Provence guides and hotels

Attractions

The ideal time to visit Provence, in terms of weather, is between the months of May and June. Though the sun shines brightly, it’s not at all uncomfortable. Coastal waters are warmed up by then and the resorts are already in service, but aren’t yet overrun.

 

• Atelier Cezanne

Info: Paul Cezanne is among history’s more revered artists, creating an indelible mark on the Impressionist world. His former home, the Atelier Cezanne has remained pretty much as it was the year he died (1906), preserving all the articles, furniture and ornaments that were familiar to the man.

Location: 9 Avenue Paul-Cezanne, Aix-en-Provence

 

• Petit Palais

Info: Sealing the northern side of the Place du Palais, the 14^th century Petit Palais got its name to distinguish it from its imposing neighbor the Palais des Papes. As well as being a landmark of religious and civic historical importance it houses one of the biggest collections of Italian primitive art outside Italy.

Location: Place du Palais des Papes, Avignon

 

• La Castre Castle

Info: La Castre Castle is located above Cannes old town and offers splendid views of the Croisette, the bay of Cannes and the Lerins islands. The medieval castle was once home to the Lerins monks and now houses an important collection of ethnographic and anthropological treasures, with pieces from the Himalayas, South America and the Pacific. Some of the rooms also display 19^th century art from prominent local painters.

Location: Cannes

 

• Chateau d’If

Info: This was once a famous prison where, legend has it, both the Marquis de Sade and the Man In the Iron Mask were incarcerated. What is certain is that abbot Jose Custodio Faria, immortalised in Alexander Dumas “The Count of Monte Cristo”, perished here and the hole he is said to have bored in the wall of his solitary confinement cell is a highlight of the visit.

Location: Marseille

 

• Jules Cheret Fine Arts Museum

Info: Housed in a beautiful 19^th century mansion in western Nice, the Beaux-Arts Museum spans four centuries of European fine art. As well as an important Dufy collection, there are Monet paintings, Rodin sculptures and Picasso ceramics.

Location: 33 Avenue des Baumettes, Nice