GeoStats:

Alternate Name: Provença

Passport/Visa Rquirements: US citizens need only a valid passport.

Population: 4,250,000

Languages: French, Provençal

Currency: Euro

Predominant Religions: Christian

Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+1GMT), 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (+6EST)

Voltage Requirements: 220 volts

Phone Codes: 39, country code; 04, area code

Destination:

Provence


Overview

Spring (April, May, June) is the best time to go. Fields are awash in flowers by May. The next best season is Autumn (September, October); the weather is still warm, and the crowds are at their thinnest. Summer, (July, August) is high season. If you don't mind crowds and rising temperatures, it is still a good time to visit. Winter months can offer some sunny days, but the Mistral wind can blow mercilessly. Still, skiing is possible from mid-November through March.

A picturesque countryside, a smattering of charming villages, and all the peace and quiet you could ever hope for – these are the trademarks of France's storied Provence region. The towns of Arles, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseilles are the boldfaced names of the province, but it's the small, bucolic communities that endow Provence with its unique regional appeal. Meadows of purple lavender, valleys ringed by mountain ranges, and winding roads with sweeping views of pastoral bliss are reason enough to rent a villa. Couple such majestic natural beauty with the magical light that pervades the area and you'll see why spots like Saint Remy and Cagnes-Sur-Mer inspired Van Gogh, Cezanne, Renoir, and so many others to take up the paintbrush.

Marked by a good deal of downtime and familial harmony, our month in Provence was a true return to nature. The focus was on stillness and relaxation, at least for us parents. For their part, the kids found plenty to keep them occupied around the villa we rented outside Lourmarin, which is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Many was the day they ventured forth on their own, running around in the fields all day while we enjoyed the stillness without a care in the world. Over the course of the month, we got a wonderful sense of the local lifestyle by going into town for fresh produce and groceries. Once a week, we'd choose a more far-flung destination for a family field trip, like going antiquing at the Sunday Market in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue or exploring the stockades and catapults at the fortress in Les Baux de Provence. Even after a month, we still found ourselves wishing we'd had more time.