Filmmakers like to use Provence as a backdrop to stories because of the way the region looks so quintessentially French. They especially love the Lubéron, where picturesque villages sit perched on the hillsides and cars squeeze through narrow streets. Not the easiest of filming environments, but worth it in the end. If Paris is immediately recognizable by the Eiffel Tower, then for Provence it's the landscape: vineyards, olive trees, fields of lavender, sunflowers and poppies, and stone buildings with colorful shutters all announce Provence. Listen for the cigales (cicadas), they announce orally when you're in Provence.
Swimming Pool (2003)
A writer goes to stay at a house in Provence to get some tranquility, only to discover a young woman staying there who disturbs her peaceful retreat.
A Good Year (2006)
Based on the novel by Peter Mayle (who has made a career writing about Provence, his adopted homeland), the film entertains you while providing beautiful backdrops of Provençal villages and scenery. A great way to learn a little more about life in a small town. (The book and the movie are quite different, but equally interesting.)
06 May 2011
Provence
Provence is the most popular region outside Paris and Ile-de-France, both for the French and tourists from around the world. Located in southeastern France, the region stretches to the Mediterranean Sea, with Italy and the Alps to the east, and the Rhône river to the west. The Côte d'Azur along the Mediterranean Sea has the same glitz and glamour as California and Florida. Inland, hilltop villages dot the countryside, and fields are covered with sunflowers, lavender and grapevines.
Over two thousand years ago, the Romans invaded Gaul (France), a land occupied by Celtic tribes. They established a province in southern France, the borders of which form today's Provence. They constructed aqueducts, bridges and roads to connect Provence with other parts of the world. Provence held a superb central position geographically, and became an important center of trade. The region allowed the Romans to conquer in all directions, and develop their vast empire. The Roman towns of Arles, Nimes and Orange have grown beyond their original layouts, but retain many Roman structures. Several theaters and amphitheaters are still used for events today.
Many writers and artists have been inspired by Provence, which also encourages people who visit the region. The sky is almost always blue in Provence, mainly because of the strong northerly wind called the Mistral which actually blows most of the clouds away. Provence experiences a mediterranean climate, with mild winters and hot summers. Wine production began with the Romans, and Provence is the source for many internationally-recognized appellations.
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