Paris

Stretching from the border of Italy all the way to Cannes and into the charming hilltop villages with expansive sea views, the coastline of the French Riviera is rightly fabled.

When most travelers hear Provence, they think of the Lubéron of Peter Mayle fame, with rolling lavender fields and quirky locals. And while this bucolic reverie does exist, the vast region offers much more to discover.

From its picturesque farms and pastures, to the simultaneously modern and ancient urban centers, there is a strong respect for the past in Normandy. This collective bond to history is not nostalgic or retroactive, but rather an appreciation for the...