caps and backpacks worn as shields.
The Roman ruins are extensive
and include a large open-air theatre
seating 6,000 people.
Purple rain
Lavender is endemic to Provence
and the best quality plants are found
higher up in the hills of the northern
part of the region. In the small town
of Valréas, the Lavender Festival
takes over the town at the beginning
of August every year. The parade
starts with a tractor spraying lavender
water onto just about everything and
everyone. The excitement continues
with a series of floats covered with
flowers of crêpe paper, and children
as the main actors on the floats. The
ingenuity of groups of neighbours,
colleagues, associations and sports
clubs make these festivities unique
every year. Dancers and majorettes
show their skills in between floats,
and the fanfares play hard and loud.
The comtadines (local girls wearing
the Provençal traditional costume)
join the parade and throw bunches
of lavender to the audience. Confetti
throwing is another highlight for
children, who are given carte blanche
to trick the adults.
In the neighbouring tourist town
of Nyons, you can visit a lavender
distillery to learn all the virtues
of this magical plant and see how
lavender oil is produced. A couple of
drops of fine lavender oil is said to
help with headaches, skin afflictions,
minor burns, insomnia, bugs and
bites… and rinsing your kids’ hair
with lavender water will scare head
lice away. My children loved the
lavender workshop where they got to
make lavender soap.
Natural beauty
There are also plenty of fun days
out to be had exploring the natural
attractions of the area. A visit to a
prehistoric cave is an impressive, time-
travelling experience for children,
and the Thouzon caves, near Le
Thor and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, are
easily accessible for families. They
are known as the Cave with the
Fairies, and have a range of dramatic
formations: stalactites, stalagmites,
draperies, cave pearls…
Mont Ventoux, a mountain that is
nicknamed ‘the giant of Provence’ is
one of the hardest stages of the Tour
de France, and makes a great day out.
At any time of year, countless cyclists
pedal hard to conquer the beast. Once
at the top, the panoramic view of the
Rhône Valley and the Pre-Alps is
breathtaking. Down from the summit,
you will find perfect picnic spots on
pastures, under shady trees. For a
little adrenaline rush, the Mont Serein
Resort offers a range of summer
entertainment, such as grass skiing,
go-karting for children and grown-
ups, horseback riding, pony rides, air
trampoline, zip line, and paragliding
for adults.
City life
Marseille is often ignored by travellers,
but this destination is worth a detour.
Being the second largest French city,
it can seem daunting but it is relatively
easy to orientate yourself. The Vieux
Port (Old Port) is a great start for a
colourful walk around the town, or a
great place for a meal on the terrace
of a café. Kids enjoy taking the small
ferryboat across the harbour, or taking
a boat to the Château d’If, a rocky
island made famous by Alexandre
Dumas in
The Count of Monte Cristo
.
From Marseille, you can also take a
four-hour boat ride to the Calanques,
which are little bays in the steep, rocky
coastline. The water is transparent
and swimming is excellent. Kids
always have fun spotting imaginary
faces and creatures in the tall
limestone cliffs.
Another place worth a visit is
the walled city of Avignon and
its Palais des Papes (or Palace of
the Popes), a 14th century Gothic
palace that functioned as a primary
papal residence and headquarters
of Catholicism during part of the
medieval age. The summer sound and
light show in the fortress transports
kids into the historical grandeur of
the place. It is the 10th most visited
monument in France. In July, Avignon
becomes a busy and lively sprawl
during the Theatre Festival. If you
can visit, the street entertainment will
delight little ones.
Time never stretches to do
everything in Provence. The Luberon,
the salt marshes of Camargue and the
Côte d’Azur have been left out this
time, but are incredible places to visit.
But for now, au revoir and à bientôt...
en Provence!
Laetitia Chanéac-Knight is a writer and
the editor of the family guidebook
Bali with
Kids
(
. She is
native of Valréas in northern Provence and
spends every summer there with her family
and children. She also organises small tours
of the region for families or groups. For more
information email her at
May 2015
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