Explore Mediterranean Life With Provence Tours

By Maryanne Goff


With its sunny Mediterranean climate, the south of France is the ultimate destination for a summer vacation. Beautiful people from all over the world flock to the French Riviera to enjoy the gorgeous beaches while those who want to experience country life head to the towns and villages a little more inland and rent a chateau. If you're pressed for time, however, you may want to consider one of the Provence tours on offer to explore this magical region.

Provence is the region that covers the south-eastern part of France. The Rhone River forms its western border while the region extends eastwards all the way to the border with Italy. It also stretches southwards to the coastline known as the Cote D'Azur.

Tours of the area often start in Marseilles, one of France's biggest and most cosmopolitan cities. Avignon is a popular starting point too. Aix-en-Provence, Nice and Arles are just some of the other cities and towns that may be included in an itinerary. The best way to see the area is to spend at least a few days here so that you'll have time to explore the villages and rural landscapes.

Several travel companies offer specialized tours focusing on a specific aspect of life in the region. If you're a wine enthusiast, for instance, you'll definitely want to explore the local wineries, famous for their rose wines. It's a good idea to also include a pastis distillery in the itinerary. Pastis is the local liqueur with an anise flavor.

Foodies all know that Provence is the first and last word in flavorful cuisine. The area has an abundance of fresh produce that have become the main ingredients in dishes like ratatouille, which originated in Nice, and bouillabaisse, the seafood soup from Marseilles. A food tour will give you the opportunity to learn more about regional specialties and Provencal traditions like the thirteen desserts served at Christmas. Try to include a visit to a market as well, so that you can stock up on essentials like Provencal herbs.

The region is not only known for its fragrant cuisine but also for fragrances themselves. Lavender, roses, jasmine and other flowers flourish especially in the area around Grasse, which forms the heart of the perfume industry. A tour of the perfumeries in this charming town is an unforgettable, sweet-smelling experience.

If your interests lean towards art and culture, be sure to book a special cultural tour. You may want to explore the ancient Roman ruins or hunt for the locations of movies like 'Jean de Florette'. The Arles area is especially known for one-time resident Vincent Van Gogh and there are tours in which you can follow in the tortured artist's footsteps. A literary tour can take you to the places that inspired writers like Colette, F Scott Fitzgerald and Robert Louis Stevenson while you may also see the places immortalized in paintings by Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse and others.

When it comes to finding Provence tours, you're spoilt for choice. Simply do a quick online search for a package that suits you. Alternatively, have a travel agent create a personalized tour for you. Just remember that it's very easy to lose your heart here and never want to go back home.




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