THE REGION

The beautiful towns, countryside and coastlines of Provence and the Cote D'Azur are legendary. The Romans settled here and evidence of thier presence can be seen throughout the region. Indeed the constructions in Arles, St.Rémy, Orange  and Nîmes are some of the best examples in the world, emulating the Coliseum and other sites in Rome.

The famous walled city of Avignon was the Papal home in the 14th century and hosts the largest annual theatre festival outside of Edinburgh.

In more recent times its climate, ambience and mysterious light have been the source of inspiration to the great artists, Picasso, Matisse, and Cezanne, a native of Aix en Provence where periodic exhibitions of his work, and that of Picasso, are held (such as this past year 2009, the Picasso and Cézanne exhibition). Van Gogh arguably produced his greatest work whilst living in Arles and recuperating in St Remy, and the café in the old cobbled streets of Arles that inspired "Night Café" is still there.

With regular music festivals, open theatre and dance Provence offers a wealth of cultural experiences unsurpassed in Europe.

The cuisine and wines of the region have long enjoyed world wide fame, fuelled by its abundance of fresh local produce and growing conditions.

Provence and the Cote D'Azur have more Michelin star restaurants than any other area in the world and it is difficult to imagine anywhere that could provide a better backdrop when relaxing with a cool, refreshing glass of local rosé.

For those seeking the sea the varying coastline has a huge variety of interest to suit everyone. The earthiness of Marseille, the buzz and vibrancy of Nice, the glitter and glamour of Cannes... it's all there.

Links via the International and provincial airports together with fast and efficient TGV railways make access to Provence and the Cote D'Azur simple and stress-free. In short, where else would you want to be...?