The south of France has long been a favorite among the jet set. It's not without reason that the world's premier film festival is held in Cannes on the French Riviera. The Mediterranean climate makes this part of the world the perfect destination for a summer break. If you need some time away from the gorgeous beaches and want to see more of the region, it's a good idea to book one of the Provence tours offered by travel companies.

Provence lies in France's south-east. The region is located between the Italian border and the Rhone River. It also includes the Cote D'Azur in the south.

Many tours of the region start in the historical port city of Marseilles. Other cities often included in the itinerary are Avignon, Nice, Arles and Aix-en-Provence. There are packages that will let you see the area in a day but to really appreciate the beautiful landscape and the little medieval villages, it's best to spend at least three days here.

Several travel companies offer specialized tours focusing on a specific aspect of life in the region. If you're a wine enthusiast, for instance, you'll definitely want to explore the local wineries, famous for their rose wines. It's a good idea to also include a pastis distillery in the itinerary. Pastis is the local liqueur with an anise flavor.

Food lovers have long known that the region is culinary heaven and that people here take their food seriously. After all, a Provencal tradition at Christmas is to serve a whopping thirteen desserts after the main meal. The variety of fresh produce has given rise to dishes like bouillabaisse from Marseilles and ratatouille from Nice. On a food tour, you can try the many regional specialties and may even visit a local market, where a great gift to buy for loved ones back home is Provencal herbs.

The region is not only known for its fragrant cuisine but also for fragrances themselves. Lavender, roses, jasmine and other flowers flourish especially in the area around Grasse, which forms the heart of the perfume industry. A tour of the perfumeries in this charming town is an unforgettable, sweet-smelling experience.

If your interests lean towards art and culture, be sure to book a special cultural tour. You may want to explore the ancient Roman ruins or hunt for the locations of movies like 'Jean de Florette'. The Arles area is especially known for one-time resident Vincent Van Gogh and there are tours in which you can follow in the tortured artist's footsteps. A literary tour can take you to the places that inspired writers like Colette, F Scott Fitzgerald and Robert Louis Stevenson while you may also see the places immortalized in paintings by Paul Cezanne, Henri Matisse and others.

There are many companies that offer Provence tours. You simply need to check online to find a tour that may interest you or ask your travel agent to draw up a tailor-made itinerary with your particular interests in mind. Just be warned: Once you've fallen in love with the region, you may not want to return home.