Will you marry “moi” ?

Whatever your definition of Provence is from the exceptional fabrics of Provence that you decorate your home with or the lavish “Savon de Marseilles” that you treat yourself to in the bath or where its exact boundaries are, one thing we can all agree upon, Provence is a very special land of extraordinary variety and sublime beauty. It encompasses dramatic landscape, fierce, rock-strewn plateaux, incredible deep gorges, mellow pasture-land, vineyards, olive groves, lavender and sunflower fields, salt marshes and the coastal strip with its lush Mediterranean vegetation. Provence is bathed in miraculously clear light; and hence the landscape that has inspired brilliance in both writers and artists for centuries.

Location:

Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

There are literally hundreds of awesome villages in Provence which would render my task very difficult and impossible to list them all; and so I have decided to tell you about the ones I am most familiar with and the ones I fell in love with…from Avignon to Antibes, Aix-en-Provence to Cannes, Dignes-les-Bains to Fréjus and Grasse, Marseilles, Menton, Nice and Orange, St Rémy-de-Provence, and of course St Tropez!

Antibes Ultimately, Antibes is a yachting town, with its massive port called Port-Vauban. Its inner harbor is home to several hundred vessels and the outer port shelters some of the world’s most prestigious yachts on a wide “quai” called the “Millionaires Row”. It’s a bit ritzy but worth your while if you enjoy Yacht-Watching. Antibes also houses the Picasso Museum, tons of restaurants and beautiful beaches.

Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence is the city of art, a city of light and activity. Aix is also a home of art schools and several universities, including some American. The town is filled with fountains, hundreds of fountains bubbling and splashing everywhere, quite a site. The restaurants are abundant and serve anything from fast-food to the highest haute-cuisine. Aix as it is referred to in France (don’t pronounce the “ix”, simply X, as in X marks the spot…). Aix is also home to Cézanne.

Cannes Ah Cannes!! Yes this is by far the queen of the French Riviera, famous for the Cannes International Film Festival and the glitzy hotels, cars and beaches. You never know which famous person you might run into here, a famous producer or perhaps Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Chances are you will never get a chance to speak to them before they are whisked away on their private yacht, it’s quite the town. The beaches are beautiful but I must warn you, you might also run into the stars cavorting topless on the sands… just look the other way! Don’t forget to take a stroll on the town’s most beautiful boulevard called “La Croisette”. This world-famous street, which runs along the shoreline of Cannes, is full of upscale shopping opportunities. It is lined with palm trees and pristine flower beds which are tended to 12 months out of the year. Naturally should you get bored at night you can always join the high-rollers at the casino.

Menton Ok let me breathe in and out now…. Oh! my goodness, this is an awesome town, you have to trust me now… This is by far my most beloved town in Provence, Menton is sheltered by mountains and only a stone’s throw from Italy! Menton has the best climate in France, and basks in an enchanted setting with I am told 300 days of sun a year… Wahoo! Menton is cozy and friendly, the people there speak Italian and French all at the same time with no trouble at all switching from one language to the other. But they also speak English not to worry. You see, at one point Menton was owned by the very powerful Grimaldi family in Monaco, you might remember your mom and dad telling you about a wonderful Prince Charming story about a girl from Philadelphia by the name of Grace Kelly who married Prince Rainier of the Grimaldi family in 1956, (okay okay, this was way before your time, but an important event for both France and the U.S.A,) and became the most loved princess in the world prior to of course our beloved Princess Diana of England. So the Grimaldi family ruled Menton from 1346 to 1848. Now a day Menton is on the French side. It is really an enchanting town, I won’t spend too much time talking about Menton only that it is my most favorite place, its romantic, the streets are adorned with beautiful flowers and citrus trees gracefully paired with Cinderella white lights . Anywhere you turn, you will smell lemon and orange trees which permeate the town. I don’t want to sound like a tour-guide, but you have to go to the Lemon festival. Yikes, there is nothing like it in the world! Have fun …

Nice Everyone has heard of Nice…. I don’t think I have to tell you about this town, very international and great things to do. I can only tell you that in my very humble opinion, this is where I tasted my very first favorite pizza!

Grasse Most people don’t really know Grasse, but should! This is the capital of Perfume, Fragrances and Love. Grasse is an Old Provencal town of towering buildings and narrow streets linked by steep flight of steps. Grasse is the capital of the perfume industry! Ever wanted to have your own wedding night scent? Well this is where you come, to Grasse! Grasse has had a prospering perfume industry since the end of the 18th century. Grasse is the center of the French perfume industry and is known as the world’s perfume capital (la capitale mondiale des parfums). Many “noses” are trained or have spent time in Grasse. It produces over two-thirds of France’s natural aromas (for perfume and for food flavorings). This industry turns over more than 600 million euros a year. I can talk until I am blue in the face, just go there!

St. Tropez or as the French call it “St. Trop”; in 1955 Roger Vadim created”And God Created Woman” in St. Tropez with Brigitte Bardot then wife of Roger Vadim. The St-Tropez season traditionally starts at Easter time and peaks in the frenzy of the national holiday month of August. Each year, in early October, a regatta is held in the bay of Saint-Tropez. This is a draw for many yachts, some up to 50 meters in length. Many tourists come to the location for this event or as a stop on their trip to Cannes, Marseille or Nice.

Gastronomy:

The cuisine of Provence is the result of the warm, dry Mediterranean climate; the rugged landscape, good for grazing sheep and goats but, outside of the Rhone Valley, with poor soil for large-scale agriculture; and the abundant seafood on the coast. The basic ingredients are olives and olive oil; garlic; sardines, rockfish, sea urchins and octopus; lamb and goat; chickpeas; local fruits, such as grapes, peaches, apricots, strawberries, cherries, and the very famous melons of Cavaillon, they are so delicious…

Bouillabaisse is the classic seafood dish of Marseille. The traditional version is made with three fish: rascasse, grondin, and congre plus an assortment of other fish and shellfish, such as saint-pierre. Lotte and sea urchins; crabs and sea spiders included for flavor. The seasoning is as important as the fish, including salt, pepper, onion, tomato, safron, fennel, sage, thyme, laurel, sometimes orange peel, and a cup of white wine or cognac. In Marseille the fish and the broth are served separately- the broth is served over thick slices of bread with rouille.

Ratatouille is a traditional dish of stewed vegetables, which originated in Nice.

Wines:

Pastis fis thé traditionnel liqueur of Provence, flavored with anise and typically containing 40–45% alcohol by volume. When absinthe was banned in France in 1915, the major absinthe producers (then Pernod Fils and Ricard, who have since merged as Pernod Ricard) reformulated their drink without the banned wormwood and with more anise flavor, from star anise, sugar and a lower alcohol content, creating pastis. It is usually drunk diluted with water, which it turns a cloudy color. It is especially popular in and around Marseille. Another very famous wine is the delectable Cote de Provence. Cotes de Provence is a wide area that covers the Cote-D’Azur on the French Riviera from Marseille to Nice. Contrary to what most people think in the U.S., rosé wine has nothing to do with the Zinfandel wines of California. In fact Cotes de Provence is both dry and fruity; it is usually served in the summer months and perfect paired with fresh salads or fish. Try it you will love it!

Climate:

Most of Provence has a Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers, mild winters, little snow, and abundant sunshine. Within Provence there are micro-climates and local variations, ranging from the Alpine climate inland from Nice to the continental climate in the northern Vaucluse. The winds of Provence are an important feature of the climate, particularly the mistral, a cold, dry wind which, especially in the winter, blows down the Rhone Valley to the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Var Departments, and often reaches over one hundred kilometers an hour.

If you have never been to Provence, now is the time to think about going… whether for a visit, a honey-moon or a destination wedding, you will not regret it!

A wedding in Provence: In a next article we will explore all the wonderful sites of Provence for a perfect “Provencal Wedding”

Stay tuned!!!

References: www.wikipedia.org, www.provence.com, The Discovery. Channel.com, The French Riviera.com, google.images.com, la france.discovery.com, chateauxandvillasweddings.com, www.Provence.com