Provence in May 2026

Susan & Brendan Fenton - Essentially French

Two Wonderful Groups and More Than a Few Apéritifs

There is something very special about arriving back in Provence in May.

The shutters are opened, the house slowly comes back to life, the courtyard fills with sunshine, and within a day or two it feels as though we have never been away. The church bells start marking our days again, the neighbours wander past with a wave or a kiss on both cheeks, and before you know it, someone has suggested an apéritif. Then another one. Then somehow, quite mysteriously, several more.

It was wonderful to be back.

This May, we were lucky enough to host two wonderful groups in our home in Mazan. For many of our guests, it was their first time in Provence, and there is something genuinely lovely about seeing familiar places through fresh eyes. Villages we know so well suddenly feel new again when someone is standing quietly in a cobbled street, looking up at old shutters, faded stone walls, overflowing window boxes and saying, “I can’t believe I’m actually here.”

Lovely Anne and Kathryn - Essentially French

That is the magic of Provence, really. It is not just one grand moment. It is all the small ones gathered together.

It is wandering through village markets with baskets filling slowly. It is stopping for coffee and realising nobody is in a rush. It is the scent of herbs, stone warmed by the sun, and roses tumbling over old walls. It is driving through vineyards and olive groves, turning a corner and seeing Mont Ventoux watching over everything like an old friend.

We enjoyed beautiful days out exploring villages, markets and favourite corners of the Vaucluse. There were long lunches, of course, because in Provence lunch is not something to be hurried. It is something to be enjoyed properly, preferably with a view, a glass of something local, and no one mentioning calories, inboxes or the need to be sensible.

Most of the weather was absolutely perfect, warm, bright and made for being outdoors. We did have one rainy day, because Provence likes to remind us she is still in charge. But even that had its charm. A grey sky over ancient stone is hardly a hardship, and frankly, a good lunch tastes just as good in the rain.

Apéritifs of course - Essentially French

Our evenings were just as memorable. Some were spent at local restaurants, where the food is generous, the wine is local, and the conversation always seems to stretch happily into the night. Other evenings were spent at home around our table, with candles lit, windows open, and the easy comfort that comes when a group of strangers has quietly become a group of friends.

That is one of the things we love most about what we do.

Guests arrive from different places, often not knowing one another, and within a few days they are sharing stories, laughing over things that will probably make no sense to anyone else later, and feeling completely at home. By the end of each stay, there is always that slightly emotional goodbye. The one where everyone says, “We’ll keep in touch,” and this time, you know they probably will.

Beautiful Sherryl and Tim - Essentially French

We also managed to catch up with many of our French neighbours and friends while we were there. These are the people who make Mazan feel like home to us. There is always news to share, doors opening, kisses on cheeks, and another invitation to “just pop in for a drink.” In Provence, “just one drink” is a charming and deeply unreliable concept.

Many apéritifs later, we felt very much part of village life again.

And that, for us, is the heart of it all.

Yes, Provence is beautiful. The villages are gorgeous, the food is wonderful, the markets are irresistible, and the landscape never stops showing off. But what makes it truly special is the feeling of being there. Not rushing through it. Not ticking things off a list. Just being part of it for a little while.

Sharing that with our guests is an absolute joy.

Wonderful Gordes with Margaret, Susan and Sherryl - Essentially French

We came back to Australia, grateful, full of stories, and with that familiar feeling that Provence has once again worked its way under our skin. It was a 6 weeks of sunshine, friendship, laughter, long lunches, village days, beautiful evenings and the simple pleasure of opening our old house to people who understood exactly why we love it so much. We are counting the days until we return.

Living the dream? Perhaps.

Although the dream does come with quite a lot of laundry, a few hundred stairs, and the occasional mystery of where Brendan has put something important.

But honestly, we would not have it any other way.