Provence Villas & Chateaux

Lavender fields, silvery olive groves, snow-tipped mountains, Roman ruins – it’s hardly surprising Provence has long stoked the imagination of artists and writers. Van Gogh, Rénoir, Chagall, Cézanne and Picasso all flocked to this sensual parcel of France for inspiration. The lyrical landscapes feel as if you have stepped into an Impressionist painting: hilltop towns drenched in golden light at sunset; forests and vineyards shrouded in mountain mist come morning.

Once part of Roman Gaul, Provence’s history is etched across the stones of its ancient ruins. From the glorious amphitheatre in Arles to a whole town near Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence is a textbook in ancient Rome. That’s not to say it’s a museum piece though. Groups of friends linger over bottles of rosé wine on sun-dappled squares, while the Côte d’Azur is the summer playground of the rich and famous. Throw in local markets, lively festivals and idyllic Provence villas, and you have a timeless destination.

Food and Drink

The natural larder of Provence is packed with gastronomic riches: truffles from the Ventoux forests, olives from Nyons, strawberries from Carpentras. Flavourful dishes are thrown together using simple ingredients – olive oil, plump red tomatoes, garlic, freshly caught seafood, washed down with the region’s beloved rosé wine.

Local bistros dish up steaming bowls of bouillabaisse and daube (beef stew) while street stalls sell candied fruits. Foodies should visit in late September for the countrywide Fête de la Gastronomie festival.