Provence

From its herb-scented hills to its yacht-filled harbours, noother region of France fires the imagination as strongly as Provence.
The vivid landscape and luminous light have inspired artists and writers from Van Gogh to Picasso and from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Pagnol.

The borders of Provence are defined by nature: to the west, theRhône; south, the Mediterranean; and north, where the olive treesend.
To the east are the Alps and a border which has shifted over the centuries between France and Italy.
Within is a contrasting terrain of plummeting gorges, Camargue saltflats, lavender fields and sun-drenched beaches.
Past visitors have left their mark. In Orange and Arles, the buildings of Roman Provincia are still in use.
Fortified villages like Eze were built to withstand the Saracen pirates who plagued the coast in the 6th century.
In the 19th century, rich Europeans sought winter warmth on the Riviera, and by the 1920s, high society was in residence all year, and their elegant villas remain.
The warm sunlight nurtures intense flavours and colours.
Peppers, garlic and olives transform a netful of Mediterranean fish into that vibrant epitome of Provencal cuisine, bouillabaisse.