I’ve been dreaming of a Provençal holiday…
Known for it’s lavender fields, fresh cheeses, jams, honey and olive groves responsible for pinky rosé wine.
Here you will find wicker baskets topped to brim with housewares and vegetables from the local market, boulangeries with warm baguettes and a surplus of storied villages boasting pastel hued walls, narrow cobblestone streets and colorful blooms come summer. All of it nestled ever so quaintly across the southern french countryside in the region made just for grand-millennials like myself.
My husband and I have been to Nice, Antibes and St. Tropez years back and attempted some Provençal glory by visiting nearby Saint Paul de Vance and Eze, both of which were wonderfully emblematic of the French countryside. However nothing quite compares to the crème de la crème, what most consider the heart of Provence, essentially the northwestern edge of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region and Luberon Valley. Commonly confused, the countryside and the coastline are all within the same region of France, making for a relatively easy experience to travel between.
Please refer to the map I made below for clarity!
Getting to Provence
There are a few ways to travel into the region, by plane, train or automobile will all do, however, you will need a car once you’ve arrived to get from small village to small village.
And nervous Nelly’s beware, driving in Provence is not for the faint of heart. With narrow roads, old hilltop villages and two way streets that would most certainly be illegal in the States, make sure you arrive with a car charger, water bottles and a phone holder as you will want to know where you are going!
We flew into Paris and hopped on the high speed TGV train from Gare de Lyon to Avignon to start our journey here, but you could also fly into Marseille, Toulon or Nice airport and drive/ride the train inland. Regardless of how you arrive make sure you give yourself ample time in between modes of transportation as everything seems to move a tad slower here. We managed to make great time with less than three hours between landing at ORLY and making the TGV train with a pre-booked an Uber to Gare de Lyon in Saturday afternoon traffic during the Paris Olympics!
Uber was very reliable in Paris but I recommend pre-booking Ubers in Provence, especially for later rides in the evening.
We even had a little time to grab a bite inside the ornate Le Train Bleu restaurant before our two and half hour train to Avignon.
The first class coach was very comfortable, with easily accessible snacks and chargers for our laptops and phones. It was a beautiful way to see the sunset in the countryside before our late evening arrival in Avignon.
Where to Stay
There are so many wonderful places in Provence, so you can’t go wrong, but my recommendation is to add all the places across the countryside you want to see into a saved google map so you can get an idea of how to structure your day trips based on where you choose your home base to be.
Everything is relatively close for the most part, varying from 20 minutes-45 away but I choose to stay in Ménerbes as it felt most central to the towns I was most excited about. Regardless, you can’t go wrong with olive groves, lavender fields and quaint little towns everywhere you turn!
AVIGNON
Avignon is perhaps one of the most notable villages in Provence and a central spot to start your journey with all the car rental services located right next to the TGV station. It’s also packed with history, fabulous rental homes, shops and restaurants and loads of hotel options given how large it is in comparison to other smaller villages. We stayed for our first night in Provence but most certainly could have spent more time here given how much there is to see and do!
La Mirande // The premier choice, where I only made it for lunch, but worth the splurge if you’re a design obsessed grand-millennial like myself and can swing it. Each room is perfectly styled in fabrics and patterns emblematic of the French countryside and certainly worth the visit for dinner at their Michelin stared restaurant, which is also stunningly beautiful, the real only factor in my star ratings!
Hotel d’Europe // We stayed here for a night and found it very charming. Tucked inside a quaint courtyard, across the street from a small but busy outdoor square, I would certainly recommend it! The rooms are a bit small, despite us being upgraded to a suite.
N15 – Les Confidences // A super quaint little guest house with a cozy courtyard and pool. Definitely the most charming budget friendly spot in town!
La Divine Comédie // A stunning property set in a garden with magazine worthy suites and a gorgeous pool. I would definitely consider a longer stay here given how lovely the grounds are but unfortunately we only had one night.
ARLES AND SAINT-RÉMY-DE-PROVENCE
Le Château des Alpilles, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence // only 30 minutes outside of Avignon and Arles, this property is what most would consider a perfect provencal stay immediately upon entering the long tree-lined driveway itself! A countryside feel but only 6 minutes from the heart of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, one of the cutest towns in the region! (photo by @themezzinoi)
La Maison du Village, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence // A quaint little guest house in the heart of town!
L’Hôtel Particulier Arles // We loved our stay at the L’Hôtel de Tingry in Menerbes and I would most certainly trust any of their proprties give how unique and charming they all appear to be! This one appears to check all the boxes; a charming historic house right in town and equipped with a lovely pool! Done and done!
CRILLON-LE-BRAVE
A tiny hilltop village located in the northern region of Provence, boasting immaculate views of Mont Ventoux, this is most certainly the destination for anyone wanting a true countryside experience. With lots of nature loaded actives like bike trails, hiking, camping, lakes, etc; not exactly my jam but I would most certainly dine or take a stay at Hotel Crillon-Le Brave for a day or two of relaxation and nothing else! (photo by @rozzad @thetinynomad)
GORDES AND MÉNERBES
My favorite area in the Luberon Valley given how central it was to most of the other quaint little towns and villages and where we chose to spend the longer part of our stay in Provence! Gordes is also one of the most famous Provencal towns for gordes reason (see what I did there) as it’s super picturesque with epic views of Luberon Valley that we thoroughly enjoyed during our fabulous meal at L’Orangerie!
Airelles Gordes, La Bastide de Gordes // A luxury accommodation in a historic Bastide once owned by nobility, with many options to sip and dine with a view! We loved our aperitif at Le TIGrr and dinner at L’Orangerie, it’s also been beautifully restored to modern French country glory and a stone’s through away from the center of Gordes village!
L’Hôtel Particulier de Tingry // If you haven’t read about it already, we had the most magical stay here during our time in Provence and I would recommend it to any friend who’s looking for an Airbnb experience without having to rent an entire house alone. It’s a four guest room country house set at the very top of Ménerbes village boasted incredible views all around, the one pictured here from my window!
La Bastide de Marie // We came here for dinner on my birthday and felt transported into the best version of the French Countryside with it’s stately row of cypress trees, backyard vineyard and pretty light blue shutters! It’s not walking distance to any villages but very romantic and serene!
What to Wear in Provence
Provence in the summer gets very warm, being it’s a couple hours drive inland of the breezier coastline so lightweight fabrics are best. I certainly took advantage of floral linen resortwear pieces from one of my favorite brands, Agua by Agua Bendita, white linen basics like these shorts I practically lived in the whole trip, and flat sandals, woven loafers and chic slides are a must for the uphill and cobblestone paved streets.
I also highly recommend packing some swimwear for those lucky afternoons by the pool, a must with temps like the ones we saw mid-august!
Provencal Towns, Villages and Cities
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue // One of Arthur’s favorite towns on the trip as the entire village is surrounded by rivers with watermills, the charm is oozing through each and every crevice! We made the very tail end of the infamous Sunday market, where most of the cherished antiques are sold given the village is known for it’s varied selection. But even if you don’t come on Sunday morning, the village has many shops dedicated to those looking to fill their countryside houses with elements of La Bastide! I was obsessed with several things I knew would be a pain to ship to the US but for anyone interested in purchasing abroad they do offer shipping options upfront! We sadly didn’t have room in our bellies for a meal at Le Jardin du Quai, but if you can make it here it’s an absolute must!
Avignon // A large Provencal town bursting at the brim with history given it was where seven popes resided before moving to Rome, as the region of Provence was considered a Province of Rome before becoming part of France in the French Revolution. Situated next the the Rhone river with it’s ancient city walls still standing, you can’t help but feel transported back walking the cobblestone streets of Avignon. Being one of the most populated Provencal towns it’s a great option for a start of a trip or day visit as the train station has access to larger cities like Paris, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence to continue travel out of the countryside. We loved our time spent at La Mirande, a must for the architecture and history alone, as well as a dinner at Bibendum for something a bit more lively in a chic courtyard!
Gordes // Perhaps the most idyllic and well known of them all and for good reason! Make sure you plan to see the town but also get a good shot of it from the town viewpoint on your drive in or out! We loved the breathtaking views and enjoyed our drinks and dinner at Airelles Gordes, La Bastide de Gordes. We didn’t get to explore too much more after our sunset dinner but some highlights here, Gordes Castle, stunning views walking through town and The Senanque Abbey, which we skipped given lavender season basically ends in July.
Ménerbes // A village in the Luberon Valley commonly referred to as a ship in a sea of vineyards given its long and narrow shape, perched high above with excellent views! This was where our hotel was, centered in a place known for art and history having been a popular vacation destination for wealthy Italians back when Provence belonged to the Romans. In fact the American woman who renovated and lived in our Hotel also purchased and renovated Dora Maar’s house next door, one of Picasso’s lovers/muses, now a historical site and center for artists. More recently a major attraction for artists and writers such as Peter Mayle who’s written many books about his life in Provence, particularly the one based on his time in Ménerbes, A Year in Provence. Some things to explore there now; the Truffle Museum, restaurants with stunning views, Bistro le 5 and Café du Progrès, as well as a cozy romantic spot, Les Saveurs Gourmandes. A delicious little bakery, Boulangerie Roche Joël and a cute shop with home goods, Petits points de Provence!
Lourmarin // Arthur’s second favorite town, rightfully so as it’s arguably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been with idyllic scenes on every corner, literally! The village is so green with cascading flowers overflowing every facade, endless charm on every corner cafe, one of which came highly recommended and we thoroughly enjoyed, Café Gaby. Out of all the towns this one felt most like the Paris version of Provence, in all the best ways given how lively and charming it was, definitely worth the slightly terrifying country roads to get here! A great guide to the town, linked here.
Roussillon // Named after the red rock native to the area, the entire town is the perfect shade of rosé come sunset! We found some adorable souvenirs here for Parker, my favorite being the clay artist easel that he was beyond excited to paint with! The views were beautiful too and the narrow streets lined well with so many little eateries, cafes and shops.
TOWNS WE DIDN’T MAKE IT TO FROM OUR LIST
Where to Wine, Dine and Cafè
The Restaurant at La Bastide de Marie, Ménerbes
Boulangerie Roche Joël, Ménerbes
Omma, Roussillon (Michelin)
Where to Shop
Antiquing in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue // There are a bunch of options for great antiques and furniture in this village and the Sunday market has even more sellers in addition to all the brick and mortar shops!
Doré Store // Colorful clothes and homewares with several locations in Provence!
Market Days // Each village has their market day and there are many lists on the Internet to find out when the village you want to visit has theirs, but I would recommend checking with your hotel closer to the trip for the best accuracy! Even if the village you want to visit isn’t holding a market on your day, ask the host/concierge to recommend a different town market, you will likely be happy with any and all of them!
La Maison d’Ines // Amazing ceramics, decor and furniture finds!
Faïence Bondil, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie // I am so sad we didn’t make it here to this ceramics store full of beautiful dishware I would have been begging Arthur to ship back!
La Maison Pernoise, Pernes-les-Fontaines // Home decor in natural materials and colors.
Petits points de Provence, Ménerbes // Cute home goods store with soaps and linens and wonderful little trinkets!
Lavender Fields, Lakes and Museums
Lavender Fields // If you are eager to see the Lavender, come in June or July, mid-July being the height of bloom! We came in mid August so unfortunately we missed one of the most popular attractions Provence is known for but here are coordinates to one of the best fields, 43°49’11.0″N 5°55’59.6″E, enter it into Google Maps or visit the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, for a perfectly instagrammable opportunity, or the village of Simiane-la-Rotonde, for a beautiful village backdrop! Make sure to go closest to sunrise or sunset for the best light, beware of crowds! (photo by @aguynamedpatrick)
Lac de Sainte-Croix // Large lake with boat rentals and tons of cute villages/beaches to enjoy!
Lac d’Esparron-de-Verdon // Another beautiful lake to enjoy in Provence!
Monastery Saint-Paul de Mausole, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence // A little sad of history but apparently the asylum where Van Gogh painted over 100 works of art, including his most notable Starry Night.
Hotel de Caumont, Aix-En-Provence // We stopped here for a quick minute to refresh ourselves on the way to the Riviera, but a beautiful museum nonetheless in the heart of the big city of Aix-En-Provence. An 18th century mansion with a lovely grounds and long history of being owned by wealthy families before becoming a hotel and then being restored as a cultural center for visitors and residents.
Palais des Papes, Avignon // The Pope’s Palace as Avignon housed several popes from the Catholic Church before France took over the region of Provence. A must see for any religious history buffs!
Château La Coste, Aix-En-Provence // A vineyard and hotel estate with a sculpture garden full of more modern art and fabulous restaurants!
Hope you enjoyed this guide to a place I am already so eager to return! Please feel free to DM me on Instagram with any specific travel questions or requests! Xx
