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Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur

This area became known during the end of the 19th century and beginning of the last one as a place of inspiration, fun and refuge for artists or various media and the very wealthy.

Van Gogh produced some memorable work here. Renoir lived there in later life. Cezanne was born and worked here. The writer F Scott Fitzgerald also made the area famous.

Climate
During the summer months it is hot and dry and it gets hotter than 30 Celsius at times. During the winter it is fairly cool and sunny. The Mistral, however is shockingly strong and precipitation in the winter months can be heavy.

Getting there
The main airport for the region is Nice Cote d’Azur. The area is connected by high speed trains and a major road network.

What to see
Sites and places to visit in the area include: Paleolithic sites such as the cave of Valloet and Terra Amata in the Alpes-Maritimes and Dolmens from the Bronze Age near Draguignan.

At Marseille there are remnants of Greek Massalia at The Jardin des Vestiges, which was founded by Greeks from Asia Minor.

Roman monuments in the area to see are the aqueduct at Port du Gard and the arena at Arles. Also at Arles you can visit the Cathedral and the Saint Tromphine cloister. The Ariaten Museum and the Van Gogh foundation are also located there.

The world-famous Carmargue area borders Arles. It is an area of marshes and salt flats. Wild black bulls and white horse roam the area, while flamingoes add pink to the equation.

At Aix en Provence one can visit the site where Cezanne lived and worked for around 40 years.

Avignon remains very well preserved. Its old town is cobbled and walled. The Palais des Papes (popes and anti-popes) is immediately visible and is a very popular and interesting place to visit as is played an important part in European history. Le Pont d’Avignon (Saint Beneszet) is the bridge in the Song Sur le Pont d’Avignon’. The medieval bridge took its name from a local shepherd boy whom tradition says was commanded by angels to build the bridge. Avingnon is popular for shopping, eating out and for family trips.

Rousillon, in the Luberon valley, is biggest ochre source in the world. It is blessed with stunning russet shaded cliff faces and ochre quarries. The local residences perched on the hills and constructed from the aforementioned quarried stone, present a stunning scene in combination with the landscape.

Les Baux de Provence is a village of 500 inhabitants and accessible on foot only.

The village is of stone, while the road is cobbled. Human occupation is dated back to 6000 BC. During the middle ages, it was a feudal seat.

Located at Les Baux are 22 historic monuments. There are great views from various points of the village. The sympathetically restored buildings serve as hotels, art galleries and museums.

Sports and activities
Ballooning, cycling, diving, hiking, windsurfing, rafting, horse-riding, sailing and bungee-jumping, skating and squash are amongst some of the activities available.

Food and wine
Food in Provence is quite distinct from that of the rest of France. As in Greece, olives are readily found in Provencal cuisine. As well being eaten with Pastis, they are used in sauces, on tarts and pizzas, in meat dishes and as a spread. Provencal cuisine also uses chillies and wild herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary and tarragon and garlic. Famous melanges of Provence are Pistou and Aioli.

Try local Ratatouille made with local ingredients or stuffed courgette flowers stuffed with pistou or tomato sauce.

Mutton is the meat of choice and often roasted with local herbs and the fish appears a lot and includes freshwater and sea-fish.

Cheese is made from goat or sheep’s milk. Try Banon which comes in chestnut leaves and in marinated in brandy or the tasty Picadon made from goat’s milk.

If you have a sweet tooth, try the chocolate from Valrhona or Puyricard near Aix. Almond sweets are also produced at Aix and nougat from Montelimar.

Vineyards on the Cote du Rhone produce the esteemed Crozes-Hermitage appellation. Other wines of note are from Dentelles and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Wines produced near the coast are also good.

Festivals
The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence also known as the Festival international d’Art Lyrique (International Opera Festival, is held every summer.

The Festival d’Avignon (the Avignon Festival is an annual arts festival which was founded in 1947 

The Saint-Remy Festival is held annually at Saint-Remy de Provence. Entrance is free is is held every July.

The Marsatac music festival brings rap, electronica, indie and acid jazz to the Esplanade St Jean. The festival has attracted Mos Def, The Divine Comedy and Guns of Brixton in the past.

Antibes' Marineland hosts the Festival Mondial de l'Image Sous Marine (Underwater Photography Competition), taking visitors on a voyage of discovery into the Deep Blue.