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Provence Holiday Cottages
A wide selection of cottages in Provence and a large number of modern holiday villas are offered by the following rental companies. They've been arranged in ascending order according to the numbers provided by each agent. Special discounts and deals are available for selected properties - visit the sites for more information.
Holiday Lettings - Over
1300 Provence holiday cottages and self catering holiday properties including luxury villas, two-bedroom apartments and village houses. They can be found in picturesque locations such as St Paul de Vence, Carpentras and St Remy-de-Provence.
Cottages 4 You - Around
150 Provence cottages and villas, most of which lie in the £600 - £1300 price range for week-long stays. Their properties range from modern holiday villas to renovated bastides. Start days are usually on Saturdays.
Hoseasons - More than 60 Provence self catering holiday properties including a wide range of villas and apartments. Weekly prices start at £260 during low-season with many of their holiday properties featuring private swimming pools. Wi-fi and satellite tv are also available in some cases.
Chez Nous - 15 Provence cottage properties with a further 500 situated in the surrounding area. They offer traditional, stone-built French properties, such as renovated farmhouses as well as modern townhouses. 7 day breaks are available from £500.
Provence
Located in the South West, Provence holiday cottages are located in a region that is considered to be one of the gems of France. Its countryside has inspired the likes of Cezanne and Van Gogh and is bursting with colour and variety. Vineyards dominate much of the landscape while its majestic coastline consists of golden sandy beaches.
Provence's location in the South means it enjoys almost 300 days of sunshine a year. And the vast vineyards that enjoy this sunlight can be explored by five picturesque wine routes that take in the sights of Provence:
Coteaux du Tricastin, Drôme Provençale, Dentelles de Montmirail, Mont Ventoux, The Papes - these routes afford some wonderful views of the vivid green Provence countryside.
There are many towns worth visiting in Provence.
Avignon, set on the River Rhône, is one of its finest. Bounded by well-preserved ramparts, it is a town full of historical splendour that includes the 14th century Palace of the Popes and the Pont d'Avignon. Ancient narrow streets such as the Rue Joseph Vernet are notable for their architectural elegance.
The Luberon region, near the
Rhone Valley is a listed area and consists of beautiful countryside, peppered by some picturesque towns that include Bonnieux, Roussillon and Gordes. Other attractions include Mont Ventoux. Standing at almost 2000 metres, it provides some panoramic views of the surrounding lavender fields and wooded foothills. More information about Provence visitor attractions including admission prices and opening times follows.
Provence visitor attractions
One of the most popular tourist destinations in France, Provence has much to offer cottage holiday makers, with its stunning Mediterranean coastline, its sun baked countryside, covered with vineyards and olive trees and its dramatic mountain scenery.
Outdoor activities
Provence is the perfect place for cycling. It had miles of well signposted tracks – some of the uphill and extremely demanding, others in gentler territory with easier circuits in the Luberon and the
Massif des Maures. The Parc Nationale Regional has a 230 km trail that is only moderately demanding on which you can enjoy stunning views of the countryside.
Besides yachting and water ski-ing in the French Riviera, white water activities such as kayaking, rafting, ho-dogging and canyonong are all extremely popular. Contact Aqua Viva Est for information about hire of equipment etc. Extreme sports are increasing in popularity. You can try bungee jumping off the
Pont de l’Artuby, which, at 182 metres is the highest bridge in Europe. Ice-diving is another sport which attracts thrill seekers at Lac Ste Annes and Lac de Tignes. Open mid-December to early April. For the moreconventional, there are many well-marked hiking trails and climbers should find it easy to hire equipment and guides. La Colmaine is a popular base.
Food and drink
The hot sunshine of Provence ensures a plentiful supply of colourful vegetables and flavours such as olives, peppers and garlic. The cuisine in this region is mainly French/Mediterranean and fish is a speciality. It is worth sampling
Bouillabaise, a stew made from local produce, loaded with at least three kinds of fish, and flavoured with onions ,garlic, fennel and orange peel.
The Brasserie Leopold in Aix-en-Provence is a busy, friendly restaurant, serving full meals, snacks and drinks with the emphasis on regional cuisine. A great place to take the family. Bouillabaisse is a speciality of the house at Michel – Brasserie des Catalans – popular with the locals and fairly expensive. For a special occasion, try
La Villa Madie at Cassis which offers French, Mediterranean and European cuisine. Booking is essential.
History and Culture
At Vaison la Romaine, a Roman amphitheatre has been discovered and there is also a Roman bridge which has been repaired after flood damage n 1992. The Triumphal Arch at Orange was built in AD 20 as attribute to the Emperor Tiberius. Arles is listed as a
World Heritage site and has a number of important Roman monuments and was used as headquarters for Roman Emperors during military campaigns. The amphitheatre is one of the best preserved monuments with a 21, 000seat arena.
The magnificent
Palais de Papes at Avignon was the home of seven popes when the papal court was moved there from Rome in the 14th century. Open November to march from 9.30 to 5.45. Mid - March to October from 9.00 to 7.00.
