Provence is probably the most attractive part of France. Provence is the snow-capped peaks of the southern Alps, the Camargue delta plains, the fragrant lavender fields and vineyards of Nice, medieval forts and the Verdon canyon, the deepest in Europe.
Fortified castles with inaccessible towers still guard the ancient borders of the once numerous feudal lands, and large cities like Avignon and Arles are famous for their architecture and unique cuisine.
The sun, food, wine and the heady aromas of Mediterranean vegetation give Provence an extraordinary sensuality. For centuries, this land has attracted kings and beggars, poets, scientists and artists, seekers of pleasure and monastics, and now - tourists of all ages and material wealth.
The coast of Provence, Cote d'Azur, is one of the most popular resort areas in France, with ultra-modern infrastructure, and far from the sea, the region retains the spirit of the past centuries, pastoral landscapes and a leisurely pace of life.
Provence became fully part of France only in the nineteenth century, and although only a few here now speak the Provencal dialect, the accent of the rest is caught even by foreigners for whom French is not their first language. And in the east of the region, the manners and rhythms of speech of the inhabitants are becoming completely Italian.
The most difficult thing in a trip to Provence is to decide which places to visit and how to have time to see everything you want, because in this region every vineyard and the smallest villages under tiled roofs attract, invite you to explore the natural and man-made beauty, and enjoy the gentle sun, local food and drinks.
If you decide to focus on Provence history, head west to the Rhone Valley. There are the ancient Roman cities of Orange and Vezon-la-Romain, Avignon, which was called the "second Rome", the papal residence of the 14th century, and Aix, the hometown of Cézanne and Zola. The city of Arles is famous not only for the Roman theater and amphitheater, built in 46 BC, but also as an important milestone in the life and work of Van Gogh.
Lavender plantations stretch east of the Rhone and north of the Luberon, in Haute Provence, and in July the landscape bursts into intense shades of purple for miles.
Further south - the white cliffs of the Calanques, the old port of Marseille, flamingos in the Camargue lagoons, the glamorous resorts of Saint-Tropez, chic Saint-Remy surrounded by sunflower fields immortalized by Van Gogh, and the two thousand-year-old bridge at Pont du Gare, the highest of ever built by the ancient Romans.
