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| Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur is another region that agglomerates several different
old provinces. The region has more than its share of well known
cities and sites of interest starting with its capital Marseille,
which is France’s third largest city and busiest port.
The important cities of Nice, Toulon, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence
and Arles are also located here. This is also where the famed
French Riviera of Côte d'Azur is found including the international
hotspots of Cannes,
Saint Tropez, Antibes and Frejus. The tiny principality of Monaco
is also located along this coast not far from Nice. Much of
modern day PACA was once the Roman province of Gaul and many
of the towns were first established as Roman colonies such as
Orange, Frejus and Apt. |
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| Marseille
and Nice predate even the Romans as they were set up as Greek
trading ports (Massila and Nicea). Eventually these came under
Roman influence to protect them from the marauding Germanic
hordes from the north (see Vercingetorix and Julius Caesar).
Avignon served as the home of the French Popes for almost a
century during the middle ages and as a result is one of the
most visited cities in the south. |
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Marseille
| Bouche du Rhone | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 13000
Marseille (pronounced - mar sayah) is France’s
second largest city with an urban area population of over 1.3
million (marginally ahead of Lyon). Established 2600 years ago
by the Greeks (Masallia) as a trading port, it has been one
of Europe’s most significant port throughout history.
Control of Marseille passed to the Romans in 49BC who further
developed the city. After the decline of the Roman Empire the
city came under the influence of various European powers until
it was included as part of France in the 1480s. Modern Marseille
has grown enormously after the Second World War with the influx
immigrants from North Africa. The city’s growing pains
have caused tension over the years and Marseille was a major
hotspot in the recent riots that swept through France. For all
that, Marseille is one of the liveliest and most diverse cities
in Europe, blessed with a beautiful climate and a fascinating
hinterland, it has powerful appeal. The Old Port (Vieux Port)
is the historic heart of the city from where you can take a
ferry to Chateau d’If, the island prison of the Count
of Monte Christo. |
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Nice
| Alpes Maritime | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 06000
Nice (pronounced Neece) is a large coastal city close to the
Italian border. Like its Provencal counterpart Marseille it
too was established by the ancient Greeks and named Nicaea.
Sandwiched between the Alpes and the Mediterranean, Nice’s
population of approximately 900,000 is fairly densely packed.
It is lively and interesting though and has an attractive foreshore
although the beaches are pebbly. Nice enjoys a warm sunny climate
and relatively low rainfall. Its inhabitants seem more Italian
than French taking a more laid back approach to life than their
northern compatriots. Nice has a large international airport
and is a popular holiday destination for many northern Europeans.
It is linked by Autoroute and TGV to the rest of the country
and is a ferry port for Corsica. |
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Aix-en-Provence
| Bouche du Rhone | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 13080
Aix-en-Provence (pronounced - axe on provonce) is located
30km north of Marseille with a population of 137,000. It is
an important regional centre, a university town (one of the
oldest in France) and is also a thermal spa. The city was founded
as a Roman colony in 122 BC as a major outpost in what was then
known as Roman Gaul. Aix, as it often referred to, is an attractive
city known for its fine architecture and gentle climate. It
is good base from which to explore the Provence Region. |
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Apt
| Vaucluse | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 84200
Apt is the main town for the Luberon area of Provence. It was
originally a Roman colony (Apta Julia) founded in 125 BC and
is now an important wine, honey and truffle producing area.
Apt has excellent weekend markets. |
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Arles
| Bouche du Rhone | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 13200
Arles is an ancient settlement on the banks of the Rhone at
the head of the Camargue delta. Originally founded by the Greeks
in the 6th Century BC it eventually became a major Roman city
in their province of Gaul. Arles has a host of important Roman
ruins that are World Heritage Listed including an arena that
once held 20,000 spectators and rivals the Colosseum of Rome.
Modern Arles has a population of 50,000 and is an important
tourism and agricultural centre, being France’s main rice
producing area. |
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Avignon
| Vaucluse | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 84000
Avignon is an important city in Provence and once one of the
most important in the world as it was briefly the seat of the
Pope. In 1309 Avignon was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence
and remained the papal home until 1377 when the residence returned
to Rome. Avignon is located at the junction of the Rhone and
Durance Rivers and is the prefecture for the Vaucluse Department.
It has a population of around 90,000 and is one of the most
visited cities in France thanks mainly to the magnificent Papal
Palace and because it is the gateway to Provence. |
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Cannes
| Alpes-Maritimes | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 06400
Cannes (pronounced - cahn), just down the road from
Saint Tropez is another of the Cote d’Azur hotspots. Known
world wide as the home of the Cannes Film Festival held every
May. It has many ritzy hotels and an attractive esplanade and
beach (known as the Croisette). Cannes is worth a visit, but
as with any well known tourist hotspots in Europe good value
is hard to come by.
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Carpentras
| Vaucluse | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 84400
Carpentras has Graeco-Roman origins and was an important settlement
in Roman Gaul. In the middle ages it was the most important
Jewish centre in France and is home to the country's oldest
synagoge. Nowadays it is an important wine making centre and
a popular base for those exploring the beautiful Provence hinterland.
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Frejus
| Var | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 83600
Frejus is a beautiful seaside town located between Toulon and
Cannes. It was established by Julius Caesar in 49 BC and is
filled with monuments including one of the largest amphitheatres
from that era. Frejus is a highly sought after seaside resort
and is packed during July and August. |
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Gap
| Hautes-Alpes | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 05000
Gap is small city at the southern foothills for the French Alps
that was founded by the Romans in 14 BC. It has a pleasant climate
somewhere between Mediterranean and Alpine and has a diverse
environment including over 3000 plant species. An unusual feature
in the area known as Les Demoiselles Coiffées (the hatted
young ladies) is a mysterious row of stone columns with a hat-shaped
rock formation on the top of each. Gap is a good base for skiing
in winter or escaping the heat in summer. |
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Grasse | Alpes Maritime | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 06130
Grasse is the centre of the French perfume industry. Its pleasant
microclimate is perfect for cultivation of flowers and other aromatic
plants used in the production of perfume. Grasse is situated about
20km from Cannes and the Mediterranean coast at an altitude of 350m.
Orange | Vaucluse | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 84100
Orange is a large town in northern Provence. It was established
by the Romans in 35BC and retains many well preserved monuments
from the time. Orange sided with the Protestant cause as did many
cities in the south, during the Wars of Religion. It maintained
strong links with Protestant Holland and the colour Orange is still
a symbol of Protestantism around the world. It is often heard in
relation to Northern Ireland, but also Orange Free State, South
Africa and Orange New South Wales. Orange is at the crossroads of
two major Autoroutes and not far from the Rhône River. It
is an excellent base from which to explore the famous Côtes
du Rhône wine region.
Saint Tropez | Var | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
83990
Saint Tropez, located on the Cote d’Azur has a reputation
as a playground for the world’s rich and famous. During the
summer months the quay of this medieval era fishing port is bumper
to bumper with sleek super yachts. It is worth a visit for a spot
of people watching to see how the other half lives. Fortunately
this is free, but pretty much everything else will cost.
Toulon | Var | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 83000
Toulon is an important coastal city and port on the Mediterranean
with a population of around 200,000. It is a military town being
the home base to the French Navy's Mediterranean fleet so probably
lacks the glamour of Nice and Cannes further along the coast. It
is however in a beautiful location and not being so touristy, accommodation
is not likely to be as expensive so could make a good base for exploring
the area. Toulon has a rugby team in the Top 14 professional competition
if that’s your cup of tea. Toulon has low cost airline connections
to London, Brussels, Brest and Rotterdam.
Getting there
By road with Viamichelin.com
routeplanner
By air via Marseille,
Nice, Toulon, Avignon, Nimes, Montpellier
By rail from Paris
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