Filou Emilie - Lonely Planet Provence & the Cote dAzur

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Scenic landscapes, azure seas, world-class modern art, wonderful food and incredible historical heritage everything on offer in Provence and the Cte dAzur exceeds expectations.

Fishing boats, St-Tropez ()
DHMIG PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES

With their fields of lavender, olive groves, rolling hills, thick cork-oak and pine forests, vineyards, mountains and dazzling blue sea, Provence and the Cte dAzur are an embarrassment of scenic riches. The region is blessed with almost year-round sunshine and a divine light, making travelling to Provence a delight whatever the season.

The diversity of landscapes is truly astonishing for such a small pocket: you can go from beach to snow-covered peaks in just an hour. There are many unusual gems: fossils trapped for eternity in rock formations; Europes deepest canyon; hills of vibrant yellow and red ochres; rare wildlife; and crystalline Mediterranean coves.

The regions natural bounty didnt escape early settlers: the Romans built on Greek settlements and their phenomenal legacy has helped shape the landscape. Many of ProvenceCte dAzurs towns and cities were first settled during antiquity; Provenal vineyards are millennia-old and the region is peppered with superb Roman monuments, from entire towns (Vaison-la-Romaine, Glanum) to the highest Roman structure still in existence (Pont du Gard) and the best preserved Roman theatre in the world (Oranges Thtre Antique).

Impressionist and 20th-century artists were also drawn by the regions incredible light, which Matisse described as soft and tender, despite its brilliance. Dozens of artists either drew inspiration from or settled in the region, the result being a phenomenal artistic legacy: Van Gogh painted some 200 oil canvases whilst in Arles and St-Rmy de Provence; Matisse designed and Picasso decorated chapels, and both left dozens of works to the cities of Nice and Antibes respectively; and art collectors Aim and Marguerite Maeght amassed so many masterpieces from their friends that they opened the now world-famous Fondation Maeght in St-Paul de Vence.

And then there is the Mediterranean, omnipresent, deep blue and turquoise in turns, vehicle of multiculturalism, and endless source of inspiration and fun. Even if you dont visit the coast (a mistake!), youll feel its presence, and not just thanks to the abundant seafood everywhere, but because it defines the regions climate.

Spring and summer visitors can look forward to afternoons by the beach, snorkelling excursions and swimming in between sights, whereas autumn and winter travellers will have the chance to feast on seafood and marvel at moody seascapes. But whatever the season, youll be able to go on boat trips, discover unspoilt islands and explore the shores along wonderful coastal paths.

Cycling along a sandy track, le de Porquerolles ()
DAVID C TOMLINSON/GETTY IMAGES

Provenal Markets

Market stalls groaning with colourful fruit and veg, trays of saucisson (dry cured sausage) and cheese to sample, stall holders loudly plying their wares to most visitors, markets are quintessential Provence, something no trip to the region would be complete without experiencing. Villages usually hold at least one weekly market: its always a cheerful affair, with people meeting for a drink after their big shop and plenty of gossip exchanged while queuing at the stalls.

TONY BURNS/GETTY IMAGES

The Luberon

With its hilltop villages, fields of lavender, rolling hills and bucolic lifestyle, the Luberon ().

Stone village houses, Luberon
BARBARA VAN ZANTEN/GETTY IMAGES

Vieux Nice

The maze that is Vieux Nice () is the most joyous part of this exquisite city. In the morning it teems with shoppers checking out the stalls of the market on cours Saleya or the towns numerous delis. In the afternoon tourists take over, lapping up ice creams, strolling along the atmospheric, boutique-lined alleyways and admiring the superb Baroque heritage. At night Vieux Nice runneth over with bars, pubs, fabulous restaurants and live-music venues, drawing a merry crowd of all ages.

Crowds on cours Saleya, Vieux Nice
GLENN VAN DER KNIJFF/GETTY IMAGES

Marseille Les Calanques

The vibrant, millennia-old port city of Marseille (): this stretch of coast is famed for its numerous coves and the translucent turquoise colour of the water.

Coastal views of Les Calanques
A DEMOTES/ GETTY IMAGES

Jazz Juan

Few festivals can claim to have lined up so many jazz greats: from Miles Davis to Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Norah Jones and Jamie Cullum. Antibes-Juan-les-Pins annual event () has become a seminal moment in the jazz calendar, and while the line-up is the star attraction, the setting comes a close second: among pine trees, overlooking the sea, with dreamy views of the coast. If you didnt get tickets in time, fear not, for the Off fringe festival will let you soak up the atmosph ere.

Anoushka Shankar performing on the sitar at
the Jazz Juan festival, Antibes-Juan-les-Pins
DIDIER BAVERELA/GETTY IMAGES

The Three Corniches

This trio of coastal roads offers the most outstanding overview (literally!) of the Riviera. The Corniche Infrieure (), snaking along the 500m-high cliffs, with spectacular vistas at every bend and a regional park seemingly made for panoramic picnics.