The Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is located in the south-east of France and shares the border with Italy. And is bordered to the south by the Mediterranean sea. It is a region which has a diversity of landscapes. With the Southern Alps, the Camargue, the vineyards and its valleys, the olive groves and the famous fields of lavender.
The Rhône forms the regional boundary, and it ranks as the seventh most densely populated region in France.
The region is made up of 6 departments :
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)
- Hautes-Alpes (05)
- Bouches-du-Rhône (13)
- Var (83)
- Vaucluse (84)
- Alpes-Maritimes (06) .
A Mediterranean climate characterizes the coastal areas of this region. And a mountain climate inland which becomes colder and colder at altitude. The region benefits from 2,700 to 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Winters in the mountains are cold and snowy but milder on the contrary on the coast. Some areas also suffer from mistral which is a cold wind. It comes from the north like the Rhone valley and part of the coast.
The Alpes Maritimes
The Alpes-Maritimes are part of the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region. They bear the number 06 and the prefecture is Nice . This department is surrounded by the departments of Var in the southwest and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in the northwest. In the east by Italy and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.
This department was born around 1793 to 1814 under the French Revolution and the first empire. Composed of the county of Nice, in 1814, it returned to the kingdom of Sardinia and Monaco regained its independence. A second department of the Alpes-Maritimes was created in 1860.
One of the main goals of the department is to succeed in reconciling the preservation of environments and the strong tourism-related attendance. In order to be able to offer visitors magnificent sites .
Natural Parks
We find in this department 19 natural parks land and maritime park. One of the first missions of the department is the identification of natural heritage to help locate high-stakes areas and thus protect plant and animal species as well as their living environment.
Being in the heart of the Côte d’Azur, the Alpes-Maritimes have everything to please everyone, we go from one Architectural Heritage to an ideal sea for swimming and rest, then move into the hinterland, where the ubiquitous mountains create a favorable landscape to sports and hiking .
The exceptional landscapes, culture, heritage and mild climate even in winter, makes it a fascinating department which makes every effort to offer the most varied discovery itineraries and circuits.
You can find renowned natural sites such as the Mercantour park. Or, the Préalpes d’Azur regional park, the Var valley and the Vésubie valley. There is the hilltop village of Coaraze or the prehistoric engravings of the Valley of Wonders at the foot of Mont Bégo. Large tourist cities such as Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Menton, Grasse, which are victims of their own success, welcome many tourists during the summer. You can enjoy beautiful markets in the small villages , where you can taste local products .
At Haute Provence Outdoor, come and discover part of the region in the Gorges du Verdon with our various activities! Such as aqua hiking, rafting, Deval’Bike or even Trott’Elec by Trott’in Verdon.
