Get your bearings
Provence is the Mediterranean region of south-eastern France. It reaches from the Rhône valley to the Italian border and from the wilderness of the southern Alps to vibrant Riviera resorts. Apart from flat, watery
Camargue in the west, the landscape is one of dry hills with picturesque old villages, terraced vineyards and fragrant pine forests. Provence has a long history and is rich in well-preserved Roman remains. Ancient but lively inland towns like
Orange,
Avignon and
Aix-en-Provence put on world-famous art and music festivals. The main city is dynamic
Marseilles, with a string of resorts stretching east along the coast.
Family-friendly
There’s no need to be an expert to enjoy a game of
pétanque (boules) on a holiday in Provence. Visit quirky old towns like
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue with its waterwheels,
Digne for its perfumiers or
Avignon, enclosed by massive medieval fortifications, to dance
sur le pont (on the famous bridge). The brilliant red and yellow ochre quarries at
Roussillon are dazzling. The coast is the place to relax: the sandiest beaches are west of
St Tropez. In the evening, popular outdoor
son-et-lumière shows at ancient ruins bring history to life.
Shopping
Brightly coloured fabrics and glazed pottery, fine leather goods and gourmet treats are on sale in narrow backstreets or shaded village squares. Big, busy
markets loaded with fine produce and household goods are part of daily life in Provence. Among the best are
Aix-en-Provence,
Carpentras and
Vaison-la-Romaine. It’s worth buying Provençal herbs, lavender-scented toiletries, premium olive oil and local wines. On the coast, you’ll find imaginative glassware in
Biot and souvenirs in the lanes of Old
Nice.
Culture
If your Provence hotel is near Nice or Antibes, you’re close to famous modern art museums devoted to the simple lines of
Henri Matisse and dreamy images of
Marc Chagall in one town and a huge
Picasso collection in the other. Between the two, the village of Biot houses the vivid abstract paintings of
Fernand Léger. The
Maeght Foundation at inland St Paul de Vence is one of the world’s leading modern art collections. Relax at a concert or opera in the grand 19th-century
Nice Opera.
Food and Drink
Few places have such distinctive local flavours. Start with a cool glass of aniseed
pastis (mix with cold water), then a
rosé de Provence or rich
Rhône valley red wine. Provençal
garlic and herbs – thyme, fennel, rosemary, basil – season baked fish and braised meat. Plentiful ripe tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and aubergines go into vegetarian favourite,
ratatouille. Salty
goats cheeses are a tangy delight.
Salade niçoise is refreshing and filling. Succulent spicy stews of local fish and shellfish –
bouillabaisse and
bourride – are served especially around Marseilles and Toulon.
