Perfume from Provence

Gentle and astute obsevations from an impoverished Brit who bought a house in Provence in the early 1930s. Descriptions of moving day, local customs, general life etc, with humour: she pokes gentle fun not just at the locals but at the foibles of the British gentry of the times. A bit long-winded in places, but generally a pleasant and enjoyable read.

Delightful period piece, describing an idyllic life in a rural French setting, full of characters and scallywags - a 1930's style A Year in Provence.

I didn't really read the blurb about this book properly and as a consequence, I was expecting something along the lines of A Year in Provence. Whilst there are parallels, Winifred Fortescue and her husband moved to Provence in the 1930s, and the anecdotes that she shares in this book very much reflect those times.

Reading with modern eyes, the author's slightly patronising attitude towards the local populace is somewhat uncomfortable, but Lady Fortescue's love of the provencal countryside is infectious, and her descriptions make the land come alive. An interesting read.

Charming, lovely use of language, and the illustrations by E.H. Shepard are delightful

Very nice read. Timeless. Reminiscent of Ferenc Mate or Peter Mayle.