William Ruller: Finding Rust and Romance in the Luberon

William Ruller: Finding Rust and Romance in the Luberon

In this episode, I'm joined by William Ruller, a painter and ceramicist whose visual language was forged in the abandoned mills and industrial landscapes of upstate New York, where he grew up and who now lives in Apt, in the Luberon. We talk about what it means to live somewhere that isn't the place that made you. William is, by his own description, a little moody and a little romantic, drawn to mist over the valley rather than postcard sunshine, and he's honest about a tension at the heart of his work: he doesn't think Provence has changed his painting, yet he keeps finding his own aesthetic here in the ruins of old chateaux, an abandoned fruit confit factory, the structures the landscape is slowly taking back. Along the way: raising children between two cultures and the quiet civilisation of a school lunch, the protected landscape where a vineyard sits beside wild scrub, the case for October, aimless drives down roads that lead somewhere, and the first Provençal strawberry that made him feel he'd never really tasted one before. A conversation about place, identity, and the things we carry with us wherever we create.

Why I Love Provençal Markets

In this episode, I'm sharing why markets are one of my absolute favourite things about life in Provence - and one of the biggest reasons I live here. I talk about what makes Provençal markets special, what you can expect to find (with a season-by-season walk through the produce), and the practical tips that will help you get the most out of a visit. I also share some of my favourite markets: – Coustellet – L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue – Villeneuve-lès-Avignon – Saint-Rémy-de-Provence – Eygalières – Apt and L'Isle – Velleron – Les Halles in Avignon Whether you're planning a trip, dreaming about one, or just curious about what a French market is really like, this episode is for you. And if you have a favourite market of your own, I'd love to hear about it…

Florence Champ: A Painter's Provence of Colour, Markets, and Cheese

In this episode, I'm joined by the utterly delightful Florence Champ, a painter who divides her time between Provence and Lisbon, and whose work is shaped by light, colour, and the rhythms of daily life. We talk about growing up between Uzès and the Alpilles, what it means to live somewhere rather than visit, and how Provence finds its way onto the canvas, even when she's painting elsewhere. Florence shares her great loves: the food and flea markets she plans her weeks around, a serious devotion to cheese and Picholine olives, and the particular blue light of the Luberon. She also tells me about Paint and Feast, the week-long painting workshop she's running in November. It's a conversation about colour and place, and the small rituals that make a life here.

10 Restaurants I Love in Provence

In this episode, I'm sharing 10 restaurants I truly love here in Provence - the places I return to again and again, and the ones I always recommend to friends when they visit. From long, lazy lunches in Ménerbes to aperitif spots, village bistros, and destination dining in the Luberon and the Alpilles, this is my personal, tried-and-tested list rather than a "best of." I talk through: – Café du Progrès in Ménerbes – Domaine de la Citadelle in Ménerbes – Monsieur Tu in Ménerbes – Bistrot Francis in Bonnieux – Le Saint Hubert in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt – La Bastide in Gordes – Le Mas in Gordes – Le Bistrot in Lourmarin – Bistro du Paradou in Paradou – Bistro Jaja in Maussane-les-Alpilles If you're planning a trip (or just dreaming about one) this episode is for you. And if you have your own favourites, I'd love to hear them...

Lise Kvan: Food, Hospitality, and Life in Provence

In this first portrait episode, I'm joined by Lise Kvan, co-owner of Le Saint Hubert, a restaurant and hotel in the heart of Provence. We talk about her life here - what brought her to the region, what it's like running a restaurant and hotel with her husband Eric, and the rhythms of daily life in Provence. Lise shares her perspective on food, hospitality and the small details that make this part of the world so special, as well as the things that might surprise people about living here. It's a conversation about place, work and building a life in Provence.