What do you think?
Rate this book
Provence #2
Прованс завинаги
В “Прованс завинаги” Питър Мейл отново заразява читателя с безграничната си любов към една от най-живописните области на Франция. Въпреки желанието му да води спокоен и уединен живот той се впуска в серия от приключения – телефонно обаждане от Лондон го праща по следите на трюфела; откриването на старинни златни монети в градината се превръща в нощно издирване на съкровища; дори изнамира човек, който иска да накара крастави жаби да пеят “Марсилезата”. Освен това прави пикник с грандиозно угощение за петдесетия си рожден ден, обядва в компанията на гастроном-атлет, посещава изба в Шатоньоф дю пап и се потапя в атмосферата на най-големия пазар в Авиньон. Всички тези и други приключения, описани с характерното за Мейл чувство за хумор, за пореден път ще пренесат читателя в селцата и градчетата на незабравимия Прованс и ще му разкрият по-вкусната и красива страна на живота.
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Peter Mayle
132 books1,182 followersPeter 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 645 reviews
February 3, 2020
I can go through phases of wanting to read book after book on travels to other countries, and then have a period of months where the idea displeases me immensely and makes me feel depressed because I can't go.
This year, I have again found my love for travel books, and ones that are hilariously told are at the top of my list.
I found 'Toujours Provence' in my favourite little bookshop in Cambridge - G David, pushed to the bottom of a book crate that was the result of an academic's house clearance (Sydney Brenner don'tcha know!)
I never dreamed this book would make me laugh so much and make me crave so badly for the rolling hills and easy, gentle lifestyle of Provence. It sounds positively idyllic. And Peter Mayle has such a lovely way of writing. He's completely dedicated to 'fitting in' whether that means dealing truffles in the middle of the night, going for lunch with some friends which takes over 4 hours (food is taken very seriously here) adopting a manic dog that can't keep still and going wine tasting where he is expected to swallow everything he tastes...
I'm now on the look out for the first book in the series and cannot wait to hear more about Peter's adventures. A charming book.
This year, I have again found my love for travel books, and ones that are hilariously told are at the top of my list.
I found 'Toujours Provence' in my favourite little bookshop in Cambridge - G David, pushed to the bottom of a book crate that was the result of an academic's house clearance (Sydney Brenner don'tcha know!)
I never dreamed this book would make me laugh so much and make me crave so badly for the rolling hills and easy, gentle lifestyle of Provence. It sounds positively idyllic. And Peter Mayle has such a lovely way of writing. He's completely dedicated to 'fitting in' whether that means dealing truffles in the middle of the night, going for lunch with some friends which takes over 4 hours (food is taken very seriously here) adopting a manic dog that can't keep still and going wine tasting where he is expected to swallow everything he tastes...
I'm now on the look out for the first book in the series and cannot wait to hear more about Peter's adventures. A charming book.
May 21, 2011
After rereading A Year in Provence, my next logical book to read was Toujours Provence, Peter Mayle's follow-up to the wildly successful A Year in Provence. To be honest, while I could remember reading the first book, I had no recollection of reading Toujours Provence and now I remember why.
::: When a Sequel Isn't a Sequel :::
A Year in Provence dealt with Mayle and his wife's move to Provence, near the Lubéron, their struggles with the language, their interesting neighbors, and the renovations they were making to their house while they explored their new neighborhood. That book progressed logically a month at a time; relationships developed over periods of months; and renovations progress or don't progress as the year goes by.
Toujours Provence takes the familiar neighbors, workmen, and narrative structure and tosses them all right out the window. No longer is there any sort of continuity to Mayle's writing, but rather a collection of short vignettes, some of which might tie into an earlier story or theme, but most that just seem like a glimpse into lives we were given a front-row seat to in A Year in Provence.
Chapters in Toujours Provence are given actual titles, a departure from the month titles of the previous book, and it's very telling. The titles feel like titles to magazine articles, which each short section might very well be. We get short stories without much follow-through, and as the book progresses, the readers is left to feel almost as if they are being pushed back from an interesting scene by a police barricade. A first glimpse of the Mayles' life as Madame Mayle adopts a new dog (bringing their total to three) toward the beginning of the book gives way to fewer and fewer mentions of Madame Mayle, fewer interactions with the fascinating neighbors like Massot and Faustin we met in A Year in Provence, and more and more of a feeling that Mayle is saying the "nos" to his readers that he isn't able to say to the guests who invite themselves for vacations at his house.
::: Is It Horrible? :::
Toujours Provence is in no means a horrible book, and if expectations after A Year in Provence weren't so high, it would probably be a very decent read: witty and interesting. But I don't find it odd at all that there were several reviews of the first book, which won awards, and no reviews of Toujours Provence, because it just isn't that memorable a book. I think that Mayle kept the reader at too far a distance with this book for it to be the must-read that its predecessor was, and that's a great loss.
This review previously published at Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/review/Toujou...
::: When a Sequel Isn't a Sequel :::
A Year in Provence dealt with Mayle and his wife's move to Provence, near the Lubéron, their struggles with the language, their interesting neighbors, and the renovations they were making to their house while they explored their new neighborhood. That book progressed logically a month at a time; relationships developed over periods of months; and renovations progress or don't progress as the year goes by.
Toujours Provence takes the familiar neighbors, workmen, and narrative structure and tosses them all right out the window. No longer is there any sort of continuity to Mayle's writing, but rather a collection of short vignettes, some of which might tie into an earlier story or theme, but most that just seem like a glimpse into lives we were given a front-row seat to in A Year in Provence.
Chapters in Toujours Provence are given actual titles, a departure from the month titles of the previous book, and it's very telling. The titles feel like titles to magazine articles, which each short section might very well be. We get short stories without much follow-through, and as the book progresses, the readers is left to feel almost as if they are being pushed back from an interesting scene by a police barricade. A first glimpse of the Mayles' life as Madame Mayle adopts a new dog (bringing their total to three) toward the beginning of the book gives way to fewer and fewer mentions of Madame Mayle, fewer interactions with the fascinating neighbors like Massot and Faustin we met in A Year in Provence, and more and more of a feeling that Mayle is saying the "nos" to his readers that he isn't able to say to the guests who invite themselves for vacations at his house.
::: Is It Horrible? :::
Toujours Provence is in no means a horrible book, and if expectations after A Year in Provence weren't so high, it would probably be a very decent read: witty and interesting. But I don't find it odd at all that there were several reviews of the first book, which won awards, and no reviews of Toujours Provence, because it just isn't that memorable a book. I think that Mayle kept the reader at too far a distance with this book for it to be the must-read that its predecessor was, and that's a great loss.
This review previously published at Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/review/Toujou...
August 2, 2023
RIP Peter Mayle, gentleman, writer and bon-viveur!
His literary skills are beyond any doubt: Jerome K. Jerome's naive humor, O Henry's abilities as a story-teller, Jeffrey Archer's nobility and detachment, Hasek's satirical talent. But, above all rises his
perpetual goodness in the air, which can be reached only by the finest characters.
Chapeau...
His literary skills are beyond any doubt: Jerome K. Jerome's naive humor, O Henry's abilities as a story-teller, Jeffrey Archer's nobility and detachment, Hasek's satirical talent. But, above all rises his
perpetual goodness in the air, which can be reached only by the finest characters.
Chapeau...
December 14, 2022
Enjoyable, entertaining essays on life as a British expat in the south of France around 1990. I'm sure I'll go on to the next collection. Fine, light escapism. Your library will have a copy. Mayle had a distinctive and pleasing style.
April 15, 2019
More beautiful, humorous prose of the authors life in France. Quick read and great follow to A Year in Provence.
May 14, 2021
3,5 stars
Not quite as good as A Year in Provence, but still a very cosy, relaxing read about life in Provence as experienced by a British expatriate author who settled there.
Not quite as good as A Year in Provence, but still a very cosy, relaxing read about life in Provence as experienced by a British expatriate author who settled there.
July 27, 2022
I liked this even better than the first one. It was so delightful.
I also laughed out loud so hard at a few parts that I got on my husband’s nerves - always a mark of a great book.
I also laughed out loud so hard at a few parts that I got on my husband’s nerves - always a mark of a great book.
March 6, 2008
Peter Mayle writes about characters: Monsieur X, the truffle hunter; Massot with his metal detector; Boy, the dog, who ate the seat belt on his first car trip (and who apparently now has his own book, A Dog's Life). In Mayle's hands, the place of Provence and the French language become characters as well. From musing about Pavarotti's dinner to learning about the history of pastis, everything about this book is cheering. I've enjoyed all the other books by Mayle that I've read (A Year in Provence, Hotel Pastis, and A Good Year), for much the same reasons I enjoyed this book.
May 4, 2022
3.5*
February 1, 2022
Ja no grāmatām jāaizņemas kādi izteicieni, tad no Meila es paņemtu apzīmējumu cilvēkam reibumā - piesūcies kā lapsene. Tās Provansā esot īpaši meistarīgas uz dzelšanu no slēpņa, bet ļoti kāras uz jebkādu alkoholu. Britu humors, ko balsta francūžu dīvainības, siltā un, šķietami vienmēr saules pielietā, vidē. Man patika Meils pirms 10 gadiem un patika arī šoreiz.
Plašāk blogā: https://lalksne.blogspot.com/2022/02/...
Plašāk blogā: https://lalksne.blogspot.com/2022/02/...
January 24, 2013
Симпатична и приятна за четене книга, даваща прекрасна възможност на "книжните пътешественици" като мен да получат доза бягство от забързания ни начин на живот. С характерното си свежо чувство за хумор, познато ни от "Една година в Прованс", Питър Мейл продължава да обрисува живописно ежедневието си на англичанин, предпочел безвремието на френския юг пред вечно мрачната британска действителност. Прелиствайки страниците, почти можеш да усетиш аромата на лавандуловите храсти, да си представиш вкуса на прекрасните френски вина и изящните ястия, да се насладиш на дребните /и не толкова/ удоволствия на френския провинциален живот. Написана с много топлина и привързаност към Прованс и неговите хора, "Прованс завинаги" зарежда читателя с характерната за провансалеца любов към живота.
September 20, 2018
I thought this format worked much better than the monthly chapters of A Year in Provence. It was still pretty far from a page-turner, though. Maybe it's the kind of book I should have read in summer - possibly in France - instead of during a cold and grey fall. It did succeed in making me want to eat a lot of french food, though.
July 11, 2016
Еще одна душевная книга про Прованс. Очень понравились эти маленькие истории про людей, про традиции, про еду и вино. Эх, махнуть бы сейчас туда на недельку, другую!
December 3, 2020
Безкрайна ваканция, това си е устроил автора.Без телевизия, без часовник и без обувки. Но с басейн, вкусна храна и интересни занимания. Определено ми харесва. Повечето неща бих правила с удоволствие и де да можех да пиша толкова добре .
June 24, 2023
Mazliet samests kopā no visa, tomēr pats vērtīgākais laikam tas, kāda bija Provansa 90.gadu sākumā. Pasaule ir mainījusies, ļoti mainījusies.
August 12, 2018
I loved the book, so much so that I want to retire in Provence myself. The scenery, the villages, the people may not be same from Peter Mayle's time but still some parts of the old Provence lifestyle is bound to remain...
I'm also impressed by the author's wit and subtlety; the book was fun to read.
I'm also impressed by the author's wit and subtlety; the book was fun to read.
September 23, 2010
Fun, little stories from the man that brought us, A Year in Provence. I love books that immerse me in a different culture. Oh, how the French enjoy their food :)
March 29, 2023
3.5 stars
I listened to this on audiobook as I drove from London to the Gers
I don’t think I’ve ever actually read A Year in Provence, but it’s one of those books that I feel like I know. It’s your insider/outsider guide to Provence, albeit told through the rose-coloured glasses view of a more innocent time (ie, before the British/French Brexit break-up). I’m not sure it would appeal to those who already know France intimately, but it’s a helpful primer for those enthusiasts who are more ignorant of the culture. There are some great stories in it, for sure, and Mayle definitely knows how to turn a phrase and draw a paragraph to an elegant close. Although Provençal in flavour, I’m sure that much of the local knowledge and characters can be found in most regions of France. Mayle just about manages to steer clear of stereotyping and caricature, but I’m sure this book plays best to Brits and the English-speaking cohort (Americans, Australians, etc).
I listened to this on audiobook as I drove from London to the Gers
I don’t think I’ve ever actually read A Year in Provence, but it’s one of those books that I feel like I know. It’s your insider/outsider guide to Provence, albeit told through the rose-coloured glasses view of a more innocent time (ie, before the British/French Brexit break-up). I’m not sure it would appeal to those who already know France intimately, but it’s a helpful primer for those enthusiasts who are more ignorant of the culture. There are some great stories in it, for sure, and Mayle definitely knows how to turn a phrase and draw a paragraph to an elegant close. Although Provençal in flavour, I’m sure that much of the local knowledge and characters can be found in most regions of France. Mayle just about manages to steer clear of stereotyping and caricature, but I’m sure this book plays best to Brits and the English-speaking cohort (Americans, Australians, etc).
March 2, 2020
This is a series of essays about the life of an expat in Provence, with the occasional mention of a friend introduced in A Year in Provence. Understated humour on a wide variety of topics made this a pleasure to read.
October 26, 2020
(3.5) The writing is as fluid and engaging as ever, but I didn't fall in love with this book the way I did with the first. It made for an amusing distraction from the shitshow of 2020 and I do love it for that :-)
February 19, 2017
A random collection of vignettes about the casual life of a man and his wife. Visiting friends, eating, living without clocks and eating, going out and eating. In a sense a good life to experience, a horrendously boring traveling blog to read. And I think I also have a problem with the style how Peter Mayle writes, because I was literally nodding off between the chapters. When I came around again and read some more, I felt I really wanted to eat something nice. Maybe travel there, drink some wine and eat those weirdly named gourmet' dishes in a relaxing environment. But not to read about it. At least definitely not like Mayle writes.
And the last straw - constant interruption of the narrative with "teaching French" sections. Not a paragraph went by without requiring you to jump down to the underline translations.
Not my glass of wine.
And the last straw - constant interruption of the narrative with "teaching French" sections. Not a paragraph went by without requiring you to jump down to the underline translations.
Not my glass of wine.
May 29, 2020
Delightful!
But, you are a fool to visit Provence in summer.
But, you are a fool to visit Provence in summer.
June 22, 2018
Just as entertaining as the first Provence book that I read about 10 years ago. Very similar format, lots of short stories about the people and Day to day life for a British couple now living in Provence. Since it was written 30 years ago I am sure the life described is no longer possible but wow the good old days!
July 3, 2018
Peter Mayle can probably do no wrong. This book is simply a continuation of the same from "A Year in Provence" and thusly, a delicious read.
July 3, 2022
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Provence Toujours ?
"Deuxième tome de la trilogie provençale de Peter Mayle, il m'attendait sagement dans ma PAL et depuis que j'ai terminé le précédent, je n'arrêtais pas d'y penser."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Chronique d'une vie simple à Ménerbes, petit village du Luberon, où Peter Mayle, un ancien publicitaire anglais, continue à découvrir la Provence et les provençaux..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"J'ai retrouvé la plume de l'auteur, que j'ai tant aimé dans le premier tome, j'ai retrouvé son humour et j'ai bien ri, peut-être d'autant plus que je vis en Provence et que tout me paraît si authentique, j'ai retrouvé aussi son amour pour la région, pour les gens et sa grande bienveillance, tout ce que j'avais apprécié dans le précédent opus. En revanche, si je préfère les romans de manière générale, c'est parce que j'aime bien être tenue par une histoire. Dans Une Année en Provence, le récit se déroulait de janvier à décembre, ce qui donnait une certaine cohérence à l'ensemble. Il y avait également les travaux de la maison, qui servaient de fil rouge et tenaient le lecteur. Ici, on est vraiment dans la chronique, de petites histoires éparpillées, par-ci, par-là, quelques tableaux, quelques anecdotes, et c'est pour cela que j'ai moins accroché."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Si ce n'est pas un coup de coeur comme le précédent, ça reste une lecture très appréciable, surtout au son des cigales et je suis ravie d'avoir encore un tome à découvrir dans ma PAL."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"Deuxième tome de la trilogie provençale de Peter Mayle, il m'attendait sagement dans ma PAL et depuis que j'ai terminé le précédent, je n'arrêtais pas d'y penser."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Chronique d'une vie simple à Ménerbes, petit village du Luberon, où Peter Mayle, un ancien publicitaire anglais, continue à découvrir la Provence et les provençaux..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"J'ai retrouvé la plume de l'auteur, que j'ai tant aimé dans le premier tome, j'ai retrouvé son humour et j'ai bien ri, peut-être d'autant plus que je vis en Provence et que tout me paraît si authentique, j'ai retrouvé aussi son amour pour la région, pour les gens et sa grande bienveillance, tout ce que j'avais apprécié dans le précédent opus. En revanche, si je préfère les romans de manière générale, c'est parce que j'aime bien être tenue par une histoire. Dans Une Année en Provence, le récit se déroulait de janvier à décembre, ce qui donnait une certaine cohérence à l'ensemble. Il y avait également les travaux de la maison, qui servaient de fil rouge et tenaient le lecteur. Ici, on est vraiment dans la chronique, de petites histoires éparpillées, par-ci, par-là, quelques tableaux, quelques anecdotes, et c'est pour cela que j'ai moins accroché."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Si ce n'est pas un coup de coeur comme le précédent, ça reste une lecture très appréciable, surtout au son des cigales et je suis ravie d'avoir encore un tome à découvrir dans ma PAL."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
April 25, 2020
4.5 stars. Charming, witty and humorous. I especially related to the enthusiastic energy of Boy, the third dog that Peter and his wife adopted. The description of Pavarotti’s outdoor concert in the countryside was memorable, and the the great operatic tenor’s surmised dinner plans had me laughing. Also, there was plenty of understated humor around neighbors, like the one who dug in Peter’s yard for gold coins, and a rich vocabulary around food. This was a delight from beginning to end.
January 31, 2022
A delightfully hilarious and charming novel recounting the authors experiences as an Englishman in Provence. Structured each chapter as a different anecdote, Mayle paints a beautiful and evocative image of Provençal life, somewhere I hope to reside in the future. The novel was speckled with French vocab I was delighted to find I could understand from 5 years of high school French. Didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the prequel (although I’m going to now). Très bien !
April 14, 2024
This was another 10/10 for Peter Mayle. I actually may have liked this one better than A Year in Provence, considering the chapters were created by telling a specific story as opposed to a whole month. I continue to love the documentation of Mayle’s life in Provence and his funny encounters with visitors, locals, and the environment. I absolutely recommend.
June 2, 2022
Не сподобалось. Замальовки про життя англійців на півдні Франції, трюфелі, спека, місцева атмосфера, що могло піти не так? Як замальовки непогано, але все руйнує гидкуватий снобський тон, який вже за межами звичайних кпинів. Не очікувала, але на цьому книжки Мейла в мене й так закінчились.
July 27, 2020
Si divertissant, si Provençal!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 645 reviews