Provence, a province of ancient Rome, is now a region in southeast France, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea and Italy. The Rhone, which flows south from the Alps through Lyon, divides into two branches near Provence and then flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

The geographical scope of Provence in history has changed a lot. In ancient Rome, Provence was a province that reached the Alps in the north and the Pyrenees in the south, including the whole of southern France. During the French Revolution in the late 18th century, Provence became one of the five administrative provinces. In 196s, France was divided into 22 regions, and Provence belonged to Provence-Alpes-Cote d 'Azur region.

The whole Provence region has an unusual charm because of its great variety-the weather is uncertain, the warm wind is warm and the cold wind is wild; The terrain is ups and downs, the plains are vast, and the peaks and mountains are steep; Lonely canyons, desolate castles, winding mountains and lively cities ... all show ten thousand kinds of customs in this land of South France.

there are famous cities such as Aix-en-Provence and Marseille in Provence, and they produce high-quality wines. This area is rich in products, sunny and beautiful. It has attracted countless tourists since ancient Greece and Rome, and it is still a tourist attraction.

As for the folk food in Provence, we have to mention bread. Ozer Bakery has more than 3 kinds of bread and magical bread sculptures, which are very popular in the local area.

Because of the beautiful scenery in Provence, many real estate developers now name their properties after xx Provence, but these properties have nothing to do with Provence.

City of Knights

Provence is the "City of Knights" in Europe, which is named after the film "Light Cavalry on the Roof". Italian knight Angelo fled here for the revolutionary cause. The kindness of knowing what happened made the encounter between a gentleman and a lady Paulina a troubled affair ... When Paulina and Angelo met again and galloped on the vast land of Provence, everything became relaxed and happy.

One day-Provence

Romantic Provence, an intoxicating lavender sea of flowers

Provence is located in the south of France. From the day it was born, it carefully kept her secret until the Englishman Peter? With the arrival of Mel, the veil of Provence's unique life style for a long time was gradually unveiled. In Mel's works, "Provence" is no longer a simple geographical name, but also represents a simple, carefree, relaxed and lazy lifestyle, a kind of humiliation, watching flowers bloom in front of the court; I have no intention of staying or staying, looking up at the leisurely mood of clouds and clouds in the sky. If you travel to get rid of the shackles of life, Provence will make you forget everything.

The whole Provence region has an unusual charm because of its great variety-the weather is uncertain, the warm wind is warm, the sea breeze is wild, the terrain is ups and downs, the plains are vast, the peaks and mountains are steep, lonely canyons, desolate castles, winding mountains and lively cities, all of which show thousands of customs on this land of France. From July to August, lavender blooms in the wind, rich colors decorate the green valley, and the slightly spicy fragrance is mixed with the fragrance of burnt grass, which interweaves into the most unforgettable atmosphere in southern France.

There are many activities in this area, which are even more dazzling, from the Monton Lemon Festival in February to the Avignon Art Festival in July and August. From the Opera Festival of Ou Hongji to the Lavender Festival in Provence in August, the four seasons echo the unrestrained years in the mountain city. This color of freedom bewitched the inspiration of artists' creation, including Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso and Xia Kaer, who all started a new stage of artistic life in Provence. The hedonistic atmosphere of the C? te d 'Azur also attracted American writer Fitzgerald, British writer D.H. Lawrence, French writer Huxley, Nietzsche and others to make pilgrimages, and of course, Peter? Mel. The romantic colors of Provence and endless art also attract us to hear about it.

The most delightful thing about Provence is that its air is always filled with the fragrance of lavender, thyme, pine and so on. This unique natural fragrance is not easily experienced in other places. Among them, lavender is the most unique and loved. Because the abundant sunshine is most suitable for the growth of lavender, coupled with the local residents' love for lavender fragrance and curative effect, in Provence, not only can you see the charming picture of lavender purple flowers billowing everywhere, but also various lavender sachets and sachets are commonly hung at home. Shops are also filled with various products made of lavender, such as lavender essential oil, perfume, soap, candles, etc., and packaged lavender herb tea is sold in pharmacies and markets. People can't help but want to know more about the charming aroma of Provence-all kinds of lavender.

In Provence, lavender fields have different landscapes all year round. In winter, after the harvest is cut, only short and neat dead stems are left, covered with snow. When spring comes, green leaves come out. June is purple, and gradually, as the summer sun gets hotter, lavender flowers quickly turn into charming deep purple. Then the busy harvest began, and it was very important to grasp the time. Therefore, flower farmers had to cut flowers day and night and distill the extract. By the end of September, all the flower fields had been harvested. Lavender fields can catch their breath, absorb the essence of nature, and prepare for the purple flowers to bloom again next summer.

Provence, the hometown of lavender.

Eternal Provence

If someone says Provence is completely romantic, it's probably not too much, because apart from the romantic love legend that has been circulating for a long time, there are Marseille, which is famous for La Marseillaise, and Yves Island, which is well known for The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as elegant university towns Aix and avignon, medieval villas with long aftertaste, and comfortable small cafes on the street? Intoxicating.

Forever Mediterranean

The whole Provence region has an unusual charm because of its great changes-the weather is uncertain, the warm wind is warm, the cold wind is wild, the terrain is ups and downs, the plains are vast, the peaks and mountains are steep, the lonely canyons, the desolate castles, the winding mountains and the lively metropolis-all of which show thousands of customs on this French land. From July to August, lavender blooms in the wind, rich colors decorate the green valley, and the slightly spicy fragrance is mixed with the fragrance of burnt grass, which interweaves into the most unforgettable atmosphere in southern France. In terms of food, Provence's greatest advantage lies in its rich agricultural products. Fresh vegetables and fruits, olive oil, garlic, seafood and spices combine to form a paradise for diners.

roaming the world of lavender

Lavender-lavender, a purple flower with the flower language of "waiting for love", has fascinated many people. Mr. Pascal of Self Voyages Provence took us across mountains and fields in his Toyota, over white limestone, which looks like the snowy Mont Ventoux even in summer, through a large golden sunflower garden, and finally stopped in a piece of transpiration land in Zi Xia.

Lavender Sault, the lavender capital, is so beautiful. It is the first time I have seen such a lush lavender field, such pure purple blooming in the high and low fields, and opening romantic symbols in the summer wind, like the quietest yearning and the sweetest melancholy, as if hiding in the heart of a loved one but never being able to hold your hand.

The harvested haystacks are rolled into oak barrels, which are dried in the fields in three or five places, and the yellow color is very simple. Yellow and purple are so cleanly stretched, and the air, our hair and skin are full of lavender smell.

Our driver and tour guide, Mr. Pascal from Self Voyages Provence, has set up a picnic chair for us in the cypress forest. The content of the picnic is so rich that the only worry is that we have a good appetite, Chinese and Western dishes, freshly squeezed juice, bread, cheese, fruit, wine and even desserts! The sunshine reveals the golden spots from cypress leaf, the wind is soft, the birds sing tactfully, the eyes are full of pure purple, and the breath is full of sweet breath-so-called happiness, but that's all!

geography and history of Provence

Provence is located in the south of France. The original Provence started from the Alps in the north and reached the Pyrenees in the south, including the whole southern region of France. During the Roman Empire, Provence was listed as its province. During the Great Revolution in the late 18th century, France was divided into five different administrative provinces, of which Provence was one. In the 196s, the administrative provinces were regrouped and divided into 22 regions, so there was the Provence-Alpes region. Before and after the gentle university city of Aix and the papal city of Avignon, there are also small medieval villages and ancient mountain towns that have escaped the changes of the century.

Provence produces high-quality grape wine, of which 2 $ CTS% $ is high-grade and top-grade wine. Due to the sunshine in the Mediterranean, the grapes in Provence contain more sugar, which is converted into alcohol, making the alcohol content of Provence wine 2 degrees higher than that in the north. Dry peach red wine with a slight orange color is the most distinctive. Common red wines are: cotes de provence, coteaux d $ cts' $ aixen provence, bandol.

From the Mediterranean coast to the inland hilly areas, there is a big river "Rhone" flowing in the middle. Many historical towns have amazed the world with their beautiful sunshine, blue sky, charming Mediterranean and enchanted lavender since ancient times.

Aix-en-Provence in Aix is a painter Paul? Cezanne's hometown has been a university town and a famous "spring city" since the Middle Ages. This is the ancient capital of Provence in Rome. Today, it is still famous for its ancient Roman ruins, medieval, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Aix is also famous for its unique cooking, rose wine and special language-Provence dialect.

Arles, an ancient town in South Provence, is famous for its warm and bright Mediterranean sunshine and fashionable artistic style. Anyone who has seen the Biography of Van Gogh will probably remember that outstanding painters once created and lived here. The streets, houses and bars here are full of strong artistic atmosphere. Ancient Roman architecture (the Arabs are descendants of the ancient Romans), artists' works and people living in modern civilized society live in harmony, quiet and beautiful here. Every year in July, a fashionable international photography festival will be held here. On the Stone Gu Xiang and Little Square, great photographers and romantic figures who are creating trends today will be exhibited.

Provence cuisine

Many people often use three kinds of food to represent the cooking characteristics of Provence: "olive oil, garlic and tomatoes". Walking in Provence, you can see almost all green olive trees. It can be said that this place is an important town of olive oil production in France, which not only creates a unique natural landscape, but also provides oil for residents' nutrition. Olives also naturally enter every kitchen, and tapenade is the best example.

? Olive sauce

Chop garlic and anchovy separately, add washed capers, thyme, savory and lemon juice, beat well with a food processor, slowly pour in olive oil and season with pepper. It is the most authentic appetizer to spread olive sauce on slightly baked bread, and French bread made with olive sauce is a specialty of Provence. If you like, you can also use olive sauce as a dish!

? Garlic mayonnaise

Garlic mayonnaise is often called the cream of Provence, which shows its popularity, just like the direct translation of the name, that is, the mixture of mayonnaise and garlic is extremely simple, but the food with it is magnificent, from boiled eggs to steamed fish to various lobster ingredients.

Marseille fish soup

In fact, the whole of France has its own fish soup, but the content is slightly different, and then it is crowned with different names, such as cotriade in Brittany and pauchouse in Burgundy. Somehow, the fish soup in Provence, especially in Marseille, is very famous. Anyone who visits Marseille must never leave empty-handed.

Fish soup has a history of more than 2,5 years. It is said that the Greeks brought it to France, but even without the guidance of the Greeks, Marseille, located in the Mediterranean, will create fish soup sooner or later. The focus of Marseille fish soup is on all kinds of wonderful fish species. When it comes to fish species, the story is long. You will never get a consistent answer as to whether you should put those fish in the fish soup or not. What is more certain is that there is no shellfish in the traditional Marseille fish soup, especially mussels, but crabs and lobsters are not prohibited. This standard is not universal. You might as well take a closer look at what's in your bowl.

practice &; How to eat: Stir-fry onion, tomato, garlic and fennel with excellent olive oil, add thyme, Italian parsley and bay leaf, and season with dried orange peel, finally add crocus to increase the color, and then add fish. Contrary to our assumption, the time for cooking Marseille fish soup is not long, and it has to be completed in 15 minutes with a big fire (this of course does not include the time for preparing the broth, but is it really necessary to use the broth as the base? I'm afraid it's another question). When eating, the soup and fish are served separately. Put a piece of bread in the bowl and scoop the soup directly. It would be more perfect if it could be matched with a little rouille.

? Garlic Chili sauce

The so-called rouille is garlic Chili sauce, which is made of garlic, Chili, olive oil, bread crumbs and fish stock. Some people like to spread it on bread first, or you can put it directly in fish soup. With garlic Chili sauce, Marseille fish soup is complete.

Accommodation in Provence

Accommodation in Provence is quite distinctive, just like the diversified local life style, ranging from luxury hotels in the city to homestay farms in the countryside, which also provides a comfortable rest environment and local food.

if you know French, or you can find someone who knows French to accompany you, you can consider spending the night in a homestay that serves meals and feel the local customs. Some homestays also arrange for tenants to participate in local activities, such as dining with local people, chatting all over the world, and having fun under the stars. That kind of harmonious atmosphere should be the best presentation of the spirit of the global village.

King Hohne Hotel in Aix has more than 1 rooms, with a four-star standard. King Hotel Hohne is one of the most advanced hotels in the ancient city of Aix, with a four-star rating and quite advanced facilities such as swimming pool.

The hotel has 134 rooms, each with a beautiful garden. Hotel restaurants also provide land.