Basic Transportation-Only Tours
Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Wines
“There are treasures to carry away in this land, which has not found a spokesman worthy of the riches it offers.”
—Paul Cézanne
The magnificent region of Provence is shaped like a giant wedge of quiche. From its sunburned crust, fanning out along the Mediterranean coast from the Camargue to Marseille, it stretches north along the Rhône Valley to Orange. The Romans were here in force and left many ruins—some of the best anywhere (the region’s name comes from its status as the first Roman province). Seven popes, artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne, and author Peter Mayle all enjoyed their years in Provence. This destination features a splendid recipe of arid climate, oceans of vineyards, dramatic scenery, lively cities, and adorable hill-capping villages.
Explore the ghost town that is ancient Les Baux, and see France’s greatest Roman ruins—the Pont du Gard aqueduct, the theater in Orange, and the arena in Nîmes. Admire the skill of ball-tossing boules players in small squares in every Provençal village and city. Spend a few Van Gogh-inspired starry, starry nights in Arles. Youthful but classy Avignon bustles in the shadow of its brooding Palace of the Popes. Stylish and self-confident Aix-en-Provence lies 30 minutes from the sea and feels more Mediterranean. It’s a short hop from Arles or Avignon into the splendid scenery and villages of the Côtes du Rhône and Luberon regions. To properly understand southern France, day-trip into gritty Marseille. If you prefer a perfectly Provençal beach fix, find Cassis, just to the east.
With limited time, make Arles or Avignon your sightseeing base—particularly without a car. Italophiles prefer smaller Arles, while poodles pick urban Avignon. Many enjoy nights in both cities. (With a car, head for St-Rémy or the hill towns.)
Arles has a blue-collar quality; the entire city feels like Van Gogh’s bedroom. It also has this region’s best-value hotels and is handy to Les Baux, St-Rémy, and the Camargue.
Avignon—double the size of Arles—feels sophisticated, with more nightlife and shopping. Avignon makes a good base for nondrivers thanks to its convenient public-transit options. Within an hour or so, you can reach Pont du Gard, Uzès, and St-Rémy by bus, or Marseille and Aix-en-Provence by TGV train or shuttle bus. Within a half-hour, you can reach Arles, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and Nîmes by regional train (TER).
For drivers who prefer a smaller-town base, St-Rémy-de-Provence is well situated. It offers a nice range of hotels with free and easy parking, good restaurants, and a few sights of its own. The towns of Vaison-la-Romaine (in the Côtes du Rhône region) and Roussillon (in the Luberon) are two good but remote hill-town options.
Aix-en-Provence works well as a base for Provence sights east of Arles and Avignon, with easy access to Marseille, Cassis, and some Luberon villages. About halfway between Arles and Nice, Aix-en-Provence also makes a convenient stopover, and if you’re flying in or out of Marseille, Aix has quick access to the airport, making it a convenient first- or last-day stop.
The bare minimum you should spend in Provence is three days: one day for sightseeing in Arles and Les Baux (Arles is best on Wed or Sat, when it’s market day); a day for Pont du Gard and Nîmes; and a full day for Orange and the Côtes du Rhône villages. Add two more days to explore Avignon, Uzès or St-Rémy, and more Provençal villages (such as Roussillon). Allow an additional two days in Cassis, using one of them for a day trip to Marseille or Aix-en-Provence (or both). Ideally, see the cities—Arles, Nîmes, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille—by train, then rent a car for the countryside.
To measure the pulse of rural Provence, spend at least a few nights in the smaller towns. Provençal villages come to life on market days, but can be quiet on Mondays—when shops are shuttered tight—and are terminally quiet from mid-October to Easter. I’ve described many towns in the Côtes du Rhône and Luberon. The Côtes du Rhône is ideal for wine connoisseurs and an easy stop for those heading to or from the north. The Luberon was made for hill-town lovers and works well for travelers heading east, toward Aix-en-Provence or the Riviera. Avoid speeding through these areas. Provençal village evenings are what books are written about—spend the night, or two, or...
The small port town of Cassis is a marvelous Mediterranean meander between Provence and the Riviera (and more appealing than most Riviera resorts). It has easy day-trip connections to Marseille and Aix-en-Provence.
Depending on the length of your trip, here are my recommended priorities for Provence:
Resources: Imagine Tours (near Avignon) offers free assistance to travelers. They can help you plan your itinerary, book hotels, or deal with travel problems (for contact information, see listing under “Tours in Provence,” later).
Cruise-Ship Sightseeing: Cruise lines that visit Provence call at either Marseille or La Seyne-sur-Mer/Toulon (about 40 miles east of Marseille). Public-transit options are limited—with a short day, only Marseille, Cassis, and Aix-en-Provence are doable. (It’s possible to visit Avignon or Arles from Marseille—but only with a long day in port.) To journey beyond the immediate area and/or connect several sights in one busy day, join a cruise-line excursion, hire a driver or guide, or rent a car. For in-depth coverage, consider my guidebook, Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports.
By Bus or Train: Public transit is good between cities and decent to some towns, but marginal at best to the smaller villages. Frequent trains link Avignon, Arles, and Nîmes (no more than an hour between each). Avignon has good train connections with Orange and adequate service to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Marseille is well connected to all cities in Provence, with frequent service to Cassis (25 minutes) and Aix-en-Provence (45 minutes).
Buses connect many smaller towns, though service can be sporadic. From Arles you can catch a bus to Les Baux (high season only), Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer (in the Camargue), or St-Rémy. From Avignon, you can bus to Pont du Gard, St-Rémy, Uzès, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (also by train), and to some Côtes du Rhône villages. St-Rémy, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and Uzès are the most accessible and interesting small towns. Vaison-la-Romaine—my favorite town—is a manageable bus ride from Orange (with fast and frequent train connections to Avignon). A visit here works well with a tour of Orange’s Roman Theater.
While a tour of the Côtes du Rhône or Luberon is best on your own by car, a variety of minivan tours and basic bus excursions are available. (TIs in Arles and Avignon also have information on bus excursions to regional sights that are hard to reach sans car; see “Tours in Provence,” later.)
By Car: The region is made to order for a car, though travel time between some sights will surprise you—thanks, in part, to narrow roads and endless roundabouts (for example, figure an hour from Les Baux to Pont du Gard, and almost two hours from Arles to Vaison-la-Romaine). Michelin map #527 (1:275,000 scale) covers this area perfectly. Michelin maps #332 (Luberon and Côtes du Rhône) and #340 (Arles area) are also worth considering. I’ve described key sights and a variety of full-day drives deep into the countryside. Be wary of thieves: Park only in well-monitored spaces and leave nothing valuable in your car. Drivers are smart to offload bags at hotels before sightseeing.
Avignon is a headache for drivers. Arles is easier but still challenging. Les Baux and St-Rémy work well from Arles or Avignon (or vice versa). Nîmes and Pont du Gard are a short hop west of Avignon. The town of Orange ties in tidily with a trip to the Côtes du Rhône villages and with destinations farther north. If you’re heading north from Provence, consider a half-day detour through the spectacular Ardèche Gorges. The Luberon villages are about halfway between Arles or Avignon and Aix-en-Provence (little Lourmarin works as a base for day trips to Aix-en-Provence). And if you’re continuing on to the Riviera, let yourself be lured into the Grand Canyon du Verdon detour (see the Inland Riviera chapter). Most drivers will prefer exploring congested Marseille on foot—take the train from Cassis or Aix-en-Provence (both towns have parking at their train stations with frequent trains and buses to the center of Marseille).
Note that metered parking is strictly monitored in Provence. For tips on parking in France, see here.
By Bike: Wind, heat, and hilly terrain make this region a challenge to bike. If you’re determined, I list bike rental options in most cities (including electric bikes). Telecycles will deliver your bike to hotels within about 12 miles of St-Rémy (tel. 04 90 92 83 15 or mobile 06 11 64 04 69, www.telecycles-location.com). Check also with Sun-e-Bike for handy electric bike rentals throughout Provence (www.location-velo-provence.com).
Towns with a lot of tourism generally have English-speaking guides available for private hire (about €130 for a 3-hour guided walk). It’s also possible to take half-day or full-day excursions to most of the sights in Provence. TIs have wads of brochures on day trips and can help you make a reservation. Excursions are best from Avignon, where most tours can pick you up at your hotel, the TI, or at either of the city’s train stations. Here are several good options to consider:
Dutchman Mike Rijken runs a one-man show, taking travelers through the region he adopted 25 years ago. His English is fluent, and though his focus is on wine and wine villages, Mike knows the region thoroughly and is a good teacher of its history (per person: €80/half-day, €140/day, 2-6-person groups; pickups possible in Arles, Avignon, Lyon, Marseille, or Aix-en-Provence; tel. 04 90 35 59 21, mobile 06 19 29 50 81, www.winesafari.net, mikeswinesafari@orange.fr).
Charming Céline Viany—a sommelier and easy-to-be-with tour guide—is an expert on her region and its chief product (from €200/half-day or €250/day for 2 people, price depends on pickup location and number of clients, tel. 04 90 46 90 80, mobile 06 76 59 56 30, www.levinalabouche.com, contact@degustation-levinalabouche.com).
For a playful perspective on wines of the Côtes du Rhône region, contact François Marcou (€110/person for all-day wine tours that include 4 tastings, €80/person for half-day tours, €350 for private groups, less in winter, mobile 06 28 05 33 84, www.avignon-wine-tour.com, contact@avignon-wine-tour.com).
Passionate Englishman Olivier Hickman takes small groups on focused tours of selected wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and in the villages near Vaison-la-Romaine. Olivier knows his subject matter inside and out. His in-depth tastings include a half-day tour of two or three wineries (€40-75/person for half-day to full-day tours, prices subject to minimum tour fees, mobile 06 75 10 10 01, www.wine-uncovered.com, olivier.hickman@orange.fr).
Low-key American Doug Graves, who owns a small wine domaine in the Côtes du Rhône, runs custom tours of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the villages of the Côtes du Rhône, and the Luberon Valley (per person: €135/day, up to 4 people, includes lunch; mobile 06 37 16 04 56, www.toursdurhone.com, doug@masdelalionne.com).
This company offers small group tours centered on wine and food with a good dose of history and local culture. Experienced guide and wine connoisseur Joe McLean leads walking and photography tours, as well as wine tours focusing on the wines of Uzès, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the Côtes du Rhône (per person: about €70-95/half-day, €140-170/day, prices include pickup from Uzès hotels; custom tours possible from Arles and Avignon, no tours on Sun, tel. 06 73 08 23 97, www.wineryplustours.com, contact@wineryplustours.com).
Sommelier Romain Gouvernet is a young and sincere wine guide concentrating on Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Luberon. Ask about his evening wine tours (per person: €90/half-day, €140/day; mobile 06 86 49 56 76, www.provenceandwine.com, provenceandwine@gmail.com).
This organization offers personalized cultural excursions that highlight the “true heart of Provence and Occitania.” Itineraries are adapted to your interests, and your guide can meet you at your hotel or the departure point of your choice (€190/half-day, €315/day, prices for up to 4 people starting from near Avignon or Arles, mobile 06 89 22 19 87, www.imagine-tours.net, imagine.tours@gmail.com). They can also help plan your itinerary, book hotel rooms, or address other travel issues.
Catherine D’Antuono is a smart, capable, licensed guide for Aix-en-Provence and the region. She guides tours as far west as Pont du Gard and as far east as St-Tropez (€480/day for 2 people, €15 extra for each additional person, 8-person maximum, mobile 06 17 94 69 61, www.provence-travel.com, tour.designer@provence-travel.com).
Discover Provence was founded by England-born Sarah Pernet, who has lived in Aix-en-Provence since 2001. She and her small team offer a variety of well-organized, easygoing, small-group tours to the Luberon, Cassis, Arles, and St-Rémy (from €130/person for half-day, mobile 06 16 86 40 24, www.discover-provence.net, sarah@discover-provence.net).
This company runs day tours from Avignon, Arles, Marseille, Nice, and Aix-en-Provence. Tours provide introductory commentary, but no guiding at sights. They use eight-seat, air-conditioned minivans (per person: about €65-80/half-day, €100-125/day). Ask about their cheaper big-bus excursions, or consider hiring a van and driver for your private use (allow about €300/half-day, €500/day, tel. 04 90 14 70 00, www.provence-reservation.com).
Provence is littered with Roman ruins. Many scholars claim the best-preserved ancient Roman buildings are not in Italy, but in France. These ancient stones will be an important part of your sightseeing agenda in this region, so it’s worth learning about how they came to be.
Classical Rome endured from about 500 BC through AD 500—spending about 500 years growing, 200 years peaking, and 300 years declining. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul—which included Provence—during the Gallic Wars (58-51 BC), then crossed the Rubicon River in 49 BC to incite civil war within the Roman Republic. He erected a temple to Jupiter on the future site of Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The concept of one-man rule lived on with his grandnephew, Octavian (whom he had also adopted as his son). Octavian killed Brutus, eliminated his rivals (Mark Antony and Cleopatra), and united Rome’s warring factions. He took the title “Augustus” and became the first in a line of emperors who would control Rome for the next 500 years—ruling like a king, with the backing of the army and the rubber-stamp approval of the Senate. Rome morphed from a Republic into an Empire: a collection of many diverse territories ruled by a single man.
Augustus’ reign marked the start of 200 years of peace, prosperity, and expansion known as the Pax Romana. At its peak (c. AD 117), the Roman Empire had 54 million people and stretched from Scotland in the north to Egypt in the south, as far west as Spain and as far east as modern-day Iraq. To the northeast, Rome was bounded by the Rhine and Danube rivers. On Roman maps, the Mediterranean was labeled Mare Nostrum (“Our Sea”). At its peak, “Rome” didn’t just refer to the city, but to the entire civilized Western world.
The Romans were successful not only because they were good soldiers, but also because they were smart administrators and businessmen. People in conquered territories knew they had joined the winning team and that political stability would replace barbarian invasions. Trade thrived. Conquered peoples were welcomed into the fold of prosperity, linked by roads, education, common laws and gods, and the Latin language.
Provence, with its strategic location, benefited greatly from Rome’s global economy and grew to become an important part of its worldwide empire. After Julius Caesar conquered Gaul, Emperor Augustus set out to Romanize it, building and renovating cities in the image of Rome. Most cities had a theater (some had several), baths, and aqueducts; the most important cities had sports arenas. The Romans also erected an elaborate infrastructure of roads, post offices, schools (teaching in Latin), police stations, and water-supply systems.
With a standard language and currency, Roman merchants were able to trade wine, salt, and olive oil for foreign goods. The empire invested heavily in cities that were strategically important for trade. For example, the Roman-built city of Arles was a crucial link in the trade route from Italy to Spain, so they built a bridge across the Rhône River and fortified the town.
A typical Roman city (such as Nîmes, Arles, Orange, or Vaison-la-Romaine) was a garrison town, laid out on a grid plan with two main roads: one running north-south (the cardus), the other east-west (the decumanus). Approaching the city on your chariot, you’d pass by the cemetery, which was located outside of town for hygienic reasons. You’d enter the main gate and wheel past warehouses and apartment houses to the town square (forum). Facing the square were the most important temples, dedicated to the patron gods of the city. Nearby, you’d find bathhouses; like today’s fitness clubs, these served the almost sacred dedication to personal vigor. Also close by were businesses that catered to the citizens’ needs: the marketplace, bakeries, banks, and brothels.
Aqueducts brought fresh water for drinking, filling the baths, and delighting the citizens with bubbling fountains. Men flocked to the stadiums in Arles and Nîmes to bet on gladiator games; eager couples attended elaborate plays at theaters in Orange, Arles, and Vaison-la-Romaine. Marketplaces brimmed with exotic fruits, vegetables, and animals from the far reaches of the empire. Some cities in Provence were more urban 2,000 years ago than they are today. For instance, experts believe that Roman Arles had a population of between 70,000 and 100,000—almost double today’s size. Think about that when you visit.
You’ll come across rounded arches throughout Provence. These were constructed by piling two stacks of heavy stone blocks, connecting them with an arch (supported with wooden scaffolding), then inserting an inverted keystone where the stacks met. Voilà! The heavy stones were able to support not only themselves, but also a great deal of weight above the arch. The Romans didn’t invent the rounded arch, but they exploited it better than their predecessors, stacking arches to build arenas and theaters, stringing them side by side for aqueducts, stretching out their legs to create barrel-vaulted ceilings, and building freestanding “triumphal” arches to celebrate conquering generals.
When it came to construction, the Romans eventually discovered a magic building ingredient: concrete. A mixture of volcanic ash, lime, water, and small rocks, concrete—easier to work than stone and longer-lasting than wood—served as flooring, roofing, filler, glue, and support. Builders would start with a foundation of brick, then fill it in with poured concrete. They would then cover important structures, such as basilicas, in sheets of expensive marble (held on with nails), or decorate floors and walls with mosaics—proving just how talented the Romans were at turning the functional into art.
Provence has been called France’s “garden market,” featuring farm-fresh food (vegetables, fruits, and meats) prepared in a simple way, and meant to be savored with family and friends. Grilled foods are common, as are dishes derived from lengthy simmering—in part a reflection of long days spent in the fields. Colorful and lively, Provençal cuisine hammers the senses with an extravagant use (by French standards) of garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Order anything à la provençale, and you’ll be rewarded with aromatic food heightened by rich and pungent sauces. Thanks to the proximity of the Riviera, many seafood dishes show up on Provençal menus (see “The Riviera’s Cuisine Scene” on here).
Unlike other French regional cuisines, the food of Provence is inviting for nibblers. Appetizers (hors d’oeuvres) often consist of bowls of olives (try the plump, full-flavored black tanche or the green, buttery picholine), as well as plates of fresh vegetables served with lusty sauces ready for dipping. These same sauces adorn dishes of hard-boiled eggs, fish, or meat. Look for tapenade, a paste of pureed olives, capers, anchovies, herbs, and sometimes tuna. True anchovy lovers dig into anchoïade (a spread of garlic, anchovy, and parsley) or bagna cauda (a warm sauce of anchovies and melted butter or olive oil).
Aioli—a rich, garlicky mayonnaise spread over vegetables, potatoes, fish, or whatever—is another Provençal favorite, often served with the main course. In the summertime, entire village festivals celebrate this sauce. Watch for signs announcing aioli monstre (“monster aioli”) and, for a few euros, dive into a deeply French eating experience.
Despite the heat, soup is popular in Provence. Soupe au pistou is a thin yet flavorful vegetable soup with a sauce (called pistou) of basil, garlic, and cheese—pesto minus the pine nuts. Or try soupe à l’ail (garlic soup, called aigo bouido in the Provençal dialect). For details on seafood soups, see here.
Provençal main courses venerate fresh vegetables and meats. (Eat seafood on the Riviera and meat in Provence.) Ratatouille is a mixture of Provençal vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, onions, and peppers are the usual suspects) in a thick, herb-flavored tomato sauce. It’s readily found in charcuteries and often served at room temperature, making it the perfect picnic food. Ratatouille veggies also show up on their own, stuffed and served in spicy sauces. Look for aubergines (eggplants), tomates (tomatoes), poivrons (sweet peppers), and courgettes (zucchini—especially fleurs de courgettes, stuffed and batter-fried zucchini flowers). Tians are gratin-like vegetable dishes named for the deep terra-cotta dish in which they are cooked and served. Artichauts à la barigoule are stuffed artichokes flavored with garlic, ham, and herbs (barigoule is from the Provençal word for thyme, farigoule). Also look for riz de Camargue—the reddish, chewy, nutty-tasting rice that has taken over the Camargue area, a marshy region that is otherwise useless for agriculture.
The famous herbs of Provence influence food long before it’s cooked. The locally renowned lambs of the garrigue (shrub-covered hills), as well as rabbits and other small edible beasts in Provence, dine on wild herbs and spicy shrubs—preseasoning their delicate meat. Regional specialties include lamb (agneau, most often leg of lamb, gigot d’agneau), grilled and served no-frills, or the delicious lapin à la provençale—rabbit served with garlic, mustard, tomatoes, and herbs in white wine. Locals have a curious passion for quail (caille). These tiny, bony birds can be grilled and served with any variety of sauces, including those sweetened with Provençal cherries or honey and lavender. Daube, named for the traditional cooking vessel daubière, is generally beef simmered in wine with spices and herbs—and perhaps a touch of orange zest—until it is spoon-tender; it’s then served with noodles or the local rice. Taureau (bull’s meat), usually raised in the marshy Camargue, melts in your mouth.
By American standards, the French undercook meats: bleu (bluh) is virtually raw (just flame-kissed); saignant (sehn-yahn) is close to raw; à point (ah pwahn)—their version of “medium”—is rare; and bien cuit (bee-yehn kwee, “well cooked”) is medium. (Because French cows are raised on grass rather than corn, the beef is leaner than in the US, so limiting the cooking time keeps the meat tender.)
You may want to steer clear of these dishes: Pieds et paquets is a scary dish of sheep’s feet and tripe (no amount of Provençal sauce can hide this flavor). Tourte de blettes is a confused “pie” made with Swiss chard; both savory and sweet, it can’t decide whether it should be a first course or dessert (it shows up as both).
Eat goat cheese (fromage de chèvre) in Provence. Look for banon de banon or banon à la feuille (dipped in eau-de-vie brandy to kill bad mold, then wrapped in a chestnut leaf), spicy picodon (the name means “spicy” in the old language), or the fresh, creamy brousse du Rove (often served mixed with cream and sugar for dessert). On Provençal cheese platters, you’ll find small rounds of bite-size chèvres, each flavored with a different herb or spice—and some even rolled in chopped garlic.
Desserts tend to be light and fruit-filled, or traditionally French. Treat yourself to fresh tarts made with seasonal fruit, regional Cavaillon melons (cantaloupes, served cut in half with a trickle of the sweet Rhône wine Beaumes-de-Venise), and ice cream or sorbet sweetened with honey and flavored with various herbs such as lavender, thyme, or rosemary. Don’t miss the region’s delicious cherries and apricots, which are often turned into jams and candied fruits.
Remember, most restaurants serve only during lunch (12:00-14:00) and dinner (19:00-21:00, later in bigger cities), but some cafés serve food throughout the day. For details on dining in France’s restaurants, cafés, and brasseries, getting takeout, and assembling a picnic—as well as a rundown of French cuisine—see the “Eating” section in the Practicalities chapter.
For many, a highlight of a visit to Provence is tasting its lovely wines. Enjoying a glass of Rhône wine—especially when poured by someone whose family name has been on the label for two centuries—is a memorably rich, and quintessentially Provençal, experience.
The American wine-tasting experience (I’m thinking Napa Valley) is generally informal, chatty, and entrepreneurial (logo-adorned baseball caps and golf shirts). Although Provençal vintners are welcoming and more easygoing than in other parts of France, it’s still a serious, wine-focused experience. Your hosts are not there to make small talk, and they’re likely to be “all business.” Still, Provence’s shorts-and-T-shirt climate and abundance of hearty, reasonably priced wines make for an enjoyable experience, particularly if you’re patient and willing to learn. See the “French Wine-Tasting 101” sidebar later in this chapter for the basics.
Provence saw the first grapes planted in France, in about 600 BC, by the Greeks. Romans built on what the Greeks started, realizing 2,000 years ago that Provence had an ideal climate for producing wine: mild winters and long, warm summers—but not too hot, thanks to the cooling winds. This sunbaked, wine-happy region offers Americans a chance to sample wines blended from several grapes—resulting in flavors unlike anything we get at home.
In France, wine production is strictly controlled by the government to preserve the overall quality. This ensures that vintners use specified grapes that grow best in that region and follow certain grape-growing procedures. The Appellation d’Origine Controlée (AOC) label found on many bottles is the government’s seal of approval, indicating that a wine has met various requirements. The type and percentages of grapes used, vinification methods, and taste are all controlled and verified.
Provençal vintners can blend wines using a maximum of 13 different types of grapes (5 white and 8 red)—unique in France. Only in Châteauneuf-du-Pape are all 13 grapes used; most vintners blend 4 or 5 types of grapes. (In Burgundy and Alsace, only one grape variety is used for each wine—so pinot noir, chardonnay, Riesling, Tokay, and pinot gris are each 100 percent from that grape.) This blending allows Provençal winemakers great range in personalizing their wine. The most prevalent types of red grapes are grenache, mourvèdre, syrah, carignan, and cinsault. The white grapes include grenache blanc, roussanne, marsanne, bourboulenc, and clairette.
There are three primary growing areas in Provence: Côtes du Rhône, Côtes de Provence, and Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence. A few wines are also made along the Provençal Mediterranean coast. All regions produce rich, fruity reds and dry, fresh rosés. Only about 5 percent of wine produced here is white (the best of which comes from Cassis and Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Most Provençal whites are light, tart, with plenty of citrus and minerals, and work best as a predinner drink or in a kir.
In Provence, I often drink rosé instead of white. French rosé is generally crisp and fruity, a perfect match to the hot days and Mediterranean cuisine. Rosé wines are made from red grapes. After the grapes are crushed, their clear juice is left in contact with their dark-red skins just long enough to produce the pinkish color (no more than 24 hours). Rosés from Tavel (20 minutes northwest of Avignon) are the darkest in color and considered among the best in Provence, but you’ll find many good producers at affordable prices in other areas as well. If you’re unaccustomed to drinking rosés, try one here.
Provençal wines are also reasonably priced in grocery stores (€5-10/bottle on average). Look for wines from Gigondas, Rasteau, Cairanne, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vacqueyras, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. For the cheapest but still tasty wines, look for labels showing Côtes du Rhône Villages or Côtes de Provence. For reds, splurge for Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Gigondas, and for a fine aperitif wine or a dessert wine, try the Muscat from Beaumes-de-Venise.
Here’s some terminology to help you decipher what you’ll see on bottles:
appellation: area in which a wine’s grapes are grown
bouquet: bouquet (the fragrance when first opened)
cépage: grape variety (syrah, chardonnay, etc.)
côte, côteaux: hillside or slope
domaine: wine estate
étiquette: label
fût, tonneau: wine barrel
grand vin: excellent wine
millésimé: wine from a given year
mis en bouteille au château/au domaine: estate-bottled (bottled where it was made)
vin de table: house wine (can be a blend of several wines)
vin de pays: wine from a given area (a step up from vin de table)
The king of Provençal wines hails from the Côtes du Rhône, the area along the Rhône River from just south of Lyon to near Avignon. My focus is on the southern section, roughly from Vaison-la-Romaine to Avignon (though wine lovers should also try the big, complex reds found in the northern Rhône wines of St-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cornas, as well as the tasty whites of Condrieu). The wines of the southern Rhône are consistently good, sometimes exceptional, and usually inexpensive. The reds are full-bodied, rosés are dry and fruity, and whites are dry and fragrant. (For more on this wine region, including a self-guided driving tour of the area’s villages and vintners, see the Côtes du Rhône chapter.)
Many subareas of the southern Côtes du Rhône are recognized for producing outstandingly good wines, and have been awarded their own appellations (like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Beaumes-de-Venise, Côtes de Ventoux, Tavel, and Côtes du Luberon). Wines often are named for the villages that produce them. The “Côtes du Rhône Villages” appellation is less prestigious, covering 20 villages on the eastern side of the Côtes du Rhône, including Séguret, Sablet, Rasteau, and Cairanne. Strict guidelines govern the production of these wines (called appellation controllée).
Here’s a summary of what you might find on a Côtes du Rhône carte des vins (wine list):
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Almost all wines from this famous village are reds (often blends; the most dominant grapes are grenache, mourvèdre, and syrah). These wines have a velvety quality and can be spicy, with flavors of licorice and prunes. A few delicious whites are made here and worth sampling. Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wines merit lengthy aging. Château de Beaucastel, Le Vieux Télégraphe, Clos des Papes, and Château la Nerthe are traditionally considered among the best producers. Domaine Roger Sabon and Domaine Durieu are up-and-coming producers. You should find most of these wines in North America.
Gigondas: These wines have many of the same qualities as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but are lesser known and usually cheaper. Gigondas red wines are spicy, meaty, and can be pretty tannic. Again, aging is necessary to bring out the full qualities of the wine. Near Gigondas look for Domaine du Terme, Domaine Les Goubert, or Château de Montmirail. The following places also make fine Gigondas—and are more scenically set along my Côtes du Rhône wine road tour: Domaines de Coyeux and Cassan (both near La Fare), or Domaine de la Garance in Suzette.
Beaumes-de-Venise: While this village produces reds that are rich and flavorful, Beaumes-de-Venise is most famous for its Muscat—a sweet, fragrant wine usually served as an aperitif or with dessert. It often has flavors of apricots and peaches, and it should be consumed within two years of bottling. Try Domaine de Coyeux, Domaine de Durban, and Château Redortier, or visit the cave coopérative in Beaumes-de-Venise.
Rasteau: This village sits across the valley from Gigondas and shares many of its qualities—at lower prices. Rasteau makes fine rosés, robust (at times “rough”) and fruity reds, and a naturally sweet wine (Vin Doux Naturel). Their Côtes du Rhône Villages can be excellent. The cooperative in Rasteau is good, as are the wines from Domaine des Girasols and Domaine de Beaurenard.
Sablet: This village lies down in the valley below Gigondas and makes decent, fruity, and inexpensive reds and rosés.
Tavel: The queen of French rosés comes from this area 20 minutes north and west of Avignon, close to Pont du Gard. Tavel produces a rosé that is dry, crisp, higher in alcohol, darker, and more full-bodied than other rosés from the region. Look for any rosé from Tavel.
The lesser-known vineyards of the Côtes de Provence run east from Aix-en-Provence almost to St-Tropez. Typical grapes are cinsault, mourvèdre, grenache, carignan, and a little cabernet sauvignon and syrah. The wines are commonly full-bodied and fruity and are meant to be drunk when they’re young. They cost less than Côtes du Rhônes wines and have similar characteristics. But the region is most famous for its “big” rosés that can be served with meat and garlic dishes (rosé accounts for 60 percent of production).
For one-stop shopping, make it a point to find the superb La Maison des Vins Côtes de Provence on RN-7 in Les Arcs-sur-Argens (a few minutes north of the A-8 autoroute, about halfway between Aix-en-Provence and Nice). This English-speaking wine shop and tasting center represents hundreds of producers, selling bottles at vineyard prices and offering good and free tastings (daily 10:00-19:00, Oct-March until 18:00 and closed all day Sun, tel. 04 94 99 50 20, www.maison-des-vins.fr).
France is peppered with wineries and wine-tasting opportunities. For some, trying to make sense of the vast range of French wines can be overwhelming, particularly when faced with a no-nonsense winemaker or sommelier. Do your best to follow my tips, and don’t linger if you don’t feel welcome.
Visit several private wineries or stop by a cave coopérative or a caveau to taste wines from a number of local vintners in a single, less intimidating setting. (Throughout this book, I’ve tried to identify which vineyards are most accepting of wine novices.) At wineries, you’ll have a better experience if you call ahead to let them know you’re coming (even if it’s open all day; ask your hotelier for help). Avoid visiting places between noon and 14:00: Many wineries close midday, and those that don’t are staffed by people who would rather be at lunch.
Winemakers and sommeliers are usually happy to work with you...especially if they can figure out what you want. It helps to know what you like (drier or sweeter, lighter or full-bodied, fruity or more tannic, and so on). The people serving you may know those words in English, but you’re wise to learn the key words in French (see next page).
French wines usually have a lower alcohol level than American or Australian wines. While Americans commonly like a big, full-bodied wine, most French prefer subtler flavors. They judge a wine by how well it pairs with a meal—and a big, oaky wine would overwhelm most French cuisine. The French enjoy sampling younger wines and divining how they will taste in a few years, allowing them to buy bottles at cheaper prices and stash them in their cellars. Americans want it now—for today’s picnic.
At tastings, vintners and wine shops are hoping you’ll buy a bottle or two (otherwise you may be asked to pay a small tasting fee). They understand that North Americans can’t take much wine with them, but they do hope you’ll look for their wines when you’re back home. Some places will ship wine—ask.
Here are some phrases to get you started when wine-tasting:
Hello, madam/sir.
Bonjour, madame/monsieur.
(bohn-zhoor, mah-dahm/muhs-yuh)
We would like to taste a few wines.
Nous voudrions déguster quelques vins.
(noo voo-dree-ohn day-gew-stay kehl-kuh van)
We would like a wine that is ____ and ____.
Nous voudrions un vin ____ et ____.
(noo voo-dree-ohn uhn van ____ ay ____)
Fill in the blanks with your favorites from this list:
| English | French |
| red | rouge (roozh) |
| white | blanc (blahn) |
| rosé | rosé (roh-zay) |
| light | léger (lay-zhay) |
| full-bodied | robuste (roh-bewst) |
| fruity | fruité (frwee-tay) |
| sweet | doux (doo) |
| tannic | tannique (tah-neek) |
| fine | fin, avec finesse (fan, ah-vehk fee-nehs) |
| ready to drink (mature) | prêt à boire (preh ah bwar) |
| not ready to drink | fermé (fair-may) |
| oaky or woody | boisé (bwah-zay) |
| from old vines | de vieilles vignes (duh vee-yay-ee veen-yuh) |
| sparkling | pétillant (pay-tee-yahn) |
This large growing region, between Les Baux and Aix-en-Provence, produces some interesting reds, whites, and rosés. Commonly used grapes are the same as in Côtes de Provence, though several producers (mainly around Les Baux) use a higher concentration of cabernet sauvignon, which helps distinguish their wines. The vintners around Les Baux produce some exceptionally good wines, and many of their vineyards are organic. The tiny wine-producing area of Palette houses only three wineries, all of which make exceptional rosés; one (Château Simone) also makes a delicious white wine. The Côtes de Provence-Sainte-Victoire wineries, with their beautiful views of Mont Ste-Victoire (famously painted by Cézanne), also produce some excellent rosés.
The game of boules—also called pétanque—is the horseshoes of France. Invented here in the early 1900s, it’s a social yet serious sport, and endlessly entertaining to watch—even more so if you understand the rules.
The game is played with heavy metal balls and a small wooden target ball called a cochonnet (piglet). Whoever gets his boule closest to the cochonnet is awarded points. Teams commonly have specialist players: a pointeur and a tireur. The pointeur’s goal is to lob his balls as close to the target as he can. The tireur’s job is to blast away opponents’ boules.
In teams of two, each player gets three boules. The starting team traces a small circle in the dirt (in which players must stand when launching their boules), and tosses the cochonnet about 30 feet to establish the target. The boule must be thrown underhand, and can be rolled, launched sky-high, or rocketed at its target. The first pointeur shoots, then the opposing pointeur shoots until his boule gets closer. Once the second team lands a boule nearest the cochonnet, the first team goes again. If the other team’s boule is very near the cochonnet, the tireur will likely attempt to knock it away.
Once all boules have been launched, the tally is taken. The team with a boule closest to the cochonnet wins the round, and they receive a point for each boule closer to the target than their opponents’ nearest boule. The first team to get to 13 points wins. A regulation boules field is 10 feet by 43 feet, but the game is played everywhere—just scratch a throwing circle in the sand, toss the cochonnet, and you’re off.
Barely east of Marseille, Cassis and Bandol sit side by side, overlooking the Mediterranean. Though very close together, they are designated as separate wine-growing areas because of the distinctive nature of their wines. Cassis is one of France’s smallest wine regions and is known for its strong, fresh, and very dry whites (made with the Marsanne grape)—arguably the best white wine in Provence. Bandol is known for its luscious, velvety reds. This wine, aged in old oak and made primarily from the mourvèdre grape, is one of your author’s favorites.