The "département" of Bouches-du-Rhône offers an outstanding range of things to see and do. From coastal coves to the Camargue marshes, and from the Alpilles range to Montagne Sainte-Victoire, Mother Nature has ensured that she has plenty of space in which to sun herself, producing landscapes that are as fascinating as they are varied.
From Marseille, with its 26 centuries of history and ever-present zest for life, to the villages perched on hilltops overlooking olive groves, there are plenty of venues to quench any visitor's thirst for something different.
The traditional friendliness of the local people is one of the major attractions of this area. It is a reflection of the lifestyle that Bouches-du-Rhône offers to share with its visitors.
This is an area full of different geographical features. The towns developed, hemmed in between the mountain ranges known as l'Etoile, le Garlaban and la Sainte-Baume to the north and east, and the Mediterranean to the south. The roadstead or natural harbour spreading out along the rugged coastline explains the maritime vocation of the city and its people from the very earliest times. Marseille is the oldest town in France, and its largest harbour.
Outside the city, the roadstead, hills and coves form a seemingly endless area ideal for relaxation, sport and adventure. Cassis and La Ciotat to the east are the main gateways to the area of coves known as "Les Calanques" and to the cliffs on Cap Canaille, an immense coastal area that is fascinating for its stony, rocky scenery. The beaches, café terraces, boat trips and games of "pétanque" are the main attractions. Aubagne, an inland town, stretches out along the foot of the hills so dear to author Marcel Pagnol.
Like the Alpilles, this area is part of inland Provence. To the north, the River Durance and Luberon regional country park form a superb natural boundary.
This is a land of alternating plains and hills, ideal for both farming and urban life. Two towns have developed here, Aix-en-Provence and Salon-de-Provence.
Jutting up above the western skyline like a sentinel is Montagne Sainte-Victoire (altitude 1,011 metres), which is recognisable from some distance away. It is famous throughout the world thanks to Cézanne's paintings. The town of Aix-en-Provence at the foot of the mountain attracts sightseers because it was once the capital of Provence.
This is another of the areas in inland Provence, in the north-west of the "département" of Bouches-du-Rhône, south of Avignon and the River Durance, and east of the River Rhône. It is a land of small hills and valleys, vineyards and olive groves. It is crossed from east to west by the Alpilles range.
This is the traditional hinterland, famous for its regional writers, Alphonse Daudet and Frédéric Mistral. Saint-Rémy provided a refuge for painter Vincent Van Gogh who produced his greatest masterpieces here, full of sunflowers and cypress trees. The villages are surrounded by lush farmland and the local lifestyle is elegant and refined.
This is a land of rivers, marshes, the sea and plains; it is a land flanked by sky and water. Located to the west of the "département" of Bouches-du-Rhône, the Arles area lies only slightly above the level of the Rhône Delta and the old alluvial plains, on the shores of the Mediterranean.
It boasts unspoilt scenery in which the sea, river and lakes combine and blend while animals and wildlife fill the natural environment (birds, bulls, horses, sheep etc).
Arles is the local town with a history stretching back to Roman times, and it staunchly upholds the traditions of Provence and the Camargue. It has been included in UNESCO's World Heritage list.
The Martigues area has two facets, one centred on the lake, the other on the sea. Martigues was built at the water's edge, on land flanked by the sea on one side and the lake on the other. It is crisscrossed by canals and this has earned it the nickname, "the Venice of Provence".
The "Blue Coast" (Côte Bleue) is the seaside area, with tourism as its main industry. It is a jagged coastline of coves, creeks, harbours and beaches. Sightseeing venues include the fishing harbour in Carro and the fun-board spot, the coves in Ensuès la Redonne and Méjean, or the beaches of Carry-le-Rouet, Sausset-les-Pins and La Couronne. All types of water sports are enjoyed here e.g. sub-aqua, boat trips and fun board.
Marne
( 51 )
An holyday rental for 200 €
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Tarn
( 81 )
From the Montagne Noire, the southern tip of the Massif Central, to the wide, tranquil plains of the Agout and Tarn rivers, and from the rugged unspoilt Ségala region to the rounded hills of the Vaurais, gateway to the sprawling plains of the Lauragais, the Tarn offers an enormou...
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Destination:
Bouches du Rhone
