Discover all the “départements” of Provence, French Riviera
Discover the departments of Provence and Côte d'Azur, whether by the sea, on the Côte d'Azur or in the authentic Provence of the interior.
Click on the department of your choice to find out all about it:
Map of the PACA region
This map shows the location of the various departments in the PACA region: the departments bordering the Mediterranean (Var, Alpes Maritimes and Bouches du Rhône) and the departments in the magnificent hinterland (Vaucluse, Alpes de Hautes Provence and Hautes Alpes). The southern department of Drôme is not part of the PACA region, but is historically and culturally part of Provence, hence its presence on our map.
Which departments make up the PACA region?
There are 6 departments in the PACA region: Alpes de Haute Provence, Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhône, Hautes Alpes, Var and Vaucluse. Drôme is part of Provence, but not of the PACA region. Corsica is not part of the Sud region either.
What are the major towns in the PACA region?
The major towns in the PACA region are listed below for each département:
Marseille and Aix en Provence in the Bouches du Rhône department
Toulon in the Var
Nice in the Alpes Maritimes
Digne and Manosque in Alpes de Haute Provence
Avignon and Orange in Vaucluse
and Gap in the Hautes Alpes
Southern Region or PACA Region?
Since 2018, the official name of our beautiful region has been "Région Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur", often abbreviated to "Région Sud". However, the term PACA is still widely used by locals and visitors alike. From a personal point of view, we feel that "Région Sud" could refer to other French regions such as Occitanie/Pyrénées, and the term "région Sud Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur" could be abbreviated to "SPACA"... we might as well keep using the term PACA, which everyone understands and uses on a daily basis. We often talk about France 3 PACA, tourism in PACA, the prefect of the PACA region, etc...
Provence: the little paradise of the South of France
All the departments of Provence are little wonders to be discovered, each with its own special features. Discover the sublime villages of the Luberon, the peaks of the Hautes Alpes, the idyllic coves of the Côte d'Azur and the traditions of the Camargue. Provence has so much to share with its visitors and inhabitants. The region is very pleasant to discover in summer, but also in spring and autumn. Annual rainfall is very low, giving Provence its reputation as a very sunny region.
Where to go in the PACA region?
On our website, you'll find all the information you need about the best places to visit in Provence. Here are a few must-sees to give you some ideas:
the Luberon
the Verdon
the coast near Saint-Tropez
the county of Nice
the old port of Marseille
the Regional Nature Parks (such as the Mercantour)
the lavender fields of the Plateau de Valensole
Where is the Conseil Régional of Sud Region located?
The PACA Regional Council is based in Marseille in the superb Hôtel de Région in the Belsunce district. It is here that the PACA region's elected representatives deliberate and vote on the budgets they are responsible for developing our beautiful region.