Provence
3
Day Itinerary •
France
Provence is the most seductive landscape in France. The extraordinary light that drove Van Gogh and Cezanne to paint here obsessively, the lavender fields of the Luberon in July, the extraordinary hilltop villages of golden stone above the garrigue, the Roman monuments that survive in extraordinary condition at Nimes and Orange, and a food and wine culture of extraordinary quality have made it one of the most visited regions in France. But most visitors see only the surface. This 3-day route goes deep into hidden Provence. The Luberon villages that Peter Mayle made famous but that reward much deeper exploration than a day trip. The extraordinary Les Baux-de-Provence on its haunting plateau of white rock. The Camargue delta with its wild white horses and flamingos. And Marseille, one of the most extraordinary and misunderstood cities in France.
Best Time To Visit
April to June or September to October
Getting There
Fly into Marseille (MRS) or fly to Nice then drive 1 hour
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 100 to 160 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and driving
DAY 1
LUBERON VILLAGES
MORNING
GORDES, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE IN PROVENCE
Gordes is the most spectacular hilltop village in the Luberon, its golden stone houses stacked in a vertical cascade below the extraordinary Renaissance chateau at the summit. The view of the village from the D2 road below is the most famous in Provence. The village is extraordinary at dawn before the tour buses arrive, with the morning light turning the stone extraordinary shades of gold and amber. The remarkable Abbaye de Senanque, a 12th-century Cistercian abbey surrounded by lavender fields in July, is 3km from the village. Drive: 20 min drive to Roussillon
MIDDAY
ROUSSILLON, THE VILLAGE OF OCHRE
Roussillon is built entirely from the extraordinary ochre rock on which it sits, a spectrum of red, orange and yellow shades that make it unlike any other village in France. The ochre cliffs of the Sentier des Ocres walk around the village give extraordinary views of the coloured earth against the Provence sky. The village was the largest ochre producer in France until the 1950s. Walk the 45-minute trail for approx 3 euros. Drive: 20 min drive to Bonnieux
AFTERNOON
BONNIEUX AND THE LUBERON RIDGE
Bonnieux is the finest and most authentic of the Luberon villages, a perfectly preserved medieval village on the ridge with the finest view in the Luberon from the old church terrace. The Musee de la Boulangerie in the village is the most extraordinary small museum in Provence, telling the extraordinary story of bread-making from antiquity to the present in an 18th-century bakery. Entry approx 4 euros. The cedar forest behind the village is extraordinary for walking.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Abbaye de Senanque 3km from Gordes is a perfectly preserved 12th-century Cistercian abbey still occupied by monks. In July the surrounding lavender fields are in full bloom. Entry by guided tour approx 7 euros. The most extraordinary image in Provence.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Boulangerie in Gordes Croissant and coffee with views over the Luberon. Buy provisions for the day from the extraordinary market. | Lunch: Restaurant La Treille, Bonnieux Outstanding traditional Provencal restaurant. Local lamb, goat cheese and Luberon rose wine. | Dinner: Bastide de Gordes restaurant The finest restaurant in the Luberon in an extraordinary bastide hotel. Book months ahead.
DAY 2
LES BAUX AND THE ALPILLES
MORNING
LES BAUX-DE-PROVENCE, THE HAUNTED ROCK CITADEL
Les Baux-de-Provence is one of the most extraordinary places in France. A ruined medieval citadel on a haunting white limestone plateau above the Alpilles, entirely abandoned since the 17th century, with the extraordinary white rock desert stretching around it. The medieval village below the citadel is extraordinarily preserved. The views from the citadel walls over the Alpilles and the Camargue plain are extraordinary. Entry approx 9 euros including the citadel ruins. Drive: 15 min drive to Carrieres
MIDDAY
CARRIERES DES LUMIERES, IMMERSIVE ART IN THE QUARRIES
The Carrieres des Lumieres is the most extraordinary artistic experience in Provence. A vast former bauxite quarry with stone walls up to 14 metres high has been converted into an extraordinary immersive projection space, where monumental works of art are projected on all surfaces simultaneously. The current show changes annually and is extraordinary. Entry approx 14 euros. Drive: 20 min drive to Saint-Remy
AFTERNOON
SAINT-REMY-DE-PROVENCE, VAN GOGH'S TOWN
Saint-Remy-de-Provence is the most extraordinary small town in the Alpilles, where Van Gogh spent a year in the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in 1889 to 1890 and painted over 150 extraordinary works including The Starry Night. The asylum is still operating and the room where Van Gogh painted is accessible to visitors. The extraordinary Les Antiques, two perfectly preserved Roman monuments from the 1st century BC standing in a field outside the town, are extraordinary and free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Moulin de Daudet at Fontvieille is the windmill where Alphonse Daudet claimed to have written his Lettres de mon Moulin, the most beloved book about Provence. The view from the hill around the windmill over the Alpilles is extraordinary. Free to walk and extraordinarily photogenic.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bar in Les Baux village Coffee before the citadel opens. The morning light on the white limestone is extraordinary. | Lunch: L'Oustau de Baumaniere, Les Baux Three Michelin stars in the most beautiful setting in Provence. Book months ahead. Extraordinary. | Dinner: Le Bistrot de la Place, Fontvieille Outstanding traditional Provencal bistrot. Local lamb, tapenade and Coteaux des Baux wine.
DAY 3
CAMARGUE AND MARSEILLE
MORNING
THE CAMARGUE, THE WILD DELTA OF THE RHONE
The Camargue is the extraordinary wild delta of the Rhone, a vast wetland of salt marshes, lagoons and sand dunes covering 850 square kilometres. The extraordinary white Camargue horses, the only wild horses in France, roam freely across the marshes. Pink flamingos (10,000 pairs breed here) feed in the shallows of the Etang de Vaccarès. The extraordinary black bulls of the Camargue are herded by gardians (Camargue cowboys) on horseback. Drive the extraordinary D36 road through the heart of the delta. Drive: 45 min drive to Marseille
MIDDAY
MARSEILLE, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY CITY IN FRANCE
Marseille is one of the most misunderstood and extraordinary cities in France. The Vieux-Port is the living heart of the oldest continuously inhabited city in France (founded 600 BC). The daily fish market at the Vieux-Port is one of the finest in the Mediterranean. The extraordinary Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica on its hilltop above the city is the finest view in Marseille. The Panier quarter, the oldest neighbourhood in the city, is a dense labyrinth of extraordinary streets. Drive: 15 min walk to coast
AFTERNOON
THE CALANQUES AND THE HIDDEN COAST
The Calanques are an extraordinary system of narrow fjord-like inlets cut into the white limestone cliffs between Marseille and Cassis, with extraordinarily clear turquoise water. The nearest calanque, Calanque de Sormiou, is a 30-minute walk from the Luminy car park. Several boat tours run from the Vieux-Port to the finest calanques in summer. The view from the clifftop above Calanque d'En-Vau is the finest on the Provence coast.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Marseille bouillabaisse is the most extraordinary fish stew in the world, made with rascasse, grondin, saint-pierre, vive and monkfish from the local boats. The authentic version takes 2 hours to prepare and comes with rouille, croutons and gruyere. Only four restaurants in Marseille serve the genuine article.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Fish market, Vieux-Port Marseille The finest open-air fish market in France. Buy sea urchins and eat them on the quay with lemon and bread. | Lunch: Chez Fonfon, Marseille The most celebrated bouillabaisse restaurant in Marseille since 1952. The original and the finest. Book ahead. | Dinner: La Cantinetta, Marseille Outstanding modern Marseille restaurant in the Panier. Local fish, extraordinary rosé and Marseille pastis.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Gordes or Bonnieux, Night 1 Bastide de Gordes or La Bastide de Capelongue, Bonnieux. Approx 150 to 350 euros per night. Saint-Remy or Les Baux, Night 2 Hotel de l'Image or Baumaniere. Approx 130 to 280 euros per night. Budget Option Luberon: Chambre d'hote from approx 70 euros. Marseille: Hotel de Rome from approx 65 euros.
Top Tips
1. Gordes at dawn is empty. By 10am the car park is full and the village is overwhelmed. Arrive early.
2. Luberon lavender fields peak in early to mid July. The Plateau de Valensole is the finest.
3. Marseille bouillabaisse must be ordered 24 hours in advance at Chez Fonfon. Book and pre-order.
4. The Calanques hiking access is restricted June to September due to fire risk. Check conditions before going.
5. Abbaye de Senanque lavender is at its peak in late June to early July. Arrive before 9am.
6. Provence rose wine is the finest in the world. Buy Bandol rose directly from Domaine Tempier.
Total Budget
85 to 140 euros/day