Idle In Provence
A Brief History of Thyme
Will be published approx. on 10. September 2026
Book
Hardback
320 pages
978-1-5299-7681-6 (ISBN)
Description
A hilarious and heartwarming memoir of Monty Python legend Eric Idle's fifty-year quest to build the perfect home in Provence.
In 1971, two years after the launch of Monty Python's Flying Circus made his comedy troupe global superstars - and made all their lives a little more complicated - Eric Idle decided to buy a ramshackle property in the south of France.
In search of a simpler, quieter life, what followed was a story akin to A Year in Provence, but with more disaster, more heartbreak, more laughs - and much more spam.
A tale spanning a fifty-year quest of home-building, friendship-making and bad-French-learning, Idle in Provence is a hilarious, tender and unforgettable memoir of Eric Idle's very own escape to the country.
In 1971, two years after the launch of Monty Python's Flying Circus made his comedy troupe global superstars - and made all their lives a little more complicated - Eric Idle decided to buy a ramshackle property in the south of France.
In search of a simpler, quieter life, what followed was a story akin to A Year in Provence, but with more disaster, more heartbreak, more laughs - and much more spam.
A tale spanning a fifty-year quest of home-building, friendship-making and bad-French-learning, Idle in Provence is a hilarious, tender and unforgettable memoir of Eric Idle's very own escape to the country.
Reviews / Votes
Those who write about Provence usually end up with a book as twee as lavender tied up with silk ribbons. Somehow Eric Idle manages to bring the beauty, wonder and rapturous essence of the region to life while being wildly, blissfully and divinely funny. He'd better watch out, anyone who reads this enchanting and hilarious book will want to beat a path straight to his door. * Stephen Fry * It's no surprise that Eric Idle's account of his Provencal idyll is funny, smart and touched at times with charming celebrity appearances-what is more surprising is how much he 'gets' the spirit of French provincial life, and makes us share his love for its civilization without for a moment patronizing its citizens. * Adam Gopnik *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Ebury Publishing
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 40 mm
Weight
750 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5299-7681-6 (9781529976816)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
approx. 09/2026
Ebury Digital
€14.99
Not yet available
Person
Eric Idle is a comedian, actor, author and singer-songwriter who found immediate fame on television with the sketch-comedy show MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS. Following its success, the Pythons began making films that include MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL(1975), MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN (1979) and THE MEANING OF LIFE(1983). Eric also wrote the award-winning musical SPAMALOT. He splits his time between Los Angeles and Provence.