The south of France is famous for its hilltop villages, fields of lavender, rocky beaches, open-air markets filled with fresh produce and locally-made pottery, colorful houses crammed together on cobblestoned streets, sunflowers everywhere, bull fighting, Roman monuments, and tree-lined streets. While those are some of the (many!) reasons I love the south of France, there is so much more to discover!
Did you know there is a region called La Camargue, where you will find wild white horses, black bulls, and bright pink salt marshes (see photos below)? Have you ever heard of the Verdon Gorge? It's France's Grand Canyon and is absolutely stunning! Did you know that you can visit some of the most famous Roman structures in the world, such as the Pont du Gard in Uzès or the Arena in Nîmes? Have you ever heard of Carcassonne? It's the largest medieval city in all of Europe and it's gorgeous! Did you know that in Provence, they believe that cicadas bring good luck, which is why you will see ceramic cicadas on front doors and all over town. Are you a fan of Van Gogh? He was a major fan of Provence and lived there until his untimely death, and you can see Provence through his eyes in many of his paintings.
Southern France is one of my all time favorite places in the world and I know you will love it too! (We do a whole unit on Provence in my advanced classes, so stick around to find out!)
Make sure you scroll down past the photos to see all sorts of cool videos about the south of France!
See some of the wonders (les merveilles) of Provence in this quick drone video:
You will be amazed by the walled city of Carcassonne! It is magical! Come discover this amazing medieval city below:
Carcassonne is known for its July 14th firework display. You can get a sneak peek of it right here:
Here is a great video (in English) about the Pont du Gard and the Arena in Nîmes:
Come for a quick ride down les Gorges du Verdon (the Grand Canyon of France):
I'm sure you've heard of ratatouille, which is dish that comes from southern France made of vegetables. Watch below to see how it's made: