What sad news to wake up to today. Peter Mayle, the author best known for writing ‘A Year in Provence’, has died in hospital near his home village of Vaugines.
In fact I had just posted this week about visiting his favourite restaurant in Marseille which had prompted me to pick up ‘A Year in Provence’ to reread a few chapters.
This book inspired an entire genre of Provence-themed memoirs but he really was the godfather of them all. His descriptions, so incisive and witty, were the product of his skill as an advertising man, added to a benign nature that saw the best in people and places. His work is always optimistic and sunny, capturing the imagination of the millions who bought his books.
In true advertising tradition, he crafted his product, Provence, giving it an image and personality that so appealed to holiday-makers and people looking for a new life. No wonder the French made him Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur in 2002.
He was 78. A sad loss.
aixcentric 
Mayle’s wonderful books were in no small measure responsible for our now living in Aix! His descriptive wit captured the essence of life in Provence. Was it ever so? Possibly not, but the joy of that life exists today and is there to relish and share. Provence is special in so many ways and Mayle opened the window for all to see. Many thanks Peter!
Bob Keltz & Mary Lou McHugh, Aix en Provence
I completely agree. He was the consummate ad-man, as you say, communicating the essence of life here. A sad loss.
What a loss. My husband and I were just talking about Peter’s books and how he captured the wonderful people, places, and life of Provence. His stories are partly why we came to Provence. RIP.
Yes it was a shock – such a talent.
je n´arrive pas à accepter le fait que Peter Mayle nous a quittés, moi qui me réjouissais de lire son prochain livre! Peter Mayle, vous gardez une place dans mon coeur et je vous remercie pour la joie que vous m´avez donnée avec tous vos livres! Merci!
I am just rereading his books. What a warm and witty writer he was! Loved and Admired around the world.
I stumbled upon this post today and am stunned. I, like so many others, became enchanted with Provence through Peter Mayle’s writings (so witty, spot-on) and although I had been to Paris a number of times, I made my way to Nice, the cote d’Azur, Provence and the Luberon in ’98 and again just 3 years ago. The area is everything he had described, and more. In ’99 Peter traveled to the States, promoting his latest book “Encore Provence,” and in Marin County, just north of San Francisco where I was living at the time, I attended his talk/book signing. The photo of Peter and me still stands atop the stack of all of his books in the collection that I have in my home in Scottsdale (Arizona) today — what a delightful guy, and what a loss to the literary community. I can’t believe there won’t be any of his ongoing charming tales and observations of daily life in France, fact or fiction, to entertain us — he indeed left us wanting more.
Totally agree. Everyone I speak to in Aix is so very sad.