Interview with Carolyne Kauser-Abbott, Founder of Perfectly Provence
Some people fall in love with Provence for a summer. Others never quite leave it behind.
That’s the story of Carolyne Kauser-Abbott, a bilingual Canadian entrepreneur, writer, and founder of Perfectly Provence, a digital magazine dedicated to the art of living in the South of France. Dividing her life between Canada and Provence, Carolyne has turned her fascination with the region into a decade-long project that gives voice to locals, travellers, and expats who share her passion for this sun-drenched corner of France.
In this conversation, she opens up about the difference between the dream and the reality of Provence, how language shapes belonging, and what it means to live between two countries without feeling split in two.
If you haven’t yet discovered it, I invite you to explore Perfectly Provence. It’s one of the most elegant and insightful sites about daily life in Provence — full of real stories, not clichés.
From Canada to Provence: When the Dream Meets Reality
Carolyne, let’s begin at the beginning. You’re from Canada, a country famous for its vast landscapes, politeness, and long winters — and yet, your heart seems to have found its rhythm under the Provençal sun. What brought you here?
The short answer is we had some time on our hands after changes to our corporate jobs.
Was there a specific moment when you thought, “That’s it — I could live here”?
My “love affair” with France goes back many decades. I am fortunate to have a family that enjoyed travelling, which we did regularly to visit relatives who lived in the Caribbean, South America, England, and Europe. However, on one visit to Paris, we were served strawberries, and I felt like I had never tasted anything as wonderfully delicious in my life. Returning to Canada after that trip and subsequent ones, I always felt (and still do) that I had left a part of my soul in France.
Can you describe the scene? The smell of lavender, the sound of cicadas, perhaps?
In 2003, we visited Provence for the first time on a guided bike tour. It was fall, so not lavender season, and well past sunflower time; the weather was not even spectacular. But I knew that I would be back. This region continues to draw me in with its charm on every visit.
Many of us grew up with cultural references like A Year in Provence or French films that made life here seem like one long, poetic lunch. Did those images influence you? And once you experienced the real thing, did Provence live up to the fantasy, or did it surprise you in unexpected ways?
Even though I had read A Year in Provence, I can’t say that I had particular images in my mind of the region before arriving. Still, I was reasonably sure that I would not undertake a farmhouse renovation! However, once we began our first extended stay in the area, the opportunities for long, leisurely lunches, countryside walks, olive harvests, and exploring ancient sites became part of our Provencal reality.
Building Perfectly Provence: Seeing Daily Life in Provence Through Many Eyes
In 2014, you launched Perfectly Provence. That was long before “content creation” was a buzzword. What inspired you to start it?
Your site brings together a community of writers, photographers, and expats — each one showing Provence through a different lens. Why was that collective vision important to you?
At the time, I felt there was a gap in the market. The English language information at the tourist office level was inconsistent, and several others were writing/blogging about the region. My vision for Perfectly Provence was to create a central location with many voices to share information about this beautiful region.
And what about the behind-the-scenes reality — the life of an editor balancing a laptop, deadlines, and perhaps a glass of rosé while everyone else is at the market?
Haha, good question. The reality that I can work anywhere means that there is always work to do.
Living Between Two Worlds: Expat Life Between Canada and Provence
You divide your time between Canada and Provence. That sounds idyllic, but I imagine it comes with its own emotional and cultural juggling act.
Do you feel like there’s a “Canadian Carolyne” and a “French Carolyne”?
Yes, even though I always have a touchpoint to southern France with the website, my Canadian self has to go skiing and hiking in the Rockies.
And when you go back to Canada, do you ever catch yourself doing something very French — maybe greeting people with cheek kisses, gesturing with your hands, or finding the cheese section just a little disappointing?
Interestingly no. In fact, if I were to start giving someone cheek kisses in Canada, they would think I had lost my mind. But, I definitely seek out the best baguette in town and moan about the lack of interesting cheese.
Have your Canadian friends or family ever said, “You’ve changed”?
Not in so many words, but those who have come to visit have all said, “Now, I get why you keep coming back to Provence.”
And on the flip side, what part of your Canadian self refuses to adapt — the part that still loves punctuality, maple syrup, or the idea that customer service should always come with a smile?
Over the years, we have observed a growing fusion of cultures. Our French friends seem to like maple syrup and pancakes!
Language, Mindset and the Art of Belonging in France
As a bilingual Canadian, your relationship with French must be different from that of most expats. How has living in Provence changed your relationship to the language?
I LOVE speaking French.
Do you think speaking French is the key that unlocks real belonging here — the ability to joke with your neighbours, to order a baguette the right way, to chat about the weather without sounding like a tourist?
A visitor can certainly get by with limited French language skills for a short stay. However, without a doubt, if one wants to get more embedded in the culture and really start to make friends, communicating in French is essential.
Many English-speaking expats tell me they’re afraid to speak French for fear of sounding ridiculous. What would you tell them?
Start speaking; it gets easier.
And philosophically, do you see Perfectly Provence as a kind of bridge between cultures — an invitation for people to connect, to integrate into French life, to see the country through more curious, empathetic eyes?
Yes, I would absolutely love for that to be one of the reasons that people find the website and sign up for our newsletter.,
Provence Beyond the Postcard: Living in Provence as an Expat
Let’s talk about the myth versus the reality. Provence has a very specific image — markets overflowing with produce, stone villages bathed in light, rosé at noon. What do people not see until they actually live here?
The image of a charming Provencal village is absolutely a reality. However, living in France is not easy. There is a justified reputation with the challenges of French bureaucracy. France has excellent healthcare and social services; however, that comes at a cost, and many French residents struggle with the cost of living, pensions, etc.
What are some of your own daily rituals or favourite hidden corners that make you feel truly part of the community?
Yes, I have a group of French women with whom I hike, and I always return home after one of our walks smiling.
Do you ever have moments when you miss Canada — the space, the snow, the humour? Or has Provence completely claimed you?
We are blessed to have wonderful friends everywhere, and I do miss them when I am away.
Watch the Youtube Interview: Living in Provence as an Expat
If you prefer listening and watching rather than reading, I also interviewed Carolyne Kauser-Abbott on YouTube.
In this conversation, we talk about living in Provence as an expat, language and belonging, cultural adaptation, and what daily life in France really looks like beyond the postcard image.
Reinventing Yourself Abroad: Lessons from Expat Life in France
Your background is in corporate real estate and finance — and now you run a creative business rooted in storytelling, culture, and collaboration. That’s quite a transformation. What did that journey teach you about reinvention?
It’s hard! I feel like I have a degree in online marketing without going to school. Although my project management skills from my work career are transferable, I continue to learn every day.
What’s next for Perfectly Provence? Any projects, collaborations, or ideas you’re excited to explore in the coming years?
The most wonderful thing about Perfectly Provence is the opportunities that it has generated to meet new people, create partnerships and collectively promote the region.
And finally, since my world revolves around language and mindset — when you hear the phrase feeling good in French, what does it mean to you personally?
To me, that means one is comfortable enough to try speaking French and is enjoying learning about a new culture.
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