Sunday, January 31, 2016

The famous Calanques of the south






Aix-en-Provence on its own draws together an exceptional array of heritage which is worth taking a few days to explore. But it is also an ideal base from which to tour around the region of Provence, with beautiful scenery a short distance away, including the Calanques, the Camargue, the Luberon and the Côte d’Azur.

Marseille and the Calanques

On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Marseille is the capital of the region. The Jardin des Vestiges, the banks of the Old Port, the Le Panier Quarter, La Vieille Charité (Old Charity) Museum, the Vallon des Auffes fishing port… there are many attractions to see encompassing 26 centuries of history. For those who love the sea, the Mediterranean awaits. From the Frioul Islands with the Château d’If and the Count of Monte Cristo up to Cassis, the Mediterranean reveals its magical rocky inlets (calanques). Then as you go back up towards the Garlaban and Sainte Baume massifs, you enter the heart of Pagnol’s Provence.

Avignon and the Luberon

The trail around the villages and châteaux of the Luberon will lead you to, among other places, the imposing ruins of the Château at La Tour d’Aigues, then on to the castle at Lourmarin before arriving at Apt, capital of candied fruit. Roussillon and its ochre quarries, Gordes, the village of the bories, and the enchanting Sénanque Abbey are all great places to discover before you head off to the Isle sur la Sorgue, the largest antiques centre in south-eastern France. From there Avignon awaits. The installation of the popes in Avignon in the 14th century left its mark on the town’s history. The ramparts, the Popes’ Palace and the Bridge (made famous in the song “Sur le pont d’Avignon”) all date back to Medieval times.

Arles and the Camargue

60 kms from Aix-en-Provence, Arles is a town which captivates you with its Provencal traditions and its rich ancient heritage. The Museum of Ancient Arles, the Roman amphitheatres, the cathedral and the Saint Trophime cloister, the Museon Arlaten and the Van Gogh Foundation are well worth a visit… The Camargue starts at the gates of Arles. Over a landscape of marshland and salt marshes, the wall belfry of Les Saintes Maries de la Mer (famous for their gypsy pilgrimage), and the fortified walls of the city of Aigues Mortes can be seen for miles. Here, Nature has made a patchwork of lakes and salt flats where dark-coated bulls and white horses reign supreme, while pink flamingos fly overhead. Trails and pathways crisscross the Regional Nature Reserve.

The Côte d’Azur

Pushing on towards the East, the Maures and the Esterel mountains on the jagged shoreline, with their blood-red rocks diving into the sea herald the Côte d’Azur. Opposite Hyères, the Iles d’Or: Porquerolles, Port-Cros and the Levant are marine parks and a traffic-free paradise. Further on, the beaches of Saint-Tropez, Saint-Raphaël and Nice with its famous Promenade des Anglais are less than 2 hours away from Aix on the motorway.

Haute Provence

Travelling back up the Durance, the Haute Provence countryside invites you to meet Giono’s land – the lavender fields between Valensole and Riez, the earthenware ceramics from the tiny village of Moustiers Sainte-Marie, and the Gorges du Verdon, where the jade-green waters of the Verdon flow through one of the most beautiful canyons in the world. These towering cliffs are a magnet for nature-lovers and top-class sports people.

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Friday, January 29, 2016

#1 Aix en Provence

You leave or return cruise from Marseille aboard a ship of a large company such as Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises , Cruise France , Iberocruceros , Holland America Line , Silversea Cruise? 
Why not treat yourself to a stop in Aix-en-Provence



So you want to visit Aix-en-Provence ? Do you know that our destination is the center of a country of pretty villages , designed by the Sainte-Victoire mountain , the Val de Durance, the chains of Touloubre , Côtes de Trévaresse , the High valley of the Arc . 355,000 people live here , in this great 1300 km2 territory who is also a university center , a major cultural and economic in France ? Aix has been inhabited since the Stone Age and Aix-en-Provence has over 2000 years : here we have the experience of time . From the bottom of these experiences came a thousand years of life. The art of a mild climate all year round. The art of conviviality, open hand and hospitality . The authentic art take time , and to put the best times

Destination labeled vineyards and discoveries



First Provencal destination labeled " Vineyards & Excursions ," the territory of the Aix South Luberon together 44 municipalities and 5 PDO :Coteaux d’Aix en provencePaletteLuberonCôte de ProvenceCôte de Provence Sainte Victoirewhite flight, powerful and balanced reds, rosés and especially greedy with brilliant reflections ... With AOP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, you'll encounter sensual wines that say many dream landscapes where they grow.Sainte Victoire welcomes you to his kingdom of AOP-de-Provence, where the soft pink wine with fruit mouth, white while aromatic flexibility and bright reds with great characters will surprise you. You will discover in this same soil a local expression of the Côtes de Provence: PDO Sainte-Victoire deliver roses in the bright robe, subtle and delicate, red guard, harmonious and spicy, white full of freshness and roundness.The AOP Palette, with only 46 hectares, is probably the oldest vineyards of France. Nestled in a natural amphitheater in the micro-climate, it offers its impressive white wines, balsamic and floral. And you will not leave without tasting the AOP Luberon, some vines caress the northern edge of the Pays d'Aix.Since 2013, the territory of the Aix South Luberon has been labeled Vineyards & Excursions



Winegrowers

viticulture Provencal since 1914. Today we produce the majority of wine
production department. Our efforts on both the vineyard management as
winemaking techniques have borne fruit

Culture in Provence



Our destination offers visitors numerous prestigious cultural venues , museums, foundations and cultural spaces , archaeological sites that reflect the rich heritage


 This new cultural institution Established in the form Hôtel de Caumont, a jewel of the Eighteenth Century , Makes the heart beat of Aix-en-Provence close to the Cours Mirabeau . Its cultural program puts Fine Arts honored every year with two major exhibitions dedicated to the great names of art - from ancient art to this day . Besides painting , other forms of art at the Art Center aussi Caumont Favored sentence field . A new film, Cezanne at Aix , is broadcast Continuously in the auditorium of the Art Center, and concerts , artistic performances and forums are scheduled in 2015 . With a shady terrace overlooking the gardens , the Café offers Caumont aussi stop right in the heart of the Mazarin quarte.

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