The Jas de Bouffan, Paul Cézanne's home in Aix en Provence, is holding an open day with guided tours, wine tastings, children's workshops, live music and a garden party. 22 June.

The box-office for the main Festival d'Avignon opened on 17 June. Full programme details and our guide to the Festival, which runs 5-26 July.

The most romantic swimming race in the world, the Monte Cristo Challenge, is inspired by the escape of Alexandre Dumas' Count from the Château d'If. It's held in Marseille this year on 22-23 June.

Enjoy one (or all!) of four free open-air classical and jazz concerts in Marseille this month in the gardens of the Villa Bagatelle. 20-28 June.

New on the site: our guide to Marseille's elegant 18th century Château Borély - just reopened to the public - and its museums and park.

Aix en Juin is a new programme of some two dozen concerts and masterclasses, many of them free, as a curtain-raiser to the main Music Festival next month. 14-30 June.

Le Grand Atelier du Midi: how the South inspired centuries of masterpieces and created a revolution in art. At the Palais Longchamp, Marseille, and the Musée Granet, Aix en Provence, until 13 October.

Good news for cruise passengers: the Port of Marseille has just laid on a free shuttle bus between the cruise ship terminals and the centre of town.

Planning to follow the 2013 Tour de France through Provence this summer? We have a map and list of campsites all along the route.

The panoramic roof terrace of Le Corbusier's Radiant City, Marseille, has been turned into an exhibition space by cult designer Ora Ïto. Called MaMo, it opened this week with a show by French artist Xavier Veilhan.

The eagerly awaited MuCEM, Marseille's spectacular new museum, plus the splendidly restored Fort Saint Jean, have just opened to the public.

A exhibition in Aix en Provence dedicated to Victor Vaserely, the father of op-art, traces the evolution of his vision in a range of media. Until 18 Sept.

A major new show in Avignon celebrates Les Papesses, five important female artists, including Louise Bourgeois and Camille Claudel, who challenged the status quo. 9 June-11 Nov.

Our full guide to the pretty coastal resort of Sanary sur Mer and its beaches.

Our affiliate partner, Owners Direct, is currently offering some tempting villa bargains with discounts of up to 25% on rentals in Provence.

Walk across the Med and view Marseille from a fresh perspective on the Digue du Large, a seven km long breakwater now open to the public for the first time in years.

Our complete guide to the route Cézanne around the mighty Mont Sainte Victoire, near Aix: wine, hiking, art, fabulous landscapes, the French Foreign Legion...

Do you plan to drive to Provence from Northern Europe? Our recommended, most enjoyable route is guaranteed to make it a memorable trip.

E-bike Tours is a new company offering English-language guided tours of Marseille by electric bicycle.

You don't see lavender fields in Southern Provence - except this year, when 4,000 lavender bushes will turn the Old Port of Marseille into a blaze of glorious purple. 28 June-7 July.