Origin: Latin suffix -ence
Provence has 2 different meanings across 2 categories:
a former province of southeastern France; now administered with Cote d'Azur
"The historic region of Provence is now part of the administrative area known as Cote d'Azur."
A maritime region of southeastern France bordering Italy.
"The olive groves in Provence stretch along the Mediterranean coast, forming a historic maritime region that borders Italy to the east."
The word entered English directly from the French name for the region of Provence in southeastern France. It was adopted to refer specifically to that geographic area rather than evolving from a different original meaning.