The south of France is without question one of my favorite places in Europe to travel too and I have visited much of the region several times. I first headed to the south of France for a friends’ wedding around 8 years ago and instantly fell in love with the region. I stayed in Provence back then and each time that I have gone back, the place seems to change immeasurably, there are far more Provence vacation rentals to choose from, far more tourists and far more to do each time that I return.

Some friends of mine have been asking me recently about why I love the south of France so much and in all honesty I could go on forever explaining why this region is so fantastic. To save you the bother of reading a 10,000 word article where I talk about this beautiful location , I thought I’d sum it all up in a top 9 list (10 seems far too common,) for exactly why you should head to the south of France.

Glitz and Glamour

Nothing screams luxury quite like the glitz and glamour of southern french locations like St. Tropez, Cannes and Monaco. There is a reason why the rich and famous head to these spots and that is for no other reason than to flash their cash. Celeb spotting, high end shopping and swanky bars are what you will find in places like the Cote d’Azure.

Cool Cities

Cities like Montpellier and Marseille are very cool places to hang out and enjoy your vacation. Equally, places like Nice and Cannes also offer a tourists a very trendy city to stay in with lots of fresh, modern art about, plenty of festivals and some super hip cafes and bars. The population of these cities are very young and as such it has had an effect on the cities which have helped them to gain their cool status.

Landscape

There is a really rich combination of landscapes throughout the south of France and the scenery changes with every turn. From the sheer cliff faces that overlook the glistening Mediterranean to the rolling hills filled with vineyards and lavender fields just a little inland. The best of the french landscape can be found in the south of the country.

The Weather

Le Sud sees on average 300 days of sunshine each and every year which opens the region up to tourism at any time of the year. Owing to its proximity to the Mediterranean, the south of France is the perfect European spot for sun worship almost all year round.

The Wine

It would be criminal for me not to mention the wine on a list like this and if you enjoy a drop of grape juice then this is the perfect place to come and try it. The Languedoc Rousillon region in particular makes for a great place to visit and there are plenty of wine tours that take place which give you the perfect opportunity to see the production process and of course, sample some of the local produce.

The History

There is plenty of heritage throughout this part of France and there are many protected sites which you can visit to truly get a sense of the history of the region. Here you will find ancient villages, Roman monuments, gothic and medieval architecture and some seriously impressive castles. Because there is simply so much history here, you won’t have to travel very far before you see a ruin or an ancient castle sat on the hillside.

The Beautiful Cuisine

The best of France’s seafood can be found in the south of the country, from cuttlefish stew to octopus pie, the range of delicacies is incredible. The cuisine here is a perfect blend between traditional French cooking and Mediterranean style flavors and the fusion works perfectly. There are many food tours throughout the south which you can take to learn a little more about the cuisine and sample plenty of different dishes.

The Villages

One of my favorite things to do when I tour through the south is discovering small, hidden away villages. They are always beautiful and each one has something a little different to explore from the last. These villages feel as though they have been trapped in time and these charming spots full display the traditional history of France.

The Lifestyle

One of the most attractive parts of the south of France, for me at least, is the way of life. There is a real laid back, languid style to how the locals do things down here and  it is truly infectious. The locals are not lazy by any stretch of the imagination but they just managed to make enough time for relaxation and enjoyment once their day is done.

For all of these reasons above I would implore you to make your way to the south of France as soon as you can.