Provence

With its clear, almost perfect light, Provence has always been a favourite of writers, artists and photographers. It has numerous Roman ruins and fortified hilltop towns which offer a unique insight into the way of life of yesteryear.

Although the Romans moved into ‘the Province’ - now Provence - they were not the first settlers. The Greeks and Phoenicians had a trading settlement at Massilia or Massalia, now called Marseille. They were trading along the Rhône valley in goods which included British tin.

Today, history is frequently unearthed by farmers ploughing fields or simply by the action of rain washing away topsoil to reveal a hidden treasure.

Wine growing seems to have started here with Greeks and was then spread throughout the length and breadth of France and further afield by the Romans. Wines form an integral part of the wealth of Provence and many local types were forerunners of those in other regions.

The region has a royal link with England. Eléonore of Provence (born in 1223) was Queen consort to Henry 3^rd. More recently, Provence was especially favoured by the nobility and English Royalty who spent winters in the area. The coastal region from Hyères to Nice was particularly popular with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert along with writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson.

For more tourist information and history, see Premier Pages