The Unwritten Rules of Provence

In this episode, I'm sharing the things about daily life in Provence that nobody tells you in advance. The small, practical rules that locals just know, and that make the difference between feeling like you're fighting the system here and feeling like you're actually part of it.

I start with a quick check-in from the middle of a canicule (heatwave) - what the heat is really like on the ground, and the small adjustments that make it survivable. Then I get into the real rules: how cash still matters more than you'd expect, why the countryside internet is far patchier than you'd assume, and why not everyone here speaks English, even in a region so used to visitors.

I also cover the deeper shifts: how "productivity" means something completely different in Provence, why service moves at its own pace and why that's worth surrendering to rather than fighting, and the quiet importance of saying bonjour to everyone from shopkeepers to strangers in a waiting room.

Whether you're thinking of moving here, you're planning a visit or dreaming of one, these are the rules that will make you feel less like a tourist and more like you belong here. And if there's a rule of Provence you've learned the hard way, I'd love to hear about it...