Provence A-Z

A Francophile's Essential Handbook

By: Peter Mayle

Narrated by: Peter Mayle

An indispensable, richly informative, and always entertaining sourcebook on Provence by the writer who has made the region his own.

Though organized from A to Z, this is hardly a conventional work of reference. It is rather a selection of those aspects of Provence that Peter Mayle in almost twenty years there has found to be the most interesting, curious, delicious, or downright fun.

He writes about subjects as diverse as architecture, expatriates, scorpions, the Provençal character, legends, lavender, linguistic oddities, the origins of “La Marseillaise,” wild boars and Frenchwinds. And, of course, he writes about food and drink.

Provence A—Z is a delight for Peter Mayle’s ever-growing audience and these unabridged selections are the perfect complement to any guidebook on Provence, or, for that matter, France.

Critic reviews

“Mayle's affection for lavender fields and languid lunched continues unabated-and so does his influence.” —USA Today“Mayle's magpie dictionary yields amusing facts . . . and useful information. . . . You'll soon succumb to his road-tested charm.” —The New York Times Book Review“Whether he's smacking his lips in gustatory contentment or mock exasperation, Mayle's affection runneth over. . . . If there is anything charmless or depressing in all of Provence, its secret is safe with him.” —The Boston Globe“After nearly two decades of writing about the character and the characters of Provence, Mayle's love for this rich and colorful region is undiminished.” —The Christian Science Monitor

Thin

Humorous. About as much content as one chapter of his books. Makes you long for a larger alphabet.

The Literary Equivalent of Scenic Attractions

an enjoyable presentation with charming and affectionate glimpses of life in Provence. it's not a guidebook but it does give the flavor of a slow ramble through Provencal environs.