Provençal cuisine is simply packed with the natural goodness of the land. Rich in sea, sun, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and a festival of richly-fragrant herbs, it is both healthy and irresistible! Here is a short guide to eating out in the Bouches-du-Rhône, with a choice of addresses serving both authentic specialities and creative dishes. Start out with a taste of the wonders concocted by Marseille's artist-chefs, along with southern musts such as bouillabaisse, wood-fired pizzas and shellfish. From simple tuck-ins to three-star delicacies, Marseille has something to offer every taste and budget! Next, it's off to Aix-en-Provence for a full immersion in some typical and sun-splashed "terroir" dishes in one of our most beautiful cities. Lovers of organic food and fresh produce will enjoy a stop-off at Arles – one of our favourite food and wine venues - where Nature simply jumps out of the plate every time. With venues including a river barge, Catalan ambience or Roman vaults, Arles offers up unfettered, natural and authentic eating experiences - simply Camargue!


Top Monuments and Museums

One is a living tribute to the other... Monuments and museums form an inseparable couple! Marseille offers a host of treats for sightseers and culture fans, including definite musts such as Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica (locally nicknamed the Bonne Mère, or Good Mother!), the legendary Château d'If of Count of Monte Cristo fame and Le Corbusier's "Cité Radieuse" astonishing residential complex, to name just a few. Museum buffs are spoilt for choice too. Aix-en-Provence's monuments are best explored by simply strolling the streets; the town overflows with magnificent churches and ancient mansion houses, plus reputed art, costume and pottery museums. Last but not least, the "little Rome of the Gauls", otherwise known as Arles, is a treasure of Roman architecture, with several UNESCO world heritage sites including the amphitheatre, Constantin baths and Roman theatre. Arles' deeply-entrenched Camargue traditions and bubbling artistic identity – with patrons including Van Gogh and Christian Lacroix! - have also earned it the title of "city of art and history".