Hi. My name is Virginie and I am an immersion teacher near Aix-en-Provence. I wanted to tell you about the village where we have lived for 2 years: I hope it will make you want to come for a French immersion homestay in Provence! (We have a large pool !!)
1 – Eguilles, A Village in Provence
Eguilles… What a funny name, isn’t it? This village has the same pronunciation as a needle. You know the big metal rod that we use to knit. The “S” is not to be pronounced. Try “egg ui Y (the y part of yahoo)”.
Not easy to pronounce but easy to live in!
2 – A Typical Provence Village
This village has all the characteristics of a Provençal village: stone houses, colorful French shutters, and the kindness of its residents.
20 minutes away from Aix en Provence, the village offers a magnificent view of the Provençale countryside from its Belvedere. In front of this Belvedere, you can see two beautiful “buildings”. First, a castle, which houses the town hall. Nothing less! Next to it, there is a nice and small church called Saint Julien’s church. It is quite a sight.
3 – Eguilles, A Lively Provence Village
With its 7500 residents, Eguilles is a very lively village. Every year, for example, the town hall organizes the “kids party”. Numerous associations are present and offer cultural activities (drawing, painting…), fun but also sportive.
There are many small shops – two butchers, two bakeries, a post office, a pharmacy, a vet, a cinema and to my great surprise about ten hairdressers.
Do not smile. They are always full.
4 – Entrecasteaux Sweet Factory in Provence
I would like to talk about the Entrecasteaux sweet factory. There you will be able to taste the famous Calissons of Aix. This famous sweet maker is one of the last to keep an artisanal production.
On the wine route, Eguilles offers the possibility to discover the region’s wines. Numerous vineyards open their doors to the public. For example, Le Cellier d’Eguilles is a cooperative cellar of village producers. It is open from Monday to Saturday.
There are also numerous restaurants and a tourist office where Mina and Carole will be pleased to help you. Leaving the tourist office, there is “un boulodrome”. What is “un boulodrome”? A place where we play “pétanque”, a bowl game symbolic of Southern France.
Eguilles is a village surrounded by forests, vineyards, and fields. There are also numerous bicycle rides and hiking tracks.
5 – Provence Gardens and Fountains
You can also find magnificent gardens such as Eguilles’ garden or the nationally-rated garden of Marie De Gasquet. What I love particularly are the fountains. You’ll find fountains pretty much everywhere in the gardens and in the village. I find them really beautiful. In my opinion, they make up the charm of the town. Actually, the picture at the top of this article is of my three kids having fun with the water of one of the Eguille’s fountains.
Around the bend of an alley, you might run into an old wash house or even a traditional dovecote. You guessed it… Eguilles is full of gorgeous treasures and is ready to offer them to you.
Nature, wine, good chow…. What else could you wish for?
If you come to my place for an immersion stay in Provence, I will make you discover the different aspects of Provence: the landscapes and the scents, but also the culture, the gastronomy... while helping you to improve your French. See you soon in Provence!
Virginie In Provence