Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is one of the 13 (until 2016: 18)
administrative regions of France. It has a long coastline to the
Mediterranean Sea, which also got its way into the name of the region as
the Côte d'Azur. It also borders the Occitania region to the west and
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes to the north. To the east, Provence-Alpes-Côte
d'Azur borders on Italy (regions of Liguria and Piedmont). The
Principality of Monaco is an enclave in the region.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) stretches from the Mediterranean coast
to the French Alps. The region is known for its scenic beauty,
Mediterranean cuisine and mild climate.
PACA is made up of six
departments: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône,
Hautes-Alpes, Var and Vaucluse. Each department offers a unique mix of
natural landscapes, historic cities and cultural heritage.
The
Côte d'Azur, also known as the French Riviera, is a well-known part and
attracts visitors from all over the world. Cities like Nice, Cannes,
Saint-Tropez and Monaco are known for their luxurious beaches,
promenades, exclusive shops and glamorous events like the Cannes Film
Festival.
In the hinterland there are picturesque villages,
vineyards, lavender fields and the impressive mountain ranges of the
French Alps. The region offers a variety of outdoor activities such as
hiking, skiing, climbing and rafting.
Provence, a sub-regional
subdivision of PACA, is known for its idyllic landscapes, fragrant
fields of lavender, olive groves and quaint villages. Cities like
Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and Arles are cultural centers and offer a rich
history, art and architecture.
The kitchen is characterized by
Mediterranean influences. Olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, vegetables and
seafood play an important role in local dishes. Popular specialties
include bouillabaisse (a fish soup), ratatouille (a vegetable stew) and
socca (a type of pancake made from chickpea flour).
Overall, the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region is a unique blend of stunning nature,
rich history, cultural heritage and Mediterranean lifestyle.
Arles
Avignon
Marseille The urban area of
Marseille - Marselha / Marsiho in Provençal - is located in the
Bouches-du-Rhône and in the Var. Marseille is the capital of the
Bouches-du-Rhône department and the region, as well as the seat
of its prefecture.
Marseille ranks second among the most
populated municipalities in France, with 858,120 inhabitants,
the third urban area with 1,578,584 inhabitants and the third
urban area after those of Paris and Lyon with 1,743,990
inhabitants in 2014. Marseille is since the January 1, 2016 the
seat of the metropolis of Aix-Marseille-Provence, the second
most populated in France with 1,859,922 inhabitants.
Oldest city in France, founded under the name of Μασσαλία
(Massalía) around 600 BC. AD by Greek sailors from Phocaea,
Marseille has been an important trading and transit port since
Antiquity. In particular, it experienced a considerable
commercial boom during the 19th century, becoming a prosperous
industrial and trading town.
Inherited from this past,
the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPMM) and the maritime
economy are still major centers of regional and national
activity and Marseille remains the leading French port, the
second Mediterranean port and the fifth European port.
Since its origins, Marseille's openness to the Mediterranean Sea
has made it a cosmopolitan city of cultural and economic
exchanges with Southern Europe, the Near East, North Africa and
Asia. It is also often considered the "Gateway to the East".
Aix-en-Provence
Cannes
Nice The urban area of Nice — Nissa
/ Niça in Nice — is located in the Alpes-Maritimes and the
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Nice the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes
department and seat of its prefecture, as well as the second
largest city in the region behind Marseille.
Nice ranks
fifth among the most populated municipalities in France, with
343,895 inhabitants, the fifth largest agglomeration with
943,695 inhabitants and the seventh largest urban area with
1,006,402 inhabitants. The city is the center of a metropolis,
Nice Côte d'Azur, which brings together forty-nine
municipalities and 536,327 inhabitants.
Historical
capital of the County of Nice, it belonged to Provence before
seceding from it and choosing to join the States of Savoy in
1388 (Act of Derogation). Nice only became French in 1860, a
year before the achievement of Italian unity.
Located
between the sea and the mountains, the economic and cultural
capital of the Côte d'Azur, Nice benefits from significant
natural assets. Tourism, trade and administrations (public or
private) occupy an important place in the economic activity of
the city. It has the second largest hotel capacity in the
country, after Paris, and welcomes 4 million tourists every
year. It also has the third largest airport in France (the first
in the Province) and two convention centers devoted to business
tourism. The city also has a university and several business
districts. Finally, Nice is endowed with certain important
cultural facilities. It thus has many museums (it is even the
city that has the most in France, after Paris), a national
theatre, an opera, a library with a regional vocation, a
conservatory with regional influence and concert halls . It is
located about thirty kilometers from the Franco-Italian border,
it is established on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, along
the Baie des Anges and at the mouth of the Paillon.
Toulon The urban area of Toulon —
Tolon / Touloun in Provençal — is located in the Var. Toulon is
the capital of the Var department and seat of its prefecture. It
also houses the headquarters of the maritime prefecture of the
Mediterranean.
Toulon ranks fifteenth among the most
populated municipalities in France, with 165,584 inhabitants,
the ninth largest urban area with 561,155 inhabitants and
thirteenth urban area with 611,237 inhabitants. The city is the
seat of an urban community, Toulon Provence Méditerranée, the
first in France, which brings together twelve municipalities and
425,612 inhabitants.
Located between sea and mountains,
economic capital of the Var, Toulon benefits from many natural
assets. The naval base (largest French military port), commerce,
administrations (public or private), tourism and research (PACA
Sea cluster, IFREMER, etc.) are the mainstay of the town's
economic activity, which shares with Hyères an airport through
which approximately 500,000 passengers pass per year.
The
city also has a university (sciences, humanities, literature,
law, Staps and higher education centers: preparatory classes for
the Grandes Ecoles of the Dumont-d'Urville and Rouvière high
schools, the Higher Institute of Electronics and digital (ISEN
Toulon) and the SeaTech engineering school.
Finally,
Toulon has an Opera, a National Regional Conservatory, several
museums, concert halls (Palais Neptune and Zénith-Omega) and a
theater with the “national stage” label: the Théâtre Liberté.
The city of Toulon is located in the South of France in the
south-west of the Var department on the Mediterranean coast,
halfway between Marseille, to the west, and Saint-Tropez, to the
east. It is sometimes considered the first city west of the Côte
d'Azur.
Ecrins National Park
Mercantour National Park
Verdon Gorge
The traditional language of the region is Provencal (Provençal; also
known as Occitan), which occurs in various dialects (e.g. Nissart in
Nice). In the Middle Ages it was a separate high-level language
independent of French (although related to it). Roughly speaking, it
occupies an intermediate position between French, Italian and Catalan.
As a result of the centralization of France, however, it lost its
importance and was mostly regarded only as a dialect. In a survey in
1999, there were only 100,000 active speakers. They are more likely to
be found in the countryside than in the cities, and more among the older
generation than the younger.
Since (standard) French is the only
official language and language of instruction, everyone can understand
and speak it - possibly with a certain Provençal accent.
Only in
the tourist strongholds on the Côte d'Azur is some English spoken in the
hospitality industry, individual establishments have also adapted to
rich Russian guests and speak Russian; In the far east on the Italian
border, some Italian may be spoken. Otherwise, knowledge of foreign
languages - as everywhere in France - is a rarity.
Gorges du Verdon: Also known as the "Grand Canyon" of Europe, the
Gorges du Verdon offer spectacular gorges, turquoise waters and
breathtaking views. It is a popular destination for outdoor activities
such as hiking, kayaking and rafting.
Lavender fields of
Provence: Provence is known worldwide for its fragrant lavender fields.
Especially in summer, the fields bloom in bright purple and offer an
impressive backdrop. Popular places for lavender viewing include the
Plateau de Valensole and the village of Sault.
Calanques: The
Calanques are fjord-like bays along the coast between Marseille and
Cassis. With their steep cliffs, turquoise waters and hidden beaches,
they are a paradise for nature lovers and hikers.
Mont Ventoux:
Mont Ventoux is a prominent mountain in the region and a popular
destination for cyclists and hikers. Its summit offers an impressive
view of the surrounding landscape.
Camargue: The Camargue is a
unique region in the Rhône Delta known for its wild horses, pink
flamingos and unspoiled nature. Visitors can explore the salt lakes,
paddy fields and abundant wildlife.
Sainte-Victoire Mountains:
This impressive mountain range was a source of inspiration for the
painter Paul Cézanne. It offers hiking trails and views of the
surrounding countryside, including the city of Aix-en-Provence.
Porquerolles: Part of the Port Cros National Park, this island off the
coast of Hyères offers pristine beaches, crystal clear waters and a
laid-back vibe. It is a perfect destination for sun lovers and nature
lovers.
Visit to the Provençal markets
Bathing holidays on the fashionable
beaches of the Côte-d'Azur or in the reservoirs of Haute-Provence,
surfing and sailing
Hiking, mountain biking, climbing (e.g. on the
walls of the Verdon Gorge)
By plane
The main airports in the region are Aéroport Nice Côte
d'Azur (IATA: NCE) in the east and Marseille-Provence Airport (IATA:
MRS) in the west. Both airports maintain numerous international
connections, including various direct flights from German-speaking
countries. Far behind in third place is Toulon-Hyères Airport (IATA:
TLN) with only a few international connections. For those traveling to
the westernmost part of the region (Camargue, Arles, Avignon), a flight
to Montpellier Airport (IATA: MPL) is also an option. B. 70 km to Arles.
If you want to go to the Valence or Avignon area, you can also fly
into Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (IATA: LYS). TGVs run directly from the
airport station, reaching Valence in half an hour and Avignon in just
under an hour (although the TGV stations are both outside the city).
By train
A high-speed TGV line runs from Paris to Marseille via
Lyon, Valence, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence (the TGV stations are just
outside the city). It only takes 2 hours 45 minutes to get from Paris to
Avignon and 3 hours 20 minutes to Marseille. An extension along the Côte
d'Azur to Nice is still being planned. TGVs are already running on the
route, but they have to use the normal route and can therefore not go as
fast. The TGV from Paris to Cannes takes about 5:05 hours and to Nice
5:35 hours.
Germany: From Frankfurt a.
M./Mannheim/Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden there is a daily TGV directly to
Avignon/Aix/Marseille. From Frankfurt to Marseille, for example, it
takes less than eight hours, from Munich (with a change in Mannheim)
10:20 hours. Other connections are with changes in Brussels, Strasbourg
or Paris (whereby the station has to be changed here: trains come from
Germany at Gare du Nord or Gare de l'Est, trains towards Provence depart
at Gare de Lyon), e.g. B. Cologne-Paris-Marseille in a good eight hours.
If you like to travel by night train, you can plan the connection so
that you arrive in Paris in the evening, board a night train there to
the Côte d'Azur and reach Cannes, Antibes or Nice the next morning.
Switzerland: There is also a daily continuous TGV from Basel to
Avignon and Marseille (5 hours 15 minutes). A TGV runs daily from Geneva
to Valence, Avignon, Marseille (3 hours 40 minutes), Toulon,
St-Raphael-Valescure, Cannes, Antibes and Nice (6 hours 25 minutes).
Other connections from Switzerland are with changes in Mulhouse, Dijon
or Lyon. From Zurich, for example, the fastest connections (one change
in Basel, Mulhouse or Dijon) take about 6:15 hours.
Austria: From
Austria you can drive through Switzerland, e.g. B. from Salzburg with
two changes (in Zurich and Dijon or Mulhouse) in less than 12 hours,
from Vienna in 14:20 hours to Marseille. If the destination is in the
east of the region on the Côte d'Azur, driving through Italy is also an
option, e.g. B. from Vienna or Klagenfurt (and several train stations in
between) with the EuroNight to Bologna and from there via Voghera to
Nice, which takes 16:40 from Vienna and 12½ hours from Klagenfurt.
On the street
From the north
From Lyon, either the A7
motorway, which is subject to a fee, leads to the destination area or
the Route Nationale N7, which runs parallel to it. Contrary to the
previously accident-prone three-lane construction of the N7, on which
overtaking was possible for both sides, there are now either wide
two-lane routes or the road has been expanded to four lanes.
Alternatively, you can take the Route Napoléon from Grenoble towards
Grasse.
From Italy
From Sanremo and Ventimiglia (Italian
Riviera) either on the motorway or the scenically spectacular but also
very winding coastal road via Nice to the destination.
From Spain
Either via the motorway or along the coast via Sête in the direction of
Marseille.
By bicycle
The European long-distance cycle route
EuroVelo 8 (Mediterranean) leads through the region. To the west it
continues to Spain, to the east to Italy.
Provençal cuisine is part of the Mediterranean cuisine. She relies on
fresh, regional products such as aubergines, peppers, zucchini and
vegetables in general. Of course, all sorts of sea fish and seafood are
used to prepare the creations. See also: Provençal cuisine at Koch-Wiki.
Soupe au Pistou is a Provençal vegetable soup. The secret of the
vegetable soup is the topping, the soup comes with pistou, a kind of
pesto, only without pine nuts. Serve with toasted bread and spread the
pistou on a slice of bread.
Nice: Nice is known for its vibrant nightlife. The city offers a wide
range of bars, pubs and clubs, particularly along the Promenade des
Anglais and in the Vieux Nice (Old Town) district. Beach parties are
also held during the summer months. Casino Ruhl is a popular place for
gambling and entertainment.
Cannes: Cannes is best known for its
famous film festival, but the city also offers a lively nightlife. Along
the Croisette, the main promenade, you will find a selection of chic
bars and clubs. The Casino Barrière Cannes is a popular meeting place
for gambling and events.
Saint-Tropez: Saint-Tropez is an
exclusive holiday resort and a hotspot for celebrities. Nightlife here
is known for its glamorous clubs, including the famous Les Caves du Roy
at Hotel Byblos. The town also offers a variety of restaurants, bars and
beach clubs where parties go on until the early hours.
Marseille:
As the largest city in the region, Marseille offers a vibrant and
diverse night scene. The Cours Julien area is a popular meeting place
for students and young people with a selection of trendy bars,
restaurants and live music venues. The historic district of Le Panier
also offers an interesting mix of bars and pubs.
In the hinterland, security is not a problem. The markets are sometimes crowded; Watch out for bags and photo equipment there because of pickpockets. The situation is different in big cities with a lot of tourist traffic. You should generally take good care of your luggage there. When parking in big cities you should like e.g. in Marseille in underground car parks on the lowest level and in car parks on the top level (advice from locals). There, the risk of a break-in or damage is significantly lower.
Due to the Mediterranean climate, the flora is extremely diverse. The plants that are typical for the Côte d'Azur today, such as the green-silver shiny olive trees that grow everywhere on the slopes up to a height of about 500m, orange and lemon groves, grapevines, palm trees, cypresses, pines, aloes, agaves, Cacti and numerous others were imported from different parts of the world - some of them as early as Roman times, others only became native more recently. Pines, sclerophyllous plants, bushes, shrubs and holm oaks belong to the original vegetation, which has suffered severely from human economic use, forest fires and wildfires. Characteristic is the large number and distribution of aromatic shrubs and herbs (e.g. lavender, rosemary, thyme and sage). In summer you can find endless blue fields of lavender in this region.
After the decree of June 2, 1960, the Provence-Côte d'Azur-Corse
region was created: it then included the departments of Basses-Alpes,
Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Corsica, Var and
Vaucluse. Corsica is detached from it by the decree of January 12, 1970.
The name "Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur" is used by the Regional
Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, State bodies and the European
Union. It is written with two hyphens. The spelling
"Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur", with three hyphens, is little used
although recommended by the National Commission of Toponymy in
accordance with the rules of French typography which prescribe hyphens
between all words composing a given political or administrative
territory name.
In June 2009, Michel Vauzelle, president of the
regional council, launched a consultation in order to rename the region,
at the request of several associations for the promotion of regional
identity who recalled that "pacan" means "peasant" in Provençal13 and
judging that " Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is a beautiful name, but it's
too long and impractical. The acronym PACA illustrates neither the
richness nor the diversity of its territories and its exceptional
cultural heritage, nor does it allow us to name its inhabitants”. The
terms “Provence” and “Mediterranean” emerge, leaving aside “Alps” and
“Côte d'Azur”, which provokes the protest of elected officials from
neglected areas. Finally, the project was abandoned a few months later
and the name of the region remained unchanged.
The regional
council voted on December 15, 2017 the use of the name "South region -
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur" on all communication media, in order to
promote the use of the abbreviation "South region" instead of the
acronym “PACA”.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur covers an area of 31,400 km2 and stretches
from the Rhône in the west to the Italian border in the east. Its
territory includes:
the county of Provence which is the main entity
(French since 1482),
the south-east of Dauphiné (French since 1349),
Avignon and the Comtat Venaissin (integrated into France during the
Revolution in 1791),
the county of Nice (attached in 1860 as well as
Tende and La Brigue attached in 1947).
Menton and
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, de facto detached from the Principality of Monaco
in 1848 and de jure attached to France in 1861 after buying back his
rights from Prince Charles III for 4 million gold francs.
The
principality of Monaco is an independent coastal notch.
All of
these territories all integrated ancient Provence during the medieval
era but were separated because of the divisions between nobles and the
civil war of the Union of Aix. The Drôme, the Ardèche and the south of
the Isère were also Provençal at the beginning of the county of Provence
but are today in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur welcomes a great diversity of landscapes.
To the west, the relief is relatively flat, bathed by the Rhône and
its tributaries (Aygues, Durance in particular). The plains of Vaucluse
are alluvial plains while La Crau is a dry stony plain. The Rhône delta
forms the Camargue, made up of ponds (Etang de Vaccarès) and amphibious
pastures.
The Côte d'Azur has two forests, the Esterel and the
Massif des Maures. Further west, the coastline is dominated by rugged
white limestone cliffs with gorges: the Calanques.
The Pre-Alps
form the middle and upper Provence: Ventoux, Lure mountain, Digne and
Castellane pre-Alps, Valensole plateau, Canjuers plan (cut from the
Verdon gorges), Caussols plan. Further south are the reliefs of the
Luberon, the Alpilles, the Sainte-Victoire mountain and Sainte-Baume. To
the east, the Pre-Alps end near the sea, towards Nice and Menton.
Finally, the region includes several medium and high mountain areas:
the Mercantour to the east, with its highest point at 3,143 m: the
summit of Gélas, the Écrins massif to the north, which culminates at
more than 4,000 m altitude (Barre des Écrins at 4,101 m, Pelvoux at
3,946 m), and the smaller massifs of Dévoluy, Queyras and Cerces.
The region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate on the coast
and inland and by a mountain climate which declines towards the cold
depending on the altitude. Over the period 1971-2000, the hottest
sectors on average were located on the coast, from Nice to Cassis, with
average annual temperatures of around 16°C; winters are mild (7 to 14°C)
and summers hot (21 to 29°C on average). The average temperatures
decrease as you go deeper into the land with values between 13 and 15°C,
but the summers are particularly hot there (31°C on average in the
afternoon at Luc, which holds the French record with 42, 7°C in 1982).
The Alps experience more or less cold temperatures depending on the
altitude with average annual temperatures of around 10°C at 1,000 m; 4°C
at 2,500m.
The region is particularly sunny: 2,700 to 3,000 hours
of sunshine per year.
Winters are cold, even harsh and snowy in
the mountains, but mild on the coast, especially on the Côte d'Azur. The
Rhône valley and part of the coast are subject to the mistral, a cold
and strong wind blowing from the north.
Annual rainfall varies
from 600 mm (Rhône delta) to 1,000 mm (Alps) but is very unevenly
distributed throughout the year: if it rains as much in Nice and
Marseille as in Brest and Paris, the drought is very marked summer but
the showers are violent, especially in the fall.
The mountain occupies half of the regional territory and the
coastline extends over 700 km. Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur has four
national parks, eight regional natural parks, four of which are
contiguous, twelve national natural reserves and six regional natural
reserves. Some sites are also classified as Natura 2000 zones, etc.
Due to urbanization, agricultural land is under strong pressure:
between 1970 and 2000, the productive agricultural area was reduced by
20%. This is particularly the case on the coast and in the Pays
d'Avignon.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur has 5,081,101 inhabitants, making it the
seventh most populated region in France. Its population is mainly
concentrated on the coast around the conurbations of Marseille -
Aix-en-Provence, Toulon, Fréjus, Cannes - Antibes and Nice, and in the
Rhône valley around the conurbation of Avignon. The northern alpine part
is very sparsely populated and the two alpine departments are among the
least populated French departments.
Although its dynamism is
today in decline, the region is characterized by very strong demographic
growth in the second half of the 20th century: it is the region of
France which experienced the strongest growth in its population between
1962 and 2009. It represented 4.5% of the total French population in
1975 compared to 7.8% in 2014. This growth is the result of both the
natural surplus and a strong migratory contribution.
Contrary to
popular belief, residential migrations have contributed to slowing down
the aging of the regional population. Nevertheless, nearly 27% of the
inhabitants are over 60 years old (the national rate is 24%) and the
region has more than 500,000 people aged 75 and over. It is estimated
that in 2030, one in three inhabitants of the region will be over 60
years old.
International immigration also plays an important role
in the demography of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Today there are
approximately 430,000 immigrants in the region, or almost 10% of the
population. The history of immigration goes back a long way: from the
19th century, a third of the employees of the Toulon arsenals were
Italian, as were 43% of the workers in the perfumeries of Grasse at the
beginning of the 20th century21. Marseille in particular has welcomed
many migrants over the past 150 years: Italian workers, then North
Africans from the 1920s and especially the 1950s, Comorians more
recently, Armenian refugees, Spaniards and then Pieds-Noirs. Nice and
the Côte d'Azur are experiencing luxury immigration, mainly made up of
British, Russians and Germans.
Geography, rural exodus and
industrialization mean that the population of this region is today very
unevenly distributed. 75% of the inhabitants are concentrated on 10% of
the territory and 80% of the region's population lives on the coast,
which is home to the largest regional cities: Marseille, Nice, Toulon.
The population of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is also very urbanized,
with a rate of 94.3% and very marked periurbanisation.