picture copyright: M.Colin

cloud tour destination: south France

highlights of cloud tour: gourmet tour

Provence and the C? te d 'Azur region along the Mediterranean coast in southern France have been famous seaside resorts since the second half of the 18th century. Apart from sunshine, sea and lavender, there are all kinds of delicious food with the characteristics of south France. From Marseille, Nice to Provence, almost every city has its own unique delicacies, which tourists can eat while visiting.

Image copyright: Lamy

Marseille, the second largest city in France, is the capital of Provence, and it takes about 3 hours by TGV from Paris. Don't miss the delicious Marseille fish soup when you arrive in Marseille. You will find that the raw material of Marseille fish soup is "what's available at the fresh fish market in the port". At first glance, the "willful" raw materials seem to be incompatible with the exquisite French cuisine. In fact, this is precisely to preserve the tradition of Marseille fish soup. It is said that in ancient times, when local fishermen came back from the sea, they gathered at the fish market in Marseille Port to sell fresh seafood. Those small fish left over from the sale would be taken home by the fishermen and cooked in a pot of delicious fish soup to share with their families. Later, it gradually evolved into a local specialty-Marseille fish soup. When the sun sets, you can sit in the harbor where ships are lined up and drink a bowl of Marseille fish soup, which is quite artistic, or go to Le Péron restaurant, blowing sea breeze, overlooking Eve Island and tasting Marseille fish soup.

Nice has a total length of 7.5 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline. The coastal highway "English Walking Avenue" is decorated with flowers all year round, with private beaches and high-end hotels and restaurants along the way. The old town of Nice has preserved the old buildings since the 18th century, and the colorful walls, shutters and baroque churches have added a touch of mystery under the bright sunshine of the Azur coast. The Nice Carnival in February every year is one of the biggest festivals in the C? te d 'Azur, with the climax of giant themed dolls walking on the streets, floats parades and street art performances. The famous local food is Nice Salad. Although there are various creative versions, the classic version is a mixture of various fresh vegetables poured with olive oil, decorated with boiled eggs and anchovy meat. Another nice braised dish is also very characteristic of southern France. It is a mixture of persimmon pepper, zucchini, eggplant, tomato and onion and cooked with special sauce.

picture copyright: CRT

Menton, the hometown of lemons, is also known as the "garden balcony on the Mediterranean". The special climate and soil make lemons grown here the first choice for French cuisine. Every February, the Nice Carnival is followed by the Menton Lemon Festival. Don't miss Mirazur Restaurant, which was named Michelin three-star restaurant in 219. Besides the beautiful lavender, Provence also has interesting traditional markets, such as Provence Market in the old town of Leibin, Zhu An, where you can find Provence vanilla sticks, which are a collection of traditional spices from the Mediterranean and Provence, such as thyme, rosemary, basil, laurel, etc. Locals often buy a stick and hang it in the kitchen for cooking.

Editor Jake proofreads the picture of Wei Zhuo

Photo courtesy of French Tourism Bureau.