Foreign tourists gather in the south of France in the summer, but locals who know them prefer to save Provence for the fall.
As the beach crowds fade, the Val area changes. At Cotignac, approximately 230 meters above sea level, the air cools and the life slips into a slower rhythm.
October brings a food festival and market filled with seasonal delicacies to what is known as one of France’s most beautiful villages.
Here’s how you can make the most of your prime season in the village of Provence:
Visit one of France’s most beautiful villages this fall
The Cotignac is a clutch of 16th and 17th centuries homes painted in warm ochre and yellow tones.
village Surrounded by luxurious forests, it is lined with the face of rising cliffs known as the Roche (rock).
This limestone rocky mountain is an impressive cave that is 400 meters long and 80 meters high, running through the Troglodite Cave.
From the Stone Age, nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers settled at cliff heights and used their advantages to rule the valley below.
The first inhabitants of Cotignac settled on land on rocks, but in the Middle Ages the population decided to move to the foot of the cliff.
Hamlet The growing and major church, Eglis de Ennonciation, was built in 1266 and was remarkable for its atypical facades and large organs.
In the Middle Ages, two Saracen towers still visible today were built at Clifffoottop as guard points to protect them from invaders.
Pussy festival and truffle market
In October, food is a serious problem for Cotignac residents. The market will overflow with figs, chestnuts and post-harvest grapes, but at the end of this month the much-anticipated annual Quintz Festival will be brought to you.
This beloved tradition sees it village The stall-filled squares are sold in every form imaginable, in the cooking and sale of fruits that have been grown locally for hundreds of years.
You can find machines baked into cakes, jamed, nervous in jelly and brewed into alcoholic beverages.
There will also be tastings, Boulez competitions, concerts and parades where participants dress flashyly like Quink.
When November comes, truffles will become the main focus. The season is unofficially opened by the AUPS truffle market on the 21st, just 20 minutes from Cotignac.
Here, locals, chefs and gourmets gather to taste and buy “Black Diamond” for the first year.
Discover seasonal cuisine at historic hotels
Epicurean Travelers You can explore more seasonal agricultural products in the region of Cotigan Lou CullenIt first opened as a hotel in the 1970s and recently transformed into an eco resort.
Historic stone walls and rustic features believe in the property’s advance environmental policies, including the use of renewable energy.
Sustainability also defines the food offerings of Lou Calen. Onsite restaurant, Jardin Secret received a Green Michelin Star This year we are aware of environmentally friendly gastronomy.
Chef Benoit Witz sources all products within a 60km radius.
In October, the hotel joins the village and enhances seasonal delicacies with a variety of events. On October 9th, France celebrates Le Grand Repas, a national culinary event, and Witz will offer a one-off menu honoring the area’s fall harvest.
Saffron begins to bloom in the same month. Guests can take part in the harvest and learn how delicate flowers are prepared for preservation.
Later this year, guests will be able to venture into the forest of Aupus with truffle producer Lisa Kanutz. Guided by her dog, they learn the art Truffle hunting Before returning to Lisa’s house for a tasting.
“Summer shows you the beauty of Provence,” says Graham Porter, owner of Lou Cullen. “Autumn and winter will show you that soul.”