Read reviews of the best Provence events
July brings with it all sorts of sporting events. This year we have the EURO 2016 hosted in France at the start of the month, the annual tennis tournamant at Wimbledon and Formula 1 action at Silverstone, Budapest and Hockenheim.
Great events, concerts, festivals and markets, with more to come.
After the dark month of December, the first sign of new life, a prelude to spring, is the blossoming of the mimosa trees. In southern Provence, you can see the flowers appear already in January. In February, the blossoms reach their peak. Against the backdrop of the still barren oak and chestnut trees, the mimosa stands out in its golden beauty.
Arles is world renowned for its Roman history and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its many incredibly well preserved monuments and buildings.
Provence is a vast region, stretching from the mountains in the north, through rolling hills and perched villages, all the way to the Mediterranean coast and as you'd imagine there is always something to see, do, taste or experience.
After four exciting days of racing in the Alps, Chris Froome emerged victorious in Paris for the third win of his career. Equalling the records of Philippe Thys, Louison Bobet and Greg LeMond who all have three Tour wins under their belts, and becoming Britain's first three-time winner.
So far we've seen not only some fantastic racing, stunning scenery and nail-biting sprints from the 2016 Tour de France, but we've witnessed several unusual crashes, the yellow jersey literally running up Mont Ventoux and more than one incident of an over-enthusiastic fan causing disruption.
More than just an exhibition of photography, Les Recontres d'Arles is a three month long photography festival, with seminars and workshops that takes over the city of Arles each summer.
The start of summer and there are literally hundreds of things to see and do.
There are a multitude of different concerts, exhibitions, events and things to see in Provence this July and since there's so much choice, we've picked our favourites to help you see the best of what's going on.
If there is any flower to represent Provence, it has to be the lavender. You find it everywhere in stores and market stalls. It's in the little sachets that you put in your closets to add a whiff of fragrance to your garments. It's in the perfume bottles of Grasse. It's in honey, oils, even ice cream.
Le Tour de France 2016 kicked off last Saturday with stage one and the 'Grand Depart' being hosted by the stunning island community of Le Mont Saint Michel.
The black bull is pawing the ground and bellowing in anger. A man darts past the bull, deftly plucking a tassel from its horns and sprints away. The bull charges across the sandy arena, almost catching the man before he leaps over the head-high barrier to safety. As the bull crashes into the wooden fence behind him, music from Bizet’s Carmen blasts out and the delighted crowd applauds the bull’s spirit and the man’s bravery.
As 15,000 people cycled the penultimate stage of the Tour de France 2016, from Megeve to Morzine in the Etape du Tour on Sunday, the drama of the actual race was unfolding in the Pyrenees.
There's a bit of a chill in the air and the leaves on the trees turn from green to red and orange.
With the Easter holidays fast approaching and a couple of public holidays to enjoy, a trip to Provence this April could be just what you need.
The city of Nimes is well worth a visit in its own right; it’s got all the classic attractions like the amphitheatre, Maison Carrée, roman ruins and a fantastically huge park at the north of the city which is great for a stroll around with views spanning the entire city.
One of the most pleasant ways to spend a vacation in Provence and learn something to boot is by signing up for one of the cooking schools in the south of France. There is a wide choice of schools and courses, some of which are booked a year or longer in advance.