Life in Provence

March 07, 2019

Provence, Parisians would say that "things happen a little bit more slowly there". Well, for Parisians, anywhere outside of Paris is kind of slow! But Provence in particular is a place where locals are thought to take time to enjoy life. We just received a new selection of kitchen towels that literally illustrates the Provencal life.

Provence bistro shows an outdoor bistro called the Café de Provence in a typical small town in Provence. Several patrons are enjoying a beverage outside while a blackboard shows the special of the day (plat du jour). The special is "Pieds Paquets à la Provencal". Not being from Provence, I had to look it up and this is definitely a regional recipe! To make sure we knew for sure that this scene took place in Provence, the artist added another clue on the man's newspaper in the foreground: "L'OM a battu le PSG" indicating that the Marseille soccer team (OM) beat the Paris team (PSG)! 

Pétanque is the official pastime of Provence, or at least it's close to the top of the list. Pétanque is played everywhere in France but everybody knows it comes from Provence. If you're not an avid "pétanquier", the game consists of a small ball (the cochonnet) that is thrown forward. Players then take time throwing a large metal ball (boule) and try to come closest to the cochonnet. Whoever is closest wins. The metal balls have different patterns on them so it's easy to keep track of whose is closest. This beautiful towel shows a game being played in the streets of a small Provencal town in front of the Chez Fanny bistro. Of special interest to us, the shirts worn by the players as well as the ladies dresses are made of Provencal fabric. This looks like the kind of fabrics you'd find at I Dream of France!

Marchés de Provence. Outdoor farmers markets are a staple of Provencal life. More than anywhere else in France, you will find outdoor markets in a blocked-off street in the center of town. This is probably due to the mild weather which sets Provence apart from most of the rest of France. This towel shows several vendors offering fruits and vegetables to smiley customers. Are these ladies walking or dancing? The vendors had the good sense of covering their tables with proper Provencal tablecloths, good job! (if you just stumbled on this page, this is what we sell! We invite you to look around our website and have your life changed forever.) Speaking of tablecloths, what's missing on this towel are vendors offering them for sale! The tablecloths we carry on our website are available for sale at many outdoor markets in Provence. This is actually how many of our customers initially discover these beautiful tablecloths.

Lavender fields. Beauty is everywhere in Provence. Driving around the countryside you can't avoid the sights and smells of lavender fields. Provence lavender is not just lavender, it is superior to varieties from elsewhere in the world. You don't believe me? We actually sell lavender sachets on our website filled with it. Drop one in a bedroom drawer and come back the next day. The scent that awaits you will convince you, guaranteed! The towel shows locals busy working in a lavender field. In the background is a typical medieval era town built on a hill. Further back is a mountain that looks a lot like Mont Sainte-Victoire, made famous by the paintings of Cezanne.

Fish market. Provence is bordered to the south by the Côte d'Azur. Known as the French Riviera in the English speaking world, the Mediterranean coastline is home to breathtaking sights and include cities, towns and villages. Fish markets are a regular occurrence in many of them. You can browse the daily catch of local "pêcheurs" and get what you need to make your favorite bouillabaisse! The towel, like the others from the series is made of bright bold colors that really represent the region well. As you look at it, you can't help but smell the fresh fish and hear the seagulls!

French Riviera beach. All this petanque playing, market shopping and lavender harvesting is tiring. You deserve a relaxing trip to the beach! We are not talking about any beach either. The French Riviera or Côte d'Azur is famous for it's spectacular beaches. This is the playground of the rich and famous! This towel includes bikini clad ladies, kids playing in the water, sail boats, seagulls and a bright yellow sun with what looks like Cap Esterelle in the background.

Save on airfare and experience life in Provence with these gorgeous towels! Get them here: https://www.idreamoffrance.com/collections/provence-life/

Also in I Dream of France's blog