Plan a trip to Provence Alpes Cote Dazur

Along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in the southern part of France, lies one of the most glorious and heavenly regions of the country, most of the year sunshine, the azure, blue sea, a myriad of shades of green of the olive trees, aromatic and spice plants and of course, different varieties of grapevines. The unique beauty of this region together with two thousand years of civilization have created an aura of perfection with a distinctive feeling of harmony.

There are cities and sites in Provence that date back to the Roman times including the theatre, fortresses and fortifications, palaces, aqueducts, bridges and roads; many of the ancient ruins are still in use to this day. The region is surrounded by immeasurable beauty of nature as well as man-made creations! Provence, with its blend of the rolling landscapes of mountains and seas, canyons and marshes, enveloped by enticing colors and alluring fragrances near cities, resort towns and picturesque villages is a magnet pulling in visitors.

An excursion though the Provence region is more than a sightseeing tour, it is also a pleasurable gastronomic trip, where you can find numerous great restaurants and charming coffee houses. They run the gamut from seafood to incredible choices of cheese, especially goat cheese, the famous Provence bouillabaisse fish soup and truffles, the delicacy that infuses chef’s exclusive dishes; paired with one of the region’s great wines.

Not to forget Pétanque (also known as “boules”) is a typical game of this region, played primarily by the seniors of the area. The Mediterranean climate in Provence is comfortable and is known to have more than 300 days of sun in a year, although at times a sunny day can, without warning, freeze everything instantaneously.

The Mistral (cold and dry strong wind) usually blows in winter or spring, though it can occur in all seasons and cause damage in a short time. However, one of the “perks” of the Mistral is that the winds are so strong, they sweep away the clouds, guaranteeing blue skies and luminous days. The site of the glowing sun and its special light have inspired numerous painters including Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne and Pablo Picasso.

It is bounded to the east by the France–Italy border, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and by the Principality of Monaco, to the north by Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and to the west by Occitanie, with the Rhône marking its westernmost border.

Provence-Alpes- Cote d’Azur is divided into six independent departments and each is self-governing. It stretches over 31,000 km, from the French Alps in the north, to Orange and the Mediterranean Sea in the southern part and spreads to both sides of the Rhône River. It is the third largest region in France with a population of over 5 million.

Known for the most diverse landscape from all the regions in France it includes pine forests, impressive deep canyons, turquoise-blue water beaches, flowering hills, limestone rocks with alpine scenery. It is definitely one of the unique ecological environments and is home to epic landscapes including the Camargue marshes, a vast wetland area and the Ardeche Gorges – and The Gorges du Verdon, a river canyon which forms the deepest, largest canyon in Europe.

HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL

Ligures, Celts and Greeks lived in Provence long before Julius Caesar conquered the region in the middle of the first century BC. When the region became part of the Roman Empire at the end of the 2nd century BC, it then started to develop and flourish. Cities such as Arles, Nimes, Orange, were important already in Roman times and to this day one can appreciate the impressive building from that period of time.

The River Rhône is one of the major rivers of Europe and due to its location, the Rhone River has seen a major boom. In the 5th century, after the dissolution of the Roman Empire, The Berber tribes and Visigoths, Burgundians, Ostrogoth invaded the area as well as the Arabs. They ruled the Iberian Peninsula as well as other parts of France and were rejected in the 8th century. There were extraordinary occurrences – during the 14th Century they settled in Provence for about 70 years.

During the 14th century, for about 70 years, seven successive popes resided in Avignon, Provence, while they held such posts at the same time in Rome. In 1481 Provence became a part of France, while Avignon and the area around remained under Roman rule up to the French Revolution.

LANGUAGE

Two dialects emerged simultaneously in France, and they are almost two different languages, one north of Paris in Langue d’Oil and the other, which is the Provencal language, in southern Paris Langue d’Oc. The grammar of this particular dialect is closer to Spanish than French. Frédéric Mistral, a writer and lexicographer, started the process of reviving this language in the 19th Century and spent almost 20 years writing a dictionary. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his life’s work in 1904.

THE PROVENÇAL CUISINE

The Provencal cuisine is delectable.  It is based on many of many of these ingredients – olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, onions, green peppers, heaps of local herbs that are abundant in this area, artichoke, aioli sauce which is onion sauce, Bouillabaisse, a variety of salads including Niçoise. Fruit-bearing trees are in abundance in Provence such as, cherries, strawberries, peaches, pears, melons, almonds. Of course they also have home-grown vegetables such as garlic, asparagus, artichokes not to mention the abundance of fish and seafood. Honey is an important part of Provençal cuisine and you surely will find the best honey here as well as flavorsome goat cheese and luscious truffles that season all top-quality dishes. As well, vineyards are in great abundance which means there is a plethora of sensational wine.

WINE

Provence is home to some of the best wines, such as Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape and they all are shipped out from here! Other well-known wines are produced from the grapes grown in an area of about 200 km along the Rhone River, aka as Cote du Rhone. Other wines are known as Cote de Provence and are made from grapes grown in the more southern areas, good wines but not the best tasting wines.