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The bald-headed “Giant of Provence” is the Vaucluse’s greatest landmark, a vast pyramid of rock which has inspired poets, mystics and botanists for centuries. Rising 1,900 m (6,300 ft), it commands the surrounding landscape, affording astonishing views to the sea, the Alps and the Rhône. Snow-capped in winter, the summit is revealed as arid chalk in summer and buffeted by strong winds all year round. The lower slopes are dense with trees, 1,000 plant varieties and wildlife.

Deep in the heart of the Luberon, the Lure mountain – an extension of the savage massif of Mont Ventoux in neighbouring Vaucluse (see Mont Ventoux) – is Provence at its wildest, least hospitable and, some would say, its loveliest. Abandoned hamlets are reminders of Provence in the first half of the 20th century, when many rural people gave up trying to scrape a living from this harsh countryside.

Moustiers, loud with the sound of a swift-running stream which flows through the middle of the village, is simply delightful, with its tall old houses, shady plane trees and flower baskets and, for those who can face the climb, a superb view of the Gorges du Verdon from the clifftop church of Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir (see Notre-Dame-de-Beaulieu, Cucuron). The village was and is famed for its faïence ware, and you can see wonderful examples in the Musée de la Faïence (see Moustiers-Ste-Marie).

The 19th-century townhouse built for a Ukrainian princess is a marvel of Neo- Classical excess. It contains one of southern France’s best collections of art from the 17th to early 20th centuries. The highlight is on the first floor, which provides a panorama of 19th-century French art, through to the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. On the ground floor are 17th- and 18th-century works, while the patio and garden are adorned by Rodin sculptures.

The 19th-century Château Pastre is a marvel in itself – set in grounds between sea and hills, its lovely brick and stone façade expresses Marseille’s Second Empire stature. The interior decor is equally sumptuous and, since 1995, the chateau has contained a fabulous assembly of pottery, ceramics and earthenware from across Europe. There are nearly 1,500 pieces, from the Neolithic period to the present day. If you ever had any doubts, here’s proof that Marseille culture goes deeper than just football.

This museum, in a building designed by British architect Norman Foster, retraces the geological, cultural and environmental evolution of human life in the Verdon and throughout Europe, with an imaginative and fascinating series of displays and interactive exhibits. Guided visits to the caves, where relics of early humans have been discovered, are also offered.

Housed in 18th-century buildings in the heart of the old town, this is one of the best ethnographic museums in France. It tells the story of Provençal life from its earliest days to the beginning of the 20th century with tableaux, models, reconstructions and audio-visual devices.

Conceived as a triumphal arch on four marble columns linked by transparent walk-ways, the museum’s modern architecture is startlingly effective. It is an exceptional setting for collections tracing the story of the avant garde from the 1960s to the present day. Particularly notable are the US Pop Artists and European New Realists, including Nice’s own Yves Klein (see Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain, Nice).

Sited opposite the Palais Longchamp, this museum is set in the former private mansion of a 19th-century rich, art-loving Marseille family. Its original decor has been carefully retained, recreating bourgeois life at the peak of the city’s prosperity. If the house itself is elegant and sober, the art collection is wonderfully eclectic. Walls are decorated with a unique collection of Gobelin and Aubusson tapestries, while the 10 different salons boast an overwhelming abundance of sculpture, paintings, drawings and furniture from the 13th to 19th centuries, and much more besides. A discreetly sensual delight.

Shortly before his death in 1954, the artist (see Henri Matisse) donated a collection of paintings to the city in which he had lived for 37 years. They have found a superb home in a 17th-century Italianate villa on Cimiez Hill overlooking the city centre. Boosted by subsequent donations, the collection affords a comprehensive overview of Matisse’s work, from 1890 through to the gouache cut-outs of his later years. It is made all the more effective by the presentation of items from his daily life (see Musée Matisse, Nice).