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Last updated: 02 March, 2023
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

Where to go and what to see in Provence to get the most from your trip – a 7-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.

Editor note – Dana has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day unless it’s necessary. Instead, see the ‘Where to stay’ section in our Provence destination guide.

Start in Avignon, visiting the Palace of the Popes and half a bridge nearby – the famous Pont d’Avignon.

Have a quick lunch at Le Gout du Jour, then take in the Petit Palais Museum with its Botticelli, and the Angladon Museum, with the only Van Gogh left in Provence.

Take an evening stroll through Avignon’s romantic streets, where you’ll find restaurants a-plenty for dinner.

Palace of the Popes

Avignon, Provence, France

The world’s biggest Gothic palace was home to popes during their 14th-century exile from Rome. Seven reigned here until 1377, in a colourful period of greed and depravity.

Best for ages: 18+ | £10

Exterior of the Little Palace Museum
Experience

Petit Palais Museum

Avignon, Provence, France

Papal Avignon was the centre of the European art for decades, and over 300 works of (mostly) Italian medieval and renaissance paintings and sculptures commissioned by the wealthy prelates of the church, including a Botticelli Madonna, are displayed in this 14th-century palace.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Angladon Museum

Avignon, Provence, France

A superb private art collection in a townhouse, including the only Van Gogh in Provence. There are also paintings by Chardin, Manet, Cezanne, Degas, Modigliani, Sisley and Picasso.

Best for ages: 18+ | £7

Pack a picnic lunch and hire a car – or take a small group tour – of the Luberon, to drink in Provence’s most enchanting landscapes.

Highlights include Roussillon, Menerbes, Lacoste and Gordes, or head off the beaten track – it’s all beautiful.

Back in Avignon, dine at Hotel La Mirande’s elegant restaurant.

The Luberon [driving & cycling]

Luberon, Provence, France

The Luberon massif, with its lush landscapes, quaint villages and lavender fields (in season) is like a film set. It’s quintessential Provence at its most picturesque – best appreciated by car or the 236km circular bike route.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free | 1+ days

Spend a day with the Romans: self-drive or take a guided tour from Avignon half an hour north to Orange to see its well-preserved theatre and arch.

Grab lunch at Le Petit Patio, then head southwest to the Pont du Gard, a lovely spot for a swim or kayak.

Back in Avignon, end the day with creative cuisine at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Pollen.

Spend a day in Arles: the Museum of Antiquity, the Roman amphitheatre and Les Alyscamps are all must-sees.

Have lunch at the cheerful l’Antonelle le Bistrot, then seek out the locations of Van Gogh’s paintings in a dedicated walk.

For dinner, dine in a 13thcentury garden cloister at the Jardin des Arts.

Arles Museum of Antiquity

Arles, Provence, France

An archaeology museum housing a fascinating collection of sculptures, mosaics and much more from the ancient Arles region – artifacts date from prehistoric times until the 6th century AD.

Best for ages: 13+ | £5

Arles Amphitheatre

Arles, Provence, France

The biggest and one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in France, where 20,000 would come to watch gladiators fight to the death.

Best for ages: 18+ | £8

View into a graveyard with old ruin walls around
Experience

Les Alyscamps

Arles, Provence, France

An evocative, romantic Roman burial ground – once the most famous cemetery in medieval Europe. It’s the burial site of the legendary St Trophime and the first bishops of Arles, and remains an important stop on the pilgrimage to Compostela.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Head south to Les Saintes-Maries for a two-hour safari among the black bulls, pink flamingos and white horses in the Camargue.

Enjoy a seafood lunch at La Casita and a beach; stop off to spot birds at the Pont de Gau Park.

Afterwards, drive to Saint-Remy-de-Provence and dine and stay at the elegant Chateau des Alpilles.

The Camargue

Arles, Provence, France

A massive, wildlife-filled river delta, where gardians (French cowboys) ride white ponies and herd black Camargue bulls amid vast flocks of pink flamingos. Brilliant for horse-riding, hiking, cycling, and wildlife safaris.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Chateau des Alpilles

Saint-Remy, Provence, France

An elegant, historic 19th-century chateau hotel just outside historic Saint-Remy, set in glorious grounds.

Official star rating:

Spend the morning in Saint-Remy, touring the Roman ruins of Les Antiques and Glanum, the latter near Van Gogh’s asylum, St-Paul-de-Mausole.

Have lunch at the rustic chic L’Aile ou la Cuisse, then head up into the Alpilles to the spectacular medieval Chateau des Baux.

Dine at Les Baux’s famous Le Cabro d’Or, before heading back to Saint-Remy.

The exterior facade and entrance of the St Paul de Mausole, a golden stone building
Experience

St-Paul-de-Mausole

Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Provence, France

The asylum where Van Gogh spent 1888-89 is a masterpiece of Provencal Romanesque, and today specializes, appropriately, in art therapy. His room and reproductions of the paintings he made there are on display, along with temporary exhibitions.

Best for ages: 18+ | £4

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Drive just over an hour to Aix-en-Provence in time to enjoy the outdoor market in Place Richelme. Take in its stunning cathedral and Granet Museum, housing works by native son, Paul Cezanne.

Have lunch at the Le Poivre d’Ane, then visit the Caumont Centre d’Art, with its film on Cezanne, before visiting his perfectly-preserved studio.

End up for dinner in the 15th-century cellars of Les Caves Henri IV.

pretty town square with market stalls selling food
Experience

Place Richelme Food Market

Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France

Each morning, Aix hosts one of Provence’s best markets, overflowing with the freshest fruit, vegetables, herbs, meats, seafood and cheeses from local producers. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, it expands tenfold and includes a massive flower market.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Granet Museum

Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France

A must for any art lover, this museum holds one of Provence’s top art collections, including works by Cézanne, Rubens, Rembrandt, and the Collection Planque.

Best for ages: 18+ | £5

External view of the beautiful golden stone building
Experience

Caumont Centre d’Art

Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France

This magnificent townhouse (1715), a beautifully restored hôtel particulier, features lavishly furnished period rooms, an exquisite garden, a film on Cezanne and temporary art exhibitions; a good stop for lunch, afternoon tea or dinner too.

Best for ages: 18+ | £12

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