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Meet the Pepin's: Vineyard Owners & Truffle Hunters

We talk to Les Pastras owners on organic produce, people-watching & French cuisine

featured in Meet the locals Author Robin Deering, Provence Editor Updated

We took some time to talk to the Pepin's who have lived in Provence for over 10 years now after leaving the States to take over a vinyard in the Vaucluse, swapping hedge funds for truffle oaks...

What brought you to Provence?

My French husband and I used to live in Chicago, where I worked in public relations and he worked in hedge funds. We moved to Provence in 2003 to take over his family’s vineyard after the full-time caretaker retired.  We have 11 hectares of grapevines, olive trees, truffle oaks, cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, pomegranates, almonds and hazelnuts, which we’re in the process of getting certified as organic.

How long have you been living in Provence?

Ten wonderful years.

What do you do for a living here?

We lead truffle-hunting tours during summer and winter truffle seasons and host an annual olive harvest in November. We also sell Les Pastras brand olive oil and truffle oil and export fresh truffles to restaurants and individuals around the world.

What are the best bits about your life here?

There is no beauty on earth quite like it; everything you’ve heard about the gorgeous views, the magnificent hilltop villages, the unique quality of the light, is absolutely true. And even after ten years, I still find there is new beauty left to discover.

What are your future plans?

This is a big year for us. My husband is giving up his finance job to run Les Pastras full time. We’ll take tourists on hunts for Provence’s “black gold” during summer and winter truffle seasons. We’ve also launched an “Adopt a Tree” program allowing people to adopt a truffle oak or olive tree on the property and receive an annual shipment of truffles or olive oil. And like all of the products we sell, a portion of the profits go to the One Family Orphanage in Haiti.

What do you do on your days off?

We are lucky enough to have one of the 100 most beautiful villages in France just around the corner, so we don’t have to venture too far to amuse ourselves. Lourmarin is a spectacular little gem, with a beautifully maintained castle where they host events in the summertime and which visitors can tour all year. It is also home to many wonderful restaurants, with everything from simple café fare to haute cuisine. Adorable shops, magnificent art galleries and nearby vineyards offering wine tastings abound. And the Friday open-air market is the best we’ve ever seen.

What's your insider's tip for the best sights?

Number one: Set aside the guidebook. The best insider tips are now online, with up to date information and local writers - the web is the new guidebook. Try some unique Provence experiences such as whale watching, foodie walking tours, glamping, pop-up restaurants, pottery workshops and hot-air ballooning.
Number two: Don’t plan itineraries that involve a lot of driving. One of the wonderful things about Provence is that there is something worth seeing wherever you are. If you have seven days, pick seven must-see sites that interest you (the castle at Les Baux, the coliseum in Arles, the village of Gordes, the “Provençal Colorado” in Rustrel, etc.). Visit your site in the morning, have lunch at noon (any later and you risk not getting a table, as restaurants only serve until 2:00) then explore the surrounding area in the afternoon. Keep it simple!

What are your favourite moments of the year?

The appeal of living in Provence is that each season has its charms. Winter has indulgent holiday meals by flickering candlelight, mulled wine in front of a fire, Christmas markets and January sales. Spring brings almond blossoms, wild asparagus, outdoor lunches, Gariguette strawberries and morel mushrooms. And summer! Village festivals, days at the beach, ripe melon, cold rosé and apricots that taste like sunshine. And let’s not forget autumn, when the grape leaves change color and pumpkin vélouté is back on restaurant menus. In France, it any wonder that so many of these favourite moments involve food?

Where's best for a coffee, or a drink, and bit of mingling?

For drinks and mingling, you can’t beat Aix-en-Provence. Our favorite hangouts for coffee or cocktails are along the Cours Mirabeau. La Rotonde, Belle Epoque and Bastide du Cours are all great places to soak up some atmosphere and indulge in some people-watching.

Where's the best place for lunch or dinner here, and why?

La Petite Maison in Cucuron is more Michelin star for your money than anywhere else we’ve been. Chef Eric Sapet is a marvel. His cuisine is quintessentially French: the freshest ingredients, simply prepared and beautifully presented. And the location at the edge of the koi pond in Cucuron is divine, even magical, on a summer night.

Where would you go for a bit of culture & atmosphere?

There are two places everybody is talking about this year: Château La Coste and Marseille. The newly opened La Coste in Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade has been getting rave reviews for the guided tours of the property’s art and architecture and some compliments for the café, as well (not to mention the wine). Marseille has undergone a transformation during its time as the European Capital of Culture for 2013 and a visit to the new Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM) now seems to be on everyone’s to-do list.

 

 

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