first few years in Provence. It was an Amazon best-seller so I wrote a sequel, Are We French Yet? I hope that my latest book, An Insider’s Guide to Provence, will help you make the most of this wonderful corner of France. I'm a regular contributor to publications such as Perfectly Provence, France Today, The Good Life France, My French Life, and Bonjour Paris. You can read my stories on my website, Life in Provence, and follow me on Facebook @onesip.