PROVENCE has a Mediterranean coast and is located in southwestern France. Provence is also a border province and it is bound to the east by Italy. Provence is also a natural magnet for tourists because part of the Alps is located there. Thus, we oftentimes see skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts drop by Provence before navigating their way to the Alps and back. They usually come here to have a good time and hit the scenes.

There are lots of delights worth seeing here after all. They include the Pont du Gard aqueduct which is probably one of the oldest aqueducts in Europe if not the world considering that it was constructed during the old Roman Empire reign. Provence is also one of the culinary centers of France. Each village in Provence has a particular market day of the week or in the United States, a farm day. While a farm day in the United States is only held annually, the market day in Provence is held weekly. Farmers gather together and exchange produce for cash just like how they do it in medieval times. Quality produce like bread, cheese, sausages, olives, preserves and olive oil are sold inexpensively here. They are so inexpensive since these produce come directly from the farm without the need for middle businessmen. And these are all of quality because they are shipped directly to a consumer’s home instead of being preserved in artificial processes.

Take olive oil for instance, French homemakers love to use olive oil in their sautéing because it is said to be the healthiest cooking oil in the world. But if foreign tourists during winter just like to drop by for a quick chow, then they can always go to inexpensive eateries which serve fresh and excellent French meals minus the steep price. One of the Mediterranean produce that they love to lure tourists is the sea urchin. In eating this seemingly exotic food which may at first be not exactly a sight to behold, one must scrape the slime of the sea urchin with his or her bare finger taking into consideration not to scrape himself or herself. Then deliciously slide the foamy stuff into your mouth and you will be rewarded with a milky flavor. You can then cap your meal with a glass of rose wine.

It used to belong to Rome long before they became Christians. Provence was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. The etymology of its name itself comes from the Roman term provincia meaning province in English and naturally, it is a current province of France. After the Romans were Christianized, Provence was obviously Christianized too. When the Roman Empire disintegrated, Provence was conquered again and again by the Visigoths, Franks, Arabs and Berbers. In the 8th century, it became part of the new Holy Roman Empire again. And then it was turned over to the emerging nation of France which was a Roman Empire puppet then.

But Provence is beyond that. The beauty of the place cannot simply occupy this page.