Explore the Adventures of Provence

Provencal cuisine uses the best of natural products: the tender early fruits, the most beautiful and delectable olive oil, the twenty aromates (herbs and spices, like thyme and rosemary), the sixteen fruits de mer, tomatoes, the zucchinis and the magnificent melons. The essence of Provencal cuisine: Olive oil, garlic and herbs.

You can visit the local markets; have the opportunity to visit olive oil "moulins" and wineries. You can learn the secrets of creating a flagrant bouillabaisse and aioli - that incomparable golden pomade; see the freshest fish of the Mediterranean, grilled and flamed with fennel; enjoy the simplicity of Provencal soup "au Pistou".

According to Pierre Franey "the Provencal diet became, according to today's understanding diet of nutrition, one of the most balanced and healthiest on the earth" because of this historic emphasis on vegetables and herbs, on olive oil and garlic. The olive oils of both Aix-en-Provence and Nimes have been awarded appellation controlees, as have the vineyards of the Coteaux d'Aix and Costieres de Nimes.

Aix en Provence, home of Paul Cézanne and town of a hundred fountains is one of the stops on a fun day trip in Provence. It's architectural and cultural heritage is accessible to everyone, treasures that you will discover simply by walking around the town. It is also called the "Provençal Florence". Composed of the Saint-Sauveur market town and the City of the Counts, The Old Town is the oldest part of the centre of Aix.

The Cours Mirabeau is a place of history and leisure and always one of the city's busiest and most lively areas, a tunnel of greenery punctuated with fountains, a historic landmark and a great place for a stroll.

The preserved heritage and the town of the future coexist in perfect harmony. The Sextius-Mirabeau quarter, the "last link" concatenating the town to its new era, is the best example of this new enthusiasm.

Nimes is known for its Roman remains, most of which are in an excellent state of preservation. Les Arènes - the amphitheatre is one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in existence. It is now used for coridas.

The famous Maison Caree is one of the most beautiful monuments built by the Romans in Gaul, and certainly the best preserved, despite having been used, over the years, as a stable, a church, a town hall, and a museum. It now houses a collection of Roman sculptures. Jardin de la Fontaine is located on the edge of the city, which was designed in 1745. The fountain, and the canals that flow through it, are partly Roman. Incidentally, denim was originally made in Nîmes - its name come from the fact that it was "de Nîmes".