The Local Area & Surrounds
In The heart of France’s Provence-verte, La Toscane stands in an elevated
position overlooking the valley of the River Argens. The nearby village of CORRENS
has been officially sited as the first “Village Bio” in France and
dates back to the XII Century and the days of the Knight Templars. A short car
or 
even
bike ride away are the medieval market towns of COTIGNAC and CARCES, sheltered
by the Massif du Bessillon and standing proudly by their vines and the “Cotes
de Provence” wines they produce. These delightful villages capture the
feeling of a bygone age, yet still assuring art, culture and entertainment for
all.
However, while there is much to see in these three towns, we realize that there are other towns in Provence that you would be interested in viewing. Here is a list of some other towns that are popular tourism destinations.
Aix-en-Provence
One of Europe's loveliest towns. Sights include: St.-Sauveur Cathedral, Beauvals
tapestries, the Musee Granet, Fountain of the Nine Cannons and Thermal Water,
and the Paul Cézanne Museum which is unfortunately is not an adequate
memorial to Cézanne. Although not right in town, there are also several
gardens worth visiting in the area. Beware: parking
in town can be difficult to find. For more information on the Aix-en-Provence,
visit www.aixenprovencetourism.com/uk
Arles
Arles is one of THE great tourism centers of Provence. You'll find spectacular
Roman and medieval buildings in addition to museum and fun
events such as bullfights and costume festivals.
Avignon
You MUST plan a daytrip to Avignon- especially if you visit here during the
second part of July when the city comes alive during the annual
drama and dance festival! Avignon is an historic city with the old town
center enclosed by two miles of medieval walls. The Palace
of the Popes which was built in the 14th century. In 1309 Pope Clement V
chose Avignon as his residence. For the next 68 years, the city was the seat
of the Papacy and the home of seven Popes. Close on hand to the Palace of the
Popes are the Petit Palais and Palais du Roure museums. The famous Le
Pont Saint-Benézet is also close-by.
Museums include:
- The Petit Palais, built during the time of the popes, is now devoted to Italian painting and Avignon art from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
- The Calvet Museum, housed in an 18th century former residence, displays a wide range of art.
- The Collection Lambert - a contemporary art museum housed in an 18th century mansion.
- The Requien Museum is a natural history museum housed in a 17th century mansion.
- The archaeology Museum is housed in the 17th century former Jesuit chapel.
Bandol
Bandol - sandy beaches, and the best of Provencal red wines. If you are visiting
in early December, you'll want to take part in the Bandol
Wine Festival. When visiting Bandol, you may want to travel by boat to the
small island of Bendor. It has a craft village, sailing and diving schools,
and a museum that displays 8,000 bottles of alcohol.
Cassis
This is a fishing port with charm galore! It’s a small and picturesque
typical Mediterranean fishing village that hasn’t yet been spoiled by
its popularity with tourists and weekend visitors. The village was rebuilt on
the old ruins in the 18th century. If you walk through the old village streets,
you'll see some lovely old buildings. The old fountains are picturesque and
it's always fun to visit the open-air artists market. The harbor area is really
the prettiest part of Cassis. Cassis is also known for its excellent white wine.
There are some lovely beaches just outside the town.
Digne-les-Bains
A center for holistic cure-seekers since Roman times, the town is famous for
its thermal hot springs. Other attractions include: The Cathédral of
Notre-Dame du Bourg, the Butterfly
Garden, the Gassendi
Museum, and the Alexandra
David-Neel Museum.
www.ot-dignelesbains.fr
Gordes
Spectacular - it is considered one of the most beautiful towns of Provence!
This
medieval village is perched high on the north side of the Luberon. It's
a favorite summer retreat of Parisians and the former, unofficial, summer residence
of Francois Mitterand’s socailist government. Several luminaries of the
1980 still have holiday houses here. It's a bit out of the way but well worth
the drive to see it, Rousillon and Lourmarin.
Gorges du Verdon
A magnificant river canyon in south-eastern France (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence).
The Gorges du Verdon was formed by the erosion of the Verdon River which flows
through the canyon. It's often called the Grand canyon du Verdon signifying
how impressive it is. Read
more about the Gorges du Verdon.
Grasse
An unpretentious town that's important for being the world capital fo the perfume
industry since the 18th century. You can create your own individual perfume
at Galimard
Perfume Factory. You can also visit the Fragonard
Perfume Factory. It was only when scented gloves came into fashion in the
16th century that Grasse started manufacturing perfume. Several plants that
are unique to the Var region of Provence are used in these perfumes.
Lac de Sainte Croix
The lake was formed by the building of the Ste. Croix dam across the Verdon
River in 1975. The lake shore is easy to access with plenty of beaches and picnic
areas. Boat rentals are available in Bauduen at the southern tip of the lake,
and Ste-Croix-de-Verdon on the northwestern shore. Other water activities include
wind-surfing, sailing, catamaran, fishing, pedal boats, and kayaking. If you
prefer to horseback ride about the lake, a centre équestre is located
near the village of Ste-Croix-de-Verdon. Other riding stables are located at
Moustiers-Ste-Marie and at the Château de Chanteraine near Les Salles-sur-Verdon
on the eastern side of the lake.
Les Baux-de-Provence
Les
Baux is a stunningly beautiful fortified village with a royal history. It's
a bit away from La Toscane but the impressive stone fortress is considered one
of the "must-sees" for visitors to Provence. It features panoramic
views over Arles, the Camargue and the olive groves of the Alpilles. The village
has been painstakingly restored and several buildings in the village are classified
as "Historic Monuments." Like most tourist attractions in Provence,
it can be very busy in July and August. You may have trouble navigating
their website if you use another browser than Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
Lourmarin
Lourmarin has the honour of having been officially designated as one of the
the Most Beautiful Villages of France. It is a striking medieval village.
The renaissance Château now houses a cultural foundation and conference
center. In the past, Lourmarin was home to several great writers and painters.
It's now known as a center of fine dining with its thirteen restaurants.
Marseille
Marseille is France's second largest city and a change from the other cities
noted on this page. It's not my favourite town but it may be your's. In Marseille,
you'll find a mixture of races - Arab, African, Algerians, Latin. As a result,
there are interesting markets that are worthwhile seeing. Then there is the
rocky island of Chateau d'if. Museums include La Vieille Charité, Maison
Diamantée, Musée de la Faïence, Musée Grobet-Labadié,
and the Musée d'Art Contemporain.
La Vieille Charité
17th Century building designed to offer a living place to homeless and orphans. After the Second World War, Le Corbusier called attention to its abandoned state and the building became a National Heritage building in 1951 with restoration work on the Vieille Charité beginning in 1968.
2 rue de la Charité - 13002 Marseille
Tel: 04 91 14 58 80Maison Diamantée
This museum has a relief model of Old Marseilles from 1848, sections of 18th-century Provençal furniture and objects, and a section of 19th-century paintings and costumes - and more.
Rue de la Prison [Old Port]
In the 16th-century Maison Diamantée, behind the old Hôtel de Ville.
Tel: 04 91 55 28 68Musée de la Faïence
The Musée de la Faïence is home to one of the largest collections of porcelain in France. The collection is housed in the 19th century Château Pastré.
Château Pastré, 157 av. de Montredon
Marseille
Tel: 04 91 72 43 47Musée Grobet-Labadié
Musée Grobet-Labadié hosts an impressive collection of medieval Provencal and Burgundian sculptures, as well as exquisitve furniture from Louis XV and XVI.
140 bd. Longchamp
Marseille
Tel: 04 91 62 21 82Musée d'Art Contemporain
Art from the 1960's New Realism to the present.
(Arrond. 08) 69, avenue de Haïfa
Tel: 04 91 21 07
Moustiers-Ste-Marie
Moustiers-Ste-Marie is a lovely "tourist" village, in a gorgeous setting.
The village sits on top of a rushing mountain stream that divides the town into
two halves, stone bridges spanning the narrow gorge. The canyon with its small
waterfalls below and medieval houses above, is truly picturesque. In the town,
you'll enjoy visiting the 12th-century Notre-Dame church which was beautifully
restored in 1928. Also of note is the golden star that hangs above the Notre-Dame
de Beauvoir chapel. It was completed as a result of a promise made by Sir Blacas,
a knight who returned from a long captivity during the crusades. If you are
into shopping, you will be able to purchase as many "faïence"
ceramics as you want since the village is packed full of Faïenceries shops.
One fun touch is the small "train" that provides guided tours of the
village and surrounding points of interest.
While you are there, visit one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in
France - the 13-mile long Gorges du Verdon, also known as France's Grand Canyon.
The cliffs rise 2,300 ft above the river below. Be warned, however, that the
roads are very windy and difficult - not what you would expect for such a popular
natural attraction. At the same time, they do have quite a few lay-bys where
you can take in the view. Also note that the traffic on these roads in July
and August can be bumper to bumper. If you visit, take the southern road - it's
in better condition and has better views.
www.ville-moustiers-sainte-marie.fr
Rousillon
Another of the most beautiful towns and villages in Provence. You've probably
seen photos of this ocre-red village on the southern edge of the Plateau de
Vaucluse. It's picturesque with its famous red rocks, red stone buildings and
red tile roofs. The red is because the town is sitting on of the biggest ochre
deposits in the world. As a result, the village is composed of reds, oranges
and yellows making it a lovely sight. One thing you'll want to know is that
all roads in, around and near the village have pay parking only. Instead of
having machines, they have people guarding every spot. As there are no signs
indicating the "official" cost of parking, you'll have to trust to
the honesty of the parking person to tell you the "fair" price of
parking.
Tourtour
Another picturesque medieval village perched on top of hills with a magnificant
view out across the surrounding countryside. Nicknamed "the village in
the sky," on a clear day you can see forever - at least as far as the Maures,
the Luberon, Ste. Baume and the Ste. Victoire near Aix-en-Provence. There are
some properties of note: a 17th-century "Moulin à huile" (oil
mill) in the village; a "lavoir" on the rue de le Lavoir on the road
out of the village to the north; and a 16th-century chateau within the village.
www.tourisme-tourtour.com
Villecroze
Villecroze is a picturesque provençal Var village. It has storybook appeal
with its mediaeval arcade streets, ancient caves, many fountains, and waterfall
next to a rose garden. Thursday morning is a good time to visit as that's market
day. You'll also want to see the Commanderie des Templiers - house of the Templar
knights. It was founded in 1150 and influenced much of Provence. If you visit
in the summer, you may want to attend a concert in the St. Victor Chapel. You'll
get a chance to hear exceptional musicians from all over the world.