Bread in Europe palatable. Traditional rustic breads include "sfilatino imbottito" (a stuffed bread roll) and "pizza bianca" (a flat white bread). "Focaccia" is quite popular in Italy and southern France. In Provence, it is known as "fougasse" or "fouace", with the former becoming increasingly common. Fougasse can now be bought all over France. It is usually seasoned with olive oil and herbs, and often either topped with cheese or stuffed with meat or vegetables. Focaccia doughs are similar in style and texture to pizza doughs. "Pane in cassetta" and "pan carré" are low grade factory produced convenience foods sold in all Italian supermarkets.
History of Provence France. Provence has been a part of France for over 400 years, but the people of Provence, particularly in the interior, have kept a cultural identity that persists to this day. The coast of Provence has some of the earliest sites of human habitation known in Europe. Primitive stone tools were found in the Grotte du Vallonnet near Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, between Monaco and Menton, dating to between 1 million and 1.050 million years BC. The excavations at Terra Amata in Nice found signs of an encampment on a prehistoric beach, with traces of some of the earliest fireplaces found in Europe,