A Year in Provence

Star Review

When the drab greyness of Britain got him down, Peter Mayles moved to France with the idea of writing a novel. When he found he was getting nowhere because of the distractions, his agent had a brilliant idea. “Write about them” he said. He did, the book was a runaway success and led to this 1993 BBC mini-series, which anyone with a fondness for France in general and Provence in particular will relish.
John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan take the roles of Mayles and his wife as they spend a year fixing up their 200-year-old farmhouse in the shadow of the Luberon mountains. The series takes us through the seasons, from mistral winds, a cold house and frozen water pipes in the winter to a constantly distracting stream of guests in the summer. There are consolations to be found though, not least in the wonderful food and the wine of the region. Then there’s the truffle hunting...
With plenty of local characters, abundant humour and a lovely atmosphere, this is a light and enjoyable series which will bring a little Provençal light into your lives.

Graeme Hobbs on 7th February 2008

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Film Description

Having decided to leave their jobs, London and the rat race behind them, the Mayles head off to the South of France, seduced by the prospect of the idyllic countryside, the simple rural way of life, great food, fine wines and sun. However, everything is not quite as they imagined it to be, and one comic situation follows another as they brave mistral winds, truffle season and its mafia involvement and a succession of colourful characters that constantly interrupt their plan for a quiet life.

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Film Details

Cast

Lindsay Duncan, John Thaw

Technical Details