A tribute to Peter Mayle

On 18 January 2018, Peter Mayle - writer of the best-selling memoir A Year in Provence - died in hospital near his home in Vaugines, a village in the Luberon, aged 78.

An English writer who moved to France in the late 1980s with intentions to write a book, his plans were quickly derailed by all the distractions and curiosities of life around his new home in Ménerbes... and when he wrote to his agent with a long letter explaining the delays, he was surprised to receive the suggestion that he write a book about his experiences instead.

A Year in Provence

Even the book's publisher wasn't sure that it had what it would take to sell, however; indeed, the managing director thought at first that it would flop completely. But thanks to Mayle's charisma and skill at self-promotion, coupled with a serialisation deal with the Sunday Times, a slow start gave way to the book becoming a bestseller - Mayle even had fans track him down and arrive at his house.

Image of the cover of Peter Mayle's book Year in Provence with rustic French window

Putting Provence on the map

Despite a belief from some French people that it took a patronising view of French provincial life, the book is one of the best-selling travel books worldwide (yes, including in France!), with over six million copies sold, and translated into 40 languages.

The 1993 TV series, starring John Thaw, and the 1006 film 'A Good Year' by Ridley Scott (who also has a home in Provence), featuring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard, only added to his success.

The Provencal charm evoked through his sun-drenched paragraphs has inspired travellers the world over to visit Provence and experience joie de vivre, Provence-style, for themselves. 

In 2002 Mayle was awarded the French Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) for cooperation with the francophone world.

A view of Menerbes village in Luberon in Provence, France

About Peter Mayle

Born in Brighton, England in 1939, Mayle was schooled in Barbados, then returned to the UK aged 16. Whilst working at Shell Oil in London, he discovered his interest in advertising and was offered a copywriting post in the New York Office, where he honed his storytelling skills. Returning to London, he built up a successful advertising agency, commuting between the US and the UK.

By 1974 he tired of advertising and embarked upon a full time writing career, which saw him retreat to the Devon countryside, and then to Provence in 1987. 

Visiting Mayle's Provence by bike

The allure of Mayle's Provence touched millions and turned this almost impossibly sleepy and romantic area into a tourist hotspot at the peak of his book's fame. But it is important to remember that Provence has always had a flow of international visitors attracted by its fecundity.

On our bike tours of picturesque Provence, we see that it wasn't only the Brits who changed the landscape - the Romans also had a huge impact with their aqueducts and theatres! And before Mayle arrived in Ménerbes in the 1980s, Picasso bought up a castle for his mistress. We visit this still enchanting village - one of France's list of "plus beaux villages" - on our Luberon bike tour as well as the spectacular hilltop village of Gordes, Roussillon's ochre cliffs and the stunning gorges of the River Nesque.

The advantage of exploring this magical region on two wheels is that you have a full sensory experience that you simply don't get from a car or coach. You'll want to preserve every sight forever (photo stops encouraged!), breathe in the delicious scent of lavender fields as we pass, feel the warm sunshine on your back, listen to the birdsong as you ride along, and - last but definitely not least - savour the flavours of the olive tapenade, the sun-ripened tomatoes and the beautiful wines of the region.

CONTACT US NOW to enquire about our Provence cycling tours and see the landscapes that bewitched Picasso and Peter Mayle for yourself:

Image of Menerbes by Ayush Agarwal on Unsplash