The region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (known as PACA) has long been a firm favourite with international residents. As a land of sunshine, sea and majestic mountains, dotted with historical sights and farmland growing natural produce, it’s easy to see why.
Property prices in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur are amongst the highest in the country. But away from the coast, in Hautes-Alpes and the Alpes-Maritime, there are more affordable properties needing some renovation.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is split into six departments: Haute-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritime, Bouches de Rhône, Var and Vaucluse. You will find a unique appeal in each.
According to a survey by the medical consultation group Zava, the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is the healthiest place to live in France! Certainly the entire region of Provence has a real timeless quality to it. Popular with the French and foreign tourists alike for very many years, it has managed to retain its glamour to this day.
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The must-see parts of Provence
Yachts line the water of Saint-Tropez
Walk the chic streets of Saint-Tropez
Known for its many fabulous beaches, Saint-Tropez’s close association with show business and movie stars, you will find its port lined with super yachts. The town is perfect for people watching and you may even spot a celeb while sipping a coffee on the edge of a busy square.
Saint-Tropez has a glitzy nightlife and there is even a sandal named after the town – the tropezienne. If you were to move here you would be at the forefront of French culture.
The old port of Marseille
Marseille is the capital of the Provence region. With a history stretching right back to 600 BC when it was founded by Greek sailors from Phocaea, this port city has influences from all over the world.
Marseille consists of several small neighbourhoods and its ancient port is one of the largest in France. Sitting at one of the numerous cafes and restaurants alongside the quay you can sample food from many different cultures and watch the yachts come and go.
Luberon is filled with venerable properties
Take in the ancient forts of Luberon
Located between the plains of the Vaucluse and the Alpes de Haute Provence, Luberon is a stunningly beautiful region. Known for its striking fortified bastide villages and numerous hilltop castles, you may recognise the area from the movies Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources, which were filmed on location.
Luberon is also home to a well-cared for regional park that is a spot of exquisite natural beauty.
More to Cannes than the movies
You may best know Cannes for its annual event celebrating cinema. But there is much more to the city than the world’s largest film festival.
Delicate patisserie and fine fashion fill the shop displays lining the streets of La Croisette promenade
On the coast of the Alpes Maritimes department, no other place in France better epitomises the French Riviera. Expensive yachts bob in the harbour, delicate patisserie and fine fashion fill the shop displays lining the streets of La Croisette promenade and, away from the sea front, you’ll find pretty cobbled streets.
Stunning regional parks
There are six regional parks across Provence, all of which are recognised as keeping conservation and sustainability constantly developing.
The best-known park is the Camargue. Consisting of 85,000 hectares, the Camargue is basically a huge area of sweeping plains, salt marshes and moors shared by the famous Camargue horses and bulls.
While it may appear to be wild and untamed, the Camargue has, in fact, been ably assisted over recent years by teams of people working on the wetlands, marshes and grazing areas. This wide-open space is known for its outdoor pursuits such as horse riding, bull running and bird watching.
Rows of lavender meet you in Provence
The sweeping purple of lavender fields
The sight of lavender fields stretching out as far as the eye can see is really the very essence of Provence. You can often find great plains of sweeping purple, overtaken by the flowers.
You will find reams of lavender in the glorious stretches of land here
There are, in fact, two types of lavender in Provence: fine lavender and lavandine. Fine lavender is peculiar to Provence; you cannot find this anywhere else in the world. Fine lavender actually grows high up at over 800 metres and is used for its medicinal properties. It became known over the years as the area’s “blue gold” when perfume makers started coming to the area to create their fine scents.
The best time of the year for seeing lavender fields is during the summer months in the Vaucluse department: you will find reams of lavender in the glorious stretches of land here.
The best small towns and villages in Provence
Provence has numerous pretty villages. Life here is led at a leisurely pace, with people stopping to admire the natural beauty of the hilltop and coastal hamlets across the whole region.
Borme-les-Mimosas is one of the prettiest spots in the south of France
Borme-les-Mimosas
This stunning 12th century village in Var really is one of the most beautiful you will come across in Provence. A meandering collection of narrow streets and pretty squares in the centre are an absolute pleasure to wander in.
The name of the village comes from the mimosa flowers you will see all around it and it is reasonably close to the perfume capital of France, Grasse, thus the scent of flowers abounds here.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence
This is a stunning hilltop village in Alpes Maritimes. Found inside walled ramparts from where there are wonderful views across to the Mediterranean Sea.
Saint Paul de Vence plays host to numerous independent boutiques, art and craft galleries and shops as well as some fabulous restaurants.
Find a renovation project in Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
This is one of the oldest towns in France, dating back 2,500 years. Saint Rémy de Provence in Bouches du Rhone is a delightful place, best known now for having had Van Gogh live and paint there.
Some of the ancient fortifications around the town remain and once inside, you are graced with several quaint streets, pretty town houses and small shops, galleries, bars, restaurants and museums.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
This village in the Luberon region has to be one of the prettiest villages in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the whole of Provence. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie lies in between two cliffs and is best known for its richly decorated ceramic wares as well as its beautiful ancient churches.
This is another village where time seems to have stopped and it is a complete joy to wander around the little streets and watch the world go by.
A side street in Lourmarin
Lourmarin
A beautiful and totally authentic working Provencal village, Lourmarin in Vaucluse is best known for its chateau which was the first Renaissance chateau to be built in the region.
Open to the public year-round, you can tour both the grounds and the interior.
Getting there
You can fly to Nimes, Marseille or Avignon from most regional airports in the UK, making it very easy for friends and family to visit you in your new home. You can also go by train: Eurostar to Paris and then Avignon. The journey from Paris to Avignon takes about three hours.
However, when it comes to your viewing trip, our suggestion is to drive (or rent a car when you get down to Avignon for example by other means) as the real joy of Provence is touring its superb villages and coastal towns at your leisure.
