II.

Physical Geography

The region is a limestone upland with river plains in the south-west. Among the important rivers of the region are the Durance, Argens, Verdon, and Var. The Rhône empties into the Mediterranean in the western corner of the region at the Camargue. The Camargue is a large, wild, marshy wetland, which provides sanctuary for much wildlife, particularly birds and Camargue horses. Further to the east, along the coast from Marseille to Cassis, are the Calanques, deep, narrow inlets with jagged, white limestone cliffs. Inland to the north, around Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, is the Lubéron, an area of lush valleys and medieval mountain villages. To the east is the Verdon Gorge, where the River Verdon has cut deep gorges through the limestone hills in the foothills of the Alps. The French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, is world-famous for its holiday resorts, beaches, and glamour. The east of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is dominated by the Alps.

The climate of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is warm, dry, and subtropical, but it is well known for the mistral, a brisk dry wind that blows southwards from the Alps in winter and spring.