Where to go?
The Provence consists of many regions each with its own identity. Here are the regions we look at initially on this website; we go from South to North:
Aix en Provence and Pays d'Aix:
Aix is a cultured and lively university town at the foothills of Mont Sainte Victoire, the mystic mountain range of Cézanne fame. It is a little Paris in the Provence. You must visit it, France at its best. Together with Paris the place where the majority of the French would like to live. The area around it, the Pays d'Aix, is wonderful if you stay in the right area. Avoid most areas to the South except hilltop villages - the suburbs of Marseilles are about to reach Aix. The area to the east (around Mont Sainte Victoire), west and north of Aix is mostly tranquil, you can enjoy the country life. Read more about the sights of Aix en Provence and the Pays d'Aix and our lodging and dining recommendations.
Arles and the Camargue:
We love Arles, since 1981 listed as a World Heritage site, its location on the Rhône, the impressive Roman monuments, the ramparts, Place de la Republique with Cathédral Saint-Trophime, its cloister, the majestic town hall as well as retracing van Gogh's steps. South of Arles lies the Camargue, the flat, marshy Rhône delta, France's cowboy country. Nice to visit during late spring and early autumn, that is if you like flat country and enjoy horseback riding or bird watching in the spring. During summer the Camargue is too busy and there are too many black mosquitoes torturing you. Avoid Les Saintes Maries de la Mer during summer, too crowded. Winter and early spring can be harsh, the Mistral will literally blow you into the Mediterranean Sea. Read more about the sights of Arles and our lodging and dining recommendations.
Luberon and l'Isle sur la Sorgue:
Many of the who's who from Europe and North America bought their bastides (old fortified farm houses), mas (farm houses) and village houses in the Luberon, when the Côte d'Azur became too crowded and they finally got tired of the traffic jams. The perched villages with immaculately renovated houses, the green garrigue covered mountains of the Grand and Petit Luberon and the Plateau du Vaucluse. But outside the season the Luberon suffers more than other areas in the Provence from the closed shutter syndrome. What makes l'Isle sur la Sorgue, literally the "Island in the River Sorgue", special is its undisputed reputation as the place in Southern France to shop for antiquities. As an extra bonus it has one of the best Provençal markets. Read more about the sights of the Luberon and its perched villages, l'Isle sur la Sorgue and our lodging and dining recommendations.
St.Rémy de Provence and les Alpilles:
The Alpilles, the "little Alpes", between Arles and Avignon are a favorite vacation area: rugged mountains with gray-white cliffs, the ruins of Le Baux castle perched on a cliff, St.Rémy de Provence of van Gogh fame and the nearby Roman ruins of Glanum. Many charming villages, lots of olive trees - a great area to spend a vacation. Very "in" with the French who's who and close to many historic sites: Arles, Avignon, Nimes and the Pont du Gard. Read more about the sights of St.Rémy de Provence and les Alpilles and our lodging and dining recommendations.
Avignon:
One of France's major tourist attractions and an important cultural center during the summer time, when the Festival d'Avignon draws thousands of visitors. The festival features modern theatre and drama, including some very avant-garde pieces pushing the limits. Most of the historic sites are located "Intramuros", i.e. within the fortified medieval walls surrounding the old part of Avignon. The Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) is the major attraction as is the Pont St.Bénezet, the famous Pont d'Avignon. Read more about the sights of Avignon and our lodging and dining recommendations.
Ventoux Region (Southern Côtes du Rhone):
The area around Mt.Ventoux between Avignon and Vaison la Romaine, also known by its historic name Comtat Venaissin or today's administrative name, the Haut Vaucluse, has become a very "in" place. You find famous Southern Côtes du Rhône wine villages (Châteauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Cairanne, Rastaeu and many others), endless green vineyards and the nature reserves of Mont Ventoux (of Tour de France fame) and the Dentelles de Montmirail (great for one day hiking). Visit historic Vaison la Romaine, Carpentras, Orange and the many small villages. Lots of quiet country roads for biking, the best markets in the Provence and a vibrant restaurant scene. Read more about the sights of Carpentras, Orange, Vaison la Romaine and the villages south and west of Mont Ventoux as well as our lodging and dining recommendations.
Drôme Provençale:
The western part pretty much a continuation of the Pays du Ventoux with historic wine villages, vineyards, lavender fields and the rolling green hills of the Pre-Alpes. Visit the Enclave des Papes (Popes' Enclave), a historic oddity: an enclave of the Vaucluse in the Drôme Provençale. You find a decent choice of country hotels, B&Bs and restaurants, but not as many as in the Pays du Ventoux. To the east are les Baronnies, the baronial lands. Historic, rugged and in the east sparsely populated. Great for outdoors but with a more limited choice of country inns, B&Bs and restaurants. Read more about the sights of the Drôme Provençale, the Enclave des Papes, les Baronnies and our lodging and dining recommendations.
Have we missed anything? What about the towns along the river Rhône? Most of them are too busy for our taste! They have some interesting historic parts but you never really get away from industry, shopping centers and suburbia. And what about Marseilles (or in French: Marseille)? Big, vibrant city with a colorful immigrant population and great restaurant scene - a stroy on its own, we will get to it eventually.
On our more immediate to do list are the following: selected areas of the Côte d'Azur, the Gard Provençal (Nimes, Uzès, Pont du Gard), the Haut Var (from St.Maximin le Ste.Baume to the Gorges du Verdon) and the lovely area around Fayence.
