Hotel Pastis by Peter Mayle

Hotel Pastis by Peter Mayle is a lighthearted novel that follows Simon Shaw, a weary London advertising executive who seeks a fresh start in the sun-drenched landscapes of Provence. After a chance encounter with the charming Nicole Bouvier, Simon decides to transform a dilapidated police station into a boutique hotel, enlisting the help of his loyal assistant, Ernest. As renovations progress, Simon becomes entangled in local intrigues, including a planned bank robbery in a neighboring village. Mayle's narrative is rich with humor and vivid descriptions of Provençal life, offering readers an escapist tale of reinvention, romance, and the complexities of embracing a new lifestyle in a foreign land.