whole new feast of adventures, discoveries, hilarities, and culinary treats, liberally seasoned with a joyous mix fof Gallic characters. The pauses for refreshment include an unforgettable meal in a converted gas station, a rendezvous with the very best bouillabaisse, and visits to eventful weekly markets.        But there is life after lunch, and we also discover a school for noses in haute Provence, a gardener who grows black tomatoes, the secret of the oversexed butcher, a celebration of Alowine (Halloween) Provence-style, and the genetic effects of two thousand years of foie gras. There is a memorable tour of Marseilles, a comprehensive lesson on olive oil, a search for the perfect corkscrew, and invaluable recommendations for splendid local cheeses, wines, honey, bread, country restaurants, and off-the-beaten-track places to stay.        Never has Peter Mayle written with more unabashed pleasure about his heaven on earth.Simon Jones has appeared in the films The Devil's Own, Twelve Monkeys, and Miracle on 34th Street and on television in The Cosby Mysteries and Murder She Wrote.

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