Le Marche, the weekly market, in almost every town and village is a fascinating mixture of food, clothes and furniture. Farmers bring their produce from near and far and mountain sausages sit side by side with goats cheese, rosemary and thyme, olives and spices ...... a heady mixture for the visitor who may then try his/her hand at local recipes readily given by the vendors. The famous market daily at Les Halles  at Avignon is stunning in its quality and variety, from oysters to foie gras, from truffles to cheese. At Christmas time the famous and secretive Marche des Truffes is known all over France.

For the amateur of restaurants, this being France, there is no shortage! At Le Barroux there’s a family one called Les Geraniums, there’s a great view of the area from Le Mas de Vignes just out of Bedoin on the road to Mt Ventoux  and the food is excellent. Avignon has a gorgeous restaurant (fairly pricey but worth it) in a hotel restored from a cardinal’s palace just behind the Palais de Papes – it’s called Hotel de La Mirande. At La Fare, just down the hill from La Roque Alric, there is a family run one called Le Grand Jardin – the owners are ex- South Africans who fell in love with the region. At the art village of Seguret one eats well and has a magnificent view at La Table du Comtat.

If one yearns for the coast, Marseille with its Vieux Port, bouillabaisse restaurants and its reputation as a freewheeling international port since Phoenician times is an hour and a bit away down the motorway.