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Back in 1866, a family business was established in Cavaillon, France, selling Cavaillon melons at the entrance to the city. These melons are spherical and slightly smaller than the standard cantaloupe. The exterior has a pale gold skin with bluish-green vertical striping running from end to end and orange inner flesh with an intense floral yet tropical aroma and a very high sugar content. Available from mid-summer to fall, the fruit comes from Cavaillon and is a much-celebrated local product with special designation status. It can only be called a Cavaillon Melon if it is grown in Provence or in a part of the Durance valley and must be grown by farmers that belong to the product’s official association. Beloved of its hometown, statues, paintings, annual festivals, and a 9-ton melon sculpture at the entryway to the town all mark what it means to locals.

This beloved local melon can also be thanked for birthing the town’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Maison Prévôt. This restaurant, which goes completely melon-themed for five months of the year, owes its origins to a trip to Paris in 1977, when Jean-Jacques Prévôt, chef and founder of Maison Prévôt broke down in the south of France, just outside Cavaillon.

Provence is one of those picture-perfect holiday destinations in the world and seems almost too beautiful to be real; with its fields of lavender, pretty villages, wonderful beaches, stunning historic buildings, delicious fresh food and more. If you have always wanted to see it for yourself, then we have a list of the perfect places to stay all picked out for you: 10 of our prettiest holiday rentals in Provence...

1. La Maison Si Tranquille (Available from €234 per night)

This incredibly cute house is situated at the foot of the village of Gordes and has a wonderful view over some of the town and up to the rest of it, as well as out across the surrounding landscape, from its terrace. Surrounded by flowers and trees with a pool, garden furniture and a barbecue, the outdoor area is perfectly set up to enjoy your beautiful surroundings.

Provence, as a region, is full of incredibly beautiful sights from endless lavender fields, to ancient monasteries, to stunning beaches, to perfectly pretty medieval towns full of architectural gems. If you have found a vacation rental in Provence and are exploring the region and you are looking for particularly lovely examples of the latter, we recommend a visit to the gorgeous town of Avignon in France and to the Palais des Papes.

In 1305, Clement V was elected as Pope and famously made the decision to transfer papal power to Avignon in order to avoid the political unrest of Rome at the time. With this move, a new home for the papal seat was required and the largest medieval gothic palace in the world was built upon the foundations of an old Episcopal bishop's palace. This building, though begun under Clement V was greatly expanded under Benedict XII in 1334 and then even further under Clement VI in 1342 when he joined Benedict XII's Palais Vieux (Old Palace) and the Palais Neuf (New Palace). All of these extensions and this expansion eventually added up to create the monumental gem full of incredible objects and a rich and complex history that we know today; it covers a whopping 15,000 square metres, boasts ten fortified towers, was home to Europe's largest library at the time, excellent frescoes and fresco cycles, and much more besides.

Beautiful Avignon is a stunning medieval city in the south-east of France, on the left bank of the Rhône river, that has a UNESCO-awarded ancient walled city centre. It is a magical and utterly picturesque place and the ideal spot to escape to for a relaxing getaway. Just browse our vacation rentals in Avignon and go get lost in its timeless grandeur and pretty charm and enjoy a taste of the relaxed and slow-paced Provençal lifestyle. While you’re in the city, be sure to visit her crowning glory, the Rocher des Doms, or Jardin des Doms, a lovely public garden that is perched high above and affords incredible views over Avignon and the surrounding area.