Fodor's Exploring Provence, 3rd Edition (Exploring Guides)

Book by Fodors

Provence Is ... A Landscape of Contrasts

Despite the picture-perfect images of mellow landscapes, in reality Provence is rugged and mountainous, with arid, wind-blown terrain alternating with the lush river valleys.

Mountains, Rivers, Gorges

In the northeast corner of Provence the craggy peaks of the Alpes de Haute-Provence tower above glaciated valleys, such as the Vallee de l'Ubaye, the dramatic mountain passes often cut off by deep snow in winter. To the south, these alpine heights adjoin the Mercantour massif on the border with Italy and lead down into the upper valleys of the Var, Tinee, Roya, and Vésubie rivers. En route to the coast these torrents have created chasms through the pre-Alps, which shelter the hinterland and the Riviera resorts.

To the west, the Verdon River has carved out of the limestone of the Plateau de Valensole one of the great natural wonders of the region, the Grand Canon du Verdon. The Plateau de Valensole and the Plan de Canjuers to the south of the Verdon are among the least populated regions in Provence, desolate, wild areas dominated by garrigue (scrubland).

Provence Is ... People

The Provencals

Who are the real Provencals, and what are they like? Generations of writers and travelers have tried to provide answers and more often than not come up with patronizing generalizations. Victor Hugo considered them typically Mediterranean and hot-blooded ("in Paris one quarrels, in Avignon one kills"), while almost everyone from Stendhal to Lawrence Durrell thought they embodied the manana attitude — unhurried and ready to put off work until demain or (more likely) apres demain. For newcomers to Provence, eager to have local tradesmen to work on their new houses —tomorrow has never been good enough, from the days Lady Fortescue (who settled near Grasse in the 1930s) through to Peter Mayle who settled in the region in the 1980s.

Alphonse Daudet was first responsible for portraying the Provencals as whimsical, comic characters through his Tartarin novels, and the enormously popular books and films of Marcel Pagnol have reinforced this stereotype of the light-hearted, playful Provençal who spends all day doing nothing more serious than playing boules and drinking pastis.

As with all caricatures, there could perhaps be a grain of truth in them, but in reality Provencals are far more serious and hardworking — although they do know how to enjoy themselves. They may seem slightly reserved with outsiders (a natural reaction maybe for people who live in a region that has seen so many invasions — including the modern-day invasion by tourism). Despite their reputation, they become welcoming and hospitable once the ice is broken.

Provence Is ... Tourism

Tourism plays an essential part in the Provençal economy, as it has since the 19th century, when foreigners first started vacationing on the Cote d'Azur. Today around 34 million tourists descend on the Provence-Alpes- Cote d'Azur region annually.

Early Tourism

Tourism on the Riviera started in the 1830s when the English aristocracy started building luxury mansions in which to escape the winter fog in England. Between the two world wars, Coco Chanel popularized sunbathing, and the peak season switched to the summer — a phenomenon that intensified after World War II with the emergence of mass tourism. By the mid-1970's, millions of people were vacationing on the coastline, but inland Provence remained largely unspoiled, discovered only by more adventurous visitors.

Tourism Today

The Alpes-Maritimes (which includes the Cote d'Azur) has become the most popular destination for foreigners, followed by the Vaucluse, the Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, and the Alpes de Haute-Provence. Conversely, the French (who constitute three-fourths of all visitors to Provence) favor the Var and the Aples de Haute-Provence, followed by the Bouches-du-Rhone, Vaucluse, and the Alpes-Maritimes — which may point you to a more authentically French experience.

One in five local people are employed in the tourism industry, and the future looks rosy over the region as a whole. However, tourism on the coast is suffering from a noticeable overcapacity of hotel rooms, and the changing patterns of international tourism are also having an effect: due to increased awareness of the dangers of sunbathing, fewer people are taking beach vacations. No longer content to simply get a tan (bronzer a idiot as the French say), vacationers want more things to do, they want better value for money, and they want to experience the real Provence.

Cultural tourism is now being more heavily marketed, emphasizing the extraordinary artistic legacy of the Cote d'Azur, which is blessed with some 80 museums, focusing on anything from Impressionists, Picasso, or Chagall to perfume, honey, wine or wildlife. Many have been upgraded (such as the Matisse museum in Nice) and otherss are being opened (such as the Musee des Merveilles in Tende).

The rich natural and cultural heritage has always been the main draw in inland Provence, but with increasing numbers of people now wanting to hike, bike, or simply do their own thing and discover the mountains and valley byways, the authorities are eager to tap into this market and promote rural tourism. They have embarked on a coordinated program that includes supplying management expertise for rural communities who want to diversify into tourism. Initiatives such as these are good news for rural communities but also point the way forward for better-quality tourism and a sustainable future for this important sector of the Provençal economy.