Provence-Côte d'Azur

Provence is a region in the sunny south-eastern corner of France. Provence proper stretches from the perfume city of Grasse in the east to the Rhône Valley in the west, from the Alps in the north to the Mediterranean Sea in the south. Although geographically incorrect, the French Riviera is now also included in Provence, which then includes the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Vaucluse, Var, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes. In addition, we have chosen to include the departments of Drôme and Ardèche in the Provence-Côte d'Azur area, as many of our holiday homes here are located close to the natural border of Provence-Côte d'Azur.

Provence is by far the most beautiful region in France and its history is as varied as its landscapes. Few of France's regions have experienced such a varied and tumultuous history, and very few places have such significant historical traces as Provence. Provence was the first Roman province in Gaul, and few places in the former Roman Empire have preserved such amazing buildings as here.

Provence is the epitome of breathtaking nature. Tall, slender cypresses, gnarled olive trees and pine trees with broad parasol crowns dominate the landscape. But nature is also harsh, with bare, wild mountains and desolate stretches. To the north, the Alps rise with fortified villages clinging to the mountainsides. This is a distinctly alpine region and the further north you go, the higher the snow-capped mountains get. In the south, the most characteristic Provence unfolds: gentle, green-clad mountains, lush plains with orchards, mimosas and lavender fields, olive groves and famous wine regions with Côtes du Rhône, Côtes de Provence and Bandol, vast forests of pine, cork oak and chestnut, idyllic villages and impressive medieval buildings. Drive along the long coastline with its famous Riviera towns, beaches, harbours with large yachts, million-dollar villas, luxury hotels and the whole fashionable life.

Provence is known as the kingdom of the sun. Statistically, you can count on 300 days of sunshine a year and less than 800 mm of rain falls annually. But when it rains, it pours. Temperatures are usually around 7 degrees centigrade in winter inland and 11 degrees centigrade on the coast, but can often drop to below freezing for short periods. On the Côte d'Azur, temperatures can easily reach over 15 degrees in winter. During the high season, temperatures rise to 28-35 degrees, but not so much on the coast. In general, winters are mild and sunny and summers are hot and rainless.

Provence has a temperate climate, unlike the Côte d'Azur, which has a subtropical climate with relatively higher temperatures in winter and relatively lower in summer.

In Provence there are two strong winds, the Mistral and the Scirocco. The Mistral is a cold wind that occurs when cool air from northern Europe blows southwards, hits the Alps and is forcefully pushed down the Rhône valley and out into the Mediterranean with wind speeds up to gale force. The weather becomes very clear and visibility is good. The Mistral usually visits in late autumn and early spring. The Scirocco, on the other hand, is a warm and humid wind that blows from the Sahara across the Mediterranean during the summer months. In connection with the Scirocco, the so-called blood rain can fall, which is simply red sand in the raindrops.