Overview

Provence is one of the most beautiful and spectacular regions in France boasting world beating beaches, medieval towns dating back to the Roman times and the snow-capped towering peaks of the Alps. Put simply, Provence offers its visitors everything and anything they could wish for on their holidays anytime of year.

Provence is a really diverse region of southern France stretching from Bouches du Rhône in the west to the Alpes-Maritime in the east on the Italian border. The area that hugs the Italian border is packed with National Parks with high mountain valleys, deep gorges and during the winter, its a playground for alpine sports enthusiasts - skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing are all available in the ski resorts.

The coastal area boasts countless silky white sandy beaches and during the summer season, beach resorts such as St Tropez, Cannes and Sainte Maxime to name a few, are overrun with tourists from around the world - booking your Provence holiday rental in advance is highly recommended.

Bouches du Rhône

Famous for its ragged coastline and home to the capital of Provence, Marseille, Bouches du Rhône is the gateway to the regions treasures. Any visit to this part of Provence usually involves a few days exploring France's second largest city famed for its fish dishes such as bouillabaisse. With the marshy plains of The Camargue on the coast to the Alpilles mountains in the north, the area is diverse to say the least. Some popular villages...

• Arles
• Cassis
• Saint Rémy in the Alpilles

Alpes-Maritimes

Bordering Italy to the east, The Alpes-Maritime is home to the spectacular Côte d'Azur attracting tourists from around the world. With 320 days of sunshine and the ski resorts just an hours drive from the beach, you can be skiing in the morning and sunbathing in the afternoon! Famous places along the coast include...

• Antibes
• Cannes
• Menton
• Monte Carlo
• Nice

Alpes de Haute Provence

This area of Provence is characterised by its towering peaks and high mountain valleys with their historic hamlets that have stood the test of time - perfect for skiing in the winter. To the west in Val d'Allos, there is the ochre coloured landscape with its unique rock formation known as the "French Colorado. Top place to see...

• Park of Mercantou
• Vernon Gorge
• Hilltop village of Roussillon

Vaucluse

Sitting in the middle of Provence, Vaucluse is a region characterised by stunning medieval villages, countless vineyards and the Rhône river on its western border. Home to the much sought after area of the Luberon where the hilltop villas and holiday rentals are in constant demand, Vaucluse epitomises the culinary delights of Provence. Popular places to see include...

• Avignon
• Gordes in the Luberon
• l'Isle sur la Sorgue

Var

Along the 300kms of coast, Var is home to some chic and sophisticated beach resorts including...

• St Tropez
• Saint Raphael
• Sainte Maxime

To the north, Var is full of valleys and hills covered in pine forests and acres of lavander fields, thyme and olive trees in every direction - a great place to relax and enjoy the laid back atmosphere.

Haute Alpes

The Haute Alpes are home to some fantastic ski resorts such as...

• Serre Chevalier
• Montgenèvre
• Les Orres
• Risoul

During the summer, the region is a mecca for hiking, mountain biking, climbing and rafting on the numerous rivers running through the gorges.

A Four Season Holiday Destination

With 300 days of sunshine, Provence is a year-round playground with weather to suit sun worshippers and outdoor sports enthusiasts - the best time to visit really depends on what you want to see and do.

Much of Provence has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, winters. On the coast during the summer, the average daily high temperature is around 82°F/28°C. Inland, temperatures are slightly cooler and during the winter months, it can get frosty with freezing conditions and snow especially on Mont Ventoux, the Alpilles and the Luberon mountain range.

Provence Holiday Rentals

Self catering holiday rentals along the beach resorts and villages of Provence are plentiful and certainly good value especially for family holidays. You will find beachfront villas, often with private swimming pool, spacious apartments and family holiday homes to rent along the entire coast.

In the rural areas of Provence, the beachfront apartments are replaced by sumptious villas, farmhouses and rustic holiday homes surrounded by the poppy and lavender fields and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Provence Beaches

Provence is blessed with some of the most stunning coastline in Europe peppered with incredibly beautiful beaches, cliffs and coves. Some of our favourites include...

French Riviera or the Cote d'Azur

The departments of Var and Alpes Maritime are home to the famous strip of coast known as the French Riviera or the Cote d'Azur as it is commonly known. Stretching from Cannes up to the Italian border, the coastline is s accessible from some of the world's' most glamerous beach resorts such as St Tropez and Saint Maxime.

Iles d'Hyeres

The 3 major islands of Porquerolles, Levant and Port-Cros sit off the coast of Var and easily reached by ferry from Hyères. Porquerolles has a rugged coast line, glorious scenery and a few beaches flanked by pine forests.

Port-Cros is a national park and is the most rugged of the islands. Its a great place for scuba diving in the waters off Palud beach.

Le Levant is largely for military purposes although there are a few hiking trails and beaches accessible by tourists on the west of the island.

10 Top Provence Attractions

Distance in kms from Avignon

Calanques

Calanques (meaning "inlets") is the name given to a 20km streatch of inlets flanked by towering 400m cliffs between Marseille in the west and Cassis in the east. There are hidden bays surrounded by stunning scenery and thw best way to experience the beaches in Calanques is by boat. Some of the best and most popular Calanques are the Calanque de Sormiou, Calanque de Sugiton and Calanque de Morgiou which is famous for its underwater grotto - the Cosquer cave.

Camargue

The area of The Camargue is where the Rhône river meets the Mediterranean and is Europe's largest river delta. The area is a nature reserve with pink flamingoes, lakes, rivers, gypsies and Camargue cowboys on their white horses. if you are looking for deserted white sandy beaches, then The Camargue is the perfect place combining serene beaches with nature.