Ms. Hen reviews A Year in Provence

In Provence

A Year in Provence
Peter Mayle
Alfred A. Knopf
1990
 

Ms. Hen decided to read this collection of essays because she was planning a trip to Provence, and one of her rooster friends recommended it to her. She does not usually read essays, but she admires them. She often has a difficult time writing the truth, but she appreciates people who can.
 

Ms. Hen started reading this book on the plane to France. She was immediately struck by Mr. Mayle’s impressions of the people of Provence: how they are all unique and quirky, and have their own way about them. Mayle is from Great Britain, and he noticed how different the people of Provence are from the British, and also of the way of life, how easygoing, and passionate the Provencals tend to be. Ms. Hen wonders if she spent enough time there, if she would notice a stark difference between the locals and Americans. She is positive she would.
 

The collection of essays consists of twelve chapters, each dedicated to one month of the year. The author remodels a French farmhouse in the Luberon region. He haggles with French contractors who work when they want to work, but when they do appear, their craftsmanship is superb. The author talks about one plumber whose passion in life is plumbing, and knows everything about how to heat a house, and also plays the clarinet on the side to unwind. The author asks the plumber how he heats his house, and decides to use the same system. The plumber says the best radiators are made in Belgium and Germany.




Mayle talks about the true passion of Provence: gastronomy. The French love to eat and know how to eat well. All the food in Provence is fresh and delicious. The produce, the meat, the cheese, and especially the wine, is the source of ecstasy for the locals. They spend two hours every day at lunch, savoring every bite, and enjoying life. Ms. Hen only spent two and a half days in Provence, but she came to understand that their way of life is not like in the United States. It’s slower and more intense, and the light in the region is perfect not only for enjoying a meal, but for artists and writers to become inspired.


Ms. Hen stayed near where Peter Mayle lived. She learned that he does not live there anymore because people used to hunt for him because they admired his books so much. She got a chance to tour the Luberon, and to be near the area that inspired Mr. Mayle. She recognized the names of the villages in the book, because she drove by them. The mountains are winding, and the canyon roads curving. Ms. Hen did not enjoy riding in a car in the twisting roads in the canyon, and she was told she turned white afterwards. The views from the mountains are spectacular, little villages dot the country, and burst with vineyards. Certain places, from the inside of the car, Ms. Hen could smell the grapes ripe to be picked. The light, soft and hazy, engulfs everything.



There’s not much that Ms. Hen could do in two and a half days in Provence that could give her the true essence of the region. But just a taste has inspired her to look at the world differently, and to try to be more focused in her everyday life to do her true work. A break in routine, and seeing the part of the world that Peter Mayle wrote about, helped change her outlook. Ms. Hen is grateful for reading this book while she was there, so she could understand the region more deeply and profoundly. Ms. Hen would recommend this book to anyone who has been there, and also to those who have not, to garner a perception of the place.