©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Provence & the Côte d’Azur Haute-Provence & theSouthernAlps Avignon p245 &Around p193 Nice,Monaco Hill Townsof &Menton p44 theLuberon Cannes& p230 Arles&the Around Camargue p79 p177 Marseilleto St-Tropez Aix-en-Provence to Toulon p141 p109 THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Alexis Averbuck, Oliver Berry, Nicola Williams PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to Provence NICE, MONACO & Haut-Var . 122 & the Côte d’Azur . 4 MENTON . 44 East of Draguignan .....122 Provence & the Nice . 45 West of Draguignan .....125 Côte d’Azur Map . 6 Arrière-Pays Niçois . 58 Massif des Maures . 128 Provence & the Côte Peillon. 58 La Garde Freinet ........128 d’Azur’s Top 16 . 8 Peille ...................58 Village des Tortues ......128 Need to Know . 16 The Three Corniches . 58 Collobrières & Around ...128 First Time Provence Corniche Inférieure ......58 Corniche des Maures . 129 & the Côte d’Azur . 18 Moyenne Corniche .......61 Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer What’s New . 20 Grande Corniche ........61 to Le Lavandou .........129 Monaco . 62 If You Like . 21 Bormes-les-Mimosas ...132 Roquebrune- Month by Month . 24 Îles d’Hyères Cap- Martin . 73 & Îles du Fun . 133 Itineraries . 26 Menton & Around . 74 Île de Porquerolles ......133 Menton .................74 Staying in Provence . 29 Île de Port-Cros ........136 Ste-Agnès & Gorbio ......77 Île du Levant ...........136 Eat & Drink Like a Local . 31 Toulon & Around . 137 CANNES Hyères & Presqu’île Outdoor Experiences . 35 & AROUND . 79 de Giens ...............137 Travel with Children . 38 Cannes to Biot . 82 Toulon .................138 Regions at a Glance . 40 Cannes .................82 Towards Marseille . 139 Îles de Lérins ............88 Sanary-sur-Mer ........139 Antibes-Juan-les-Pins. .89 Bandol & Around .......140 LOTTIE DAVIES / LONELY PLANET © PLANET LONELY / DAVIES LOTTIE Biot ....................94 The Arrière-Pays . 95 MARSEILLE St-Paul de Vence ........95 TO AIX-EN- Vence ..................96 PROVENCE . 141 Grasse ................100 Marseille . 144 Mougins ...............103 Around Marseille . 165 Massif de l’Estérel . 105 Les Calanques .........165 Corniche de l’Estérel ....105 Cassis .................167 St-Raphaël .............106 Côte Bleue .............168 Fréjus .................106 Pays d’Aix . 168 Aix-en-Provence ........168 ST-TROPEZ TO TOULON . 109 ARLES & THE Presqu’île de CAMARGUE . 177 St-Tropez . 112 Arles ..................180 St-Tropez .............. 112 Camargue The Peninsula .......... 119 Countryside ............186 PROVENÇAL CHEESES P284 Golfe de St-Tropez ......122 Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer. 190 Contents UNDERSTAND AVIGNON Vaugines & Cucuron ....244 Provence & the & AROUND . 193 Ansouis ...............244 Côte d’Azur Today . 266 Avignon . 196 South of Lourmarin .....244 History . 268 Around Avignon . 204 Painters in Provence Villeneuve-lès- HAUTE-PROVENCE & the Côte d’Azur . 276 Avignon ...............204 & THE SOUTHERN Cinema & the Arts . 280 North of Avignon . 205 ALPS . 245 Châteauneuf-du-Pape ...205 Provençal Food Pays de Forcalquier . 248 & Wine . 284 Orange ................207 Forcalquier & Around ...248 Vaison-la-Romaine. .209 St-Michel l’Observatoire ..........249 Dentelles de SURVIVAL Montmirail ............. 211 Simiane La Rotonde ....250 Mont Ventoux ..........213 Banon .................250 GUIDE Carpentras & Around ...215 Vallée de East of Avignon . 218 la Durance . 250 Directory A–Z . 290 Pernes-les-Fontaines. .218 Gorges du Verdon . 251 Transport . 297 L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue .....218 Lacs de Ste-Croix Language . 303 Fontaine-de-Vaucluse ...220 & de Quinson ..........253 Pays de Venasque ......221 Moustiers Ste-Marie Index . .. 312 & Around ..............253 Les Alpilles . 222 Castellane & Around ....255 Map Legend . .. 319 St-Rémy-de-Provence ...222 Parc National Nîmes & Around .......226 du Mercantour . 256 Digne-les-Bains ........256 HILL TOWNS OF Vallée de L’Ubaye .......257 THE LUBERON . 230 Vallée du Haut Verdon ...259 Vaucluse Mountains . 231 Vallée du Haut-Var ......260 Gordes & Around .......231 Vallée de la Tinée .......261 Roussillon .............235 Vallée de la Vésubie .....262 St-Saturnin-lès-Apt Vallée de la Roya .......263 & Around ..............236 Apt . 237 Le Grand Luberon . 239 SPECIAL Buoux .................239 Saignon & Around ......239 FEATURES Monte Carlo Le Petit Luberon . 240 Casino in 3D . 64 Bonnieux ..............240 Vieux Port in 3D . 146 Lacoste ...............242 Ménerbes ..............242 Lavender Guide . 158 Oppède-le-Vieux ........243 Provençal Food South of the & Wine . 284 Luberon Mountains . 243 Lourmarin .............243 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 26 Itineraries ITALY Orange #• É É É #• Avignon É Luberon #• #• Moustiers Nîmes Ste-Marie#• É St-Paul É Monaco de Vence Nice #• #• Gor #• ges #• Ver du #• Èze don Grasse É É #• Haut-Var MEDITERRANEAN SEA 2 WEEKS Essential Provence-Côte d’Azur All the classics in one easy itinerary: along the coast, into the hills and back again, via gorges, villages, vineyards, Roman ruins and lavender fields. Fly to Nice. On day two, mooch around Vieux Nice and amble along the Promenade des Anglais. On day three, catch a bus to stunning Èze to feast on views; head to Mona- co for lunch and enjoy the rest of the day in the principality. Catch a train back to Nice. On day four, pick up a rental car and drive to the medieval wonder of St-Paul de Vence and its art galleries. On day five, drive to Moustiers Ste-Marie along the scenic N85, stopping in Grasse on the way for an insight into the town’s perfume industry. Spend the following day in Gorges du Verdon. Explore the villages of the Luberon on days seven and eight, and on day nine head to Avignon. Enjoy the city for a day, and take a day trip to Orange or Nîmes on day 11. On days 12 and 13, head to the Haut-Var for hilltop villages and vineyards, before returning to Nice. 27 Pays de Forcalquier Avignon#• #• É Gordes #• É Roussillon #• É É Lacoste #• É #• St-Rémy-de- #• Bonnieux Ménerbes É Provence #• É Vaugines PLAN YOUR TRIP Les Baux-de- #•#• Cucuron Maussane- #• Lourmarin É Provence #• les-Alpilles #• É Luberon Arles É É #• É É É É #• Gorges du Verdon #• Camargue Aix-en- IT É #• Provence I NERAR Étang de Port de É Fos Golfe É I Galbert ES de Fos MEDITERRANEAN SEA #• Marseille É Cities & the Camargue É #• Les Calanques Quintessential Provence #f 1 Cities & the 1 Quintessential WEEK Camargue WEEK Provence A mix of city and countryside, starting in This trip captures the essence of Provence, the bustling port city of Marseille and fol- starting in bustling Avignon and ending in lowed by some clifftop hiking, art apprecia- the mighty Gorges du Verdon, with stops tion, Roman history and flamingo spotting. at some of the area’s dreamiest villages This entire itinerary can be done by public and most photogenic sights en route. transport. Spend day one in Avignon, exploring Spend your first day exploring Mar- the old town and the Palais des Papes. seille: the Vieux Port, the historic Le On day two, drive down to St-Rémy-de- Panier quarter and the art scene. On day Provence in Les Alpilles. Explore Glanum two, take a boat trip to Les Calanques and visit the asylum where Van Gogh spent or visit Château d’If before heading up the last – but most productive – year of his to Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde for short life. On day three, take a day trip to panoramic views of the city and the sea. Les Baux-de-Provence: visit the ruined Go for dinner in the picturesque Vallon castle and go olive-oil tasting around des Auffes. On day three, head to Aix-en- Maussane-les-Alpilles in the afternoon. to visit Cézanne’s studio, his Provence On day four, drive to the and family house and the Bibemus quarries Luberon spend the afternoon exploring a trio of where he painted. Treat yourself to dinner lovely villages: , and at one of Aix’ fine restaurants. Bonnieux Lacoste Ménerbes. On day five, visit Gordes and On day four, head to Arles and dis- its Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque and cover the places that inspired Van Gogh. the ochre-coloured village of Roussil- Book a table for dinner at one of the city’s lon. On day six, pack a picnic and set off Michelin-starred establishments. On day to explore the gorges, forests and lavender five, immerse yourself in the town’s fine fields around Lourmarin, Vaugines and Roman heritage to learn about life in Ro- Cucuron. Treat yourself to dinner at the man times. Take a day trip to Camargue gastronomic Auberge La Fenière. On day on day six: hire bikes if you’re game, and seven, drive back to Avignon or carry on to don’t forget your binoculars for birdwatch- Pays de Forcalquier and the Gorges du ing. Head back to Marseille. Verdon for another three days. 28 É •#Lac d'Allos ITALY Barles •# PLAN YOUR TRIP É •# Digne-les-Bains É É •# Vallée des St-Martin- •# Merveilles É Vésubie É É IT Gorges du •# I Verdon •#Castellane NERAR É É Villefranche- sur-Mer Gorges du É •# I Loup É Menton ES É É •# •#Vence •# #_Monaco •# É •#•# Èze •# St-Paul Nice Grasse •# de Vence St-Jean-Cap Ferrat Classic Riviera Scenic Haute-Provence •# É Mougins MEDITERRANEAN SEA Scenic 10 10 Classic Riviera DAYS Haute-Provence DAYS It’s time to tear yourself away from the This tour captures all the Côte d’Azur’s coast and explore the mighty, majestic unmissable sights. You can do the first Alps. Amazingly, just an hour’s drive north part by bus and train, but for the full Rivi- of Nice, you’ll find yourself surrounded era experience a car is preferable – and a by mountain scenery – perfect for hiking, convertible would be better still. biking and wildlife-spotting. Dedicate your first couple of days to the Start in Nice – enjoy a day of urban de- belle of the Côte d’Azur: Nice. Stroll in light in Vieux Nice before hitting the road Vieux Nice and browse the market stalls of on day two.