Discovering the Côtes du Rhône: A Wine Lover's French Travel Blog

Bienvenue, Welcome to our French travel blog!

We are Liz & Phil, an American gal married to a French man, living our best lives in Provence Occitane in southern France. (Well, at least part-time for now.)

Who We Are:

Phil: Parisian-born with over 30 years in the Gard département.
Liz: A Francophile Californian who has spent 20 years delving into the region’s history and uncovering hidden gems.

Our Mission:

On this French travel blog, we share our adventures and expert insights as we explore the charming villages, historic cities, terrains, and vineyards that populate the Côtes du Rhône wine region.

Although the area is well-appreciated by French and European visitors, it hasn’t been as “discovered” by English speakers as Provence. We aim to “translate” local knowledge and the French sources available into English to shine a spotlight on this underappreciated area.

Meet Liz & Phil: Our Journey from California to Provence Occitane

We met in Los Angeles in the early 2000s, thanks to the internet.

I moved to Southern California after a ten-year career in marketing at a global company and was transitioning towards “creating entertainment.”

Phil was already in the industry. We combined our skills, got married, and spent 20 years working together in film production and distribution.

And yes, I can attest that those years are equivalent to a dog’s years in terms of marriage.

Our Wine Adventures: Tasting and Discovering Local Vintages

We can’t say we’re wine experts, but we drink a lot of local vintages—I’m a French “rosé all day” kind of girl—and Phil has that innate French knowledge of the grape.

Liz is currently working on her WSET certificate for the Côtes du Rhône.

Our French Farmhouse: The Story of Our Stone Mas

Before meeting me, Phil had purchased an old stone mas, built in 1833, in the Gard département.

In southern France, a “mas” is a traditional farmhouse, typically made of stone and surrounded by agricultural land.

Our house, at the end of the road, is tucked in between forests and grapevines. It was once a stop on the postal route and part of the 18^th-century silk trade.

With his father, Phil rebuilt portions of the mas. We still have several unfinished spaces, including a wine cave currently inhabited by bats.

We spend a good portion of each year at the mas and rent it out on Airbnb and Booking.com when we’re not there.

Living the French Lifestyle: Embracing History and Culture

In our semi-retirement, we’re embracing a full-time French lifestyle. I’ve spent years researching the area’s Roman and medieval history.

I majored in History at UC Berkeley and adore historical research. One day, I plan to write a novel set in the nearby town of Uzés. I’ve even had the chance to check out a book published in 1676 at the local Bibliothèque (library)…which is older than my country!

Future Plans: Videos, Filmmaking, and Renovation Projects

As we slide into semi-retirement and a French lifestyle blog, we’ll share our adventures and insights. We’ll also continue our filmmaking adventures and start producing video content winemaking in the region and documenting our farmhouse renovations.

Join Us on Our Journey: Comment, Connect, and Explore

Thanks for reading our blog on wine travel and life in the Côtes du Rhône region. ! Please leave a comment below if you enjoyed an article or have any questions reach us through the contact form. You can find our privacy policy, here.

Or better yet, sign up for our email below and receive our monthly newsletter.