First impressions

Heidi Fuller-Love is struck by the tastes, sights and sounds of Provence, a region that inspired the likes of van Gogh

Le Mas de Nicolas

Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur spans the corner of France that lies east of the River Rhône, down to the Mediterranean Sea and over to the Italian border. Its gorgeous landscapes inspire both relaxation and adventure, and we couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves in its many delights.

We started in the west of the region. Surrounded by the lavender fields and sunflowers familiar from all those Impressionist paintings, our first site, Le Mas de Nicolas, is just a 10-minute bike ride from St-Rémy-de-Provence, the sun-dappled town full of pretty cobbled alleys where Vincent van Gogh painted much of his final work – and where the physician and visionary Nostradamus was born.

The following day, we cycled the back lanes into St-Rémy. We explored the town’s numerous art galleries and boutiques, before heading for the Musée Estrine, where the van Gogh exhibition kept us enthralled. A bowl of ratatouille at Le Bistrot de St Rémy then set us up for our hike along the van Gogh Route. A couple of miles long, and dotted with reproductions of the artist’s work, the trail concludes at the former monastery, Saint-Paul de Mausole. Van Gogh admitted himself to be cared for here in 1889 – you can see a reproduction of the room where he painted many of his works, including Starry Night.

Roman roads

Gallery

Arles Roman amphitheater. Photo ©Gillles Laguel/Atout France 2024

Maison Carrée, Nimes. Photo ©Gianni Crestani/Atout France 2024

Pont du Gard. Photo ©Gianni Crestani/Atout France 2024

On our next excursion, we crossed over the Rhône to Nîmes, where we spent a day enjoying the sights in the area, including the Maison Carrée temple and, 15 miles from the city centre, spectacular Pont du Gard aqueduct. Both were built in Roman times. We then made a beeline for the market to buy our dinner: creamy chunks of sheep’s cheese, duck rillettes and organic wine.

We spent the next day in Avignon, 12 miles north of St-Rémy. This wonderful city with its central UNESCO World Heritage Site is often called ‘the second Rome’ because seven Popes have lived here. The Palais des Papes, with its spooky chapels and ornate cloisters, was our first stop before heading for the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-des-Doms to see the elaborate papal tombs. Later, we headed for Musée Angladon, which showcases works by Picasso, van Gogh, Degas and Cézanne.

The following morning, we set off for our second site, Le Luberon (Club ref: C49), 60 miles to the east. We couldn’t resist detouring to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, where we browsed antique stores selling everything from furniture to dolls, before treating ourselves to the delicious three-course menu at La Balade des Saveurs.

We spent several happy days at Le Luberon, enjoying spectacular views of the old ochre mines along the Sentier des Ocres, stocking up on scrumptious candied fruits at La Maison Du Fruit Confit, and driving steep, winding roads to Sisteron, known as ‘the pearl of Haute Provence’, crowned by its medieval citadel.

LIfe In Mars

Les Tomasses

Soon, we were back on busy roads that funnelled us southwards to cosmopolitan Marseille. To work up an appetite we strolled around the Old Port, crossed the water to see Fort Saint-Jean, then wandered over to the bustling Marché aux Poissons to see what might be on the menu for lunch.

As a birthday treat we’d booked a table at L’Epuisette overlooking the Old Port. We spent two hours oohing and ahhing over everything from the saffron-scented fish soup served with garlicky rouille sauce to the rich Black Forest gateau-finale.

Afterwards, we took a ferry over to the Château d’If, an atmospheric medieval fortress, and visited La Maison du Pastis to buy a few bottles of the region’s famous aniseed-flavour spirit to take home.

Later that evening we arrived at our final site, Les Tomasses, 40 miles east of Marseille.

Set among fig trees in a valley, this lovely riverside campsite is a natural haven and ideal for anyone looking for a peaceful, relaxing stay. There’s plenty to see and do within the area, though – motorsports fans will surely want to visit the famous Paul Ricard racing circuit in Le Castellet, while trekking paths reveal stunning views of the hills of Sainte-Baume Natural Regional Park. With Toulon’s café-lined harbour and Hyères’ beautiful beaches within easy reach, this was the perfect place to spend our last few days in this spellbinding region.

• If Heidi has inspired you to visit this region, please visit camc.com/overseas to book the featured campsites.