Culture and heritage | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourism

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Queyras astronomy observatory at Saint-Véran

The Sud is an enormous natural observatory. An exciting study area for scientists, it is home to many educational sites and natural areas dedicated to discovery, making the...

6 places in the Sud filled with mystery

Do you like legends and mysteries? That’s good because the Sud has a lot of sites with enigmatic pasts, and whose strange events have sometimes given their name to the place....

Marseille: discovering the city’s legendary rap venues

The City of Marseille has been pulsating to the beat of Hip-Hop culture for the last 30 years, forged by four generations of rappers with names that have rise to cult status....

5 locations in Marseille in the footsteps of women activists

Every year, March 8th is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the fight for women’s rights. But aside from this unique day, women have been battling every day for...

Meeting the Impressionists on the Côte d’Azur

The first Impressionist exhibition took place in Paris 150 years ago. To celebrate the anniversary of this movement that revolutionized the history of art, the Côte d’Azur is...

Top cultural events for spring and summer 2022

It’s Springtime and flowers aren’t the only things that are blooming! The exhibition and cultural activities programme in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur also comes to...

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

Among all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites found in France, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region boasts one of their most exceptional settings. Head out to explore these...

WW2 Heritage between the Alps and the Mediterranean

During your stay in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, open up a page of history. Discover the heritage of WW2 and the traces it left in the landscapes of the South of France.

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“Like a Rolling Stone”: digging for the Stones in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

The Orange Vélodrome stadium in Marseille is hosting “The Rolling Stones |UNZIPPED” exhibition this year from June 10th to September 15th. A unique venue for an...

Modern and contemporary art routes

The stunning colours and quality of light of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region have seduced the globe’s greatest artists for many generations, fostering a fertile hub of...

Single man 20s sitting on sofa in gray apartment and eating pop corn, while watching tv in morning

The South from your sofa: our Top 10 lockdown films

Being on lockdown doesn’t stop you travelling from the comfort of your home. Enjoy a sofa tour of the beautiful Région Sud thanks to On Guard, Jean de Florette, The Brice...

The South from your sofa: our Top 10 lockdown reads

Being on lockdown doesn’t stop you travelling from the comfort of your home. Many great authors were born here or simply fell in love with Provence, the Southern Alps or...

Top Sites to Visit

The essentials of the South

If you only have time to see a handful of cultural sites in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, these are the ones! On the Provence side, head to Marseille to see the architectural stunner, Mucem, Then, take a boat to Château d’If. Located on the Frioul archipelago, this prison is THE legendary location of Alexandre Dumas’ novel, “The Count de Monte-Cristo.” Pop over to Les Baux-de-Provence, to its chateau, then to the Carrières de Lumières, home of the most unique and awesome artistic projections. Next, visit the Palais des Papes in Avignon, the biggest Gothic palace in Western Europe. Finally, make your way to the Côte d’Azur, for a tour of the Fort Carré in Antibes and the presidential Fort in Brégançon.

Discover Top 10 Must-see Sights

A Contemporary Art’s Land

From Nice to Digne, some cutting edge works

From the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence to the Musée Picasso in Antibes and the Musée National Picasso in Vallauris, by way of the Mamac in Nice, the Riviera promises you an exhilarating artistic journey through 20th century art. In Provence, embark on an introductory voyage to the Fondation Carmignac, located on the île de Porquerolles. Next, take a tour at the Musée Cantini or at the MAC in Marseille, then continue on to Aix-en-Provence, to the not-to-miss Fondation Vasarely. Avignon and Arles also have many surprises in store for you. Finally, contemporary art merges with raw nature at the Parc Géologique de Haute-Provence. There, a 150-kilometre hike leads you to the astonishing “Refuge d’Art,” a creation by British artist Andy Goldsworthy.

The Contemporary Art in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

The Roman Remains

A Priceless Heritage

Conquered by Rome in the 1st century BC, le Sud boasts a precious architectural heritage inherited from that time. You must visit the exceptionally well-preserved Théâtre Antiqueand the Arc de Triomphe in Orange and the Arènes d’Arles – all are classified UNESCO World Heritage sites. Other not-to-miss sites are the archaeological sites of Vaison-la-Romaine and the Musée des Docks and the Musée d’Histoire in Marseille, which trace the city’s port development during the Roman era. On the Côte d’Azur side, the imposing Trophée d’Auguste, perched above the heights of Monaco, symbolises the conquering power of the nascent empire. In Nice, the site in Cimiez will enlighten you about the daily life of the community during that time.

The Roman Remains in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

The Via Alta

An Inspiring Route

Welcome to a legendary road where history, heritage and gastronomy combine. An intense cultural experience, the Via Alta, which connects Turin to Avignon, leads through Alpine and Provençal heritage treasures: the fortifications in Briançon, the Citadel in Sisteron, the Palais des Papes in Avignon, the Roman remains in Arles. Jewels of Christian architecture, including the Cathédrale Notre-D ame-du-Réal in Embrun, the biggest religious building in the French Alps, punctuate its route. On the way, you can enjoy Alpine specialities in the friendly setting of a village bistrot and delight your senses by strolling through a Provençal market.

Discover the Via Alta

The sweetest Villages

Explore the soul of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur by idling in the little streets of its most charming villages, marked with the “Most Beautiful Villages in France” label. This escape will lead you to spots with typical Alpine charm – like La Grave and Saint-Véran – and colourful little squares in the hinterland of Nice: Sainte-Agnès, Coaraze, Gourdon. Then, head to Provence and its multitude of flower-filled villages with small squares, fountains and vaulted passages: Seillans, Tourtour, Venasque, Gordes, Lourmarin, to name but a few. And let’s not forget Les Baux-de-Provence, a marvel perched on a rocky outcrop.

The sweetest villages of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

Religious Architecture

Magnificent churches and abbeys

In search of spirituality? In Provence, don’t miss the “Three Provençal Sisters”, the Cistercian abbeys of Sénanque in Gordes, of Silvacane in La Roque d’Anthéron, and of Thoronet, whose spare architectural style reflects the lifestyle of the monks in medieval times. Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Avignon, former seat of the Papacy, will also delight enthusiasts of religious architecture. In the Alps, along the Via Alta, you will discover treasures of medieval and modern times. Between its colourful chapels and churches, the Abbey de Lérins near Cannes and the Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe Saint-Nicolas in Nice, the Côte d’Azur also has some very beautiful discoveries in store for you.

Religious Architecture in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur