Passionate about vegan cuisine and yoga, Julienne, author of Jules & Green, shares with us her universe and her life in Provence. With equal doses of gentleness and conviction, she is carving out her unique space, guided by respect for the environment, kindness for animals, and the art of living.
Tell us a bit about the significance behind Jules & Green.
"Jules" is my nickname, and "Green" alludes to the constant interest I have in all forms of the environment. It is also a discreet reference to Francois Truffaut’s film “Jules et Jim”, but that is another story! I have always been captivated by food, and very much so in the practical sense of cooking and eating according to ethics, health, and environmental impact. Vegan cuisine for me is the future—both for us as people and for the environment.
Jules & Green is both a blog of vegan culinary adventures and a platform to advocate for a different way of relating to life and to nature.
Why did you start this blog?
Only experience and concrete solutions can create real change. I try to communicate through images and words to make vegan cuisine creative, healthy, and accessible. The more there are resources available and practical alternatives, the more our consciousness will be able to evolve.
How do you maintain a healthy diet but still indulge in treats?
I have an incorrigible and non-repentant sweet tooth! Vegan cooking is not a form of asceticism, much to the contrary. I’m not pushing for a form of cooking stripped of warmth and pleasure. Recipes from traditional cuisine can be translated and substituted with ingredients that are interesting from a nutritional perspective. In pastries we can replace the eggs with flax seeds or chia, butter can be swapped for coconut oil or almond butter, and milk can be replaced with nut or grain milks (almond milk being my most preferred).
Are you originally from Aix-en-Provence?
I moved to Provence when I was 15 years old, and I never left.
It’s probably the light and the landscape so particular to this region as well as a certain gentle lifestyle and rich culinary culture that make Provence both a daily necessity and continuous source of inspiration.
If you were to leave Aix, what would you miss the most?
An endless number of things! To pick just one, I would say its pace. A very peaceful atmosphere rules in Aix - a rhythm and climate that encourages the mood to stroll about.
Everything here invites you to slow your step, to linger, and to look outside yourself…
What is your favorite hobby or activity?
I discovered Ashtanga yoga 3 years ago, and it has become almost an obsession! I practice every day. Along with vegan cooking, I consider it to be a form of medicine and wellness practice.
Do you have any daily rituals in addition to yoga?
I start every day with a mixture of pressed lemon juice in warm water, and spirulina in a smoothie. An excellent cocktail for vitality and to wake up the body!
We know your culinary preferences. What can you tell us about your beauty favorites?
I use coconut oil to remove my make-up and as a mask for my hair. For my face, I use apricot seed oil which is guaranteed to make your skin glow!
What are your thoughts about natural beauty products?
I was especially attentive to Shirin and Frederic’s launch of Bastide as they know how to create the perfect alliance between elegance and virtue. Their products are natural and not tested on animals, which really stands out when filtering for products on the marketplace.
What is your favorite product from Bastide?
Hard to give just one answer to this question! I really like both Bastide's Figue d'Été and Miel de Lavande Hand & Body Lotion, which is another nod to my sweet tooth! My daughter, who is very sensitive to smells, loves the Rose Olivier Eau de Toilette and the Ambre d'Or Potpourri Crystals, which is like “treasure” to her.