THE GUIDES THAT SHOW YOU WHAT OTHERS ONLY TELL YOU EYEWITNESS TRAVEL PROVENCE & THE COTE D’AZUR RESTAURANTS • B EA C AA HE S AR T R R • SCENIC TOURS FESTIVALS • M AP M M S HOTELS • M AR M M K R R ET K K TOWNS W I N E • HILLTOP VILLAGES !2$%#(% ( ! $ 2 / - % '!2$ !2$ ! ! TFJMMF .BSTFJMMF .BS .BST .BST /ÔNFT /ÔN V AUCLUSE B OUC HE S -D U -R H O NE- - - AND AND AND N N N IMES IMES I IMES I IM VA UC L USE Pa g es 15 4 –17 3 A L PE S -DE-HA U TE- P R O V EN CE Pa g es 17 4 –18 7 B OUC H ES -D U- R H O NE- AND N Î ME S Pa g es 126–15 3 0 k i l ometre s 0 mi l es 20 20 P rovence and the ce C ôte d’ t d d d’ d’ d A A A A A A z u r (!54%!,0%3 ! ! ,0 ,0 ! .POBDP .P 5 PVMP P P 55 O O O $BOOFT $BOOF OO $BOO OO %JHOF M FT#BJOT *MFTEF-ÏSJOT * M FT E h)ZFSF T THE TH V V A A V V V R R AND AND T HE I LE S D’ H YE R R ES ES THE R I V I E R A AND N N N N RR T HE A LPE S M A RITI TI TI TI MES M M A L PE S -DE- H A U T E- PR O VE NCE TH E R I V I E R A AND T H E ALPE S MARITIME S Pa g es 60–99 TH E VA R AND T H E I LE S D’HYÈRE S Pa g es 100 – 125 EYEWITNESS TRAVEL PR OV EN CE & THE C Ô TE D’AZU R [...]... of Provence Provence inspired many of the most original 19thand 20th-century painters They were attracted by the luminescent quality of the light here, and the consequent brilliance of the colours Cộzanne, who was a native, and Van Gogh, a convert, were V both fired by the vibrant shades of the landscape The Impressionists Monet and Renoir came early, and followers included Bonnard, Signac and Dufy The. .. OF PROVENCE 3655 10 DISCOVERING PROVENCE T his is a land for all the senses: From the glamorous resorts of the the sight of timeless lightRiviera to tiny islands, from bustling cities to villages perchộs, suffused landscapes, the to magnificent Roman remains scents of lavender and olive groves, the taste of sunand to the picturesque rural drenched produce and grapes, Provence with its sun-baked the. .. with plaster The walls Windows are built on three sides of the mas but The Mistral winds blow so fiercely that the mas was often built facing the southeast to minimize the winds impact Roofs are built low to the ground, covering the living quarters and annexes The gentle slope prevents the tiles blowing and sliding off Stone ice houses were built near the mas and used for storage during the winter months... of ice were cut and put in the huts, insulated with hay IRONWORK BELL TOWERS Wrought-iron bell towers have been a speciality in Provence since the 16th century Their light, open framework allows strong winds to blow through and the sound of the bells to carry for miles The design and complexity depends on the size and purpose of the building These examples illustrate Highly ornate the skills of local... oven and dovecote are stone-built, low and squat, and lie close to the roof Chimneys Dovecot Canal roof tiling, or tuiles romaines, is typical of the south Roughly cut stone bricks are used to make the walls The most exposed part of the roof is unthatched The roof is gently sloping and thatched with marsh reeds is rounded for protection against the Mistral The north wall The gardians cabin was the original... to the hot spots of the Riviera, via the cliffs and coves of the V Var, the coastline of Provence is extremely varied Resort beaches around the towns of the Riviera, such as Menton, Nice and Monte-Carlo, are crowded and noisy in the height of summer They often charge a fee, but are usually well-kept and offer good watersports facilities It is, however, possible to seek out quieter corners away from the. .. lively Latin beat: almost Spanish among Monaco Grand the people of Provence Local Prix poster the gardians of the Camarcrafts are not quaint revivals, gue in the west, Italian in Nice to the but respected, time-honoured occueast The rest of the region is mostly pations Artists who came here for traditional and conservative Only the light and the scenery found other in games of boules or discussions inspirations,... available in Provence, from the Mediterranean to coastal wetlands, rocky gorges and the remote peaks of the Alpes Maritimes The area has the mildest climate in France: hot, mainly dry summers, and warm, mild A two-tailed pasha butterfly winters near the coast In early spring the myriad flowers are at their best, while numbers of unusual birds are at their highest in late spring Many of the wilder areas... built for safety in the political turmoil of the Middle Ages From their lofty heights they kept vigil over the hinterland as well as the coast They were built around castle keeps and wrapped in thick ramparts, a huddle of cobbled streets, steps, alleys and archways Few were able to sustain their peasant communities beyond the 19th-century agrarian reforms, and a century of poverty and depopulation followed... gorgeous sandy beaches act as a magnet for stars and sybarites Nearby, wonderful beaches seem to appear at the roadside out of nowhere Frộjus (see p125) has safe swimming and pristine beaches, while Bandol (see p112) has sandy coves, sheltered by an arc of wooded hills Around Bandol the land is cloaked with the Cụtes de Provence (see pp1089) vineyards These wines are excellent, especially the reds, and opportunities . Menton to Bandol, Menton to Bandol, is also Men , Menton to Bandol, k n ow n as the C ôte d’Azur, although the nea e d’Azur, although the nearer Azur, although the nearer Azu h the nearer. VA R AND T H E I LE S D’HYÈRE S Pa g es 100 – 125 EYEWITNESS TRAVEL PR OV EN CE & THE C Ô TE D’AZU R