Aix-en-Provence is a sophisticated city, filled with fountains, smart boulevards, grand squares and elegant houses. It is always packed with students and attracts lots of overseas visitors wishing to learn the language.

Avignon: once the capital of the Christian world, this delightful town has a 14th Century Papal Palace. The town's 12th century bridge (le pont d' Avignon) has inspired what is probably France's best known folksong, learnt in classrooms around the world. Avignon also hosts a yearly summer festival, which is a major showcase for European theatrical talent and which deserves its world-wide reputation.

Nice is a fashionable resort whose genoese style architecture dates from the Middle Ages. It is home to many first class museums, such as the Musée Matisse and the Musée Chagall. The city also makes a good base for visiting popular Riviera resorts like Cannes and Monaco.