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Holidays in Provence, France

Boutique hotels

Provence Overview

France

Countryside
Scenes from Cézanne
Country life
Pétanque and pastis

The south-west area of Provence is a land of light and colour, where the languid river Rhône winds its way through fruit orchards and fields of lavender before melting into the watery maze of the Camargue.

The wild dunes and marshes of the Med coast are the domain of cowboys, white horses and neon-pink flamingos. Inland, Arles, and its laidback neighbour Nîmes in Languedoc-Rousillon, are a beguiling blend of Roman amphitheatres, Provençal cuisine, café culture and sun-dappled boulevards. From the dramatic clifftop village of Les Baux, set among the olive groves, vines and craggy uplands of the Alpilles, you can look out across a land of Van Gogh, sunflowers and starry, starry nights.

Perfectly Provence

The Camargue is a coastal wilderness of marshes, dunes and flamingo-specked salt flats, where gardians (cowboys) watch over the famous herds of black bulls and white horses. Explore the area by 4x4, boat or on horseback (Arles’ tourism website, www.tourisme.ville-arles.fr, has a list of operators). To spot feathered residents, head to the Ornithology Park (www.parcornithologique.com).

Local knowledge

Taxis
There are taxi ranks in the main towns, railway stations and airports. Prices are cheaper than on the Côte d’Azur, but there may be a charge for luggage. Your hotel should be able to arrange transfers by cab.

Tipping culture
A 15 per cent service charge is included in French restaurant and café bills by law; it’s usual to round up the bill or leave a few euros, as well.

Siesta and fiesta
Businesses are normally open 9am–12pm, and 2pm–6pm. Banks shut at 4.30pm. Lunch is observed strictly between 12pm and 2pm; restaurant kitchens serve dinner between 7pm and 9.30pm. Outside high season, restaurants often close on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Packing tips
Take cobble-friendly sandals, rather than stilettos, and his ’n’ hers straw hats. Pack binoculars for bird-spotting in the Camargue.

Recommended reads
The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles by Martin Gayford; Caesar's Vast Ghost: Aspects of Provence by Lawrence Durrell. The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono. Market Day in Provence by Michèle de La Pradelle.

Regional specialities
Provence’s cuisine is bursting with sun-ripened olives, garlic, melon, peach, tomatoes... Order bouillabaisse in Marseille, game in the hills, spelt risotto in the Vaucluse, and terrific lamb dishes and sheep’s milk cheese everywhere. Expect lashings of olive oil, aromatic herb flavours and, of course, regional wines. Côtes de Provence rosés are dry and refreshing; world-class reds are made in Rhône valley villages such as Gigondas and Vacqueyras. Make like a pétanque- playing village elder and order a Ricard (a famed brand of pastis), starting with one part pastis to three parts water.

Currency
Euro (€).

Time zone
GMT +1.

Dialling codes
Country code for France: 33. Provence: (0)4.

Do go/don't go
Spring and autumn are perfect: the weather is warm and there are fewer crowds. May is a riot of flowers, and September sees the grape harvest.

Don't go home without...

…a few bottles of well-chosen wine. A good tasting cave in Gigondas is family-run Domaine Saint-François-Xavier (+33 (0)6 20 52 64 54; www.gigondas-vin.fr).