Nestled in the south of France, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is a land renowned for its lavender fields, fine cuisine, golden sun, and dreamy landscapes. The region of Provence has inspired such masters as Alphonse Daudet and Vincent van Gogh. So enthralled was Paul Cézanne by the Mont Sainte-Victoire that he immortalized it in a series of paintings. We enter his Provence studio, which still looks the same as it did over a century ago, as well as the house where Frédéric Mistral, 1904 Nobel Prize winner, lived and wrote. We also admire the wrought-iron staircase and embroidered curtains of the Hotel Nord-Pinus in Arles, which hosted the likes of Napoleon III, Jean Cocteau, and Picasso. Across picturesque villages perched atop rocky hillsides, quaint gardens filled with olive trees and the heady scent of lavender, tiled rooftop terraces and warm, ochre tones: this book gathers the region's most remarkable homes and interiors and paints a gorgeous picture of Provençal living.

Taschen, Angelika

Angelika Taschen studied art history and German literature in Heidelberg, gaining her doctorate in 1986. Working for TASCHEN from 1987, she has published numerous titles on art, architecture, photography, design, travel, and lifestyle.

René Stoeltie

Barbara & René Stoeltie both began their careers as artists and gallery owners. With René as photographer and Barbara as writer, they have been collaborating on interior design articles since 1984, contributing to such influential magazines as Vogue, The World of Interiors, AD, Elle, House and Garden, Country Living, and House Beautiful.