My father lives in the South of France, which to me is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. The landscape has orange/red craggy rocks, deep blue skies and lots of silver foliage in the form of olive trees and lavender plants. With fields of lavender and sunflowers it’s no wonder that many painters such as Van Gogh were inspired to paint the scenery. They even mine ochre for paints from the deep red soil in a nearby area.

Besides the lovely sights, the food is fresh, local and delicious. Although you are starting to see asparagus from Chile and grapes from Spain, you still find an overwhelming amount of local produce, cheese, bread and charcutrie. Farmers and artisanal bread bakers and cheese makers are treated with respect. The French love their food and take a great source of pride in living in the country or specific region where it is produced. When Cavaillon melons are ripe, they are the pride of the local town markets. Slices of sausages and cheese are proudly offered for tasting, because they know that if you have one taste you won’t be able to refuse buying. This is the ultimate place for eating locally.

My father lives in the tiny town of Lorgues, which is about 45 minutes north of Nice and about an hour from Aix en Provence. The town is tiny, and yet they have a big market day every Tuesday. I went today. Feast your eyes on this bounty.

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