Drive Around Provence & Cote d'Azur, 2nd; Your guide to great drives. Top 25 Tours.

by Andrew Sanger

• ISBN13: 9781841577821
• ISBN10: 1841577820
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2007-07-01
• Publisher: Thomas Cook Publishing

Summary

This guide expertly divides Provence into touring areas - one per chapter. The best of Provence is included, from the landscapes that inspired Van Gogh and Cezanne to the glitzy resorts of the Mediterranean and the magnificent remains of Arles, Nimes and Orange.The guide features the sights of Avignon, the olive groves and hilly countryside of upper and southern Vaucluse, the natural wildlife and amazing scenery of the Carmague, France's second largest city Marseille, the western coast, the Alpes, St-Tropez peninsula, the Esterel coast, Cannes, Nice, Monaco and the coastline of the Riviera.

Table of Contents

About Drive Around Guides	p. 8
Provence at a glance	p. 10
Introduction	p. 12
Travel facts	p. 14
Driver's guide	p. 23
Getting to Provence and the Cote d'Azur	p. 29
Setting the scene	p. 32
Touring itineraries	p. 39
Avignon: City of medieval grandeur and power	p. 41
The Upper Vaucluse: Ancient olive groves and stone-built farms	p. 51
Luberon and Southern Vaucluse: Fragrant hillsides, rocks and ravines	p. 62
Gard: Roman aqueduct straddling the green Gard valley	p. 74
Nimes: Roman remains and denim jeans	p. 82
Les Baux and Les Alpilles: Lofty fortified villages perched on the crags	p. 90
Arles: Van Gogh's inspiration on the banks of the Rhone	p. 100
The Camargue: Birds, bulls and white horses in Europe's largest wetland	p. 108
Marseille: Exhilarating contrasts in this energetic port	p. 120
The West Provence Coast: Picturesque ports and fishing harbours	p. 130
Hyeres and the lies d'Or: Palm-fringed islands in a sea of blue	p. 138
Aix-en-Provence and Cezanne Country: Capital of Provence and the epitome of elegance	p. 146
The Alpes de Haute Provence: Limestone ranges forming a prelude to the Alps	p. 156
The Var Interior and the Grand Canyon du Verdon: Dramatic gorges along the River Verdon	p. 164
The Route Napoleon: Napoleon's route to the Alps after his escape from exile	p. 174
Les Maures: Sandy bays, high rocky cliffs and bijou resorts	p. 186
The St-Tropez Peninsula: Chic boutiques and beautiful people	p. 196
Esterel: Secretive region of sandy bays backed by rugged hills	p. 204
Cannes: Yacht-crammed marinas and shopping in style	p. 212
Cannes to Nice: Thrilling Mediterranean landscapes and gourmet food	p. 220
Nice: The sophisticated 'Queen of the Riviera'	p. 232
The Riviera Corniches: Extravagant curves, dramatic gradients and stunning scenery	p. 242
Monaco: A mini-state and abode of the super-rich	p. 254
Nice to Tende: Unspoiled backwaters on the Italian border	p. 262
To the Mercantour: Ski resorts within an hour's drive of the sea	p. 272
Language	p. 282
Index	p. 283
Feedback form	p. 287
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

"During the long summer months, millions of people come here, some with a rucksack, some with a Rolls Royce. They pour down the Rhône Valley and cover the coast from Marseille to Monaco. And yet strangely the deep heart of Provence is little visited. It feels as if it has no connection with the dazzling world of the Côte d'Azur."

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Excerpted from Drive Around Provence and the Cote D'Azur by Andrew Sanger
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.