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Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Description and InformationProvence Alpes Cote d'Azur Départements
Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur DescriptionIn the extreme south-east part of the country, stretching from the southern Alps to the French Riviera, with the border of Italy and Monaco to the east, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is a land of many contrasts. Second home owners along the coast include the fast car and yacht-loving ex-film stars, over-tanned wannabies and wealthy casino-addicted pensioners from all over Europe who live in white modern villas with pools or apartment blocks clustered about resorts such as St Tropez, Cannes, and St Raphäel. Further inland, the rugged Provençal scenery is inhabited by consumers of the more rustic sort of chic. Don't go searching for a wreck around here as they were all renovated years ago, not long after publication of that Peter Mayle book! It's not difficult to see why so many people want to live in this région. The climate and quality of life are among the best in France. The landscape of inland Provence is alluring with stunning rock formations and rich coloured dazzling soils (don't visit the village of Roussillon in flip-flops as the bright red soil will stain your feet and ankles for days!) Between the rugged hills and mountains, there are deep gorges, or fertile valleys filled with carpets of lavender, almond groves and ancient olive trees and vines. Everywhere you can smell the pleasant aromas of wild herbs such lemon verbena, rosemary, thyme, and basil. This land smells so sweet that it's no wonder that perfume is a big local industry. On the Cote d'Azur, February is a particularly lovely time when the mimosa vibrantly blossoms and in summer it's heaven to sit beneath the shade of an umbrella pine and watch the blue water sparkle. It's easy to understand see why the dazzling light of this area attracted so many modernist artists such as Matisse, Chagall, Picasso and Cocteau. If you want to get away from the 'playground of the rich and famous' you can visit Camargue in the west, which is an important national park with lagoons, wild white ponies and pink flamingos. The downsides of buying a home here is that, along with Ile-de-France, it is one of the most expensive régions and property prices are very high. Parts of the région, especially those close to the coast, are heavily populated. In the summer, because it's such a popular tourist destination (especially with Northern Europeans), the beaches are packed, towns are clogged with traffic and the pretty fortified hill-top villages are full to the brim with visitors following the arrows of the circuits touristiques. These pretty villages are ideal to visit or to have a second home, but not to live, as every other shop is a gift shop sells little else but postcards, pottery and pot pourri. Average salaries are the second highest in the country, second only to Ile-de-France. With 7.6% of the country's population (including a substantial number of retired persons), the région contributes 6.8% of France's GDP. Marseille, the région's capital, along with its satellite cities, hosts hundreds of companies in the fields of logistics (mainly in Vitrolles), computing, business services (Aix-en-Provence), and industry (Aubagne). The cities of Nice and Cannes offer the Riviera culture while Avignon and Aix-en-Provence are cities of culture and academic excellence. Agriculturally, Provence produces three-quarters of France's rice, almost two-thirds of the country's olives, and half of its eating grapes. Apples, peaches, nectarines, cherries and pears are also big crops and cut flowers (43% of France's roses and 63% of its carnations are grown here). Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur Population
Properties for sale in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Properties for sale in the Alpes de Haute Provence
Properties for sale in the Alpes-Maritimes
Properties for sale in the Bouches-du-Rhône
Properties for sale in the Hautes-Alpes
Properties for sale in the Var
Properties for sale in the Vaucluse
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Provence Alps Cote d'Azur Region