Provence & Côte d'Azur Travel Destinations (cont'd)
Arles and the Camargue:
We love Arles, since 1981 listed as a World Heritage site, its location on the Rhône, the impressive Roman monuments, the ramparts, Place de la Republique with Cathédral Saint-Trophime, its cloister, the majestic town hall as well as retracing van Gogh's steps. South of Arles lies the Camargue, the flat, marshy Rhône delta, France's cowboy country. During late spring and early autumn a great place for horseback riding and bird watching. During summer the many black mosquitoes will torture you - it is a marshy nature reserve. Winter and early spring can be harsh, the Mistral will literally blow you into the Mediterranean Sea.
Arles | Camargue | B&Bs-Small Hotels | Holiday Rentals | Favorite Restaurants
St.Tropez and the Western Côte d'Azur:
One of our favorite stretches of the Mediterranean coast, very picturesque. A good place to vacation during the shoulder season - very busy in July and August. Dense development yes, but no concrete jungle. Driving west from Cannes you visit the Esterel coast with its red rugged cliffs, the towns of Saint Raphaël, Fréjus and Sainte Maxime. Across the bay lies St.Tropez, a notorious party town, but a very pretty setting. Further west are historic hilltop villages like Ramatuelle and Gassin, great beaches like Gigaro, the Porquerolles islands, busy Hyères and Toulon, pretty Sanary sur Mer and finally Bandol.
Saint Tropez | Western Côte d'Azur | Massif de l'Esterel | Massif des Maures | Porquerolles | Toulon | B&Bs-Small Hotels | Holiday Rentals | Favorite Restaurants
Aix en Provence and Pays d'Aix:
Aix is a cultured and lively university town at the foothills of Mont Sainte Victoire, the mystic mountain range of Cézanne fame. It is often called the little Paris in the Provence. Many French would love to live here. Great restaurant scene.
The Pays d'Aix, the countryside around Aix, is wonderful if you stay in the right area. Marseille and Aix are steadily growing together, an extensive suburb with some pretty hilltop villages in between. The regions to the east (around Mont Sainte Victoire), west and north of Aix are wonderful, Provence country life at its best.
Aix en Provence | Aix Environs | B&Bs-Small Hotels | Holiday Rentals | Favorite Restaurants
Avignon:
One of France's major tourist attractions and an important cultural center during the summer time, when the Festival d'Avignon draws thousands of visitors. The festival features modern theatre and drama, including some very avant-garde pieces pushing the limits. Most of the historic sites are located "Intramuros", i.e. within the fortified medieval walls surrounding the old part of Avignon. The Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) is the major attraction as is the Pont St.Bénezet, the famous Pont d'Avignon.
Avignon | Villeneuve lez Avignon | B&Bs-Small Hotels | Holiday Rentals | Favorite Restaurants
French Riviera (Côte d'Azur):
Nice is an exciting, lively, chaotic and noisy city, famous for its old quarter (Vieux Nice), the Promenade des Anglais and the flower market. Often labelled as the faded "Queen of the Riviera", the recent massive regeneration of its downtown area is proving the contrary. Nice is on its way to become a very hip city. The Côte d'Azur between Nice and Menton is densely populated. One of the most famous coast lines in the world with very expensive real estate. Monaco and lovely Menton are the major towns. On the coast and up on the hills are many pretty villages.
Nice | Menton | Côte d'Azur: Nice to Menton | B&Bs-Small Hotels | Holiday Rentals | Favorite Restaurants
Cannes, Antibes and St.Paul de Vence:
Cannes continues to be a highlight of the French Riviera - the fashionable Promenade la Croissette, the Cannes Film Festival, the expensive yachts in the harbour. Antibes-Juan les Pins is a must to visit: Vieille Antibes with narrow cobble-stoned streets, the Picasso Museum and the aura of "Picasso once lived here", Cap d'Antibes, the billionaires' paradise and the more down to earth Juan les Pins.
Many 20th century artists lived in this region: Picasso, Braque, Monet, Rodin, Signac, Matisse, Leger - just to name the more famous. You can retrace their steps and visit the numerous museums and galleries. The hilltop village of St.Paul de Vence with the Fondation Maeght Museum counts 2.5 million visitors per year!
Cannes | Antibes-Juan les Pins | St.Paul de Vence | Côte d'Azur: Nice to Cannes | B&Bs-Small Hotels | Holiday Rentals | Favorite Restaurants
