traveldk.com

In a superb location, set back from the sea and next to a bird sanctuary, Alain Combard and his family make wines of great finesse. The visitors’ entrance to the cellar is, oddly, round the back of a steel tank.

Two beautifully restored farmhouses, each sleeping eight people, and a restored coach house sleeping two, stand in a private estate. Each farmhouse has its own pool, and all are filled with antique furniture, paintings and prints. Olive terraces surround the houses and the busy village of Cotignac is nearby. Stays are for a minimum of one week.

Producers of herb-based liqueurs, including a pastis made with more than 50 plants (see Distilleries & Domaines de Provence).

A refined setting on the edge of Vieux Nice for the most refined Niçois cooking available. Try the stuffed ravioli à la Niçoise .

Clonal selection has been necessary to create lavender plants whose flowers remain blue even after drying.

Even older than the above, Dromel Ainé has been in the business of selling fantastic chocolates, sweets, and a range of unusual teas and coffees since 1760. An unmissable Marseille experience.

Carvings in the Grotte d’Observatoire in Monaco and paintings in the Grotte Cosquer near Marseille date from as far back as 1 million BC. Between 2500 and 2000 BC, dwellers in the Vallée des Merveilles (see Vallée des Merveilles and Musée des Merveilles) left behind carvings of beasts and human figures.

The little chateau near Goult provides a perfect setting for beautifully embroidered clothes and a great range of linen for the house.

The belltower of this fortified church is a Camargue landmark. The church has lent its name to the capital of the region, and its sturdy walls offered refuge from raiders. The most colourful sight is the carved boat with statues of the Virgin and Mary Magdalene.

St-Trophime’s elegant interior and Romanesque carving make it the most attractive of all Provençal churches. It’s also one of the oldest – a church stood here as early as AD 450. In the 11th century the church was rebuilt and dedicated to St Trophime (see Les Alyscamps).