Provence

One of the best ways to explore this region is on two wheels. Cycling in Provence can take you from pretty town to pretty town, through landscapes made famous by Cezanne and Van Gogh, past the wild dunes and flamingoes of the Camargue, and the rocky ridges and ancient forests of the Luberon Natural Regional Park. Self guided, point to point cycling vacations can cover 40-70km per day, although expect some sleep inclines on the way to hilltop villages and magnificent viewpoints. The descents make it all worthwhile, however, especially when they deposit you on the Côte d’Azur, where you can soothe your aching calves in the clear waters, kayak the coves or simply kick back with a glass of pastis and some local olives.

Walking vacations in Provence take advantage of the fact that there are so many gorgeous places clustered so closely together. Consequently, you can sleep in the same base every night, taking transfers out each morning to explore a different part of the region on foot. Walk beside streams and old canals, pause for lunch at local markets, hike up to hilltop chapels and trek along Roman roads. Daily ascents average 300-500m, and walking in a small group of fellow hikers with a local guide ensures you won’t get lost – as well as knowing all the best places to pause for shopping, for lunch and apéros.

Art lovers will be in their element. Upmarket Antibes has a Picasso Museum, while the grave of Marc Chagall can be found in the village of St-Paul-de-Vence. Vence’s Chapelle du Rosaire is known as the Chapelle Matisse, after the artist who designed it and decorated its interior. And Vincent Van Gogh found himself in the psychiatric ward at Saint-Remy-de-Provence; visitors may recognise the town from some of his most famous paintings.

Archaeology fans should head to Orange, whose Roman theatre hosts summertime performances to this day; and to Vaison-la-Romaine, whose ruined Roman town is the largest excavated archaeological site in France.

There are few better ways to get beneath Provence’s skin than sitting on a terrace with your apéro of choice and watching the world pass by in the golden evening light. ‘Eating well and drinking well’ is such an intrinsic part of Provençal life, and our all vacations will introduce you to the many weekly markets and local restaurants. However, to really sink your teeth into this region, you can book a specialised gastronomy tour or cooking vacation. Visit local markets – a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach – and learn each stage of olive oil production, from picking and pressing the olives, to tasting a variety of oils.

Being France, of course, what you wash your meals down with is just as important. The liquorice-flavoured pastis originated in Marseille; water it down over ice and sip it as an aperitif. Vineyards are omnipresent, and a wine tasting will almost certainly feature on your Provence vacation; try the delicately flavoured rosé from coastal Bandol; Clairette de Die – a sparkling white dating back to Gallic times; and the huge variety of wines produced in the famous Côtes-du-Rhône area.

Accommodation and tailor made vacations can be booked throughout the year, though it will be pretty chilly from November to February, with average daytime temperatures averaging 10-12°C (the coast may be slightly warmer). However, days will still be sunnier and much longer than in northern Europe, so if you fancy cosying up with bouillabaisse and a hearty bottle of red after a brisk day walking around the hills, you could do worse than plan a winter break in Provence.