The southeast corner of France known as Provence – called the French Riviera for its maritime area between Toulon and Nice - is a romantic location with a little bit of everything to offer the traveler. 

Provence stretches from Cap Nègre on the Maures ledge, to Cap Brun in the Esteral area, and from Cap Roux near Toulon to the Iles d’Or (the Golden Isles) out in the Mediterranean Sea. Inland, the area runs as far as the Argens and the Verdon River to the north. 

The region of Provence is so called because it was one of the first outlying provinces established by the Romans. They called it “Provincia Romana” and it was one of the jewels of the Roman Empire. Gradually, over hundreds of years, the word Provincia changed to Provence. “Provencal” is a dialect still spoken here by many people. 

Remnants of the ancient empire still abound. There is the Pont duGard aqueduct that towers 160 feet above your head and a Roman arena still used for bullfights and concerts in Avignon. Arles, with its famous Roman arena, and Frejus (a city named and built by Julius Caesar) still has traces of the port where Caesar’s navy once docked. 

Everywhere you go, historical sites abound with majestic stone castles sitting regally just off the side of country roads, and you might find the remnants of a pagan temple next to an austere Catholic church with tall spires and towers that took decades to build. 

The rich and famous flocks to the Riviera every year, much like the swallows to Capistrano. Walk along the city streets in the spring, or one of the many bustling open-air fruit and vegetable markets, and you might just find yourself passing a famous movie star or fashion model. 

Even the names of some of the Riviera’s most famous cities bring to mind pictures of white sandy beaches, a turquoise sea, and endless days under a tropical sun — St. Tropez, Monaco, Nice, Cannes. 

Do you enjoy biking and hiking? Swimming? Boating? How about taking a walking tour along narrow cobblestone streets in tiny villages that date back to mediaeval times? A romantic river cruise? Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea? You’ll find all of this and more in Provence. 

And of course, there are numerous opportunities for experiencing French cooking at its best. Dining in France is almost a religious experience! When dining at someone’s home, it’s not unusual for dinner to last three to four hours. If the occasion is an especially memorable one, dinner can go until two or three in the morning! 

When eating at a French restaurant, it won’t matter if you choose a four star restaurant, or a tiny sidewalk café. Your experience is sure to be a gastronomic delight for your palette. And don’t even think of rushing through your meal! Each course is presented with a certain formality and ceremony that makes dining a pleasure. And you are always given plenty of time to savor each course and never made to feel as if you must vacate your table quickly for the next diners. 

The Mediterranean Sea is breathtaking, whether you’re seeing it from the air for the first time as your plane lands in Nice, or while walking along the rocky beaches at Cannes. Its colors change with its moods – turquoise, emerald, and sapphire – and the water is clear and warm for 6 months of the year. In the winter, although it’s too cold to swim (except for the most hardy of souls), the Med’s mood and color matches the steel gray clouds, and you’ll enjoy the practically deserted beaches and the bracing wind as you walk along the shore. 

You have many choices for lodging in Provence. Stay at a four-star hotel, and you may find yourself sleeping on crisp Egyptian cotton sheets, in a bed once used by kings and queens. There are charming bed and breakfast cottages, where you’ll be served your meals family-style and learn the history behind the best places in the area to visit from your hostess. Or choose a former monastery, where you’ll find peace and tranquility, staying in small, quiet rooms with thick stone walls and enjoy walking through outdoor gardens with large fountains where wild rosemary and thyme grow abundantly. 

The people of Provence are friendly and helpful. They won’t mind if your French is a little rusty, and will go out of their way to talk to you, and answer your questions. 

Each season has its own charms. Spring, when the mimosa trees are bursting with the delicate yellow blooms, red poppies grow wild alongside the autoroute and there are fields of tulips to rival those in Holland. 

Summer, when succulent fruits are abundant everywhere, the leaves of the grapevines become an endless “sea of green” when viewed from the road, and the Mediterranean sea offers a respite from the tropical heat. 

Fall, when the grapevines are heavy and full with their harvest, the red, yellow and oranges leaves clothe the trees in splendid cloaks and community festivals happen almost every weekend. 

Winter, when the weather is mild and sunny days are plentiful, but tourists are not. 

Provence is an ideal spot for the perfect vacation at any time of year. The area is so spectacular that even visitors who are just “passing through” find it hard to say good-bye.

For more information on travel, visit http://www.melloh-travel.com

Learn the Different Types of Maps and What They Are Used For
If you ever hope to be a pilot, an explorer or just someone who wants to travel across the country by car, you will have to learn how to read and use all different kinds of maps properly. Unfortunately, this is no small task, as there are dozens of different types of maps out there ñ each one with its own unique look, feel and style to it that is designed to help specific people get from one place to another, no matter how far or a distance it is. So, with your mind set on travel, here are some of the most common maps you may encounter during your trip.
First off, we have aerial maps. As the name would suggest, aerial maps are generally maps that are made from pictures that have been taken from either and airplane or a satellite snapshot. Commonly found on resources such as Google Earth, these maps are great for finding specific locations and getting birdís eye view of them. Most are computer based and are beneficial for helping people navigate around a city. Usually, you will hear of these described as satellite maps as well since the more modern aerial maps are based on satellite imagery instead of airplane flyovers. This gives the maps a sharper, cleaner look with an ability to scale in or out practically as far as possible thanks to the fact that satellites floating around in space.
Secondly, there are geographical maps. These maps include one of three types:  topographical which shows the lay of the land by elevation; planimetric which shows the lay of the land without including elevation; and topological which is simply your run of the mill map which describes places, destinations, railroads, roads and so on. Together, geographical maps are the backbone of almost all other land based maps out there and are perfect for use on your next road trip. Speaking of which, all road maps that are currently in print are of the topological type. GPS maps are essentially a satellite based variation of the traditional geographic maps. They allow you to accurately pinpoint your location in the world at any given moment via satellite signals. Also, if you are looking for the successor to traditional topographic maps, raised relief maps are the way to go, as they provide you with all of the relative elevations in amazing three dimensional detailing that is even suitable for framing if you are into that kind of thing. Some globes even feature a raised relief style.
Thirdly, another category of map includes subway maps. These maps, while similar in function to topological maps, are designed completely differently. Unlike traditional maps, subway maps do not need to show any real distance or directionality to them since the subway can only go to certain places on its tracks. Therefore, all you really need for a subway map is a listing of the stops and connection points where you can board a different train. As long as you have a general idea of what stop you need to get off at, you can easily use a subway map.
Finally, we have a unique category of maps that can all be classified under the wall maps category.  These maps are generally more useful in a corporate or home environment than they would be if you were actually on the road driving around. Included in this category are world maps and zip code maps. While world maps are useful for determining which country is where, they are totally useless for travel purposes if you are looking for a map to take with you on your trip. Likewise, zip code maps are designed more for business purposes since they allow corporations to better target neighborhoods with their products. Although you could use a zip code map on a trip, it will provide you with far more information than you would ever need on a simple vacation. For more travel information, visit http://www.melloh-travel.com 

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