A winter journey in Provence: travels with a Leica Q3-28 and Leica Q3-43

In the Luberon, where I’m fortunate enough to live, there’s a temptation to believe you may have already seen the best of Provence. But every so often, the call of another village, just a bit further afield, lures you out of your comfort zone. Yesterday, in late November, that call was to Banon—a charming spot just a 40-minute winter journey away in rural Provence, on a beautiful winding country road. 

When Provence sets the stage for a winter journey

November is an odd time to plan visits to a Provençal village. The golden light that once warmed the cobblestones in summer now serves as a theatrical spotlight. It may be illuminating the scenery but offers little warmth. The wind cuts through your coat with all the subtlety of a tax audit, and the chilly temperatures are best described as “bracing”. Nonetheless, armed with a Q3 28 and Q3 43, gloves, and the faint hope that a glass of wine might save me from hypothermia, I set off on my journey to Banon.

Driving to Banon in late November is a study in contrasts. The winter landscape is bathed in golden hues, with the last leaves clinging stubbornly to their branches and vines. The world feels quieter, as though the countryside has pulled on a woollen sweater and settled in for the season. 

The embrace of the Mistral

When I arrived, the sunshine was glorious — deceptively so. The wind, that infamous Provençal “Mistral”, had other plans. It whipped around the town square like a mischievous child, forcing me to wrangle my gloves and cameras with all the grace of someone fighting off an invisible octopus. Yet, despite the chill, there was a welcoming bustle. Restaurants and bars had their doors open, their warmth spilling out onto the cobblestones like an unspoken invitation. 

The attraction of a chalkboard menu

Spotting a cosy-looking restaurant near the square, I was drawn in by a chalkboard promising “aïoli”—that Provençal classic of garlic sauce, fish, and vegetables. In the south of France, fish and Fridays go together like wine and regret-free decisions, so I took a seat and prepared to defrost. 

The “aïoli” arrived, a masterpiece of presentation: tender fish, perfectly boiled vegetables, and a dollop of garlicky magic that made me question why I don’t eat it every Friday. A basket of bread so crusty it could have been weaponized, and a glass of crisp white wine completed the meal. Inside, the restaurant was warm and buzzing with quiet conversation. Locals spoke in lilting French, their words blending with the occasional clang of a glass or the scrape of a chair. For an hour, I sat there soaking in the atmosphere, my gloves temporarily forgotten as my fingers regained some semblance of circulation. 

Exploring the details as the sun begins to set

Lunch finished, I ventured into Banon’s winding streets, camera in hand and the cold still biting at my ears, to continue my winter journey in Provence. Banon in November has a muted palette, its stone buildings and weathered shutters glowing softly under the autumn sun. The brightness of summer has faded, replaced by a subtler charm — an invitation to notice the details. 

Each turn revealed something new: a doorway framed by ivy in its final blaze of red, a weathered fountain gurgling quietly, and shutters painted in shades of Provence’s pastels, their faded colours somehow perfect against the stone. Banon’s streets are narrow and winding, designed more for wandering than for purpose. I let the village guide me, following one alley to a tiny square, another to a courtyard where a cat eyed me suspiciously before slinking away. 

The gift of winter light in Provence

The light in late November is a gift to photographers. Shadows are long, textures rich, and everything seems touched by a golden glow, even as the air remains icy. I took photo after photo, captivated by the interplay of light and stone. 

In search of Banon’s cheese

No mention of Banon is complete without its claim to fame: cheese. The “fromage de Banon”, a delicate goat’s cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves, is a source of local pride. The shops selling it are hard to miss, their windows filled with wheels of creamy goodness that practically beg to be tasted. I made a mental note to return for some later — there’s no better accompaniment to a chilly November evening than Banon cheese and a glass of red wine by the fire. 

Accompanied by the sound of church bells

One of the joys of exploring a village like Banon is how time seems to dissolve. With no particular agenda, I wandered for hours, each street offering something new to marvel at. Occasionally, the church bells would chime, a gentle reminder that the day was slipping by. 

The wind never quite let up; its persistent tug on my coat is a reminder that Provence in November is not to be underestimated. Yet, the cold added to the experience, a bracing backdrop to the village’s quiet charm.  As the afternoon wore on and the sun descended, the village took on a softer, more melancholy beauty. Shadows stretched long, and the streets grew quieter as though Banon itself was winding down for the evening. I returned to the car, reluctant to leave but comforted by the thought of warming up at home. 

Provençal sunset

The journey back was serene, the countryside bathed in the golden-pink hues of a Provençal sunset. With its timeless streets and November chill, Banon had left its mark. It reminded me that even in the quieter months when the tourists are few and the wind unforgiving, there’s magic to be found in the hidden corners of Provence. 

Another journey awaits

As I pulled up to my home, Banon reminded me that there’s always another story to uncover just beyond the horizon.


You can read more about Mark’s journeys here

Read more about the Leica Q3 28 and Leica Q3 43



33 COMMENTS

  1. Hi Mark:

    Wonderful pictures and great writing. I have both the Q3 and the Q3 43 and recently bought an M11 after some unexpected good fortune. For the M11 I have the 35 APO Cron and the 50 Summilux. Looks like you and I had some overlap in gear. I am thinking of selling one of the Q3’s. Any advice beyond what you mentioned in the other comments? If I had only one Leica, probably I would keep the Q3 43. But since I have the 35 APO and the 50 lux, maybe the Q3 28 is best for my AF camera (thinking aloud).

    • Hello David,
      Thanks for reaching out. Great question. I can only tell you what I did. After letting my M10-R go around a year ago, I found myself missing the rangefinder slow process of capturing photographs. At that time I was using the SL3 and the q3 28. When I was offered the 43 on launch day I did’nt hesitate because I found the APO image quality stunning. Then a few months later when the Black Paint M11 arrived on the scene I saw it to be my way back to the rangefinder. So when I got that, the first lens I bought was the 28mm Elmarit. I quickly came to the conclusion the Q3 28 was redundant and traded it and the SL3 for additional M-lenses. Wish I could give more reasons but that is simply it. I am now back to shouting M and the Q3 43 for those moments when autofocus is required. I see why you see it differently. Drop me a follow-up when you decide.
      Cheers
      Mark

  2. Wow,
    what a stunning light and these images, simply wonderful. The camera combo is beyond any doubts for sure. Late Fall or Winter provide warm light and cold fingers as you describe perfectly.
    A word to stitching with LR; if you somehow miss the nodal point when moving the camera, LR is a terrible tool to stitch images.
    Anyway, Provence in Winter seems to be worth a journey.

    Many greets
    Dirk

    • Hello Dirk,

      Thank you for the advice. I rarely use LR for stitching but I am Photoshop illiterate so LR is my fall back. I use a trypod and play close attention to sufficient overlap with the sequence of images captured. What do you use?

      Thanks!
      Mark

  3. Provence on a crisp winters day is definitely on my todo list as a result of your article. Thanks for sharing your compelling pictures!

  4. Thank you very much for this wonderful impression of the Provence in word and image. Reading and enjoying the photographs was a real treat.
    And to me so recognizable. I live in the Périgord noir and life is very much comparable with that in the Provence. If you like Google A Leica in the Limousin at emulsion.org.
    Thanks for sharing your story with us.

  5. Hi Mark,
    I enjoyed reading of your adventure and your stunning photography thoroughly and look forward to seeing more of your work!
    I am toying with selling my Q3 28 but do want a 28mm for my M11 as I enjoy the angle of view. If you would be so kind as to share which elmarit you picked, and why, I’d be most appreciative!
    Take care!
    Thom

    • Hi Thom,
      Thank you for getting in touch. I will hyperlink the 28mm I purchased with my M11 Black paint. Of course it is not as useful in low light as the Q3 28mm F1.7, But I find it has beautiful rendering and produces very pleasant images to my eye. When it comes to portability the M11 and Elmarit without it’s lenshood is easily the winner. I am very happy with this new lens (to me).
      https://leica-camera.com/en-int/photography/lenses/m/elmarit-m-28mm-f2-8-asph-black
      All the best!
      Mark
      p.s. I have galleries for all the Q’s that I have owned on my site. You may find it somewhat useful. Sadly I dont have one posted yet for the M11.

    • Hi Thom,
      Thanks for getting in touch. I appreciate your comments. I recently bought the latest version of the 28mm Elamarit. I got it because the image quality is excellent and comparable to the 28mm F1.7 on the Q3 but without the lower light capabilities. I bought the newest 28mm Elamrit because of its compact size without the lens hood. It makes the M11 a smaller proposition in a pocket or bag than the Q. It’s a nice choice to make. Either way, you will be in a good place.
      Best!
      Mark

  6. Hi Mark, fabulous article! I really enjoyed both your writing and your photography! I have a couple of questions. Firstly, several of your most striking images appear to use a vertical 9×16 aspect ratio. I assume this was an explicit choice on your part to emphasize the tall but narrow subjects you were capturing. Is this the case? I think it worked superbly, and I shall definitely be trying it myself. Second, I wondered if you were using both Q2 formats in order to decide which one to keep, having in mind to switch one out for the M. Is this the case? They seem so close in focal length, I personally would not choose to use both on a photo walk. Most of the images seemed to be from your 28mm Q3. I suspect you could easily have tackled the few other subjects using that camera, whilst cropping. I would be interested to hear more about the differences you found between the two cameras. I have a Q2, and the 28mm focal length works well for me. All the best! Keith

    • Hi Keith,
      Thank you for reading. I did rely on the Q3 28 for many of the photographs that were taken of the narrow multi storey buildings. I did not have room to maneuver with the 43. That being said, if I didn’t have the 28 in the bag, I would have easily got the same image by stitching two or three 43 images together in Lightroom and then cropping the final image to my taste. I like to photograph much of the architectural shots I take, especially in Europe, by attempting to fill the frame with the building, concentrating on colour and details.
      As far as having both in order to contrast and compare with a view to eliminating one down the road. That was not the purpose. I think they work very well as a small bag combination, and I like what each of them can do to support the other. I did not really intend to let the Q3 28mm go, but I had to use it as a part of a trade-in deal to get the M11. I genuinely like the 28mm angle of view. That is why I had to get the elmarit for the M11. I just had to have the M11 and return to using the rangefinder. To you your question about how they compare. I like many genres of photography and like to be as varied as possible. I love the 28mm angle of view for street, landscape and architecture. I love the 43 for the APO qualities and the beautiful rendering from that lens for portraiture and detail-centric photography. I have had the Q2 as well. If you don’t require the new eye autofocus capabilities for street and candid shooting you don’t need to change what you have in my opinion (that doesn’t count for much) 🙂
      Thanks again for reaching out.
      M.

  7. Reminded me of 10 days I spent in Provence around December. Few tourists, beautiful light but biting winds. I used Castellane and the Gordes as a base. Any views on the Q3 43 vs the Q3 28 as a travel camera choice.

    • Hi Tom,
      Thanks for reading. For nearly 3 months, I was using the Q3 28mm and the Q3-43 as a combo in a small bag. They are both fantastic in their own ways. Because I have had each Q iteration since 2015, I would say that I have become entirely used to the 28-lens perspective. You could say it became natural to shoot. However, my interest was peaked with the 43 because of the APO design and the promise of a unique look and fall off. I can honestly not fault either in any way. Both can be used in similar ways. A 43 can be shot in multi-image panorama if you are stuck needing width in a tight spot. I would not hesitate to use either. Hopefully, you can test each at a Leica dealer. Good luck with your journey, but you won’t regret either. I left an SL3 and lenses to go with one of each. I have galleries of each on my site if that will help. The link to my site is above in the winter article.
      Cheers!
      Mark
      p.s. (Full disclosure) I have recently replaced my Q3 with an M11 Black Paint, 28 Elmarit and 50 Lux to partner with the Q3-43.

    • Hello David,

      I completley agree with your perspective. From time to time I forget to look further than my nose. But living in such a photogenic area of late, I have no excuses.
      Thanks for commenting!
      Mark

  8. Such lovely light: photographs that meet, bask in, high-resolution screens: evoking just this time and just this place.

    (writing from Tokyo) But where am I going to find a proper aïoli? Still, I wouldn’t have missed this article for the world. I especially loved your photos of the buildings.

    • Hello Kathy,
      Very kind words. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read my post. If I could mail you an aioli I would.
      All the best in Japan!
      Mark

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