Encore Provence by Peter Mayle (1-Jun-2000) Paperback

Provence #3

by Peter Mayle

"Provence, again?" one may think, seeing Peter Mayle's latest effort. "Has the man nothing better to do than promote a region that's already overhyped and overpriced? Can't he turn his eye to a place that needs a touristic boost, like Bulgaria?"

However, there are reasons to plunge into the third Provençal book by Englishman Mayle, formerly a Madison Avenue copywriter whose bestselling A Year in Provence made the area a must-see for tourists and helped to quadruple real estate prices there. After four years in Long Island, Mayle has returned to France with continuing adoration.

Mayle discloses a world missed by tourists, be it the questions dry cleaners ask about wine stains or the mysterious murder of a small-town butcher given to making housewives happy with more than his displayed meat. He also incorporates guide-like tips--listing markets, cheese makers, and the essential how-tos of perfume sniffing and olive-oil tasting. What's more, this book gives a peek into the life of a bestselling writer. The role is not always an enviable one.

Mayle no longer fits into life in America--the vocabulary alone is enough to throw him off--yet in Provence, he is regarded as little more than a moneyed foreigner. Speared by the British press, he laments, "One of my crimes is to have encouraged people to visit the region ... far too many people ... and people of the wrong sort," an accusation that he denies.

And Mayle comes off as positively defensive in his attack of former New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl, who wrote that she was disappointed in the region. The title alone of chapter 3 hints at the sarcastic stabbings to follow: "New York Times Restaurant Critic Makes Astonishing Discovery: Provence Never Existed." Page after page, he roasts Reichl on the spit, creating a hissing Ruth Rotisserie that's most unbecoming from someone of his stature.

What most causes him to sputter is Reichl's admission that she "had been dreaming of a Provence that never existed."

"Where had I been living all these years?" writes the man who's helped to perpetrate the illusion of a land that is nothing but lavender fields, sunflowers swaying in the breeze, and fascinating characters every millimeter. "The Provence that Daudet, Giono, Ford Madox Ford, Lawrence Durrell and M.F.K. Fisher knew and wrote about--the Provence that I know--doesn't exist.... It's a sunny figment of our imagination, a romanticized fantasy."

Maybe. Having recently visited Provence, I agree with Reichl's critical assessment. Therein lies Mayle's ultimate charm. Crack open a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape, delve into Encore Provence, and voilà: it may be better than actually being there. --Melissa Rossi

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, France, Memoir, Food, Humor, Biography

Paperback Bunko

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

Peter Mayle was a British author famous for his series of books detailing life in Provence, France. He spent fifteen years in advertising before leaving the business in 1975 to write educational books, including a series on sex education for children and young people. In 1989, A Year in Provence was published and became an international bestseller. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages, and he was a contributing writer to magazines and newspapers. Indeed, his seventh book, A Year in Provence, chronicles a year in the life of a British expatriate who settled in the village of Ménerbes. His book A Good Year was the basis for the eponymous 2006 film directed by Ridley Scott and starring actor Russell Crowe. Peter Mayle died in Provence, France.

Reviews

[Andrei Bădică · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ceea ce face ca viața de scriitor să fie demnă de trăit este satisfacția de a descoperi că ai reușit să oferi câteva ore agreabile unor oameni pe care nu-i cunoști."

[Kaitlyn Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads more like a Provence guidebook and less like a memoir. It has nice weight and heft after the insubstantial stories in Toujours Provence and has the same charming competent humorous writing style as A Year in Provence.

I liked this book because I can see his journalistic tendencies more clearly. I enjoy the way he chases down a story and the lengths to which he’ll go to follow up on interesting possibilities like the perfumery school for blind children, the processing of olive oil and the perfect corkscrew. I maintain that I’d like to know him and hang out with him in Provence – as it seems many other readers have wanted over the years – and even more than that, I’d love a life like his.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encore Provence by Peter Mayle was published in 1999, and as the author points out, it had been eleven years previously that he had written A Year in Provence. Mayle happily reports that not much has changed. The neighborhood wines have improved enormously, and there is a greater choice of restaurants. And some of the more popular villages have become more popular in July and August. But the monuments to mass tourism have been held at bay due to the strict building restrictions. And in the words of Peter Mayle:

“Provence is still beautiful. Vast areas of it are still wild and empty. Peace and silence, which have become endangered commodities in the modern world, are still available. The old men still play their endless game of boules. The markets are as colorful and abundant as ever. There is room to breathe, and the air is clean.”

Encore Provence was a delightful escape as I remembered trips to Provence while immersed in Peter Mayle’s irresistible prose, the joys of a bountiful climate, brilliant sun and delicious cuisine. After trying to live in other places, he is back in Provence with a new feast of adventures, discoveries, and culinary delights. There were several favorites, including the chapter about the delights of olive oil and the different types as well as the groves of olive trees, some alive for centuries. Also wonderful was the section on truffles, the hunt for them and then treating oneself to a “truffle lunch” at a local Provençal restaurant. It was a wonderful and simple meal with the chef respecting the seasons in serving the truffles when they were fresh. Another favorite section was that of the potager, the edible garden. This Jean-Luc notes that with the revival of interest in organically grown food has made him something of a vegetable guru in France. His most celebrated client is Alain Ducasse, currently the most decorated chef in France with six Michelin stars. Knowing that I won’t be returning to Provence any time soon, this book was a wonderful respite.

[Peter Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, Mayle in good form. Having read his previous books some years ago it's nice to revisit the dusty roads of Provence and rekindle dormant daydreams.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

O carte dezamăgitoare! Mult mai slabă decât "Un an în Provence".

[Madhulika Liddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written eleven years after A Year in Provence, Encore Provence continues Peter Mayle’s fascination with this delightfully sunny corner of France. In this book, Mayle (who, if you’re unfamiliar with his Provence books, moved along with his wife from England to Provence after chucking up a career in advertising) discusses—with his inimitable sense of humour and his obvious affection for Provence and its people—all things Provence, from the people to the laws, the land and its produce, the fabulous food. The wine. The perfumes. The lavender, the knives.

There’s a chapter on the longevity of the average native of Provence, and how (possibly? Mayle never does find out) foie gras might contribute. There are Mayle’s observations on what comprises the ‘ideal’ Provençale village. There are fascinating, personal, and informative chapters on the selling and buying of truffles; on olives and olive oil; on the making and mixing of perfumes (not to mention what goes into developing a perfumer’s nose, and a description of a day spent at an amazing ‘school’ where blind teenagers are taught to smell). From kitchen gardens to handy (and restrained) lists of some of the best food markets, restaurants, and vineyards in Provence—Mayle covers it all.

And how. A meal at the L’Auberge de La Môle is so lovingly described, just reading it made my mouth water. There are descriptions, fleeting and occasional, of truffle omelettes, of bread dipped in fragrant olive oil, of bouillabaisse made the Marseille way.

Plus, there’s Mayle’s humour. “Let a Frenchman loose in the great outdoors, and the first thing he’ll want to do is organize it; then he will see if there are ways of eating it.” for instance, in the final chapter, which is all about kitchen gardens. And “…a London restaurant’s attempt to justify the exorbitant price of its whitebait: “The tiny fresh fish are tossed by our chef for a few fleeting seconds into a bath of boiling oil, and then removed before they have had a chance to recover from their surprise.” Anyone who suggests tossing the writer in after them has my full support.”

I began reading this book because I’ve had the bad luck to have just read a series of bad books. I was pretty certain that a Mayle Provence book would be therapeutic. It was.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For it's genre, this is a great book. I'm a big fan of books where not much has to happen. I read the first of this series, "A Year in Provence," at least five years ago and really enjoyed it. It's the French equivalent of "Under the Tuscan Sun." Stumbled across two of his follow-ups at a rummage sale at preschool and snapped them up. This book was interesting, informative, witty and even laugh-out-loud funny at times. Peter Mayle thinks a great deal about food - where it comes from, how to get it, how to cook it, how it tastes, etc. A good deal of the book is devoted to variations on his food theme. This is one of those books that I would categorize as extremely pleasant - an antidote to the real world.

[Saleh MoonWalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Onvan : Encore Provence: New Adventures in the South of France - Nevisande : Peter Mayle - ISBN : 679762698 - ISBN13 : 9780679762690 - Dar 240 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 1992

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the first two books. This one is so boring I could hardly get through it. Peter Mayle needs to find a new topic to write about because this one is tired. I think the difference is that in the first two books he wrote about things that happened to him, but in this book, he is doing research and trying to find stories and things to happen to him. This one is heading to the giveaway pile.

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my, give me another book by Peter Mayle please. This is a revisit to a lovely place that the author loved. Provence - truffles, vineyards, olives. Virtually meeting those lovely people who love wine, gardening and food. A place where peace and quiet still reigns.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third and last of his Provence memoirs, and second only to the original, I think. The book is a series of short essays on this and that -- all are about life in Provence, and all are light and entertaining. A fine bedside book, to read one or two at a time, or at least that's what I did. Recommended, especially for Francophiles and Mayle fans. If you somehow missed reading it (as I had), you are in for a treat. Mayle passed away in 2018, in his beloved Provence.

[Alex Givant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Настолько аппетитно, что хочется намазать на ломоть деревенского хлеба и запить бокалом хорошего вина!

[Nina Draganova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Това , което ми липсва в книгите на Питър Мейл е пряката реч. Много изкусен разказвач е , но наистина , разказаното е повече описателно и малко омръзва. Може би , ако някой реши да го последва и да види с очите си всичко описано, ще му бъде много полезна срещата с автора. Всяко нещо е видяно в детайли и описано по неповторим начин.
Америка , видяна през неговата призма е бонус , който допълнително го издигна в очите ми.
Едно определение, ще използвам със сигурност от сега нататък , а именно - човек с нисък ръст , ще наричам вертикално предизвикан. Откакто го прочетох , не съм спряла да се забавлявам.

[Vityska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Коли ти не їдеш в Прованс (хоча й дуже цього хочеш), Прованс приходить до тебе. І то так відчутно, що майже вдихаєш запах лаванди, чуєш, як під подувом містралю шелестить листя на столітніх оливах, слухаєш скрип старих віконниць, відчуваєш смак доброго вина... Здавалося, читати "Ще один рік в Провансі", не прочитавши першої частини - дурна ідея. Ба ні, книга цілком самодостатня. І зачаровує з перших сторінок.
Це не путівник, хоча в ньому й можна знайти назви ресторанів із запаморочливою кухнею, імена кращих виноробів, сироварів, пекарів, торговців медом і трюфелями, адреси і графік роботи ринків, прізвища господарів найгостинніших апартементів. Але це схоже не на рекламу чи довідку, а на явки-паролі "для своїх".
Неймовірно атмосферна книга! На її сторінках оживають колоритні персонажі французьких містечок - такі, що ��оч зараз бери і пиши "під них" роман. Тут анекдотичні історійки перемежовуються з розповідями про особливості різних аспектів життя у Провансі. Від Пітера Мейла ви можете вивчити фірмовий жест провансальців і дізнатися, де роблять найкращі ножі й ідеальні штопори. Ви відвідаєте найцікавіші локації - скажімо, парфюмерну школу для сліпих підлітків і садибу братів-антикварів, які рятують (і продають) найкрандіозніші артефакти минулого- цілі каміни, сходи, велетенські статуї і фрагменти будинків.
Прочитавши цю книгу, ви, скоріш за все, закохаєтеся. Можливо, ненадовго. Але мене, я знаю точно, мрія про Прованс відпустить не скоро.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book on CD read by David Case.
3***

Subtitle: New Adventures in the South of France

Gosh but I love Peter Mayle’s memoirs of his move to and life in Provence! I read them all ages ago, and decided to revisit all his writing since his passing.

This is the third in the series and he write with his usual humor. He takes a little time in this one to give some practical advice on the best things to buy at the market, the best local wines, the different cheeses and olive oils, the passion for boules, the joy of locally sourced honey (and from different seasons), and, of course, truffles. He also talks about the endless bureaucratic hoops that must be jumped through in order to find and then purchase and renovate your own Provence paradise. And he spends an entire chapter on the uniqueness of Marseilles.

David Case does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. I have no clue if his French is pronounced properly (or with a Provencal accent), but he kept me entertained with his impressions of waiters, real estate agents, and farmers.

[Helynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

After I read and thoroughly enjoyed Peter Mayle’s Provence (1991) and Toujours Provence (1992), I turned my attention to other readings, not knowing that a few years later (1999) , Mayle had completed a trilogy with Encore Provence, written after he and his wife had left their home in the south of France, and moved to southern California for few years. This delightful account of how they readjusted from California back to Provençal life lives up to the spirit and cultural observations of the first two books, plus has the added dimension of some interesting histories—for example of the city of Marseille and the nearby Château d’If, the olive oil and pâté de foie gras industries, and the lavender fields and perfume factories of Haute Provence. Mayle begins with a few comparisons of the fast-paced California life and the “rampant informality” of Americans to the slower gait of the Provençals as well as the typically French trait of discretion. “The French, it seems to me, strike a happy balance between intimacy and reserve” (9). Mayle notes that in Provence, “Life has not accelerated, but still dawdles along keeping time with the seasons. The markets still sell real food that has escaped the modern passions for sterilizing and shrink-wrapping. The countryside is still wild, and unscarred by golf courses, themes parks, or condominiums colonies. It is still possible to listen to silence,” Mayle assures us. “Unlike so many other beautiful parts of the world, which progress and ease of access have made noisy, predictable, and bland, Provence has managed to retain its individual flavor and personality” (84). He adds, however, that the residents of Provence have a few built-in prejudices, not only regarding foreigners, but also their own countrymen from Paris. “Despite being French, [Parisians] are regarded as foreign, and therefore, to be treated with suspicion and ridicule” (70). He also rebuts with good-humored sarcasm, an article by New York Times food critic who wrote that, alas, the old Provence of good, fresh food, no longer exists. Mayle gives his own lists of the best markets, wines, olive oil, honey, bread, pastries, goat cheese, etc., still available in the area well as comfortable and affordable accommodations in private houses, restaurants, etc., “To say that you can’t eat well here is nonsense,” he persists. “To say that you need to devote some time and effort to do it quite true. But that, so I’ve always believed, is part of the appreciation and true enjoyment of good food” (52). He mentions numerous amusing quirks about the Provençal people. For example, they still tolerate the old “Turkish” toilets—i.e., nothing more than a hole in the floor—even to the point of constructing sparkling brand new ones in that style. As with everything else about which they may be asked, the usual Provençal response is simply a shrug. Finally, Mayle recalls that he was blamed after the publication of his first two books for the influx of foreigners overrunning and ruining the ambiance of this charming part of France. He assures readers again that eleven years later, not much has really changed there. “Provence is still beautiful. Vast areas of it are still wild and empty. . . . The old men still play their endless games of boules, The markets are as colorful and abundant as ever. There is room to breath. The air is clean” (226). And, as always, there is no one more than Mayle who inspires me to plan an extended trip through Provence one day.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read the third installment of Peter Mayle's Provence trilogy in Provence itself recently. Not exactly in The Luberon though, we were staying in the slighty busier, more touristy part of Frejus but I'm not complaining, it's a beautiful place.

As with the first two books it's like curling up with an old friend, an old witty francophile friend that causes you to laugh out loud (very possibly startling nearby sun-worshippers)and teaches you something new each time you engage with it/him/her.

As far as I know this is the last one but I also know if another does come out I'll definitely be reading it. Equally I'll definitely be going back to Provence.

[J.H. Moncrieff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book of essays about living in Provence by Peter Mayle. Easy to read, easy to put down.

Some of the essays are really interesting, like the one about truffle growers and poachers and buyers. Some are less so, like the one about corkscrews.

I loved Mayle's first book, but this one kind of felt like he'd kept writing about Provence in order to make a living, which I completely understand, but I'd love for him to write another cohesive story rather than these collections.

As always, this book makes you want to go to France and eat (unless you're a vegetarian or vegan--if so, the chapters on foie gras would probably offend).

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where felt like a Dear Diary and I loved it, Encore Provence feels more like a How To and I only liked it. Encore Provence really gets more specific, and detailed, and Provence loses a lot of its magic fairyland feel, becoming more of a Real Place. A Real Place I want to visit, no doubt, but not asap. I almost wonder if Mayle did this deliberately, to discourage people like me from visiting, and messing up his magic fairyland! If so, touche.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Харесвам Питър Мейл и третата част от поредицата му за Прованс ми допадна. Книгата е по-скоро пътепис, а не роман. Сборник от истории, написан с приятно чувство за хумор, усет към детайла, любов към храната и природата. Книга, която носи сетивна наслада и удоволствие.

[Samantha Thomason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as entertaining as his other Provence books.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love all the Peter books!

[Bebe Four · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pure delight as always and a joy to reread

[CindySR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember mostly stories about his house, neighbors, and food from his first Provence book A Year in Provence. This is more of the same, except he does some exploring. My favorite story is when he visited a school for training a "nose". For perfume. Did you know pipi de chat is used in some perfumes?

The Provence books are good,written with humor, but if you want his funniest work, read A Dog's Life

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

With each of the Provence books, Peter Mayle has widened the scope of his observations. The first was the most personal, dealing with his home, his wife, and friends and contractors who became friends. In this third and final instalment Peter takes us on a tour of the industry of Provence, olive groves, lavender fields, truffle markets, and other non-personal but unique topics such as longevity and various towns and villages. These studies are more substantial than those in the second book and I enjoyed them much more.

[Oana Vancea · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 'A year in Provence', this one dives even more into the fascinating culture and habits of the place. I particularly enjoyed the insights into the French language learning at the end of the book.

[bookyeti · Rating 3 out of 5]

You’ve got Mayle!

Peter Mayle’s “Encore Provence” …the third novel in his Provence series. His books are always great fun; reading them is like going on vacation. In this installment of the series, Mayle (an Englishman by birth) writes about returning to Provence after a four year absence, when he and wife moved back to England. The novel - so vivid and rich in its explanation of the smallest detail of life in Provence - makes one yearn to be transplanted to that picturesque landscape.

The characters are true to life and wonderfully portrayed. As I made my way through its pages, Mayle’s cheeky humour (almost sarcastic at times) had me giggling surreptitiously on the bus this morning. What better way to start off a Friday morning? More to follow…including rating and reaction to the book in entirety.

Another success in non-fiction, Encore Provence is agile and amusing (aren’t all of Mayle’s works?). The author takes a bit of an off-the-path route in Encore, opting to focus more on tourist attractions and eating establishments, rather than chronicling his actual experiences with Provençal life. The book ventures beyond the confines of Provence and into the surrounding areas. Suffice it to say, it is more of a lavish tourist guide and less of a novel. Granted, it makes very agreeable reading. In my humble opinion, however, Encore doesn’t reach the brilliant apex of Mayle’s previous two masterpieces: A Year in Provence, and Toujour Provence, both of which I found equally enjoying. Regrettably, Encore definitely lacks the panache of its predecessors. Nonetheless, it’s redeeming qualities are still evident in it’s many entertaining anecdotes, and it’s indisputably informative pages when it came to “touristy” points of interest (to those who long to know the *real* Provence).

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

After perusing I find it is seven years since I read a bit of Peter Mayle during my summer vacation. That’s the best way to read Mayle, basking in the sun, alongside shimmering water. I read the chapter about food in Provence over a lunch of cold grilled/smoked chicken with salsa and chilled sliced tomatoes, it was delicious both prose and meal. My other fond passages were the ‘Unsolved Murder of the Handsome Butcher’, ‘Curious Reasons for Liking Provence’, ‘Eight Ways to Spend a Summer Afternoon.’ And then of course the essay entitled ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Marseilles’ the port city for which I was named. It has a very unsavory reputation and has very long time, so I still wonder why my father insisted I be named for it. Yet is was good to hear from Mayle that perhaps the reputation is more myth these days, because they had a lovely, if odd time, visiting there. I do have a few more Mayle books I haven’t yet read, but they are best saved for a future summer vacation, but hopefully it won’t be another seven years before a return to Provence.

[Moody Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are some new stories after the author returned to Provence after several years in America. To my surprise, there is reference to Ruth Reichl of the New York Times (not a very pleasant impression from Ruth though), it's interesting because I'm a fan of Ruth Reichl's books too (but I only remember that fling in Paris :/)
This book has many charming moments but like Toujours Provence, it's not tightly bound around a timeline in A Year in Provence. The first book sounds more like "an adventure" to me with so many solid characters. I totally miss the glumy and earthy Faustin, the fabulous Monsieur Menicucci, the reclusive Massot, the amusing Benard...But they didn't make a comeback within these pages except for a mention of Faustin's father passing away of old age.
Without the lively intimacy and personalities that made A Year in Provence such a captivating book, Toujours and Encore sound like a a frayed collection of anecdotes and afterthoughts, but it's still nice to have them as companions. :)