Provence

The piercing light and colours of Provence that famously inspired the Impressionists, continue to have a lasting impression on visitors, with very few failing to fall for the region’s charms.

Fields of heady lavender and bright sunflowers are the quintessential scenery of Provence and yet dramatic gorges carve through rugged terrain with mountain peaks against the intense blue sky. The Gorges du Verdun is a spectacular natural highlight, known as the Grand Canyon of Europe. Where Provence meets the sea, the reedy marshlands and lagoons of the Camargue have a wild beauty, most famous for the flocks of pink flamingos while the historic port of Marseille is a vibrant cultural melting pot with lively restaurants and late nightlife.

Throughout Provence, honeycoloured villages grace the hills and timeless towns promise ancient heritage, from narrow medieval streets and tree-lined squares to magnificent Roman monuments.

Colourful markets are a simple pleasure of everyday life, providing a mouthwatering array of vegetables, wild herbs, olives and garlic from the ‘garden of France’.

These simple ingredients are at the heart of the finest Provencal cooking, from a rich ratatouille to a traditional bouillabaisse fish stew.

Highlights

• Aix en Provence – follow the Circuit de Cézanne to retrace his life and works through elegant avenues and squares, visiting the artist’s studio, Atelier Paul Cézanne.
• Avignon – explore this splendid papal city, with medieval streets and historic buildings including the Grand Palais des Papes enclosed within 3 miles of beautifully preserved ramparts.
• Romans and painters – see the magnificent Roman amphitheatre and Arc de Triomphe in Orange with more ancient highlights to discover in Arles, where Van Gogh and Gaugin painted famous masterpieces.
• Dramatic scenery – admire the spectacular views from the top of the Gorges du Verdun, take a river-rafting adventure through the canyon and see bee-hive shaped ‘bories’ dotted throughout the stunning forested slopes of the Luberon.
• Provence in a glass – sip cool anis in a pavement café of a sleepy village square and enjoy fine local wines including Côtes du Ventoux, Côtes du Luberon and the prestigious Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Simiane-la-Rotonde

Your nearest airport - Avignon.