Passionate about wide open spaces and natural resources? Then Alpes-de-Haute-Provence could be your perfect destination for a holiday in France – and it’s our region of the month. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region, where mountains give way to sea, the area enjoys snow in the mountains, mild winters in the valleys and long warm summers with temperatures reaching 35C.

There’s a fantastic variety of landscapes and attractions. As you reach the foothills of Alpes-de-Haute Provence, you find villages huddled in the contours of alpine valleys or perched precariously on rocky outcrops, with steeply sloping streets leading to a central square. This is truffle and olive country – and the altitude gives the olives a particularly fruity taste.

•    Enjoy exploring the delights of the national park of Mercantour and the Gorges of Verdon.
•    Go to the gorgeous mountain village of Moustiers Ste Marie, where the houses appear to have been sculpted out of the rocky mountainside.
•     Take Le Train des Pignes,  a private narrow gauge railway that runs between Digne and Nice through the Alpes de Haute Provence.
•    Visit the capital city of Digne, a major centre of the lavender trade.

The main international airports here are Marseilles and Nice, both served by low cost airlines, while high speed TGV trains take about 3 hours from Paris to Marseilles and also serve Toulon, Cannes and Nice. Our holiday homes range from mountain chalets to luxurious cottages, gites and apartments in locations where you can ski in winter and sunbathe in summer. Le Trianon villa, shown in our photo, is a great example.