THE CUISINE OF PROVENCE

Provencal cuisine is characterized by sun-ripened vegetables, such as zucchini and squash, olives and olive oil and local herbs such as rosemary and thyme. These and other ingredients are often found in ratatouille, tarts, in sauces or as an accompaniment to fish, lamb and beef.

The Provencal cuisine draws particularly on regional products and is varied, delicious and healthy. That is why you will find on the menus lots of vegetable dishes as the rural population in former times could afford meat. Some of the best known dishes are Ratatouille (a vegetable stew), Tapenade (olive paste) and Soupe au Pistou (soup made from beans, vegetables and pasta) all very typical of Provence.

OLIVES

L’olivier (symbole de longue vie, de paix, de victoire, de force et de fidélité) est ici chez lui avec ses feuilles argentées et son tronc noueux. Le soleil chaud de l’été favorise son épanouissement. Ses branches se dressent, majestueuses vers le bleu intense de ciel et se balancent au chant des cigales.

Un paysage provençal sans oliveraies à perte de vue ? Impensable! Et que serait la cuisine provençale sans huile d’olive ? Quel apéro digne de ce nom sans olives ? La préparation des olives est en elle-même un art. Sur les marchés de Provence les producteurs les proposent dans de grands saladiers et les servent à la louche. Partout l’olive orne les poteries traditionnelles et, bien sûr, gâte les papilles. On la trouve même dans les tartes ou les ragoûts.

THE PROVENCAL WINE

The history of the Provençal wine region begins 2,000 years ago, when the Phoenicians founded Marseille and for the first time introduced a wonderful plant in France: the grapevine. The wine region stretches from west to east over 200 km, mainly in the Var and Bouches-du-Rhône and to a lesser extent in the Maritime Alps. In an area of 27,000 hectares most wines produced are rosé wines (87%). The rest are reds (9%) and whites (4%).

Rosé wine is not just a Provençal specialty. It is something of the elixir of life in the region, which is the first French rosé vine growing district AOC. Climate, soils and grape varieties are ideal for rosé production. Not least for this reason, Provence is the only wine region which has specialized in the production of rosé wine.

The proverbial quality of Provence wines is the result of winemaking passed on from generation to generation, from father to son, from mother to daughter. They all participate with their particular expertise, love of perfection and true mastery of trade which has resulted in the wines of the region being unique in the world. Simple actions, reinvented every year, same and yet different according to the time of harvest. And then the patient waiting time for the moment when the wine has had sufficient time to ripe in oak barrels. Making wine requires all sensibilities, a good set of nose, eyes and taste buds and the patience to watch over the wine like over a child while carefully monitoring its maturing.