You have probably heard about Provence from books or movies, but nothing gets as good as the real thing. My study abroad group took the train down there for the weekend, and it was absolutely lovely.
We first went to a village with a population of only 400 people called Les Baux-de-Provence. It was 
so nice to experience fresh air and a simpler pace for a few days. There was great weather and it was perfect for walking around and exploring the village. In another little town we visited, we discovered a great chocolate shop. The shop is known for mixing local specialties with their chocolate (olives and lavender and popular in Provence). I almost didn't try the chocolate with olives in it, but it was so good that I brought a box back to Paris with me! We spent the night in Aix-en-Provence, which is one of the biggest towns in the Provence region. It is full of fountains, every little square has a fountain of some sort. It is a big student town and we met up with the Abroadco group that is studying there and went out to dinner all together which was really fun.
The next morning we headed to Marseille, which is one of the biggest cities in France and it is a very old city with many influences. It was part of the Greek empire and there are many ruins left from that era. It was established as a trading port city so, there are strongly felt influences from Africa and the Middle East. It is a city that is very alive, with such a different atmosphere from Paris.
It was overall such a nice weekend and it was so nice to see other parts of France. While I have loved everywhere I have been to visit thus far, I would not trade in living in Paris for anything.