Literature

This section looks at writers and books - fiction and non-fiction - of special interest to anyone visiting Provence. We'll be adding to it constantly in due course.

jean gionoJean Giono was the visionary poet of remote Northern Provence. He spent almost his entire life in the mountains there and today is considered one of the most important writers about the region.

jean claude izzoJean-Claude Izzo is internationally acclaimed as one of the most brilliant modern authors of noir thrillers and his poetic novels set in Marseille are regarded as classics of the genre.

van gogh french novels smallAuthors - of both fiction and non-fiction - just never tire of writing about Provence in all its infinite variety. This page collects short reviews of some of the more interesting recent books about aspects of life here.

Frederic Mistral postage stampYou won't go far in Provence before coming across the name of Frédéric Mistral, a Nobel Prize winning poet who wrote in the provençal language. Most towns have a street, school or square named after him.

The Marseille Caper by Peter Mayle

Peter Mayle has almost single-handedly defined an idyllic, affectionate, gently humorous image of the rural South of France in the public imagination with his A Year in Provence series and multiple spin-offs.

Actors playing a scene from Manon des SourcesWhether you're a keen hiker or a fan of Marcel Pagnol, here's a unique experience. An all-day walk / theatrical performance takes you into the wild, craggy hills of Aubagne and the dark, comic heart of his world, which actors bring to thrilling life.

Main Menu