When traveling, I’ve been asked so many times what were my favorite places in Provence -where I’m from. Now that I’m back living in this beautiful region, I finally took the time to put together my best things to do in Provence -villages, hikes, food, photo spots… Get ready for a sunny journey !
Miles of vineyards, gorgeous lavender fields, beautiful farmers markets, crystal blue waters, medieval cities, colourful houses, cobblestone streets -there are so many reasons to love Provence, no surprise it’s one of the most visited regions of France. Wherever I’ve been living for the past decade, I’ve always been excited to come back here for holidays. I’m so grateful my family still lives in Provence! I enjoy coming back to my favourites places -obviously-, but I also have this enormous thirst for new discovery. Let me take you for a 7 days road trip in Provence !
Itinerary of a road trip in Provence
If you like scenic roads, beautiful food, historic sights, great outdoors, villages that make you feel you’re in a movie scene, and romantic sunsets (needless to say, with a glass of good wine), well… You’re in for a treat!
a road trip in provence: THE MAP
Of course this is just an idea, there is much more to see in Provence. But it’s important to keep room for surprises. Don’t forget to get lost!
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HOW FAR AWAY ?
Carpentras - Mont Ventoux: 35km
Carpentras - Les Dentelles: 20km
Carpentras - Venasque: 12km
Venasque - Gordes: 15km
Carpentras - Bonnieux: 45km
Avignon - Carpentras: 30km
Avignon - Baux de Provence: 40km
Avignon - Isle sur Sorgue: 30km
DAY 1: VENASQUE, POPPIES FIELDS, SAUMANE-DE-VAUCLUSE & GORDES
Perched on a hill, Venasque offers beautiful views of the vineyards and the cypress trees forest. It’s not on the usual Provence itinerary, so on top of being very charming, with cobblestones alleys and small archways all around -it’s often less crowded than other villages, during peak season. Every Friday during summer, there’s a nice little market with local craftsmen. Also, the farmers’ shop in front of the Baptistère is worth a stop: you’ll find delicious local products.
If you’re traveling in Provence in late April - May, watch out on the road, you could be lucky to find some stunning poppies fields on the road from Venasque to Saumane-de-Vaucluse. This last village also offers gorgeous panoramic views of the surroundings. If you’re traveling with kids, forget the stroller and take the baby carrier, as there are some lovely alleys you won’t be able to explore with wheels. Cool down with a drink at the stunning terrace of the restaurant Haut Perché, then hit the road for an afternoon in Gordes.
Haut Perché - 04.90.90.77.59 - Place Neuve, Saumane-de-Vaucluse -it’s the only restaurant, you can’t miss it!
Open Tuesday 11am-3pm ; Thursday 11am-3pm ; Friday & Saturday 11am-3pm - 6pm-10:30pm ; Sunday 10am-3pm
Right before Gordes, turn direction Les Bories. It’s an old village from the Neolithic Age made of stone huts, surrounded by olive trees. It’s open everyday from 9am, and closes at 5:30pm in winter and 8pm in summer. There’s a 6€ entrance fee per adult, 4€ for 12-17 yo kids, free under 12.
Then there’s Gordes. You might have a déjà-vu feeling when you get there. That view of the village cascading on the hillside from the other side of the valley became an Instagram classic. There’s more than that -beautiful restaurants, places, cathedral, views, boutiques… The best is, as usual, to simply explore and get lost in the village. As Gordes is famous amongst tourists, if you’re in Provence during high season, I would advise to come early in the morning, or in early afternoon, when people are still napping…
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DAY 2: ROUSSILLON, BONNIEUX & OPPÈDE LE VIEUX
If the Luberon Natural Parc hides many marvels, Roussillon’s colourful stone pit is one of its highlights. Le Sentier des Ocres will take you on a spectacular walk in a nature made of sandy hills, from yellow to red. There’s a choice between two paths, offering either a 30 or 60 minutes walk in the ochers. Hanging of the rock, the village of Roussillon is must-see, with its bright houses, craft shops and pretty terraces.
Le Sentier des Ocres - Roussillon - opening hours depend on the season - 3€ per person
Welcome to authentic Provence! Get ready for some stereotype getting real here - almost every little village you cross by in the Luberon seems to be out of a Pagnol movie! Once again, forget the stroller for these two. Bonnieux is absolutely beautiful, especially from the top, with that view (*photo below)! Its beauty has attracted a whole community of artists, from which results a cool array of arty shops. And Oppède Le Vieux, one of my villages coups de cœur in Provence. Seated on a hill, this small village has a long and rich history -you can tell from its semi-wild houses and lush nature growing on the walls of some ruins.
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DAY 3: CARPENTRAS & AVIGNON
Carpentras is a great place to put your bags in, then radiate from there. You can discover the best places to visit in Carpentras in my latest article -even if it’s in French, I’m sure you’ll get the essence of it.
Ohhh and how could you come in Provence and not stop in that famous old town named… Avignon? There’s the Palais des Papes, the Pont -of course-, the Remparts and so much more medieval history. Also a fantastic choice of cafes and restaurants -to name a few, Naka for a beautiful Japanese food, and Guillaume Cuoco for a creative kind of pastry. After your French feast, you can take a walk all the way up to the Rocher des Doms, a public park that offers scenic views of the Pont d’Avignon and the Rhône river. Once you’re up there, why not taking a nap under a tree while listening the cicada singing? If you’re more into the shopping mood, you’ll find just the right place for you in the streets of Avignon -don’t miss Beaucoup Store, an independent store than became a must around here.
Naka - 04.90.82.15.70 - 4, Rue de la Place Principale, Avignon - Open Mon to Sat, 12am-2:30pm ; 7pm-10:30pm
Guillaume Cuoco - 60, Rue Carnot, Avignon - Open Tue to Sat 8am-7pm ; Sun 8am-12am
Beaucoup Store - 7 / 3 / 12, Rue Rouge, Avignon - Open from Tue to Sat 10:30am-7pm
Of course, Avignon wouldn’t be what it is without its famous theater event, Le Festival d’Avignon. It usually takes place all around town every year in July, with streets performances, music, and a unique/crazy atmosphere. As for lots of events, 2020 will be the exception and the old town will stay quiet this year.
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DAY 4: LES DENTELLES DE MONTMIRAIL, GIGONDAS & lafare
To be completely honest, I cannot be objective with Les Dentelles de Montmirail. We have too much history. Me coming to encourage my dad during his trail runs since I’m 3 yo, my first running races, many, many beautiful hikes and picnics with the family. It’s my little piece of heaven in France. It’s also a dream spot for all levels of climbers. Absolutely perfect for a break deep into nature. Deliciously complemented by a wine tasting, later in the valley…
Gigondas and Flassan are two charming tiny villages in Les Dentelles. On the road, you might get lost with the number of incredible vineyards to explore. There’s no way I can tell you what’s ‘the’ best, but I can tell you Le Domaine de la Tourade organises vintage events all year long… with their VW combi! I’ll tell you more about their concept I-of-course-fell-in-love-with (you give me wine and a VW, what else could I be asking for?!) soon.
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DAY 5: LAVENDER FIELDS, SAULT, the toulourenc & THE MONT VENTOUX
Anyone who’s cycling a bit or who follows Le Tour de France has seen it. Proudly standing from its 1912 meters, the Mont Ventoux has the highest summit in Vaucluse. In bright days, we can see it sit from pretty much anywhere around.
To truly enjoy the beauty of the Mont Ventoux, I would advise to start slowly, from below, in the village of Sault and its outskirts. Between July and August, you should get lucky enough to enjoy the deep blue lavender fields. Then you can drive up to either Mont Serein or Chalet Reynard to start a hike, a mountain bike park tour or a trail run. Mont Serein is the best option of all the family oriented activities : horse riding, kart, etc. If it’s too hot to get sweaty, then jump into the Gorges du Toulourenc for some canyoning fun.
Don’t live before getting all the way up to the summit. On top of the peak, you’ll find a cafe restaurant with a spectacular view and a souvenir shop. You might want to take a jacket, as it often gets windy up there. Then take your bottle of local rosé, your blanket and sit down on the grass for a lovely sunset.
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DAY 6: VAISON-LA-ROMAINE
Start you day by getting your tickets for the archaeological park -so you can explore every inch of this medieval city, and get to know everything you want about its history. There is enough to visit to keep you busy for days.
Ticket ‘PASS’ : access to all the monuments in Vaison-la-Romaine during 24h: 9€ per adult / 4€ for 10-17 yo / free until 9 yo.
For sale only in site (not online).
Not only this city is an open-air museum, Vaison-la-Romaine hides an array of great local stores, markets, events (many concerts in summer), and much more. Best thing to do to get to know what’s happening while you’re there is to check out the tourist center (Place du Chanoine Sautel, Avenue Général de Gaulle, Vaison-la-Romaine - Open Mon-Sat 9:30am-12pm - 2pm-5:45pm, Sun 9:30am-12pm).
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DAY 7: L’ISLE SUR LA SORGUE & LES BAUX DE PROVENCE
All right. If you want to be romantic or to fall in love, this is the place. “The Venice of Provence”: L’Isle sur la Sorgue. Surrounded by the Sorgue river, this little town looks like a beautiful island. You will find many tiny little bridges all around, turquoise water coming from everywhere, old wooden water wheels running, ducks singing in the middle of town, people passing by with their SUP or their kayak. To add a twist to this unique atmosphere, L’Isle sur la Sorgue is known as an antiquarians’ heaven. You will see many quirky lil’ shop with old signs, broken mirrors, typical brasserie tableware, all kind of old metal boxes… Anything -you name it. Actually, the International Fair Arts and Antiques is held here every year around Easter.
There are also lots of beautiful shops with local products, Savon de Marseille, linen clothing… If you fancy a sweat treat, don’t miss the lovely La Maison Jouvaud -I dare you to resist their pastries and homemade ice cream. From the city center, you can go to Partage des Eaux -a lovely walk by the water, passing by gorgeous B&B you’ll want to rent next summer, stunning views, to arrive on a beautiful natural pool where you can cool down (*photo below).
La Maison Jouvaud - 04.90.26.72.97 - 5 avenue des 4 Otages, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Open Mon to Fri 10am-7pm ; Sat & Sun 9am-7pm
A spectacular way to finish your Provence road trip is to head to the heart of Les Alpilles, in Les Baux de Provence, another stunning village. Its particularity? The Carrières de Lumières’ immersive digital exhibitions devoted to major artists, such as Klimt, Dali, Picasso, Van Gogh, Gaudi, Manet, De Vinci, Arcimboldo…
Carrières de Lumières - 04.90.49.20.02 - Route de Maillane, Les Baux de Provence
Open everyday : January, November, December: 10am-6pm ; March: 9.30am-6pm ; April, May, June, September, October: 9.30am-7pm ; July and August: 9am-7.30pm - Ticket from 11€
Book your tickets online to be sure you’ll get a spot -it gets full pretty quickly.
WHERE TO STAY IN PROVENCE ?
There are countless options on where to stay in Provence -from holiday houses to camping, tree huts, French castle… Unfortunately, I had to cancel most of the visits I planned because of the current 2020/covid situation, but still -I’ve put together a short list of options non-tested. Judge by yourself! For little budgets, Airbnb is a perfect option.
Regarding the town, Carpentras is a great place to put your bags, if you want to radiate all around Provence. You’ll be about 40 minutes max to any of the places I’ve talked about above. If you do so, my article about the 10 addresses to discover in Carpentras is for you. Yes it’s in French, but I’m sure you’ll get it. ;)
Places you might want to fall asleep in after a long day exploring Provence:
IN NEED FOR.. BEAUTY & WELLNESS : Hôtel Crillon-le-Brave
IN NEED FOR… SERENITY & NATURE : Cabanes Coucoo
IN NEED FOR… HISTORY & GREATNESS : Chateau Martinay
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WHAT’S THE BEST SEASON TO VISIT PROVENCE?
I was surprised to discover how quiet is the region during winter -even though the weather is beautiful all-year-long, some towns seem like they’ve been deserted. Many businesses close down for the cold season. It looks like people rather hibernate than put one foot outside. Spring and autumn are great, it’s neither too cold nor too hot, you can enjoy the outdoors, do sports without struggling with the heat. Summer has its pros and cons. Pros: delicious fruits and veggies, many concerts, markets and other events, stunning weather, lakes and rivers to cool down. Cons: all the “Provence must-do” can get crazy busy -that’s why I’ve tried to couple famous spots with some off-the-beaten-path one in this itinerary of a road trip in Provence. Also, peak season means higher prices.
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postcards from provence
Did you know I drew a collection of postcards of Provence? You can find them in Le Safari Hôtel souvenir shop and Le Livre Gourmand in Carpentras. You can also simply message me to order directly!
