Southern France

Get to know Provence

Nestled between the sea and mountains, Van Gogh and Cézanne immortalized Provence’s beauty on canvas. Its striking colors range from azure sky to bright pastel facades and deep purple lavender fields to vibrant yellow sunflowers. In the summer cicadas melodically buzz in the background. Wine lovers can’t miss the powerful Côtes-du-Rhône reds and the refreshing Coteaux-d’Aix-en-Provence rosés. History buffs should make time to explore the exceptional Roman ruins and the Gothic Palais des Papes. The is a relaxing place with great weather, millennia of history, and a fantastic art legacy.

Get to know the French Riviera

Further east, the glittering French Riviera, or Cote d’Azur, is a Mediterranean paradise. The Riviera marries glamour with old-world charm. Bask in the bright sun and soak yourself superb turquoise waters. Indulge in the Rivera’s flair for luxury. Michelin-star restaurants, yacht ride, legendary nightlife, and Monaco’s Monte Carlo Casino await. This sparkling coastline from Cassis to Menton has long drawn celebrities and the jet-set crowd.

Every year in May, Hollywood elites descend for the famed Cannes Film Festival. Beautiful yachts line the white sandy shore of St.Tropez. Nice is a beguiling destination blessed with natural beauty and heavy with Italian influences. By car or boat, it is easy to take a quick international detour to follow Grace Kelly’s footsteps to the opulent Principality of Monaco. With their dramatic geography and medieval charm, the perched villages like Éze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are favorite stops for visitors. 

History

Provence has three millennia of fascinating history to explore. Marseille, France’s oldest city, was colonized by the Greeks in 600 BC (Nice and Monaco followed soon after). The Romans conquered the region in the 1st century BC. The region’s name, derived from the Latin Provincia Romana, is a legacy of this conquest. They left behind colossal works that can still be visited today including the pristine Pont du Gard aqueduct, the antique theatre in Orange and the amphitheater in Nimes. The 14th-century Papal Schism saw the Pope decamp from Rome to Avignon where they built the imposing Gothic Palais of Papes. Though lesser-known than the Normandy beach landings, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops landed in German-occupied Provence and the French Riviera during the summer of 1944 during Operation Dragoon. In four weeks they succeeded in liberating most of southern France. Visitors can pay their respects in the Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan. 

Cuisine

The border of the Mediterranean means a lot of sun and fantastic stone fruits and vegetables. Food is often lighter here, featuring olive oil, garlic, and olives rather than the creme, butter, and sauces from further north. Try tapenade (an olive and anchovy spread), ratatouille (a zucchini, eggplant, tomato, and onion-based stew), or delicious socca (a chickpea flour flatbread socca) in Nice or panisse (chickpea flour fries) in Marseille. Provence’s markets are an excellent place to sample the local food.