Why go
Provence is the France of postcards and paintings: hilltop villages the color of sand, olive groves, purple lavender against yellow wheat, and Roman monuments still in use. It is also more than that. Marseille, France's second city, is a gritty, sunny port with the best Mediterranean food in the country. The Calanques, a national park of white cliffs and turquoise coves, start at the city's edge.
The light and the slow rhythm are why Van Gogh and Cézanne painted here, and why Americans keep coming back. Plan around the heat and crowds of July and August, rent a car, and give yourself time to sit in a café on a plane-tree-shaded square.
Avignon, Arles, and Aix
Avignon
The papacy moved here in the 14th century, and the Palais des Papes is the largest Gothic palace in the world. Since May 2026 a revamped visit opens rooms never before shown to the public, with work continuing until spring 2027. Open 9 a.m.–7 p.m. from March through November 1, then 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (10 a.m.–6 p.m. in school holidays); last entry is an hour before closing. Nearby, the Pont Saint-Bénezet, the half-bridge of the children's song "Sur le pont d'Avignon," stops partway across the Rhône. A combined palace, papal gardens and bridge ticket costs €19.50 (about $22); the palace and gardens alone are €16. Ages 10–17 pay €12 or €10, and under-10s are free. Book on palais-des-papes.com. The walled city is compact and walkable; climb to the Rocher des Doms garden for the view.
Arles
Roman Arles is a UNESCO site: a 20,000-seat amphitheater still used for bullfights and concerts, a theater, and the Alyscamps necropolis. Van Gogh painted some 300 works here in 1888–89; the Fondation Vincent van Gogh shows changing exhibitions, often with a Van Gogh original or two on loan. On the edge of town, the LUMA Arles campus centers on Frank Gehry's twisting steel tower. LUMA is open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily except Tuesday; the park and some installations (including two giant slides) are free, and an all-exhibitions day ticket covers the rest. The photography festival, Les Rencontres d'Arles, fills the town every July to September.
Aix-en-Provence
An elegant university town of fountains and honey-stone mansions, centered on the Cours Mirabeau. Paul Cézanne was born and worked here: visit his studio, the Atelier de Cézanne, and his family home, the Jas de Bouffan, and walk to the Terrain des Peintres viewpoint over Mont Sainte-Victoire. Cézanne sites have timed tickets and limited capacity, and some have been through long restorations, so check what is open on the Aix tourist office site before you go. The Hôtel de Caumont art center and Granet museum are excellent.
Insider tip
Avignon's Festival d'Avignon takes over the whole city every July, with the official program (the "In") and well over a thousand shows in the fringe "Off." The 2026 festival was the 80th; 2027 dates are usually announced in the winter on festival-avignon.com. It is thrilling, but hotel prices soar and rooms book up by spring. If you are not coming for theater, avoid Avignon in July.
The Luberon and its villages
The Luberon is a long limestone ridge east of Avignon, protected as a regional nature park, with perched villages on both sides. They are close together, about 15–20 minutes apart by car, so you can see three or four in a day.
Gordes
The most photographed village, stacked on a cliff. The best view is from the road coming in from the south. Nearby, the Village des Bories is a cluster of dry-stone huts. Parking is paid and fills by midmorning in summer.
Roussillon
A village painted every shade of ochre, built over old pigment quarries. The Sentier des Ocres walk (small fee) loops through red and orange cliffs. Wear shoes you do not mind staining.
Ménerbes and Bonnieux
Ménerbes, a ship-shaped ridge village, was made famous by Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence. Bonnieux, across the valley, has a terraced old town and the Pont Julien Roman bridge below.
Lourmarin
A flat, lively village with a Renaissance château, cafés and a big Friday morning market. Albert Camus is buried in its cemetery.
Sénanque Abbey
A 12th-century Cistercian abbey still home to monks, framed by the lavender fields in the classic photo. The monks recommend the guided tour (in French), while non-French speakers can use a tablet-based self-guided visit; book on the abbey's official site only, since fake ticket sites exist. Dress modestly and keep quiet; it is a working monastery.
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
A river town of canals and water wheels, and France's antiques capital outside Paris. The Sunday market brings food, flea-market stalls and dealers together. Nearby Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is the spring where the Sorgue river bursts from a cliff.
Lavender: when, where, and how to behave
Lavender is the main reason many Americans come in summer. The timing is short and varies with altitude and weather.
- When: Lower areas like Sénanque and the Luberon usually peak in late June to early July. The Valensole plateau, the classic lavandin fields east of Manosque, peaks around early to mid-July. Higher fields around Sault and the Montagne de Lure bloom into late July. Harvest begins in mid-July, and many fields are cut by early August.
- Where: Valensole (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) has the vast rows. Sault, on the slopes of Mont Ventoux, has fine true lavender and a festival in mid-August. Sénanque gives you the abbey shot.
- Lavender museums: The Musée de la Lavande in Coustellet explains the difference between true lavender and the hybrid lavandin, and sells good oils.
Watch out
Lavender fields are working farms. Do not walk into the rows, pick flowers, or fly drones without permission; some farmers have put up fences and signs after crowds trampled crops. Park only where allowed, never on the road shoulder, and watch for bees. A few farms offer paid access or photo spots; use them.
Saint-Rémy, Les Baux, Pont du Gard, and the Camargue
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
A chic market town. Visit the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, where Van Gogh stayed in 1889–90 and painted The Starry Night, and the Roman site of Glanum next door. The Wednesday market is one of the best in Provence.
Les Baux and the Carrières des Lumières
A ruined castle on a rocky spur above a village, with views to the Camargue. Just below, the Carrières des Lumières projects giant immersive art shows onto the walls of a vast former quarry. Tickets are €16.50 (about $18) for adults, €14 for ages 7–25, €46 for a family of four, and free under 7; a combined ticket with the Château des Baux is €21. It is open every day, including holidays (10 a.m.–6 p.m. in winter, until 7 or 7:30 p.m. from April to October), cards only. It is cool inside; bring a layer.
Pont du Gard
A three-tier Roman aqueduct bridge, 160 feet (49 m) high and nearly 2,000 years old, technically just across the border in Occitanie. It is a classic day trip. Walking onto the site is free; you pay €9 (about $10) per car to park, whatever the number of people, and €8 for the museum and film. In summer you can swim in the Gardon river below it; bring water shoes for the pebbles.
The Camargue
Wetlands of white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos. The Parc Ornithologique du Pont de Gau has easy trails to see flamingos up close. Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is a whitewashed beach town and Roma pilgrimage site; Aigues-Mortes is a walled medieval town with salt flats. Mosquitoes are fierce in summer.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The village of the popes' "new castle" makes powerful reds from up to 13 grape varieties, grown on fields of round stones. Dozens of tasting rooms welcome walk-ins, unlike in Burgundy. Climb to the castle ruin for the view. Gigondas and Vacqueyras, under the Dentelles de Montmirail, are close.
Gorges du Verdon
One of Europe's deepest canyons, with walls up to 2,300 feet (700 m), and the milky-turquoise Verdon river. Drive the Route des Crêtes on the north rim (one-way sections), rent an electric boat or kayak on Lac de Sainte-Croix, and stop in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a village famed for its faience pottery. Plan a full day from the Luberon.
Marseille in depth
Marseille is not pretty in the way Aix is, and that is its charm. Founded by Greek sailors around 600 BC, it is France's oldest city, a multicultural port with a strong North African influence, a big-city energy and the sea at the end of every street. Plenty of repeat visitors end up preferring it to Nice.
Vieux-Port
The old harbor, lined with cafés and boats. Fishermen sell the night's catch from stalls on the quai des Belges each morning. Norman Foster's mirrored canopy, the Ombrière, reflects the crowds below. A small ferry crosses the harbor for a token fare.
Notre-Dame de la Garde
The gold-statued basilica locals call "la Bonne Mère" crowns the city's highest hill, with views over the islands and the Château d'If, the island prison of The Count of Monte Cristo. Walk up (steep, about 30 minutes) or take bus 60 or the little tourist train.
Le Panier
Marseille's oldest quarter, a hill of steep lanes, street art and laundry lines above the Vieux-Port. The Vieille Charité, a restored 17th-century almshouse, now holds museums. Buy savon de Marseille (olive-oil soap) here.
Mucem
The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations, in a black concrete-lace cube joined by a footbridge to the old Fort Saint-Jean. The outdoor spaces, rooftop and Fort Saint-Jean gardens are free to wander; one ticket covers the exhibitions. It usually opens 10 a.m.–7 p.m., later in summer; check mucem.org.
Corniche and Vallon des Auffes
The coast road runs past beaches and the tiny fishing port of Vallon des Auffes, with brightly painted boats under the arches of the Corniche road bridge. Continue to the Prado beaches and the Parc Borély.
Islands and the Château d'If
Frioul ferries leave from the Vieux-Port for the Château d'If fortress and the Frioul islands, with walking trails and small coves for swimming.
Safety by neighborhood
Marseille has a bad reputation from drug-related violence, but the shootings are concentrated in northern housing projects (the "quartiers nord") that visitors have no reason to go to. The tourist center is about as safe as any big French city, with the usual pickpocketing.
- Fine for visitors, day and night: the Vieux-Port, Le Panier, the Cours Julien and Notre-Dame-du-Mont (lively bars and street art), the Corniche, the 7th and 8th arrondissements (Endoume, Prado, Pointe Rouge).
- Take care, especially at night: the area around Saint-Charles station, Belsunce and Noailles (great market by day, sketchy after dark), and parts of the Canebière, where petty crime and street dealing are common.
- Little for visitors: most of the northern arrondissements (13th–15th). The exception is L'Estaque in the 16th, the old fishing port Cézanne and Braque painted, which is fine by day and reachable by boat shuttle from the Vieux-Port in summer.
Watch out
Keep phones off café tables and bags zipped and in front of you on the Métro and at the Vieux-Port. Scooter snatch-thefts happen. See safety in France for scams and emergency numbers.
Bouillabaisse: finding the real thing
Bouillabaisse started as a fishermen's stew of unsold rockfish, and it is now an expensive feast. A real one is served in two stages: first the saffron-orange broth with croutons and rouille (a garlicky, saffron mayonnaise), then the fish, filleted at the table. It should include several Mediterranean rockfish such as rascasse (scorpion fish), weever and conger eel.
- Expect to pay €60 (about $67) or more per person at a serious address. A €25 "bouillabaisse" on a Vieux-Port menu is fish soup, not the real dish.
- Order a day ahead at many top places, since the fish is bought for you.
- A group of restaurants follows the 1980 Bouillabaisse Charter, which sets out the fish and the service. Classic addresses include Chez Fonfon at Vallon des Auffes, Le Miramar on the Vieux-Port, and Chez Michel near the Catalans beach.
- On a budget? Order the soupe de poissons with rouille and croutons, or try panisse (chickpea fries) and a pizza from a wood-fired oven, a Marseille staple.
The Calanques and Cassis
The Parc national des Calanques, created in 2012, protects about 12 miles (20 km) of limestone coast between Marseille and Cassis, with narrow fjord-like coves (calanques) and clear water.
- Sugiton reservation: Since 2022 the national park has required a free online reservation to walk down to the Calanque de Sugiton (reached from the Luminy university campus) on busy summer days, to cap numbers and protect the eroded slopes. Book a slot on calanques-parcnational.fr before you go; rangers check at the trailhead. In 2026 the rule applied on June 20–21, every day from June 27 to August 30, and on the first two weekends of September. Dates and quotas are set each year, so check the park site for the 2027 calendar.
- En-Vau and Port-Pin: From Cassis, a rocky trail leads to Port-Pin (about 45 minutes) and En-Vau (about 1.5 hours one way, with a steep descent). Wear real shoes, carry at least 2 liters of water per person, and expect no shade or shops.
- Fire closures: From June 1 to September 30, access to the massif is regulated daily by fire risk. On high-risk days trails are closed entirely. The Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture publishes a color-coded access map each evening, around 6 p.m., for the next day; check it, or the national park's site, before you set out.
- Boat tours: The easiest way to see the coves. Boats leave from the Vieux-Port in Marseille and from Cassis harbor. From Cassis, the classic short trip visits three to nine calanques in roughly 45 minutes to 2 hours and is cheaper than the longer Marseille departures. Boats do not run in strong mistral or rough seas.
- Kayaks and paddleboards can be rented at Pointe Rouge in Marseille and in Cassis, with guided trips in summer.
Cassis is a pastel fishing port 30 minutes east of Marseille, with a small beach, waterfront seafood restaurants and its own crisp white wine. The Route des Crêtes over Cap Canaille, among the highest sea cliffs in Europe at about 1,290 feet (394 m), has dizzying views; it closes in strong winds and on high fire-risk days. Parking in Cassis is very tight in summer; use the park-and-ride shuttles.
Suggested itineraries
Three days: a taste of Provence
- Day 1
Avignon
TGV from Paris (about 2 hr 40 min). Palais des Papes, the bridge, and dinner in the walled city. Pick up a rental car at the TGV station the next morning.
- Day 2
Luberon
Gordes, Sénanque, Roussillon's ochre trail, and a sunset dinner in Bonnieux or Lourmarin.
- Day 3
Pont du Gard and Arles
Pont du Gard at opening, then Arles: amphitheater, Van Gogh sites and LUMA. Drop the car and take the train onward.
Seven days: two bases
- Day 1
Avignon
Arrive by train; papal palace and the old town.
- Day 2
Châteauneuf-du-Pape and L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Morning tasting, afternoon antiques and canals (Sunday market if you can).
- Day 3
Luberon villages
Gordes, Sénanque, Roussillon, Ménerbes.
- Day 4
Saint-Rémy, Les Baux, Arles
Van Gogh's asylum, the Carrières des Lumières and the Roman arena.
- Day 5
Aix-en-Provence
Move to Aix or Marseille. Cézanne's studio, the Cours Mirabeau, and a market morning.
- Day 6
Marseille
Vieux-Port, Le Panier, Mucem, Notre-Dame de la Garde, bouillabaisse dinner.
- Day 7
Calanques and Cassis
A boat tour from Cassis or a morning hike to Port-Pin, then a swim and a seafood lunch. Fly out of Marseille or continue to the Riviera.
Getting there and around
By train
TGVs from Paris Gare de Lyon reach Avignon TGV in about 2 hr 40 min, Aix-en-Provence TGV in about 3 hours, and Marseille Saint-Charles in about 3 hr 20 min. Budget Ouigo trains also run. The TGV stations at Avignon and Aix are outside town, with rental car agencies on site; shuttle trains or buses link them to the centers. Regional TER trains connect Avignon Centre, Arles and Marseille. See trains.
By air
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) is about 30 minutes from Marseille and Aix. Nonstop service from the US is limited and seasonal at best, so most travelers connect through Paris or another European hub, or fly into Paris and take the TGV.
Why you need a car
Buses serve some villages, but schedules are thin and many lavender fields, abbeys and wineries have no transit at all. Rent a car for the countryside portion and skip it in Marseille, where traffic and parking are punishing and break-ins happen. Village streets are narrow: rent the smallest car that fits your luggage, and book an automatic early. Speed cameras are everywhere. See driving in France.
Different from home
The mistral is a cold, dry north wind that funnels down the Rhône valley, often for three days or more, at gusts over 60 mph (100 km/h). It clears the sky and makes the light brilliant, but it feels much colder than the thermometer says, closes some boat trips and cliff roads, and drives up fire risk in summer. Pack a windbreaker even in May.
Where to base yourself
For a week, split your stay: three or four nights in the Luberon or Avignon for villages and the west, then three nights in Aix or Marseille for the cities and the coast. Saint-Rémy is a pleasant alternative base for the Alpilles, Arles and Les Baux.
Chambre d'hôte or gîte
A guest room in a farmhouse (mas) with breakfast, often with a pool. Gîtes rent by the week in summer, usually Saturday to Saturday.
Town hotel
Small hotels inside the old towns. Check parking: most centers are restricted or paid.
Country mas hotel
Restored stone farmhouses with gardens and pools. Book months ahead for June and July.
Luxury
Hilltop palace hotels in Gordes, Baumanière at Les Baux, or a sea-view hotel on the Corniche in Marseille.
Food, drink, and markets
- Bouillabaisse and bourride (a white fish stew thickened with aioli).
- Grand aïoli: salt cod, vegetables and eggs with garlic mayonnaise, traditionally on Fridays.
- Tapenade, anchoïade, pistou soup and daube provençale (beef stewed in red wine).
- Panisse (fried chickpea strips) and navettes (orange-blossom cookies) in Marseille; calissons (almond-melon candies) in Aix.
- Wine: pale rosé from the Côtes de Provence and Bandol, Cassis whites, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas reds. See French wine.
- Pastis, the anise aperitif mixed with five parts water, the drink of the pétanque court.
Market days
| Day | Town | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Forcalquier, Cadenet, Bédoin | Forcalquier's is one of the region's biggest |
| Tuesday | Gordes, Lacoste, Vaison-la-Romaine | Vaison's is one of the largest |
| Wednesday | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Sault | Saint-Rémy's is excellent |
| Thursday | Roussillon, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (small), Nyons | Arrive by 9 a.m. |
| Friday | Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Carpentras (truffles in winter) | Lourmarin is lively and crowded |
| Saturday | Arles, Apt, Uzès, Manosque | Arles stretches along the boulevard des Lices |
| Sunday | L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Coustellet (farmers, April–December) | L'Isle adds antiques dealers |
| Daily | Aix-en-Provence (Place Richelme), Marseille (Noailles except Sunday, fish quai) | Aix also has big Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday markets |
Market days occasionally change; confirm with the local tourist office. Most markets wind down by 12:30 p.m. See French food.
Seasons and 2026–2027 events
| When | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nov–Mar | Quiet season | Many village restaurants and hotels close; Marseille and Aix stay lively |
| Dec 2026 | Christmas santon fairs | Clay nativity figures; Marseille's foire aux santons on the Canebière |
| Dec 2026–Mar 2027 | Black truffle season | Truffle markets in Carpentras and Richerenches |
| Easter weekend (Mar 26–29, 2027) | Feria de Pâques, Arles | Bullfights and street parties |
| Late June–mid-July 2027 | Lavender bloom | Valensole peaks around early to mid-July |
| July 2027 | Festival d'Avignon; Rencontres d'Arles photo festival | Book lodging months ahead |
| Mid-Aug 2027 | Fête de la Lavande, Sault | Around August 15 |
| Sept–Oct 2027 | Grape harvest | Warm days, cool nights, fewer crowds |
July and August are hot, often above 95°F (35°C), crowded and expensive, and fire rules close trails. May, June, September and early October are ideal. See when to go.
Tips for Americans
- Lunch is the main meal in villages, from noon to 2 p.m. Many restaurants close Sunday evening and Monday, and shops close midday.
- Air-conditioning is not standard in older village rooms and gîtes. If you travel in July or August, confirm it in writing.
- Bring a refillable bottle: you will walk a lot in heat, and many villages have public fountains marked eau potable.
- Wildfire is a real danger in summer. Never smoke or barbecue outdoors, and follow closure signs.
- Olive oil, tapenade and lavender products travel well; liquids go in checked bags. See shopping and US customs.
- If you are combining regions, the Riviera is 2–3 hours east by car, Occitanie is just west, and Lyon is under two hours north by TGV.
For hiking, swimming and cycling Mont Ventoux, see outdoors. The regions hub shows how Provence fits with the rest of France.
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