Provence, a stunning region in southern France

Ancient market towns, coastal scenery, beautiful mountains, fields filled with glorious lavender, vineyards and the wonderful cuisine.

Well, this region is all these things and more.

It’s a stunning part of southern France, that has been attracting visitors in their droves ever since Roman times.

Artists, writers, the rich and famous, and typical holidaymakers have all found a fabulous atmosphere, great weather, and hospitality here.

Where is Provence?

It is no longer one of the provinces of France; it’s a geographical region and was historically a province.

It was the first Roman province beyond the Alps as they made their way further west into Europe.

Today the boundaries mostly correspond with the modern day region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, and it spans a distance from the Mediterranean coast – where it includes the attractive French Riviera – inland to the mountains of the Alps.

The region has been a part of France for over 500 years yet it still keeps its own individual cultural and language differences, including a varied cuisine that blends Mediterranean and seafood.

Weather and climate

With such a variety of elevations – the low-lying coastal regions, to the mountains of the Alps – the weather can really be quite different from one area to the next.

Along the coast there’s a lovely Mediterranean climate with mild weather all year round including hot and relatively dry summers, with mild and damp winters.

The Mistral winds are a distinctive feature of Provence’s climate – it’s a cold and dry wind that mostly blows during the winter.

Up in the higher mountains the climate changes to Alpine with plenty of snow and colder temperatures – there are some excellent ski resorts to try if you enjoy skiing.