Provence is a trendy region in southeastern France. It has been drawing crowds for years with its charming climate. It seems as if the people of Provence live a slower and more peaceful life than other French people, which is the envy of visitors. When going on a trip to this region, it is worth asking yourself: what is Provence famous for?
Fields of lavender
The first association most people have when thinking of Provence is… lavender. No wonder – the region boasts enormous crops of this plant. Its most beautiful form, full bloom, can be admired in Provence from the end of June.
Every Provençal town has at least one lavender store, where you can buy lavender cosmetics, bath salts, essential oils, fragrant soaps, and even teas with lavender extract loved by tourists. Also not to be overlooked is dried lavender, purchasable in pouches, which is great for freshening up a closet of clothes.
Provençal Venice
Although Venice is the domain of Italy, Provence also boasts its waterfront town. We’re talking about Isle Sur la Sorgue, a charming place where all the buildings are built on islands located in the flowing Sorgue River. In the town, one can encounter rotating mill wheels and numerous bridges at almost every turn.
Isle Sur la Sorgue is known around the world not only for its analogy to Venice. It is also the capital of antique shops – there are now more than 300 in the city, with merchants from all over the world flocking here each year to stock up on new and valuable acquisitions. It is also worth mentioning the August tradition of the city – every year a floating market is held here, during which it is possible to buy anything – but from boats floating on the river.
Carrieres de Lumieres – a gallery in a quarry
The small but picturesque town of Les Baux de Provence attracts hundreds of tourists every year. Their main purpose, however, is not to visit the castle’s ruins or the townhouses, but the quarries, known as the Carrieres de Lumieres gallery.
The vast caves were converted into a sound and image gallery as early as the 1970s. During the season, 30-minute sessions are popular here, with more than a hundred projectors projecting thematic images on the walls of the grottoes. These extraordinary exhibitions are accompanied by a specially composed soundtrack, making every show at the Carrieres de Lumieres gallery an unforgettable experience.
