What to do in Provence: 5 themed itineraries

Let's start with two important details:

1. It is worth renting a car to travel around Provence. Relying on public transportation means deliberately refusing to visit many interesting places, as the bus network in the region is not very well developed.
2. Provence is huge and varied, so you will not be able to see all the interesting places in one trip. Decide what you are interested in and choose a route to your liking. And we will help you in this!

Lavender Fields of Provence

Where to find them and when is the best time to visit? Let's find out!

Lavender usually blooms from mid-June to mid-August, but the optimal time to visit is from the last week of June to the end of July. During this time, there are numerous festivals (Lavender fête) and parades dedicated to lavender in Valensole, Riez, Digne-les-Bains, Sault and other towns.

To see as much as possible, it is worth renting a car. If this is not possible, contact one of the tour companies that organize day tours to the lavender fields from Avignon and other cities of Provence.

Where to go? There are several options:

Plateau de Valensole. There are quite a few lavender fields concentrated in a relatively small area. To see them all, from Valensole take the D56 to Puimoisson, then take the D953 north to the Poteau de Telle junction, and from there take the D8 back to Valensole.

Mont Ventoux. The lavender fields of this region are concentrated around the villages of Saux, Apt and Gordes. There is also an interesting settlement of borie stone buildings near the village of Gordes, and to the north is the Abbey of Senanque, near which there is a single but large and famous lavender field.

Pays de Valensole. You will arrive in Castellane, then travel 45 kilometers westwards, on your way to see the famous Verdon Gorge, and reach the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, which is one of the most beautiful in France. From there, there is a road that takes you up to the fields. This area will be interesting for those who vacation on the Côte d'Azur (it is the closest to the coast).

A useful gift for your loved ones is lavender soap, which can be purchased in any souvenir shop in the region. Prices are affordable - 1-3 EUR per piece.

Culinary Provence

A perfect starting point for a gourmet tour of the region - Nice. Try the fishermen's favorite dish called pan-bagnat, which is a bread filled with a mixture of tuna, eggs and salad. Salade niçoise, which includes tuna, anchovies, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives, is also popular. For breakfast, order omelette de poutine, an olive oil omelette to which parsley and lemon juice are added. Fans of unconventional flavors will appreciate roasted zucchini flowers in tomato sauce, called beignets de fleurs de courgette. If you prefer more hearty dishes, try soupe au pistou - bean soup with tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, pesto and olive oil. There are many worthy establishments, but the best is considered to be French restaurant Jean (12 Rue Lascaris), where lunch will cost from 45 to 165 EUR, and dinner (set menu) - from 100 to 165 EUR for one person.

The next city to include in the itinerary is the resort of Menton on the Côte d'Azur. Those with a sweet tooth will not resist tarte au citron (lemon cream pie) or fougasse mentonnaise. The first place in the rating of the city's establishments rightfully belongs to Michelin restaurant Mirazur (30 Avenue Aristide Briand). Lunch on weekdays costs 50 EUR, dinner will cost on average from 70 to 135 EUR per person.

Then head to Marseille - the birthplace of the famous bouillabaisse soup. Its preparation is practically waste-free process, the remaining parts of fish are used to make soufflé poupeton. Do you want something unconventional? Order oursinade - a dish made of sea urchins. The restaurant AM par Alexandre Mazzia (9 rue Rocca) is worth attention, where you can have lunch for 35-55 EUR and dinner for 90-110 EUR per guest.

Ready to keep going? Cavaillon awaits you, where the famous Cavaillon melons are grown. One of their fans was Alexandre Dumas, who traded 194 of his books for a delivery of 12 melons every year for the rest of his life. When you come here in July, you will witness a unique event - the melon festival. During the four-day event, a melon pyramid grows on Place de Clos square, processions with members of the Order of the Melon follow the streets, music is played, cooking workshops are held (from melon, of course!), and everyone can visit the farms on a guided tour.

You can finish your journey in the town of Carpentras. Provence is the main supplier of truffles to restaurants and stores in France. According to statistics, the local market sells up to 50% of the total amount of "black gold" extracted in the country. In the menu of any restaurant you will find dishes that include truffle. Look, for example, in Chez Serge (90 rue Cottier), where you can taste pasta or omelette with truffle for 25 EUR or order a complex dinner for 29-119 EUR for one guest.

Excursion Provence

If you're into history and love colorful ruins, come to Avignon! The city's most visited attraction is the Palais des Papes (papal palace), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The entrance fee is 5.5-11 EUR, and the guided tour costs 120 EUR per group. Rent an audio guide (available in 11 languages, including English) - 2 EUR. Also interesting are Notre Dame Cathedral, Palais du Rour (XV century), where exhibitions are constantly held, and Saint-Benezet Bridge. Be sure to stroll through the Banasteri quarter, built up by buildings of XVII and XVIII centuries. When planning your trip, keep in mind that in mid-July the Avignon Festival begins, which lasts for three weeks. Up to 200,000 tourists come here during this time, so sightseeing and finding a place to dine will be a challenge.

And Avignon is also a convenient starting point for traveling around the area. Remember at the beginning of this article when we talked about needing a car in Provence? Well, in Avignon during the season there are difficulties with parking. You can limit yourself to those towns and villages where regional buses go. For example, in Orange there are two sights that are protected by UNESCO: the ancient Roman amphitheater (one of the best preserved in the world) and the triumphal arch, built in honor of the victories of Julius Caesar. The entrance ticket to the amphitheater with the right to visit the historical museum costs 7.5-9.5 EUR (the price includes the rental of an audio guide).

Look also in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, located 20 kilometers from Avignon, which is called the "Venice of Provence". The city will be of interest not only to lovers of beautiful views, but also to connoisseurs of ancient works of art. L'Ile-sur-la-Sorgue - the third most important center of antiques trade in the world, second only to London and Paris. International fairs are held here twice a year: August 15 and Easter.

A visit to Nîmes is definitely worth making time for. The ancient Roman amphitheater, which was erected in 60 B.C., has been preserved here. It is protected by UNESCO and periodically serves as a stage for performances of world stars such as Depeche Mode, Metallica and Rammstein. The entrance ticket costs 8-10 EUR, the price includes the rental of an audio guide. Not far from the city there is another grandiose construction of the same era - the aqueduct Pont du Gard, which is also included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Provence for art lovers

This region has played an important role in the fates of many famous artists. For example, the surroundings of Aix-en-Provenc, in particular the Montagne St-Victoire ridge, inspired Paul Cézanne. As you walk around the town, look for nails with the letter "C" on their caps on the pavement - they mark points associated with his life and work. You can visit the family estate of Jas de Bouffan, the workshop on the hill of Love or the quarries of Bibemus, where Cézanne came to work on his paintings in the open air. There are 32 points in all, from the house where the artist was born to the cemetery where he found his final resting place. From April 1 to October 31 you can go on a guided walk, the cost of a two-hour tour is 5-9 EUR per person (free for children under 7).

After enjoying the beauty of Aix, head to Arles, where Van Gogh spent 15 months and created more than 200 paintings. This is also where the flamboyant artist lost his earlobe, cutting it off after a quarrel with Paul Gauguin. The modest room where he lived for a while has been restored, and you can also visit the psychiatric hospital where Van Gogh was treated after a tragic episode of self-harm. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of a cup of coffee at Le Café Van Gogh (11 Place du Forum), which still looks the same today as on the famous painting "Café Terrace at Night". Former travelers do not recommend to eat here - the prices are higher than average, and the taste of dishes does not please.

Wine Provence

We recommend starting your wine tasting tour in Provence with the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, located in the Rhone Valley. It is an iconic place with a rich history - in 1309, the papal residence was moved from Rome to Avignon and Clement V decided to pay attention to the vineyards around the city. Since then, all the popes drank exclusively local wine, and after they returned to Rome, the monks took over. There are plenty of wine stores here, most of which will offer you a taste before you buy, so plan for at least one overnight stay - you shouldn't drive after such a warm welcome.

Afterwards, we recommend checking out Château La Canorgue in Bonnieux. Have you seen Ridley Scott's movie "A Good Year" starring Russell Crowe? It was filmed here! Tourists are not allowed inside - it's private property, but you can walk around and visit the store where tastings are held and the wine called Coin Perdu is sold. It costs about 20 EUR per bottle, but connoisseurs say that the high price is quite justified.

Another hour's drive and you're in Les Baux-de-Provenc. This village is listed as one of the most beautiful in France, and the ruins of the Château de Beau are considered one of the most visited sights in the country. A nice bonus is the opportunity to taste dry red wines at one of the local châteaux, such as Château d'Estoublon (D17 Route de Maussane, Fontvieille) or Mas De La Dame (Chemin Départemental 5).

And when you return, start planning your next trip. We are sure Provence will not leave you indifferent!