This memoir of buying and transforming an abandoned olive farm “describes life in the South of France with lush, voluptuous appreciation” (Publishers Weekly).

Presented with an opportunity to purchase a ten-acre property near Cannes, actress Carol Drinkwater and her film-producer fiancé, Michel, decide to take the plunge. It will take all their savings just for the down payment, but the beauty of the surrounding countryside and the promise of a new adventure seem worth the risk.

As they work to clear the weeds and rehabilitate the abandoned farm, they meet Provence’s quirky locals, puzzle through France’s legal bureaucracy, explore the nearby Mediterranean islands, and encounter the region’s wildlife. This colorful memoir from the Sunday Times–bestselling author recounts one couple’s remarkable journey from being inspired but inexperienced new landowners to realizing their dream of a fulfilling, peaceful life on their own little plot of paradise.

“Good-humored and well-written.” —The Washington Post

“A fantasy come true, as it will be for many of the readers who yearn to experience the magic of southern France.” —The Austin Chronicle

'All my life, I have dreamed of acquiring a crumbling, shabby-chic house overlooking the sea. In my mind's eye, I have pictured a corner of paradise where friends can gather to swim, relax, debate, eat fresh fruits picked directly from the garden and great steaming plates of food served from an al fresco kitchen and dished up on to a candlelit table the length of a railway sleeper...'When Carol Drinkwater and her partner Michel have the opportunity to buy 10 acres of disused olive farm in Provence, the idea seems absurd. After all, they don't have a lot of money and they've only been together a little while.THE OLIVE FARM is the story of the highs and lows of purchasing the farm and life in Provence: the local customs and cuisine; the threats of fire and adoption of a menagerie of animals; the potential financial ruin and the thrill of harvesting their own olives - especially when they are discovered to produce the finest extra-virgin olive oil...