Provence (French pronunciation: [pʁɔ.vɑ̃s]; Provençal: Provença
in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm, pronounced
[pʀuˈvɛⁿsɔ]) is a geographical region and historical province of
southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the
lower Rhone River on the west to the Italian border on the east,
and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea on the south. It
largely corresponds with the modern administrative région of
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and includes the départements of
Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and parts of
Alpes-Maritimes and Vaucluse. The Romans made the region into
the first Roman province beyond the Alps and called it Provincia
Romana, which evolved into the present name. It was ruled by the
Counts of Provence from their capital in Aix-en-Provence until
1481, when it became a province of the Kings of France. While it
has been part of France for more than five hundred years, it
still retains a distinct cultural and linguistic identity,
particularly in the interio