The Côte d'Azur,the famous French Riviera which stretches fromHyères toMenton is set up to receive a large and rather affluent tourist clientele. The cities and coastline abound with first class hotels, in restaurants, chic boutiques,private beaches and luxury houses. Main cities areNice,Cannes,Saint Tropez...
But the coast is alsoCamargue and its keepers, and the great ports ofMarseille,Toulon andNice, all three, gateways to Africa since ancient times.

The heart of Provence is in the hills that bind the sea to the alps. These are the sloping vineyards; the cultivated lands and the colorful scenery that charmed Cezanne (Aix en Provence), Van Gogh (Arles), Chagall ou Giono... In Provence or the Midi the local people have a soft singing accent which evokes their whole relaxed lifestyle. They have no greater pleasure after a hard days work than to enjoy a delicious and hardy meal shared with friends...This is the picturesque Provence of Pagnol, Raimu, and Fernandel.

Ski resorts an hour from the sea? ... Yes, it is possible! The Alpes d'Azur rise above Nice up to an altitude of 4,000m ... Clean air, large protected areas ...
It is still Provence with theAlpes de Haute Provence and theHautes Alpes. You will ski there in the winter in the sun and in the summer you will go on an adventure on horseback, on foot or by bike.
The more adventurous can practice aerial sports (ULM, paragliding), white water sports (rafting, canyoning) or climbing. Winter sports rub shoulders with white water sports. These wild mountains, animated by their small hamlets and villages with a rich past, are home to a very rich and varied flora and fauna.