Planning a trip to Provence? Just dreaming about it? Either way, you've come to the right place.
At Hostellerie de Crillon le Brave we meet travellers every day who tell us about their favourite books on Provence. Since we also know a thing or two ourselves about this enchanted region we think we're in a good position to spot the books that are worth your time and attention.
We've selected the best books about Provence - guidebooks, cookbooks, travel memoirs, books on wine, even fiction - and made it easy for you to purchase them. For each book you will find a link to take you to your choice of Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk where you can read more reviews about the book and buy it immediately.
NEW for Canadian visitors! You can now purchase Provence books through Amazon.ca. Just click here to get to our shop with Amazon.ca links.
BESTSELLER
Published in June this year the novelThe Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears has earned rave reviews and tops Amazon's list of bestselling books about Provence. Here's a typical reader review posted on Amazon :
"In this remarkable and hugely conceived novel of ideas, Pears gives us three intense, emotionally gripping stories set in Provence during the fifth, fourteenth, and 20th centuries. In each of these, a sensitive and thoughtful man of letters faces not only a crisis of belief, but also of action, as outside forces threaten to destroy civilization as he knows it. As each man fights to save the values he finds important, Pears explores the ethical underpinnings of western thought and history, those ideas first proffered by Plato which continue to influence men and governments two thousand years later."
The Eyewitness guide people have a new series: Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides and the Provence book in the series was released on July 1st. These guides are meant for travelling (160 pages) and give you excellent Top 10 lists for hotels, restaurants, historical attractions and all sorts of other things.
Here are four books that can carry you to Provence without leaving home. Beautiful pictures and interesting narratives make them ideal companions for daydreaming or for serious planning of your own exploration of Provence.
Provence: A Country Almanac.Author Louisa Jones is a long-time resident of Provence and an expert in the worlds of gardening and food. Jones's writings and the book's beautiful photographs will take you on a fascinating tour of Provence. On this tour you will visit lush gardens, exquisite wineries, the studios of local artisans, unique museums, fine hotels, and fabulous restaurants. On the practical side, a revised index in this 1999 edition includes new addresses for streets, e-mail, and the Internet, as well as new phone and fax numbers.
Markets of Provence : A Culinary Tour of Southen France. Provence's markets are not to be missed. They are wonderful street theatre and offer the traveller a window into local life. In this book Dixon Long et al take you on a seven-day tour through the markets of Provence, offering tips on what to see and where to eat, along with recipes and insights on local cuisine. The photographs are excellent. A book to take with you on your trip.
The Most Beautiful Villages of Provence.Hugh Palmer's stunning photographs and Michael Jacobs' evocative text of the most beautiful villages of Provence will transport you immediately to the south of France. A book to enjoy before and after your trip.
Tour de Provence.In this photo-filled memoir, Provence resident Julian More traverses Provence along its backroads and gives the reader a look into the life of towns and villages along the way. More has been writing about Provence for over 15 years and along with his photographer daughter Carey produced the excellent culinary book A Taste of Provence.
A field of lavender in bloom is one of the most stunning and memorable images of Provence. Here are some excellent books for lavender lovers and gardeners.
This book has 132 opulent colour photographs of lavender in Provence by Hans Silvester. Christiane Meunier's text recounts the history of lavender, its cultivation and describes its medicinal and therapeutic uses.
If you could carry only three things to help guide you around Provence it would be hard to beat a Michelin "three-pack": the Green Guide, Map #245, and the Red Guide. If you have room in your bag for a fourth item then we'd suggest the Eyewitness Guide to Provence as an excellent complement to the Michelin trio.
The Michelin Green Guide - Provence.Indispensable. Comprehensive. Accurate. Just a few of the words to describe the Michelin Green Guide series. This book is an essential reference for a trip to Provence. It offers a wealth of information on the natural and human history of Provence and excellent descriptions of the sights and attractions of interest to travellers. The maps and suggested itineraries are invaluable resources.
Michelin Map #245.Don't wait until you get to France to buy this map. From Day 1 you'll find it to be as important as the keys to your rental car. The map covers all of Provence and the Côte d'Azur - from Nice to Marseille and Montpelier and, of course, Crillon le Brave.
Michelin
Red Guide France 2003The definitive guide
to hotels and restaurants in France. A few minutes spent learning the Michelin
symbols - stars, knives and forks, rocking chairs, and so on will pay off
in better choices of places to eat and sleep. The city maps alone are worth
the price of the book. They show the location of major hotels, train stations,
museums and other essential places.
Eyewitness Travel Guide to Provence and the Côte d'Azur.Nice photos, fascinating aerial views and 3-D cut-away drawings of places like the Pope's Palace in Avignon are distinguishing features of this book. Interesting and well-researched text. A very good book to get you excited about your trip to Provence and to help you plan your journey.
We highly recommend The Collected Traveler - Provence, one of a new series of travel books (there is a Paris book in the series). Part guidebook, part literary anthology, it's an entertaining read that will immerse you in the culture of southern France.
Four other comprehensive guides worth considering.
Cadogan Provence.Breezy and well-written, this book is a much better read than many other guidebooks. Buy it for the narrative about history and places, but match it with another guide - Michelin Red Guide, Fodor's Provence, or the Rough Guide - to give you more complete coverage of restaurants and hotels.
The Rough Guide to Provence and the Côte d'Azur.Another well-written guide with a clear-eyed perspective on how to get the most out of your trip to Provence. Good sections on history and culture. Restaurant and hotel listings are extensive, covering everything from deluxe hotels to campgrounds. Strength is on spotting inexpensive places for eating and sleeping.
Fodor's Provence 5th edition.Another good choice for a comprehensive guidebook that includes extensive hotel and restaurant listings. For lots of colour pictures and more inspiration look to its companion, Exploring Provence.
Fodor's Exploring Provence.A nice balance of beautiful photographs and text provides both inspiration for a trip to Provence and information that will help you make the most of your time there. History, natural history, culture and a good dose of practical information. Good city maps. Pair it up with one of the guides that have comprehensive restaurant and hotel listings.
It's impossible to separate Provence from its food. Here are our top choices for books to help you bring the "cuisine of the sun" into your home.
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence.A beautiful book that offers both inspiration and excellent recipes.
Provençal Light.The word "light" in the title of this book should not scare away serious foodies and cooks. This is a well-researched and well-written book that serves up full-flavour recipes faithful to Provençal culinary traditions.
A Passion for My Provence: Home Cooking from the South of France.Author Lydie Marshall divides her time between New York and the town of Nyons in Provence. Simple well-written recipes that will bring the full range of Provençal cuisine to your kitchen.
The Cuisine of the Sun.Born in Nice, educated in France and the U.S., author Mireille Johnston has written a book that covers all the classics of Provençal cooking. If you are looking for authentic Provence you will find it here.
One of the best ways to travel through Provence is to follow the vineyards down the Rhône River, then veer east toward Mt Ventoux before heading south again through the Luberon valley and on toward Bandol and the Mediterranean coast. These four books will keep the wine lover on the right track and help in making that all-important daily decision, "what wines shall we drink tonight?"
Wines of the Rhône Valley.Robert Parker loves Rhône wines and in his usual manner he has produced a comprehensive review of the region and its wine producers. For serious wine fans this book is a must-have both before and after a trip to Provence.
The Rhône (Touring in Wine Country Series).Hugh Johnson and Hubrecht Duijker have teamed up to write an excellent guide for wine country touring. Recommendations on vineyards to visit along with hotel and restaurant tips from two people who know their wine.
French Wines: The Essential Guide to the Wine and Wine Growing Regions of France.Brought to you by the same people who publish the excellent Eyewitness Guides this book by Robert Joseph has a similarly colourful and accessible format. Some good early chapters on wine and wine-making basics. Good maps and itnieraries for touring wine-making regions throughout France plus lots of guidance on matching food and wines.
Adventures on the Wine Route.Kermit Lynch's "a wine buyer's tour of France" is a great complement to any of the other wine guides here. This book is an entertaining and informative read that is worth bringing along as you tour wine country.
So much to buy and so little time to find it! There's no sense wasting time in the wrong shops while on holiday. We've picked four guides that will point you to the right places. Three of these books cover all of France with good sections on Provence, while the fourth selection is dedicated to Paris.
Exploring the Flea Markets of France. Author Sandy Price drove thousands of kilometres while preparing this well-researched book that includes a big section on Provence and several other regions of the country, including Paris. An absolute must for fans of flea markets and their hidden treasures.
Suzy Gershman's Born to Shop France.Suzy knows shopping and in this easy-to-pack volume she shares her tips for finding the best of the best throughout France.
The Riches of France: A Shopping Guide to the French Provinces.Maribeth Clemente's well-written and easy to read book offers lots of shopping advice and practical travel tips for the dedicated shopper
The Paris Shopping Companion : A Personal Guide to the Finest Shops in Paris for Every Pocketbook.This is the 3rd edition, published in February 2002 with lots of updates. Susan Swire Winkler offers personal guidance on how to look at a store from a French point of view. The book has maps of the major shopping areas, and is organized to encourage shopping forays neighborhood by neighborhood.
