Provence, << proh vahns, >> is an important agricultural, cultural, and tourist area in southeastern France. The region stretches east from the Rhône River to the Italian border. It reaches north from the Mediterranean Sea to the central Alps. The area features such beautiful cities as Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Avignon. Marseille, France’s second largest city, is on Provence’s Mediterranean coast. Also along the coast is the famous Riviera town of Saint Tropez.
Provence is part of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, one of the main administrative units, or regions, of metropolitan France. Metropolitan France includes mainland France and the island of Corsica. France’s regions are divided into smaller units called departments. Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur includes the departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hautes-Alpes, Var, and Vaucluse.
Provence is famous for its natural beauty and warm climate. Mountains rise in the north and east. The land flattens to farmland and the marshy plains of the Camargue delta between the branches of the Rhône. The countryside is bright with flowers and fields of purple lavender. Forests of juniper, oak, olive, and pine provide homes to many animals. Such animals include wild boar, goats, wolves, and birds of prey. Mercantour National Park in Alpes-Maritimes attracts many visitors with its scenery and wildlife. Provence’s seacoast includes many resorts and fishing villages. Many people in the region speak Provençal, a southern French dialect (language variation).
Local cuisine includes boeuf en daube (beef stew) and bouillabaisse (seafood chowder). Other foods include aïoli (garlic mayonnaise), tapenade (olive relish), and herbes de Provence (a mixture of herbs). Anise-flavored pastis is the traditional alcoholic drink of Provence. Regional wines include Cassis and Côtes du Rhône.
The discovery of primitive stone tools in the region indicates that people have lived in Provence for more than 1 million years. Ancient Roman structures—such as aqueducts, arenas, baths, and theaters—are common throughout the region. Arles, Avignon, and Orange contain World Heritage Sites. Such sites are places of unique cultural or natural importance, as designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Many famous artists are associated with Provence. Paul Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence. Vincent van Gogh painted many of his masterworks in Arles, where he lived briefly with Paul Gauguin. Auguste Renoir lived in Cagnes-sur-Mer. The Nobel Prize-winning poet Frédéric Mistral was born in the village of Maillane, near Arles.
See also Avignon ; Marseille ; Rhône River ; Riviera .
