Our trip across Provençe has so far had two main focuses, we were in the west and the east of the region. In the middle you will not find anything different from the areas we visited, which is why I naughtily left them out.

We are also here with our caravan on the road. If you don't want to travel with a tent or small camper on vacation, you should have a good look at your destination on the net before booking and also call to check it out. There are large and small hotels in a considerable selection. - But also the camping friend should be careful, because the choice of campsites for a for example 8 m x 2.50 m caravan reduces quite quickly.

We did not forget to visit the plateau of Valensole, because from here comes a large part of the lavender so important for the perfume industry. So really this plain near the Gorges du Verdon does not belong to the target area ... but I am not petty... ... ...

The Provençe

Whether I'm driving along the mountain passes, sunbathing on the beach, or browsing the weekly markets, Provençe and the Côte d'Azur are sun-drenched and seductive. 2,000 years ago, Provençe was part of Roman Gaul and the Romans left behind fabulous monuments, constructions and buildings - not to mention some of France's first vineyards.

This region is littered with Roman legacies, including an amphitheater in Arles, a theater in Orange, many bridges, including a very beautiful one near Bonniuex, and even entire towns near St-Rémy de Provençe and Vaison-la-Romaine. It is a big number in a collection of prehistoric sites, medieval abbeys, elegant churches and art deco houses. And so Provençe begins to feel like a living history book.

Art aplenty

It wasn't just the landscape of Provençe that attracted legendary painters, such as van Gogh, Cézanne and Picasso, with its rolling lavender fields, rustic villages perched on hilltops; it was the light, which Matisse described as "soft and tender, yet brilliant." Whether you're peering over the sea glistening in the sun or watching the fiery sun set over the hills, a trip to this corner of France feels like walking straight into an Impressionist's canvas. And with such an extensive artistic legacy, it's no wonder this area is home to outstanding art collections, not to mention the studios where van Gogh, Cézanne and Rénoir worked.

Landscapes to rave about

Provençe and the Côte d'Azur are made for explorers big and small. One of the charms of traveling to this region is taking the back roads into the hinterland and soaking up the vast beauty and diversity. There are lavender fields, old plantations with olive trees, mountain roads winding along the slopes and, at the appropriate time of year, snow-covered mountain peaks. Here lies France's deepest gorge, the oldest road and several, challenging mountain passes that make the dreams of a passionate motorist come true. And then there is the Mediterranean Sea itself: a glistening blue mirror reflecting the rugged cliffs, white beaches and endless sky. And then there is the Mediterranean itself: a glistening blue mirror reflecting the rugged cliffs, white beaches and endless sky.

The Provençal delights

No matter where you go in Provençe, you won't go hungry. Food is one of the central things in the life of a Frenchman, but in Provençe it becomes a cultivated passion. Dominated by the hallowed ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine, olive oil, wine, tomatoes and garlic, food in this region is always a highlight. And you don't have to look for long, small and large restaurants can be found everywhere and I met very good and grotto bad. So it is the usual mixture, although the chance to catch a bad restaurant is then quite manageable. Nevertheless, I found something like that and report elsewhere about it.