Peter Mayle
Encyclopedia
Peter Mayle is a British author famous for his series of books detailing life in Provence
, France. He spent fifteen years in the advertising industry before leaving the business in 1975 to write educational books, including a series on sex education for children and young people. His 1989 book A Year in Provence
became an international bestseller; it chronicled a year in his life as a British expatriate
in Ménerbes
, a village in the southern département Vaucluse
.
His books have been translated to more than twenty languages. He writes for magazines and newspapers. A Year in Provence
was produced as a TV series starring John Thaw
and screened in 1993. His novel A Good Year
was the basis for the 2006 film of the same name directed by Ridley Scott
and starring actors Russell Crowe
and Marion Cotillard
.
Peter Mayle lives in Lourmarin
, situated in Luberon
, in Provence, France.
British Book Awards
named A Year in Provence Best Travel Book of the Year (1989) and him Author of the Year (1992). The French government made him a Chevalier
de la Légion d'honneur
(Knight of the Legion of Honor) in 2002, for coopération et francophonie.
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, France. He spent fifteen years in the advertising industry before leaving the business in 1975 to write educational books, including a series on sex education for children and young people. His 1989 book A Year in Provence
A Year in Provence
A Year in Provence is a 1989 bestselling autobiographical novel by Peter Mayle about his first year in Provence, and the local events and customs. It was adapted into a television miniseries starring John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan. Reviewers praised its honest style, wit and its refreshing humor...
became an international bestseller; it chronicled a year in his life as a British expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
in Ménerbes
Ménerbes
Ménerbes is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France, a walled village on a hilltop in the Luberon mountains, footbills of the French Alps....
, a village in the southern département Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
.
His books have been translated to more than twenty languages. He writes for magazines and newspapers. A Year in Provence
A Year in Provence
A Year in Provence is a 1989 bestselling autobiographical novel by Peter Mayle about his first year in Provence, and the local events and customs. It was adapted into a television miniseries starring John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan. Reviewers praised its honest style, wit and its refreshing humor...
was produced as a TV series starring John Thaw
John Thaw
John Edward Thaw, CBE was an English actor, who appeared in a range of television, stage and cinema roles, his most popular being police and legal dramas such as Redcap, The Sweeney, Inspector Morse and Kavanagh QC.-Early life:Thaw came from a working class background, having been born in Gorton,...
and screened in 1993. His novel A Good Year
A Good Year (novel)
A Good Year is a 2004 novel by English writer Peter Mayle, author of A Year in Provence and Chasing Cézanne. The story follows Max Skinner, a London stockbroker, who loses his job before finding out that he inherited a vineyard in France from his late uncle Henry.In 2006 it was made into a film...
was the basis for the 2006 film of the same name directed by Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
and starring actors Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
and Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard is a French actress and singer. She garnered critical acclaim for her roles in films such as La Vie en Rose, My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument, Taxi, Furia and Jeux d'enfants...
.
Peter Mayle lives in Lourmarin
Lourmarin
Lourmarin is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Lourmarinois.-Geography:...
, situated in Luberon
Luberon
The Luberon or Luberon Massif , also called Lubéron, has a maximum altitude of 1,256 m and an area of about 600 km²...
, in Provence, France.
British Book Awards
British Book Awards
The Galaxy National Book Awards are a series of British literary awards focused on the best UK writers and their works, as selected by an academy of members from the British book publishing industry...
named A Year in Provence Best Travel Book of the Year (1989) and him Author of the Year (1992). The French government made him a Chevalier
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
de la Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(Knight of the Legion of Honor) in 2002, for coopération et francophonie.