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About the region
Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur. Provence is named so because it was the first Roman province outside of Italy.
Region areas
Provence encompasses six departments in south-eastern France, bounded to the east by the Italian border, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and the principality of Monaco, to the north by Rhone-Alpes, and to the west by Languedoc-Roussillon, with the Rhone river marking its westernmost border.
Attractions
The ideal time to visit Provence, in terms of weather, is between the months of May and June. Though the sun shines brightly, it’s not at all uncomfortable. Coastal waters are warmed up by then and the resorts are already in service, but aren’t yet overrun.
Transportation
Most airlines divide their year roughly into seasonal slots, with the lowest fares between November 1 and March 13. Shoulder season, between the high and low seasons, is only slightly more expensive and includes mid-March to mid-June and all of October.
Events
Provence is the stage for some of the most wonderful and famous events in France. One of these events is the worldwide known Cannes Film Festival, which not only attracts a large crowd each year, but also some of the most famous people in the film industry.
Restaurants & Nightlife
Provence is known to offer uniquely decorated restaurants and bistros, with a cuisine for varied tastes. This makes the nightlife unique as well and even adds to the exhilarating experience.
History & Civilisation
Provence has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Paleolithic sites dating to 900,000 BC have been found along the Cote d’Azur in the interior country above Nice, at the Cave of Valloet and a site dating to 600,000 BC at Terra Amata, in the Alpes-Maritimes.
“Sur le Pont d’Avignon”
The Avignon bridge, under its original name of Saint Benezet bridge, became famous due to the popular 16th century song. Today the song remains popular as well as its source of inspiration, the bridge, which is a landmark of Avignon along with its neighbor the Palais des Papes.