An Ancient Greek Colony Long before the Romans conquered Gaul (France), the Greeks established a series of colonies along its Mediterranean coast. Marseille, the oldest city in France, was once the Greek colony of Massilia. It, in turn, established smaller colonies in the area around it. One of these was …

“The culture of Nice is based on three things: the sea, soccer, and socca.” – Steeve Bernardo, owner of Chez Pipo, founded in 1923 In a city famous for dishes like pan bagnat and ratatouille, socca holds a special place in the hearts of the Niçois. A thin, deliciously crispy …

Statues have graced the world for thousands of years, in cathedrals, museums, and sculpture gardens. But now visitors to Marseille will be able to enjoy them in a new location—underwater. The Underwater Museum of Marseille (Musée Subaquatique de Marseille) recently opened its doors, so to speak, with ten newly-created sculptures …

Just four kilometres from the center of Arles sits the Villa Benkemoun, a magnificent estate designed by a disciple of the famous Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Visiting it is like stepping back in time. The villa was the brainchild of Simone and Pierre Benkemoun, a couple that moved from Algeria …

There are so many fun things to do in Nice—you can walk along the Promenade des Anglais, enjoy the view from one of those famous blue chairs, and dig into a salade niçoise at a café in the Old Town. Now here’s one to add to your list: visit the …

When most people think of the Côte d’Azur, they think of glamorous spots like Cannes, Antibes, and Nice—beautiful cities, all of them. But this glorious corner of France is also home to charming inland villages that are well worth a visit. Let’s look at a few. Gourdon, The Eagle’s Nest …

In the easternmost part of Provence, near the border with Italy, lies the wild and rugged Mercantour National Park. It is famous for its natural beauty, its Bronze Age stone carvings and its growing population of grey wolves. It is also home to the Route de la Bonette, a road …

Monaco is a small country with a big reputation. Surrounded by France, it sits just a few miles from the city of Nice on the French Riviera. Monaco is famous for its Monte Carlo Casino, its annual Formula One race, and the elegance of the late Princess Grace. The principality’s …

American rapper Post Malone has just become the latest celebrity to introduce a rosé wine from Provence. Rosé + Provence + Celebrity seems to be a thing these days. As Malone puts it, “Rosé is for when you want to get a little fancy.” Let’s take a look at some …

Enjoy the Relaxed Season Summer is a wonderful time of year in Provence, with blue skies everywhere and brilliant sunflowers and lavender in bloom. My favourite time of day is the early evening when the heat of the day is past and you can look forward to a long, lazy …