France

Provence

Provence trades in sensory pleasures: lavender and thyme on the air, markets heavy with produce, and light that has pulled painters south for well over a century. Its bastide hotels and village hideaways make an art of doing very little, very well, between the Luberon's hill villages and the olive groves of the Alpilles.

Best areas to stay

The Luberon

Gordes, Bonnieux and Ménerbes crown this ridge of hill villages, home to Provence's most refined country-house hotels and its prettiest market mornings.

The Alpilles & Saint-Rémy

A pocket of limestone hills, olive mills and chic villages, with Les Baux-de-Provence and Van Gogh's Saint-Rémy at its heart.

Aix-en-Provence

The elegant fountain-strewn town of Cézanne makes a polished base, with plane-tree boulevards, galleries and easy access to Mont Sainte-Victoire.

Haute-Provence & the Valensole plateau

The high country towards the Verdon Gorge holds the famous lavender fields and a quieter, wilder register of Provençal scenery.

Dining & nightlife

Provence's tables range from village bistros and market-driven lunches to some of France's most celebrated country restaurants. Rosé on a terrace is the default evening; nightlife proper is left to the coast.

Travelling as a family

Families settle easily into villa life with pools, markets to graze and activities from canoeing under the Pont du Gard to cycling the Luberon's quiet lanes. Ochre trails at Roussillon and Roman arenas add painless doses of history.

Travelling as a couple

Provence is made for couples: hilltop dinners in Gordes, private lavender-field picnics and mornings that begin with croissants in a bastide garden. Book a village-view suite and let the itinerary stay loose.

Cultural highlights

The Roman arena and theatre at Arles, and Van Gogh's painting sites
The Palais des Papes in Avignon
The hilltop citadel of Les Baux-de-Provence and the Carrières des Lumières
Weekly markets in Lourmarin, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Aix

When to visit

May, June and September bring warm days and open markets without August's crowds; the lavender bloom typically runs from late June into July on the Valensole plateau. August is hot and busy, and many village restaurants close for part of the winter.

Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers; the mistral wind can blow hard and cold at any season, clearing the skies as it goes.

Practical notes

Fly into Marseille (MRS) or Avignon; TGV trains from Paris reach Avignon and Aix in around three hours
A car is essential for the villages and lavender country; park outside walled centres
Time lavender visits for late June to mid-July and go early in the day
Restaurants keep strict hours in the countryside; book ahead and respect the lunchtime window

View Provence on the map

Follow the journey

Daily discoveries from Provence and beyond.

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