Bouches-du-Rhône |
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| Currently considered the oldest part of Provence, the Bouches-du-Rhône is bounded to the west by the Rhône delta, to the north by the Durance river and to the south by the Mediterranean, while the Massif de Ste-Beaume marks a less distinct boundary to the east. | |
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| Landscapes of plains and hills, vast areas with gnarled olive trees, almond trees and tall slim cypresses and the littoral region bordering the Mediterranean, this is the Bouches-du Rhône. Around the Rhône delta one can find the big wetlands, la Camargue, with its exotic birds, wild horses, bulls, flamingos and huge salt mountains. La Camargue is also the place for French rice production; currently, the production is so important that France is self-sufficient in rice. La Carmargue differs completely from any other region in Provence. | |
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| It is also in the Bouches-du-Rhône that one can find the old city of Arles with its beautiful Roman arena, the elegant university city and main city of Provence, Aix-en-Provence, the big port of Marseille, well-known for its fish soup, la bouillabaisse, as well as the small seaports of la Ciotat and Cassis, with the breathtaking fiords, les Calanques, with their vertical white cliffs plunging directly into the water. | |
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| In the high season, the temperature rises to 28°C-35°C. The highest temperatures will always be found inland. In the winter the temperature is around 11°C on the coast and a little lower inland, where it is around 7°C. Here, it can even fall below 0°C for short periods. Normally, the rainy season is in the autumn and spring, periods which are also marked by the strong Mistral wind. | |
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