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This massive, fortress-like abbey, built by Benedictine monks in the 10th century, can be seen from a great distance. When it was built, the low hill on which it now stands was an island surrounded by pools and marshes and is still, appropriately, known as Mount Ararat. Damaged by fire in 1726, the abbey was restored during the 19th century, and its Eglise Notre-Dame is one of the largest Romanesque buildings in Provence. Below the church, a 12th-century crypt and chapel have been carved into the hillside (see Abbaye de Montmajour).

Silvacane, along with Sénanque (see Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque) and Thoronet, is one of the three great sister-abbeys constructed in the 12th century by the Cistercian order as it rose to prominence in Provence. Its plain, austere architecture reflects the rule of the order, which was founded by St Bernard in protest at the luxury and corruption of other monasteries. The church has a high, vaulted transept and the cloister arcades and refectory were added in the 13th and 14th centuries. Abandoned by its monks in the late 14th century, it became a living abbey once again in the 20th century.

The most attractive aspect of this 19th-century abbey is its painted depictions of saints.

This remarkable 5th-century abbey is the only troglodyte monastery in Europe.

Aix is just a stone’s throw from the sprawl of Marseille, but keeps its own identity, with cosmopolitan cafés, a grand cathedral and beautiful 18th-century fountains (see Aix-en-Provence).

Gastronomic restaurant using local seafood and Provençal ingredients, such as herbs.

This delightfully pretty fishing port (see Cassis) with its brightly coloured fishing boats anchored in a harbour on a rugged, rocky coastline, was a favourite with painters such as Dufy, Derain and Matisse (see Painters in Provence), all of whom were inspired by its clear light and bright Mediterranean hues. Amazingly, it has escaped being spoiled by tourism, and there are pretty rocky coves (calanques ) and beaches nearby. Cassis is also noted for its excellent seafood (fresh sea urchins are considered a local delicacy) and there are plenty of good restaurants.

Opposite Les Baux, and with a great view of the village, is the dramatic Val d’Enfer, where the soft rock of the cliffs has been eroded by wind and water into weird twisted shapes. Old cuttings show where the easily worked rock was quarried to build the houses and battlements of the village. One of these quarry tunnels has now been turned into a remarkable spectacle, with thousands of beautiful Renaissance frescoes projected on to the 20-m (65-ft) high walls of the artificial cavern.

For a spectacular view of the Camargue, visit the information centre and bird park, where enclosures display the lagoons’ bird life (see Parc Ornithologique du Pont-de-Gau).

This delightful Italianate mansion was built in 1674 and is ornately decorated with 17th-century antiques.