Provence Attractions

Provence is in Mediterranean southeastern France bordering Italy. Provence is distinguished from the rest of France by incredible history, amazing topography, unique culture, local culinary specialities and the pleasant climate, courtesy of the cooling Mistral wind. All this contributes to making it one of the most popular regions of France for visitors.

There are many historic Provence attractions. Paleolithic sites near Nice date from 900 000 B.C., others between 600 000 and 19 000 B.C. There are caves decorated with drawings of bison, penguins and horses. Provence was colonised by Greeks, Phocaeans, Celts, Gauls and Romans. The Holy Roman Empire dominated until the 13th century with a legacy of exquisite abbeys. This input from a variety of cultures has imparted a rich mix of ancient buildings and art.

An explosure of wealth through farming, tanning, ship building and world-famous pottery in the 17th century lead to expanision and beautification throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Opera houses were errected in Marseilles and Toulon along with wide streets and boulevards which still grace the cities today. Culture continued to lead when the Cannes Film Festival was launched in 1939, only to be cancelled on opening night due to the start of World War Two. Relaunching in 1947, Cannes is one of the biggest film festivals in the world and a tribute to Provence's dedication to the arts.

The painters of Provence make for an impressive role call: Paul Czanne, Vincent van Gogh, Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Pierre Bonnard and Claude Monet all hail from here. A highlight of a Provence trip would certainly be the wooden ceiling of Frejus Cathedral, with amazing paintings including a demon with the tail of a snake and images depicting scenes from the Bible.

Provences food is heavily influenced by the sea: fish soup (Bouillabaisse) or grilled rouget or loup fish finished off over grapevine charcoal remain two favourites. Escabeche -- marinated sardines -- can be found both poached or fried. The wines lean towards rose, while Pastis -- a traditional anise liquer -- is also a delicious aperitif.

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

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For more information on travel in Provence visit Top Travel Content Europe, bringing you the best in Europe travel information.

by: Katie Bryant

Total views: 1 Word Count: 347 Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 Time: 9:44 AM - 0 comments

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