Your guide to Provence in the south east of France

The area known as Provence includes the departments of Var, Vaucluse, and Bouches-du-Rhône and parts of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes. It has long been seen as one of the most attractive parts of France and the area was made even more popular by the books of Peter Mayle. A visit to Provence will leave you full of memories of the smell and striking colour of Lavender covered hills, hot sunshine and olive groves, pastis and cicadas.

From the snow capped mountains in the north east to the vineyards of the Cotes du Rhone and the glitzy mediterranean coast, Provence can provide whatever holiday type you are looking for. Stay in a sleepy mountain village that clings to the steep limestone hills of the Verdon, sit in the shade of a plane tree sipping pastis letting the day slip by or join the rich and famous in St Tropez where life takes on a slightly faster pace. (St Tropez webcam)

The Mediterranean coast from Hyères to the boarder of France with Italy is known as the French Riviera and has many golden sandy beaches where boating and water sports are enjoyed by all. I have spent many an hour bobbing around in a little boat catching fish for our fish soup, a popular local dish. I have tried the water skiing too but found I’m not a natural, I liken it to being hung upside down from a tree by your feet with your head in a bucket of water! On calm days the sea is incredibly clear allowing you to see some 15 metres to the bottom where you can watch the fish and other marine life.

Inland the landscape is breathtaking and the villages beautiful and quaint, many of which hold markets where the locals sell food, spices, herbs, linen, footware, ceramics and of course bread and cheese. The picture shows the market at Bormes les Mimosas where you will have fantastic views of the coast from its steep streets. Get there early because parking can be a problem. (Bormes les Mimosas webcam) Drive inland from Bormes Les Mimosas along the D14 to Collobrières to take in some spectacular views of the Forests of the Maures.

I should also mention the Mistral when talking about Provence, an often fierce wind which blows down the Rhone valley mostly during the winter months when it is so strong Peter Mayle said it could ‘blow the ears off a donkey’. Certainly it can be a troublesome part of life in Provence, bringing down trees, stripping tiles from roofs and damaging crops, not to mention chilling you to the core in the winter. In the summer however it can provide a cooling relief from the hot dry days typical of Provence but they can also serve to whip up fires that start in the vegetation dried by the winds, spreading them quickly. Many hundreds of acres can be destroyed each summer by these fires.

Although Provence can be an expensive area to visit for a holiday it can still be done ‘on the cheap’ without feeling you have missed out. There are plenty of good quality campsites in the area and the beaches are of course free to use. There is also lovely food at very reasonable prices to be found on the markets. If you would like to drink wine with your meal in the same way that most of the French locals do, look for caves or co-ops with signage indicating vin "en vrac" meaning that the winery or cooperative sells wine direct from the vat; you will be able to buy a very palatable wine for a few euros a litre!

Below there is a list of Campsites, hotels, and chambers d’hotes in Provence to whet your appetite for your next trip to the sun. If you wish to search for accommodation in a specific town you can use the box below.

WiFi

Will you need a wifi hotspot connection while in France? If so this site will help you find one. Click this text.