Mayle, Peter – The Bell Bookshop

My Twenty-Five Years In Provence: Reflections on Then and Now

Emma — Mon, 20 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The final book from the beloved author of A Year in Provence: recollections from twenty-five years in France-lessons learned, culinary delights, and changes observed. From the moment twenty-five years ago when Peter Mayle and his wife, Jennie, uprooted their lives in England and crossed the Channel permanently, they never looked back. Here Mayle pays tribute to the most endearing and enduring aspects of their adopted Provence-the charming and indelible parade of village life, the sheer beauty, the ancient history. He celebrates the café as an idea and lists some of his favourites; identifies his favourite villages, restaurants, and open-air markets; and recounts his most memorable meals. With his signature warmth, wit, and humour, Peter Mayle was a one-of-a-kind guide to Provence, and in his final book he has crafted a lasting love letter to his adopted home.

My Twenty-Five Years in Provence

Emma — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000

"The beloved author Peter Mayle, champion of all things Provence, here in a final volume of all new writing, offers vivid recollections from his twenty-five years in the South of France--lessons learned, culinary delights enjoyed, and changes observed. Twenty-five years ago, Peter Mayle and his wife, Jennie, were rained out of a planned two weeks on the CÃÃ´te d'Azur. In search of sunlight, they set off for Aix-en-Provence; enchanted by the world and life they found there, they soon decided to uproot their lives in England and settle in Provence. They have never looked back. As Mayle tells us, a cup of cafe might now cost three euros--but that price still buys you a front-row seat to the charming and indelible parade of village life. After the coffee, you might drive to see a lavender field that has bloomed every year for centuries, or stroll through the ancient history that coexists alongside Marseille's metropolitan bustle. Modern lif

Bon Appetit

Emma — Thu, 06 Jun 2002 00:00:00 +0000

Gastronomy is a wonderful starting point to study France and the French. As the retired schoolmaster from Provence says ‘The religion of France is food. And wine, of course.’ And they put their money where their mouth is, spending a greater proportion of their income on food and drink than any other nation in the world. Literally hundreds of gastronomic fairs and festivals take place throughout the year all over France – a frog fair, an hommage to the sausage, to the turnip, to the quiche and the noble Camembert. What kind of person is a snail-fancier? Is there a brotherhood of sausage connoisseurs? How can you devote an entire weekend to the French fry? Peter Mayle finds out and brings hilariously and affectionately to life the people who can get passionate about a frog’s leg or a well-turned omelette. Over ten years ago he transformed our feelings about Provence, now he captures the irresistible essence of France herself – and her food.

Toujours Provence

Emma — Thu, 28 Jun 2001 00:00:00 +0000

A second idyllic helping of rural life in France from the bestselling author of the classic A YEAR IN PROVENCE.

Skulking through customs with a suitcase full of truffles, toads singing the Marseillaise, taking pastis lessons and finding gold at the bottom of the garden, you might think there is little time left for pleasures of the table.

TOUJOURS PROVENCE proves that while you might not be able to get away from it all, you can have fun trying.

‘Peter Mayle’s idyllic portrait makes you almost taste the wonderful food and wine, feel the sun and balmy breezes’ Sunday Express

‘Anyone with any feel for the land and the people who lead their lives close to it will be enchanted’ Yorkshire Evening Post

‘Splendidly amusing… filled with things which will help you to understand, at least in part, the glory of this wonderful place’ Dirk Bogarde

Year In Provence

Emma — Thu, 01 Jun 2000 00:00:00 +0000

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