A Travel Guide to Provence
Provence is truly a magical place. There are many port cities in the ancient Provincia Romana along with sun baked beaches, rugged mountains, hilltop villages and rolling hills of olives, lavender, orchards and vines. This is a region of bustling markets, seaside resorts and remote winding paths ideal for the walker.
The Pope's Palace in Avignon is one of the most visited attractions in the country. The historical significance and the austere architecture of the Palace make it worth exploring.
There are many beautiful villages in Luberon which are rated as the most beautiful villages in the country. Roussillon is charming and colourful and is surrounded by stunning ochre cliffs. The Granddaddy of all the beautiful villages on hilltops is certainly Gordes. Many are reminded of Acropolis when they visit the village due to the beautiful landscape that surrounds it.
The Roman Coliseum in Arles is entirely preserved and is slightly bigger than the one in Rome. The arena is used for the famous Arles Photography Festival, concerts and bull fights, for which the bulls are brought from the nearby Camargue region.
Aix-en-Provence is a beautiful French University town. It is also the hometown of Emile Zola and Paul Cézanne. It is a sophisticated and elegant shopping town with a number of gourmet emporiums and designer boutiques. It also has a mediaeval cathedral.
Lourmarin is a pretty village in Provence, famous for its wide selection of jewellery, crafts, decorative trinkets, bric-a-brac, fabrics and stylish clothing. The Friday market is a great way to sample with the natural products of the region. The village began after a castle was built in the 12th century. This castle was later replaced in the 15 century.
The Renaissance castle also adds to the charm of the village. It is now being used as an arts foundation. The most famous event that took place in the Renaissance castle took place in the initial part of the 19th century when three children were born to the owner from composer Franz Liszt, out of which one later married Richard Wagner. The village has two fascinating churches, one protestant and the other catholic.
There is a wide variety of self catering holiday accommodation in Provence ranging from apartments and villas on the coast to gites and cottages in the countryside.
