Holidays in Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur
Enjoy the Carmargue, St Tropez, and the Lavender Felds of Valensole
Nov 1, 2008
Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur, situated between the Mediterranean coast and the Alps, popularly known simply as Provence, is one of the most beautiful yet diverse regions of France. It contains six departments : Alpes de Haute Provence, Hautes Alpes, Alpes Maritimes, Var, Vaucluse and Bouches du Rhone.
The Mediterranean Coast
It offers small seaside towns, great beaches and the larger ports of Toulon, Nice and Marseille, not forgetting the very special Carmargue, a paradise for those visitors with a love of wildlife.
Provence
The inspiration for Cézanne, a land of hills and vineyards, it connects the coast to the mountains.
The Alpes d'Azur
In winter, a visitor can ski in the mountains, which rise to over 13,000 feet. Among the most popular pursuits in the summer months are horse riding, mountain biking and walking.
Within these three quite distinctive areas there are some exceptional place to visit and a few are listed below:
Carmargue
The Carmargue is a unique area, which lies alongside the River Rhone famous for it’s salt marshes, rivers, and flowering meadows. This untamed and unusual place is home to wild horses, bulls and is a nesting place for flamingos.
Marseille
The largest city in Provence, diverse, historic and home to Bouillabaisse, France’s best fish stew.
A great way to see this historic port is by open top bus, a tour normally lasts about one and a half hours.
Orange
“Orange is to be savoured like the wines from the Cotes du Rhone area of which it’s the beating heart.” (Orange town web site)
The town is home to the ancient theatre of Orange with its façade of over 100 metres in length. It’s one of the best preserved of all Roman theatres, built between 10 and 25 AD, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Aix-en-Provence
This beautiful town is at the heart of a region that offers gastronomy, history and as the birthplace of Paul Cézanne it’s an artists paradise with its soft light and abundance of colour and texture.
St Tropez
Although it’s famous for being the playground of the rich and famous, St Tropez is still essentially a small Mediterranean fishing village. There is something for everyone to see including the 16 century Citadel and the Annonciade Museum.
Valensole
This small village with a name that means "the valley of the sun" lies in the heart of lavender country and during the summer months the fragrance is everywhere, floating gently on the warm air currents.
It’s a perfect place to relax, enjoy the historic buildings and enjoy a glass of local wine.
How to get to Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur
By far the best way to see the region is by car and they can be rented in all of the larger towns and airports.
Paris to Marseille for example is around an eight-hour journey.
By train:
Paris to Avignon 3 hours
Paris to Marseilles 3 hours 15 minutes
Paris to Toulon 4 hours
Regional airports at:
Avignon
Marseille
Toulon
sources:
Michelin Green Guide
Fench Government Tourist Office
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