ProvenceRomance

No other region of France stirs the imagination and stimulates the senses as strongly as Provence. The soft light and its vivid landscape of pastel colors have inspired writers and artists like F. Scott Fitzgerald， Van Gogh and Picasso. Whereas Provence already attracted painters and foreign visitors a long time ago， it still attracts a lot of Francophiles. Hills covered with thyme， olive groves and lavender fields set off old villages.

Almost as soon as you enter Provence， you come across these marvelous fields of lavender. Just breathe and follow your sense of smell！ The perfume from these fields stretching before your enchanted eyes becomes heady very quickly.

Many of the cities in Provence were founded by Roman colonists and still contain striking ruins which remind visitors of the Empire’s glorious past. The fragrant countryside， redolent with wild herbs， is scattered with historic， fortified medieval towns such as Avignon and Aix-en-Provence， while the ancient Roman towns like Orange and Arles are famous for their great monuments， arches and coliseums. On the coast is the great port of Marseille， a melting pot of cultures so in contrast to the traditional social landscape of most French provincial towns.

Orange is a lovely city full of Roman sights. As soon as you come inside the gates you will find yourself in the midst of Roman civilization with the Arch of Triumph （three arches） standing majestically over the city. Another marvel， listed as a monument of the world， is the famous Antique Theater built in the early days of Christianity. The ancient capital of Provence， Aix-en-Provence is worth a detour as well as Arles， one of the most important agricultural and industrial centers in France. Arles came into prosperity during the Roman Empire and has been an important town ever since. Vincent Van Gogh lived here for over a year and painted 200 paintings here. Some of the buildings and squares he painted can still be seen around town. Of course the majestic city of Avignon with its walls may not be missed. Avignon is a great city in the south of France and is home to the beautiful Pope’s Palace.

The beauty of the lavender fields is indescribable. The fragrant and tiny flower not only enchants all who behold it but manages to bring in big tourist dollars along the “Lavender Route，” a wide purple swath that connects over 2000 producers across the flora area in Provence. Lavender has colored the landscape and brought prosperity and clean smells to village life since the Middle Ages. The word itself comes from the Latin lavare， which means “to wash.” Since its discovery in ancient， unrecorded times， it has been used for anything from perfume to cleansers to tonics for the prevention of freckles. Although the harvest doesn’t start until July， the best season to wander about the fields is between June and early September. The most generous patches of color are along the edge of Mont Ventoux. Here， the fields are simply glorious. Arranged in nodding little rows， the lavender seems to stripe the landscape， maturing from baby blue to deep mauve amidst a haze of bees. A walk or a bicycle ride—in season—is like being transported into a magical world， one usually only found on a picture-perfect postcard.

There is probably no better excuse for sitting down in one of the vineyards， tasting a glass of the famous wine and then indulging in the delicious cuisine of Provence. Influenced by traditional French， Italian， and North African cuisine， the food and drink of Provence presents a variety of tastes which are sure to please. Ros？ de Provence is the famous local wine. The wine is fresh and fruity. It is a good companion to any meal with food coming from the Mediterranean Sea and Provence. Tomatoes， garlic and olive oils are the most important ingredients of almost any meal in Provence.

The word “lavender” conjures up images of purple fields that extend as far as the eye can see， and whose subtle perfume delights those who travel up and down the roads of Provence during harvest season. In fact， Provence is a beautiful region all year long. Low-cost and convenient transportation has made Provence increasingly accessible. Come to Provence and experience it yourself！ You will definitely enjoy the winding and picturesque roads lined with vineyards or purple fields releasing heady perfume.