Steves - Rick Steves Provence and the French Riviera

Top Destinations in Provence & the French Riviera

Provence and the French Riviera are an intoxicating bouillabaisse of enjoyable cities, warm stone villages, Roman ruins, contemporary art, and breathtaking coastlines steaming with sunshine and stirred by the wind. Theres something about the play of light in this region, where natural and man-made beauty mingle to dazzle the senses and nourish the soul. It all adds up to une magnifique vacation.

Provence and the Riviera stretch along Frances southeast Mediterranean coast from the Camargue (south of Arles) to Monaco, and ramble north along the Rhne Valley into the Alps. The regions combined are about the same size as Massachusettsyou can take a train or drive from one end to the other in just three hoursyet they contain more sightseeing opportunities and lets-live-here villages than anywhere else in France. Marseille and Nice, the countrys second- and fifth-largest cities, provide good transportation and an urban perspective to this otherwise laid-back region, where every day feels like a lazy Sunday.

In Provence, gnarled sycamores line the roads that twist their way through stone towns and between oceans of vineyards. Frances Riviera is about the sea and moneyits populated by a yacht-happy crowd wondering where the next scene will be. And though Provence feels older and more espaol (with paella on menus and bullfights on Sundays), the Riviera feels downright Italianwith fresh-Parmesan-topped pasta and red-orange, pastel-colored buildings. For every Roman ruin in Provence, theres a modern-art museum in the Riviera. Provence is famous for its wines and wind, while the bikini and ravioli were conceived on the Riviera. You cant go wrong.

This book covers the predictable biggies, from jet-setting beach resorts to remote canyons, but it also mixes in a healthy dose of Back Door intimacy. Along with Pont du Gard, Nice, and Avignon, well introduce you to our favorite villages and scenic walks. Youll sample delicious wineries and find yourself alone at overlooked Roman ruins. Youll marvel at ancient monuments, take a canoe trip down the meandering Sorgue River, and settle into a shaded caf on a made-for-movies square. Claim your favorite beach to call home, and at days end dive headfirst into a southern France sunset. Youll enjoy tasty-yet-affordable wines while feasting on a healthy cuisine heavy on olives, tomatoes, and spices. Just as important, youll get on a first-name basis with many of our Provenal friendshoteliers, restaurateurs, vintners, and lots more.

This book is selective, including only the most exciting sights and romantic villages. There are beaucoup de Provenal hill towns... but we cover only the most intriguing. And though there are scads of beach towns on the Riviera, we recommend our favorite three.

The best is, of course, only our opinion. But after spending more than half of our adult lives writing and lecturing about travel, guiding tours, and gaining an appreciation for all things French, weve developed a sixth sense for what touches the travelers imagination.

Rick Steves Provence & the French Riviera is a personal tour guide in your pocket. Better yet, its actually two tour guides in your pocket: The co-author of this book is Steve Smith. Steve lived in France as a child and has been traveling to Franceas a guide, a researcher, a homeowner, and a devout Francophileevery year since 1985. He has restored an old farmhouse in Burgundy and today keeps one foot on each side of the Atlantic. Together, Steve and I keep this book up-to-date and accurate (though for simplicity, from this point we will shed our respective egos and become I).

This book is organized by destinations. Each destination is a mini-vacation on its own, filled with exciting sights, strollable neighborhoods, affordable places to stay, and memorable places to eat. The content consists of two obvious parts: Provence and the Riviera (although almost everything covered in this book is officially considered part of the Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur region by the French government). The Provence half highlights Arles and Avignon, and their day-trip destinations; the photogenic hill towns of the Ctes du Rhne and Luberon; and the coastal towns of Marseille and Cassis, and nearby Aix-en-Provence. On the high-rolling French Riviera, I cover the waterfront destinations of Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cap Ferrat, Monaco, Antibes, Cannes, and St-Tropezplus the best of the inland hill towns and the truly grand Grand Canyon du Verdon.

The introductions to Provence and The French Riviera acquaint you with the history, cuisine, and wine of the places youll be visiting, and give practical advice on what to see, how to get around, and lots more. Dont overlook the valuable tips in these chapters.

In the destination chapters, youll find these sections:

Planning Your Time suggests a schedule for how to best to use your limited time.

Orientation includes specifics on public transportation, helpful hints, local tour options, easy-to-read maps, and tourist information.

Sights describes the top attractions and includes their cost and hours.

Self-Guided Walks help you explore these fascinating towns and places on foot: Avignon, Nmes, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Les Baux, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Roussillon, Monaco, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Cannes. (A few of the in-depth walks and tours get their own chapters: a stroll along Nices promenade des Anglais, a walk through Old Nice, and a guided visit to the Chagall Museum.) I also include a few self-guided driving tours, allowing you to explore the Ctes du Rhne wine road, the Grand Canyon du Verdon, and inland hill towns of the Riviera with the knowledge of a local.