FOOD & WINE IN PROVENCE

Authentic Provençal dishes are much closer to Mediterranean cuisine than those of any other French region. It draws heavily on olive oil (from trees brought here by Greeks 2,500 years ago), tomatoes, mild garlic, peppers, onions and wild herbs. Classic regional dishes include salade Niçoise, ratatouille, bouillabaisse, and tapenade.

You’ll find plenty of local wines to try, notably Bandol, Côtes de Provence and Côtes du Lubéron. Others include Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Listel (a 'grey' wine grown on sandy soil), and the luscious sultanaflavoured Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.