Provence France Travel
When traveling to France, Provence is definitely a stopping point. If you love France, stop in Provence. If you love Italy, stop in Provence. Located on the Mediterranean, Provence is the perfect mixture of Italian and French culture, history, and heritage interwoven together in a beautiful area. This gorgeous city was the first Roman province outside of Italy (hence the name Provence).
Before traveling to France, many things need to be considered. Money, accommodations, activities, and transportation are all issues that need to be worked out prior to boarding an airplane or a cruise ship.
As far as rates and lack of tourists, the best time to travel to Provence France is in the mild winter as the city is very quiet; however, for the ultimate trip, the best time to visit is the hot, dry summer because of the cultural events (such as the opera and jazz concerts), but all of the tourists visit then as well. In Provence, the sunshine is prevalent, but it does receive a little bit of snow on occasion.
In Provence (like most of Europe), the main currency is the Euro. As of December 10, 2008, one Euro is worth about $1.34 USD. The best places to exchange your currency for the Euro are at airports and banks because they can offer you better exchange rates than ATM machines and stores. This would be the first thing I would check off my list when I go to Provence (or anywhere else for that matter) after retrieving my luggage. If you choose to drive rather than take guided transportation, bikes, buses, or walking, be sure you have allotted enough cash. Sold by the liter rather than the gallon, gas is over $6.67 USD per gallon. It is not uncommon for you to see Cokes sold for $9 USD and small cappuccinos sold for $7 USD; however, many prices are season and event specific. So, if you choose to go to France in the peak of summer season when there is a huge festival, you should expect and plan to pay top dollar for everything. For an average trip, you should allot about $300 USD per person, but that amount can include everything from accommodations, transportation, meals, and activities.
Like many other places in the world, Provence has an array of hotels at various price ranges. If you are trying not to spend too much dough on accommodations, you should consider staying at a hostel, a host home, or even staying at a tent campsite. For those (like me) who require a hotel on vacation (unless you are in the mountains or hiking up Mount Everest), Provence can accommodate just about any desire, luxury, request, and wallet; however, if you are staying for a long period of time, you may want to consider renting a home or apartment. This will give you privacy and a sense of home while away from home, but will also provide a kitchen (which will allow you to cook with the local ingredients). Renting a house or apartment could be the best idea yet while travelling abroad.
For cultural events, the Festival International d’Art Lyrique is the best. While this festival is typically in the summer, it is well worth the traffic of people and the costs of beverages, foods, entertainment, and products. While in Provence, the Musee de l’Annonciade is a museum that supports an intimate feeling with the small collections of art that range from Expressionism to post-Impressionism. Any art lover with be amazed at the extensive collection this 16th century chapel turned museum holds. If you like market shopping, the March d’Aix is perfect for you. You can shop with local merchants and families to find antiques, crafts, local items, fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, wine, and other great area-specific items. This market is only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m., but you will definitely want to get by there. For the outdoorsy people, Gorge du Verdon is called the Grand Canyon of France. With its limestone canyon, this beautiful place is perfect for sightseeing, hiking, and rock climbing.
As Provence was once a Roman province, the Roman feel is still prevalent there. This can be seen through the Roman built bridges and buildings, food, and culture.
Provence is about 469 miles south of Paris; about 20 miles north of Marseille; and about 109 miles west of Nice. Approximately 100 trains come to Provence from various other cities. If you travel from Marseille to Provence, the 45 minute trip will cost about $10 USD one-way. From Nice, the three to four hour train ride will cost around $45 USD one-way.
Often, when traveling abroad, people wonder about the food and its preparation. As Provence is a Mediterranean area, the most predominant main course is fish; however, the basic ingredients of the area include olives, olive oil, garlic, sardines, rockfish, sea spiders, sea urchins, octopus, lamb, goat, chickpeas, and local fruits (such as grapes, peaches, apricots, strawberries, cherries, and local melons). When fish is prepared, the seasoning, if any is used, will most likely include salt and pepper, onion, tomato, saffron, fennel, sage, thyme, orange peel, and white wine or cognac. If you have any allergies to any of these foods, you may want to let your cook know.
Although Provence is a large wine community, red wines are typically the only wines produced there due to the hot climate.
No matter if you are a wine lover, outdoor lover, food lover, adventure lover, or art lover, you will fall deeply for Provence. It has everything: perfect weather, great foods, beautiful scenery, mountains, oceans, and culture. What more could you ask for in a vacation spot?
Thank you to Constance Smith for this "Travel Provence France" article.
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