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Shutters & Sunflowers

Travel tips from an English girl in California, in love with Provence.

  • Home
  • Uzes
    • Visit
    • Stay
    • Eat
    • Activities
    • Nearby
    • Stories
    • At the Terrace restaurant at Hôtel de Caumont, Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

      Restaurants we love in Uzès, Aix-en-Provence & St-Rémy-de-Provence

      , June 10, 2022
    • Uzès where Shutters and Sunflowers began

      admin, October 4, 2021
    • Shutters of Provence in Lourmarin Provence, France

      The Shutters of Provence

      , September 10, 2019
    • Speaking at The Pilsudski Institute about the Poles who cracked Enigma

      , May 2, 2019
  • Lourmarin
    • Visit
    • Stay
    • Eat
    • Activities
    • Nearby
    • Stories
    • Forever in love with Lourmarin

      , October 1, 2025
    • Our street in Lourmarin, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence, France

      Lourmarin through the eyes of a child

      , August 9, 2024
    • Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence, Vaucluse, France

      Carmel, California and Lourmarin, Provence, the places I call home

      , March 30, 2023
    • A view of Loumrarin, Luberon, Provence, France

      Lourmarin, The Luberon, Provence, Travel guide

      admin, June 21, 2022
  • Around Provence
    • Cities of Provence
    • Luberon
    • Var
    • Bouches-du-Rhône
    • Côte d’Azur
    • Languedoc-Rousillon
    • The Vaucluse
    • Serre Chevalier sign , on the slopes above Chantemerle

      Skiing in Serre Chevalier, in the French Alps

      , April 5, 2026
    • Valley of the Clarée at Col du Granon, site of WWII operations,les Hautes-Alpes, Serre Chevalier, Provence, France

      History in Les Hautes-Alpes ~ Col du Granon & Mont Dauphine

      , November 1, 2025
    • Entrance to the old Cité Vauban, Briançon, Serre Chevalier, Les Hautes-Alpes, Provence, France

      Cité Vauban, Sébastien Vauban’s historic city at Briançon.

      , October 27, 2025
    • Mountains in Serre Chevalier, Les Hautes-Alpes, Provence, France

      A trip to Serre Chevalier in Les Hautes-Alpes

      , October 15, 2025
  • Britain
    • London
    • An Hour from London
    • The Cotswolds
    • Yorkshire
    • Scotland
    • Other Places
    • Spring blossoms in Lourmarin

      Spring in Provence, England and Lake Tahoe, California

      , March 9, 2021
    • Speaking at The Pilsudski Institute about the Poles who cracked Enigma

      , May 2, 2019
    • The Control Tower at Greenham Common, Nebury, Berkshire, England

      The story of Greenham Common, England

      , October 12, 2018
    • Front of Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, England, birth place of Sir Winston Churchill

      Blenheim Palace, birth place of Sir Winston Churchill

      , February 20, 2018
  • Europe
    • France
    • Italy
    • Germany
    • Austria
    • Netherlands
    • Belgium
    • Denmark
    • Halle aux Grains in Auvillar, Tarn-et-Garonne, France

      Day 8 & 9: Auvillar, Puylaurens & Aigues-Mortes, headed to Provence

      caroline_longstaffe, July 29, 2026
    • Arched Roman city entrance in Saintes, Western France

      Day 7: On the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim trail from Saintes to Saint Émilion.

      caroline_longstaffe, July 13, 2026
    • Halles de Clisson, Clisson,Pays de la Loire region of the Loire-Atlantique, France

      Day 6 in Brittany: Rochefort-en-Terre & Clisson, saved by an American & the Italians

      caroline_longstaffe, July 8, 2026
    • Hotel du bac, Combrit, Brittany, France

      Camaret-sur-mer and Locronan and Brittany’s medieval city of Vannes

      caroline_longstaffe, July 3, 2026
  • California & USA
    • San Francisco
    • Carmel
    • Napa & Sonoma Wine Country
    • Lake Tahoe
    • The Bay Area
    • Other Places in California
    • Elsewhere in USA
    • Building a house in Carmel-by-the Sea

      Busy building a house in Carmel-by-the-Sea

      , August 1, 2024
    • The Carmel Mission Basilica, founded in 1770

      The story of Father Junípero Serra and the Carmel Mission

      , April 16, 2023
    • Lourmarin, Luberon, Provence, Vaucluse, France

      Carmel, California and Lourmarin, Provence, the places I call home

      , March 30, 2023
    • Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, USA

      Crater Lake ~ the stunning finale to our American Road Trip

      , July 8, 2021
  • Global
    • New Zealand
    • Australia
    • Turkey
    • Dubai
    • Singapore
    • Clay Cliffs at Omarama, South Island New Zealand

      Days 20-21: South Island New Zealand~Tasman Glacier Lake, Ōmarama, Cromwell & wineries

      , February 6, 2025
    • On Hooker Trail, Aoraki / Mount Cook, South Island, New Zealand

      Day 19: South Island New Zealand~Mount Cook

      , February 3, 2025
    • Cardona Hotel, Cardona, South Island, New Zealand

      Day 18: South Island of New Zealand ~ Cardrona & Wanaka

      , January 26, 2025
    • At mountains where Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed near Paradise, near Glenorchy, near Queenstown, South Island New Zealand

      Day 17: South Island of New Zealand, Glenorchy, searching for The Hobbit

      , November 22, 2024
  • Travel Guides
    • A view of Loumrarin, Luberon, Provence, France

      Lourmarin, The Luberon, Provence, Travel guide

      admin, June 21, 2022
    • Plan a stay in Lourmarin, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence

      Plan a stay in Lourmarin the Luberon, Provence

      , May 2, 2017
    • Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

      San Francisco – ‘The City by the Bay’ – Travel Guide

      , February 27, 2017
    • Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, USA Travel Guide PDF

      Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Travel Guide

      admin, January 31, 2016
  • Stories of Life
    • Building a house in Carmel-by-the Sea

      Busy building a house in Carmel-by-the-Sea

      , August 1, 2024
    • View of Lourmarin Village, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence, France

      A million miles away

      , May 5, 2022
    • Spring blossoms in Lourmarin

      Spring in Provence, England and Lake Tahoe, California

      , March 9, 2021
    • Dreaming of Christmas

      Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas yet to come

      , December 5, 2020
Porsche 911's at Carmel Porsche Werks Reunion , Carmel. California, USA
California & USACarmelExplore

The glitter and the gold – Cars and Carmel

admin, August 24, 2012

Cars have always featured heavily in my life, or more to the point in the lives of the men in my life; my Father my brother my husband and son! So imagine an event brimming with exotic cars, historic cars, luxury …

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California & USADanvilleExploreThe Bay Area

A Saturday morning in Danville, California

admin, July 17, 2012

Another Saturday, another farmer’s market in the vibrant but somewhat sleepy suburb which we call home, Danville, 30 miles east of San Francisco. In the shadows of the old railway station, market holders have gathered. More sunflowers, lavender, olive oil …

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James ready to go in 1968 Lotus Cortina at Sonoma Raceway
California & USAExploreNapa & Sonoma Wine Country

’24 minutes du Mazda Miata’ at Sonoma Raceway, California; – zoom, zoom!

admin, July 15, 2012

Cars, speed, racing and male testosterone………those same components that consumed the atmosphere at ’24 Heures du Mans’. Such sentiments were just as effervescent when I watched my lovely son, James, racing in the Sports Club of America, (SCCA), Mazda Spec …

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California & USAExploreSan FranciscoThe Bay Area

Market day at San Francisco’s Ferry Building

admin, July 13, 2012

People across the globe love an outdoor market, especially when in a beautiful world famous city like San Francisco which holds a Farmers Market several times a week right beside the Bay. There is something special about purchasing hand grown, …

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Napa Valley vineyards, California, USA
California & USAExploreNapa & Sonoma Wine Country

The Napa Valley – ‘Provence’ in California?

admin, July 6, 2012

I called my blog ‘sunflowers and shutters’ because they are a few of the images embedded in my heart when I think of southern France. In my 6 months there I actually never saw any sunflowers but I did yesterday, …

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Danville, California on the 4th of July Parade
California & USADanvilleExploreThe Bay Area

Happy 4th of July!

admin, July 5, 2012

This is the day that Americans remember gaining their independence from the British in 1776. Had history unfolded differently maybe today they would still be more officially joined to us as part of the Commonwealth. There are many Americans who, …

Read more 0 Comments
Le Mans, 24 Hour Car Race, France
EuropeExploreFrance

24 Heures du Mans – 2012

admin, July 2, 2012

What exactly is it that lures people to follow sport? Is it the thrill of the event, the camaraderie, the anticipation of victory, the rekindling of childhood dreams? All my life I have been surrounded by men with a craving for …

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The Whitby harbour. North Yorkshire, England
BritainExploreYorkshire

Beautiful, historical North Yorkshire

admin, July 1, 2012

Life’s twists and turns, call them coincidences or serendipities never cease to amaze. In May I had stood by the harbor in Genoa, Italy, the birth place of the infamous explorer, Christopher Columbus. Three weeks later, quite unintentionally, I found myself …

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Renault Clio driving through France
EuropeExploreFrance

Driving through to France to England

admin, June 30, 2012

As you leave the vineyards and olive groves behind, speeding northwards, driving through to France, the countryside gradually begins to change. Golden, clay tiles roofs are replaced with slate, church spires seem thinner, reaching higher, the trees and plants become more …

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Speaking French at Wednesday Market in Uzes
Stories from UzesUzes

“Parlez-vous français?”| learning French in Uzès

admin, June 28, 2012

“Parlez-vous français?” – “Oui, un petit peu” – was my response when I arrived in Uzès in January before I had began learning French. By the time I left at the end of May I was able to truthfully answer the same question …

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Rent Our Home InLourmarin

Provence

ABOUT CAROLINEBORN UNDER A WANDERING STAR

I was born under a wandering star, an English girl living in California, in love with Provence. I have lived near San Francisco for 17 years but in 2012 spent 20 unforgettable months in Provence, first in beautiful, medieval Uzès, and then in the Luberon’s fairy-tale village of Lourmarin. It was magical and inspired me to write Shutters and Sunflowers; my insights into the local charm of places I love, Provence, England, California and places I travel, suggestions for where to stay, to eat and to visit. Join me and be inspired too, there's a big world waiting to be explored, let me know what you find!

ExploringPROVENCE, BRITAIN, CALIFORNIA & OTHER PLACES

Hôtel de la Beursaudièr, Chablis, France
ExploreFrance

Driving through France

, August 18, 2022

We have driven through France, north to south and back, (about 1000km each way), more times than I can remember. As children, both our families took holidays driving through France, often headed for Spain. Slightly crammed between siblings, before cars …

Read more 6 Comments
Lavender fields of Bonnieux, Luberon, Vaucluse, Provence, France

The lavender of the Luberon, Provence

, July 25, 2022
Around ProvenceExploreLuberon
Château Léoube entrance by the vines's,Bormes-les-Mimosas, Var Provence, France

Léoube, Provençal rosé enticing England and California

, July 13, 2022
Around ProvenceCôte d'AzurExploreVar

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Shutters & SunflowersAbout the Story

I started this blog as a diary whilst living in Provence, calling it ‘Shutters and Sunflowers’ because they both come to mind when I think of Provence. It has developed into a travel resource, about Provence, California, Britain and wherever I travel. There are travel guides for Uzès, Lourmarin, San Francisco, Carmel and Lake Tahoe; ideas for boutique accommodation, where to sample delicious, regional food, advice about what to see and historical insights. I don't pretend to know all the options but write about what touches my heart; rows of Provencal shutters, fields of sunflowers; about ‘living the journey, not waiting to get to the destination.’ I hope Shutters and Sunflowers will inspire you to visit some of the beautiful places that I have been fortunate enough to go to, do get in touch if I can be of any help in planning your special trips.

Interact With UsMOST COMMENTED

View through the shutters of a maison de village in Lourmarin, Provence, France
42

Our house in Lourmarin, Provence

The Control Tower at Greenham Common, Nebury, Berkshire, England
28

The story of Greenham Common, England

Rainbow over Mt Diablo, Danville California
28

Unprecedented times, stay safe & well my friends……

The Sunflower Field, a World War II novel about the Polish code breakers who first broke the Enigma code
27

The Sunflower Field ~ the story of who first cracked the Enigma Code

24

Our American Road Trip

SyndicationPublished Elsewhere

A collection of articles from Shutters & Sunflowers published elsewhere on the web.

The Sunflower Field World War II Novel set in Provence

Perfectly Provence features ‘The Sunflower Field’, my World War II novel set in France

, August 11, 2017
Published Elsewhere
Sunflowers of Provence, France

Provence Travel Tips from Shutters and Sunflowers interview with Perfectly Provence

admin, January 29, 2016
Published Elsewhere
Interview with Perfectly Provence

Perfectly Provence, Shutters and Sunflowers, The Provencal Landscape

admin, December 2, 2015
Published Elsewhere
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