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Guide to Provence, France | |
| This old Roman province of Mediterranean France is famed for its beautiful countryside, abundant cuisine, Roman ruins, posh seaside resorts and quaint villages. | ||
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The storied South of France is a former Roman province with lots to see and do: Aix-en-ProvenceBirthplace of painter Paul Cézanne and author Émile Zola, Aix is a graceful old city with wide avenues shaded by lofty sycamores, beneath them Roman ruins, a bustle of business—and thousands of students. More... Les AlpillesThe range of low mountains bounded by Avignon, Arles and Salon-de-Provence offer dramatic views, bountiful fields, olive orchards and vineyards, pretty Provençal towns such as St-Rémy-de-Provence, and the eagles' aerie of Les Baux. More... ArlesA fine Roman theater, spectacular amphitheater, medieval city walls, pretty old streets and a lively market draw visitors to Arles, gateway to La Camargue. More... AvignonSur le pont d'Avignon on y danse... the song says. The pont (bridge) is still there, as is the Palais des Papes, the palatial residence of the Roman Catholic popes from 1309 to 1378, and schismatic popes until 1417. Come to see the splendid religious architecture, the city walls, and charming old town. More... La CamargueThe Rhône River has formed this sprawling, flat, fertile delta now a vast nature reserve and national park. Come to ride its famed horses (or bicycles) on birdwatching treks, to enjoy its kilometers of sand beaches, or to visit Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer with its Roma (Gypsy) traditions. At the western edge is the walled city of Aigues Mortes, where Ernest Hemingway and Pauline Pfeiffer went on their honeymoon. More... LuberonThe Luberon, named after the mountains in the region, is home to many charming hilltop towns, as well as the city of Avignon and the charming marketand antiquing town of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. More... MarseilleFrance's oldest city (founded 600 BCE) is second only to Paris in size. Splendid fortresses, churches, public buildings, fine restaurants and museums, and Provence's major airport and train station bring visitors. More... NîmesThough not technically in Provence, a visit to this tidy, pretty city at the edge of the region, with its shining Roman temple and intact amphiteater—still used for events—is easy, and worth it. More... OrangeSmall friendly, pretty, easy to negotiate, Orange attracts visitors because of its huge, still-in-use Roman theater, and a beautiful Roman triumphal arch, both worth seeing. More... Pont d'Arc/ArdècheThis fascinating, beautiful area just north of Orange, is home to the Chauvet Cave, with its hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings duplicated in the visitable Caverne du Pont d'Arc. In addition, the beautiful Gorges de l'Ardèche offer spectacular scenery and views. More... VaucluseThe Vaucluse département includes much of the Luberon, Mont Ventoux, and towns of Avignon, Orange, and L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. More...
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Above, View from Les Baux de Provence in the Alpilles of Provençal vineyards and olive orchards.
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