The Battle Over Provence’s “English Invasion”
Peter Mayle didn’t set out to change Provence forever. But that’s exactly what happened. When A Year in Provence hit bookshelves in 1989, it sold a dream – lazy lunches under the plane trees, friendly market vendors, endless sunshine. British and American readers ate it up. And then, many of them packed their bags.
Today, the “Mayle Effect” is still felt across Provence. Some locals welcome the international attention. Others think it ruined their villages. So, did Mayle bring a golden age to the region, or did he spark an invasion?
How a British Memoir Turned Into a Movement
Before A Year in Provence, this part of France was well-loved but not overrun. Sure, travelers came through, but they weren’t buying up 300-year-old farmhouses en masse.
Then Mayle’s book hit, and suddenly, every English-speaking Francophile wanted their own slice of the Luberon.
By the mid-90s, Brits were among the biggest buyers of rural French homes. Provence, especially, saw an influx of wealthy foreigners eager to live out their own bon vivant fantasy.
Some settled in quietly. Others showed up expecting their new neighbors to play the roles of quaint villagers in their personal French fairytale.
The Property Boom – and Its Consequences
House prices in the Luberon skyrocketed. Towns like Ménerbes, Gordes, and Bonnieux, once sleepy and affordable, became hot commodities. Locals who had lived there for generations suddenly found themselves priced out.
Some villages transformed. Restaurants adapted their menus. English became the unofficial second language. In certain spots, finding a traditional Provençal bistro felt harder than finding a full English breakfast.
Do the Locals Mind?
It depends on who you ask. Some appreciate the new energy and the money flowing into the region. Run-down farmhouses have been restored, businesses have flourished, and tourism has kept many villages from fading into obscurity.
Others feel their towns have turned into expensive stage sets, catering more to seasonal expats than to year-round residents. Finding a traditional Provençal bistro can feel harder than finding a full English breakfast.
Some argue that this isn’t a new story – Provence has always attracted outsiders. Artists, writers, and dreamers have been coming here for centuries, drawn by the light, the landscapes, and the promise of a slower life.
But for those who remember when their villages weren’t filled with vacation homes and high-end boutiques, the change is undeniable.
The Backlash Against Mayle
Not everyone in Provence saw Peter Mayle as a hero. Some found his books patronizing, treating the locals like characters in a comedy rather than real people.
Others blamed him for sparking a tourism boom that made quiet village life a thing of the past.
Ironically, Mayle himself eventually left the Luberon for the quieter Alpilles. Even he needed a break from the very trend he started.
Provence Today: Still a Dream for Outsiders?
Despite the debates, Provence remains a magnet for foreigners who want their own slice of the good life. Brits, Americans, Dutch, and even Parisians continue to snap up properties. The Luberon is still beautiful, still enchanting, and still very much in demand.
But the Provence of A Year in Provence? That world is long gone.
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Cover photo: Robert Brink (CC BY-SA 3.0)