an ancient province of France, in the extreme S.E. of the kingdom, bounded on the N. by the province of Dauphiné, W. by that of Languedoc, S. and S.E. by the Mediterranean, and E. by Italy. It comprehends the modern departments of Basses-Alpes, Bouches-du-Rhône, and Var; with parts of those of Vaucluse, Drôme, and Hautes-Alpes.