![Ah, the primitive joy of an open fire…“...Walking in the hills [of Provence], I was often able to smell a house before I...](https://img4.glonstruct.com/463/962/1641565574639629.jpg)
06/17/2026
Ah, the primitive joy of an open fire…
“...Walking in the hills [of Provence], I was often able to smell a house before I could see it, because of the scent of woodsmoke... It is one of the most primitive smells in life, and consequently extinct in most cities, where fire regulations and interior decorators have combined to turn fireplaces into blocked-up holes or self-consciously lit “architectural features.” The fireplace in Provence is still used - to cook on, to sit around, to warm the toes, and to please the eye… I always stopped to look from the top of the valley at the long zigzag of smoke ribbons drifting up from the farms that are scattered along the Bonnieux road. It was a sight that made me think of warm kitchens and well-seasoned stews, and it never failed to make me ravenous.”
― Peter Mayle, A Year in Provence
A heartfelt thank you to for the feature, beautifully written by .
📷 .alorda
![Ah, the primitive joy of an open fire…“...Walking in the hills [of Provence], I was often able to smell a house before I...](https://img5.glonstruct.com/130/638/1641564671306386.jpg)
