Colors of Provence

Michel Biehn records in loving and sensuous detail the customs and culture of his native Provence, using color as an ingenious organizing theme. The book goes far beyond the cliched lavender. It reveals the purples that fill Provencal gardens at Easter: lilac, iris and wisteria; the deep indigo that dyed the "jute de Nimes" exported to the United States as "denim" (de Nimes) by Levi Strauss; the hot saffron that flavors bouillabaisse; the orange coral marketed at Marseille; the white-on-white boutis embroidery on quilts and linens for the traditional trousseau; the red stone villages rising from the red earth; the yellow of sunflowers, straw hats and bright silk petticoats. Biehn's particular interest, and expertise, in traditional Provencal fabrics and costumes provides a logical palette on which to juxtapose these dramatic colors. Filled with memories, history, folklore, poetry, garden wisdom and mouthwatering recipes, The Colors of Provence is illustrated with ravishing color photos of Provencal landscapes, homes and objects. This book has very much enriched our journeys in Provence and prodded our memories when we reminisce about them. Michel Biehn's idiosyncratic list of his favorite places to visit in Provence has led us to wonderful restaurants, shops, tile works, fabric stores and museums. We found it a valuable resource for understanding the significance of artifacts in village museums in Provence, and especially the collections of the extraordinary Provencal folk museum - the Musee Arlaten - that poet Frederic Mistral established in Arles with his Nobel prize money. A lovely and lively book perfect for planning a journey to Provence or dreaming about one.

I was given this book as a gift upon returning from a trip to France, and this more than any of my travel photos will remind me of and make me yearn to be back in Provence. Very beautiful!