If you have always wanted to have your own truffle reserve here is your chance - and it's hassle free. The Martino family have been working with INRA The French National Institute of Agricultural Research (www.international.inra.fr) to perfect growing techniques.

My friend, Jill Steenhuis, an Atlanta native, who has lived in Aix-en-Provence for 30 years, is on her way to Jackson, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Atlanta for a few shows. Have a look at her website to view the locations and times of each exhibit: www.jillsteenhuis.com  In 1980 it was Cézanne’s Mont Sainte Victoire paintings that inspired Jill to go to France. And she's been painting Provencal scenes and teaching ever since.

Corsica, the Var and the Ardeche have the largest production of sweet chestnuts in France. The chestnuts can be ground into flour and used in the preparation of local specialties. Historically not all regions of France had access to wheat flour so the chestnut  was one of the few sources of carbohydrates.

Just above Nice, in the village of Saint Jeannet, vines have been grown for centuries. It is believed the purpose of planting vines was initially to stop rockslides and mudslides. The Vignoble des Hautes Collines, the oldest vineyard in the Cote d’Azur, has lovely silvery olive trees and ancient Cyprus trees overlooking the valley below.

Although there are little remnants of the forced labour camps known as the Bagne in Toulon, their history remains a fascinating and integral part of the city’s identity. The Toulon Bagne were established in 1748 and abandoned in 1873. The French penitentiary system which was managed by the Navy built labour camps in Toulon, Brest and Rochefort before moving overseas.

Absinthe is making a come-back. The anise flavoured spirit derived from herbs, including wormwood, was banned in France in 1914. It had been portrayed as a dangerously addictive hallucinogen because of the presence of the chemical thujone. A revival of absinthe began in the late 1990s and today there are several dozen brands manufacturing and selling in France.

The French Foreign Legion recruiting office happens to be down the road in Aubagne, just east of Marseilles. Young men from around the world can be seen lining up with their duffle bags in the morning in hopes of making the cut. If you’re a man between the ages of 17 and 40 and in incredible physical condition you can give it a go. Keep in mind your first mission is for 5 years.

The small Provençal village of Vallabrègues located on the shores of the Rhone (near Tarascon) has been hosting a basket festival "Fête de la Vannerie" for the past 15 years. Over 80 basket weavers from across Europe are scheduled to attend the 2010 event scheduled for Saturday August 7th through Sunday August 8th.

The only European nesting grounds of the pink flamingo which is located in the Camargue welcomes over 10 000 couples each year.

On Sunday July 18th 2010 the village of Valensole will be celebrating the harvest of this years lavender crop. The parade will be followed by distilling demonstrations using antique copper stills. It's a festive and fragrant occasion to discover the virtues of this aromatic plant that thrives in Provence.

If you haven't seen the BBC Walk on the Wild side series you can watch part it here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAcSDYKPkZc) or you can drive 2 hours north of Aix en Provence into the Parc National des Ecrins and watch these incredibly playful marmottes interact.

The 2010 edition of the reference in restaurant and gourmet addresses was official released on June 7th in Lourmarin.  Provençal chefs Reine Sammut (www.reinesammut.com) and Jean-Jacques Prévôt (www.restaurant-prevot.com) greeted the guests with some examples of their culinary delights.