Top 10 Provence
Along with the Cote d’ Azur, Provence is France’s most visited region. It’s rich diversity of cities and towns. landscape, cuisine, culture climate and peoples make it a magnet with dozens of sites to visit, whether they be craggy hilltop villages, lavender and vine encrusted fields, ancient Roman ruins, ports, seaside villlages or lively food and antique markets.
Here is our list of the top places to visit:
Arles:
Boasting an immensely rich heritage, the town overflows with Roman remains. Don’t miss the must-do Amphitheatre, the pride of the town’s inhabitants – the lookout towers offer great panoramic views. Vincent Van Gogh‘s spiritual home Arles is also home to the Van Gogh Foundation dedicated to the master of Impressionism
Nimes:
Dubbed the most Roman city outside Italy, Nîmes has a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire when the city had a population of 50,000–60,000 and was the regional capital. Several famous monuments are in Nîmes, such as the Arena of Nîmes and the Maison Carrée. Because of this, Nîmes is often referred to as the “French Rome”.
Aix en Provence
The old capital of Provence is splashed by 100 fountains . The city thrived culturally during the Middle Ages and reached a peak during the 17th and 18th centuries . It was home to Paul Cezanne who created many of his signature works here. Visitors can retrace the steps of the great artist including his studio , favourite haunts and the nearby Mount Ste-Victoire , just east of the city , which was the subject of some of his most famous paintings .He painted it 65 times making this great Provençal landmark famous worldwide
Avignon:
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Pope’s Palace, crowned with four impressive towers, stands overlooking the city of Avignon. Seven French Popes lived here in the 14th century after the Catholic Church shifted its headquarters from Rome in a power struggle that involved the Papacy and the French Crown.
They created this building whose gigantic size becomes even more apparent once you’re inside: this is Western Europe’s largest Gothic palace. Admire the medieval the frescoes, visit the Pope’s chamber and take a walk on the ramparts leading to one of the towers to take in the the panoramic views over the city and beyond .
Chateau Neuf de Pape:
The wines of Chateau Neuf de Pape are world reknowned . It was the 13th century Pope Jean XXII of Avignon . who built the now ruined chateau with its splendid views and planted the first vineyards here .Many Cotes Du Rhone wines are made with just one grape but vintners here blend up to 13 different grapes to produce their unique wines of unique complexity.
Pont du Gard:
The Pont du Gard is the highest aqueduct ever built by the Romans. It was built shortly before the Christian era to allow the aqueduct of Nîmes (which is almost 50 km long) to cross the Gard river. The Roman architects and hydraulic engineers who designed this bridge, which stands almost 50 m high and is on three levels – the longest measuring 275 m – created a technical as well as an artistic masterpiece.
The Calanques:
This fjord like landscape is unique in Europe. Just outside Cassis, the coast is broken up by a series of tiny, narrow creeks or calanques, lying at the foot of sheer white limestone cliffs .The vertical, weathered , chalk rock faces are popular with climbers and the clear deep water is ideal for bathing, making the area a popular weekend retreat from nearby Marseille.
Marseille:
An extraordinary mix of race and culture this is France’s premier port and oldest city. A traditional city with a strong personality it also has a reputation for political corruption, gangsterism and racial conflict.
The city is still centred around the old port, known as Vieux Port, the narrow entrance to which was guarded and is still overlooked by two forts – Fort St Nicholas and Fort St Jean.
A genuine jewel on the Old Port is the Mucem – the first ever museum dedicated to Mediterranean cultures. Its ultra-modern design is a sight to behold, but climb up to the rooftop to enjoy the picture-postcard views over the Ancient Greek city and its port.
The ancient and medieval district Le Panier is nearby and still the place to shop for artisanal gifts.
The Camargue:
No area in France matches the Canargue for its landscape, brakkish lagoons, flat rice fields and salty marshes , sand spurs and coastal dunes , interlaced with shallow streams and canals . The extraordinary landscape harbours an outstanding variety of wildlife and the unique lifestyle of the Camargue cowboys.
Orange:
The site of two of the finest Roman monuments in Europe – the great triumphal arch and the massive theatre . The stage wall of the theatre is more than 100 metres long and neatly 40 metres high and is the only one to survive completely from ancient times. An important centre for wines, olives, honey and truffles
Fontaine De Vaucluse:
Tucked away and the end of a narrow enclosed valley , this is famous for its emerald green spring which gushes from a huge cave like abyss at the foot of a 250 metre high cliff . This is one of the world’s largest and most powerful springs , spurting forth from a vast labyrinth of underground rivers . The town has a paper mill , the last of a once thriving industry . Nearby L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue situated on the banks of the Sorgue River, is a shopper’s paradise- only instead of shopping malls and boutiques, visitors are met with fabulous antique stores and bustling weekend markets. Wake up early to stroll along the more than 300 stalls at the famous Sunday market .Don’t miss the floating market if you’re in town during the first Sunday of August, when locals sell their wines and wares from traditional “nego-chin” boats. L’Isle dates from the 12th century . Surrounded by a moat of flowing water , fishermen built huts on stilts above what was then a marsh. By the 18th century , canals lined with 70 giant wheels powered silk factories and paper mills . And many of these have been left in place.
Destination – France
