A Year in Provence

By: Peter Mayle

Narrated by: Peter Mayle

More than 40,000 listeners have enjoyed this story on cassette. Now anyone who's ever dreamed of getting away from it all can enjoy the charms and challenges of A Year in Provence on CD!
Peter Mayle and his wife had been to Provence as tourists. They had dreamed of one day trading the long, gray winters and damp summers of England for the blue skies and sunshine of the coast of southern France. And then they made it happen.
They moved into an old farmhouse at the foot of the Luberon mountains and embarked on a wonderful, if at times bewildering, new life. Among their experiences that first year: being inundated with builders and visitors, grappling with the native accent, taking part in goat races and supervising the planting of a new vineyard.
Peter Mayle personally recounts the pleasures and frustrations of Provençal life--sharing in a way no one else can, the unique and endearing culture that is Provence.
A Year in Provence was a New York Times bestseller for three years and won the British Book Awards' "Best Travel Book of the Year."

Critic reviews

“Engaging, funny and richly appreciative.” —The New York Times

“Stylish, witty, delightfully readable.” —The Sunday Times (London)

“A Francophile's delight, this is a highly entertaining book.” —Library Journal

“I really loved this book.” —Julia Child

Delightful

Terrific narrative of a long visit in France. I throughly enjoyed the authors sense of humor.

My favorite region in the world

I loved the simplicity and complexity of the people of Provence. Well written. Very poignant.

Earns 5/5 Smiles...Entertaining Redux (Abridged)!

It’s been quite awhile since I watched my favorite production of “A Year in Provence” with John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan or read the trilogy on which it is based, so it’s time for a quick revisit. Like an amuse bouche to whet one’s appetite, this abridged audio version includes delightful portions from both “A Year in Provence” and “Toujours Provence,” and the big perk? It is narrated by Peter himself. Mayle’s year in the picturesque Luberon Valley is filled with language faux pas, cultural misunderstandings, and some missteps in their efforts to fit in, but all through the changing of the seasons, Mayle and his wife make good friends and become infused with the aroma and taste of French culture. Mayle’s narrating was very pleasant, going beyond a traditional read with tone, emotions, and several entertaining accents. I know some prefer the full-length version and maybe “abridged” should be more prominent in the tags, but I enjoyed my revisit and recommend it to others.

so i can hear peter mayle telling his story

so i can hear peter mayle telling his story. that is great. it is so funny.

Sense of humor

The delivery was superb. And so detailed with adjectives . The sense of humor was great and the delivery excellent b