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Provence is a special place in France that seems like a different world than Paris! Add on a trip to the French Riviera to indulge your need for glamour, but the quaint hilltop villages of Provence will capture your heart.
Provence is often thought of as important in art history with artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, and Paul Gauguin spending much time here. While not as easy to find as in other parts of France, Provence also has a rich history dating back to the Roman empire!
To get around Provence, a car is best, especially if you want to see the smaller hilltop villages. If you are staying just in Avignon, however, you can take the train there from Paris and avoid renting a car.
Below are some of the historic highlights of a trip to Provence. For more detailed travel tips, check out Rick Steves’ guidebook.
Côtes du Rhône villages and sites
This small town in the Côtes du Rhône region is a must-see for any history enthusiast! It has France’s largest Gallo-Roman archeological site open to visitors. Park in the large parking lot across from the tourist information building – be sure to pick up a map inside.
Behind the building is the entrance to the Puymin archeological site (look at the cool sculpture there too!). Buy your ticket here and enter a well-preserved residential area from Roman times.
Immediately to your right are the ruins from the House with the Laurelled Apollo. It takes its name from a white marble statue head found here (the original is now in the museum).
Walk through rooms and courtyards that were once the home of a wealthy citizen.
You can see former latrines and even a huge thermal complex for bathing!
Go up the hill to the fantastic museum where you can see amazing artifacts found here. Nothing is in English but you can pick up an English guide from the museum staff.
Don’t miss the amazing preserved mosaic floor!
Back outside, take a left and walk through sarcophagus alley.
Take the path to the left to walk through a small tunnel to the most amazing site – the theatre.
It is so jaw-dropping – how is this over 2,000 year old theatre still being used for concerts today? Kids will love running up and down its stairs but be careful of the drop offs.
Coming out of the theatre, head right towards the Arbor House. Another set of ruins, this was once a large home.
Exit the protected site but don’t miss going to the additional site included with your ticket. The La Villasse entrance is located at the back of the parking lot across from the TI (I had a tough time finding it because there was a carnival in the parking lot!). Note the WWI memorial nearby to make it easier to find.
This leads you to the Roman forum where the citizens would shop. You can walk amongst the ruins. Kids will love spying the wild cats that live here!
Exit and follow signs to the beautiful Notre-Dame de Nazareth Cathedral that dates to medieval times. There is also a good parking lot here if you had trouble finding a spot earlier.
Walk back to the main road to shop and find a quaint restaurant. Cross over the bridge spanning the Ouvéze River to the medieval part of the town with an abandoned castle!
Bédoin and the drive to Mont Ventoux
If you love biking, make Bédoin your base as you explore these winding roads and fields. The town is cute and has good stores and restaurants – we loved our meal at Le Flandrien). It is a bicyclist’s paradise with lots of shops catering to their specific needs. This is also a great starting point to climb Mont Ventoux (elevation of 6,000 feet!), which is often on the Tour de France. Kids find its eerie moonscape fascinating, and the drive up the mountain is worth it (you can go down the other side to take in towns like Vaison-la-Romaine).
Note: Make sure to fill your tank in Bédoin as there are no gas stations on Mont Ventoux. We learned the hard way and held our breath as we descended and coasted into the nearest station!
This town is known for its well-preserved Roman arch and theatre. The ancient Roman theatre is the best preserved in existence and is the only one in Europe with its acoustic wall still standing. It’s high on my list to visit on my next trip!
Luberon villages and sites
Gordes is one of the most stunning of the hilltop villages. While not as historically significant, it is a good place to stay to take day trips to nearby towns or to relax in a former nobleman’s home (our hotel was a 16th century mansion built into the cliffs!). There are many hotels here.
Wander the picturesque streets and don’t miss the town’s cathedral, the historic heart of these small French villages.
I always love seeing the war memorials to the thousands of men who fought for France’s freedom in WWI; usually it was a significant part of the population. The Gordes castle is now a TI and museum. It was closed while we were visiting but it was fun to wander in!
Just behind the castle is a stunning garden.
There are also caves to explore and beautiful vistas at every turn!
We had several delightful meals here at our hotel and in the town (lunch at L’Artégal). Note that Gordes is only accessible by car.
One of the prettiest towns in all of Provence is Roussillon. Known for its red cliffs, this town is picture perfect!
Park below the town at the St. Michel lot and walk up the inclined street to the top. Walk through the quaint town full of shops and restaurants.
Don’t miss the Church of St. Michel dating to the 11th century.
And the viewpoint of the ocher cliffs is striking!
I fell in love with the climbing ivy and the historic town bell tower.
It’s a dream to walk these streets! Note that you need a car to visit Rousillon.
We saw this beautiful abbey (built in 1148!) on the winding road between Gordes and Bédoin. We didn’t have time to stop but it looked so lovely!
Larger Cities
This is THE city in Provence to visit. It’s one of the larger cities in the area and is so picturesque. Aix was founded as a Roman military camp on the site of a thermal hot spring. It was the first base on the Roman road outside of the Italian peninsula. When Rome fell, the city was destroyed and no Roman buildings remain today. However, it became a home for French aristocracy after the Middle Ages and became the home of artist Paul Cézanne. Today it is a beautiful and refined city.
Park at the La Rotande underground parking garage and walk down the wide Cours Mirabeau boulevard (called the Champs-Elysées of Provence). It’s an easy walk to the city center or kids will like the petite train.
Be sure to stop in Maison Béchard for an Aix specialty – calisson (pastry of almond, melon, and orange rind covered in frosting. It is delicious!
The Mazarin Quarter is to your right as you walk and the Old Town is to your left. We wandered through Old Town and had a delightful lunch. The walk to the other side of town is quite short, and we were excited to stumble upon a piece of history – a plaque commemorating when Aix was liberated by the Allies in 1944. It’s amazing to think that this town was in Vichy France with Resistance fighters and spies scurrying through.
The Cathedral of the Holy Savior is built atop a Roman forum. It is beautiful to see!
In the countryside near Aix is the former French internment camp museum, Site-Memorial du Camp des Milies. I didn’t have time to stop on this trip, but I’d like to visit in the future.
This is probably where you will enter Provence on a train from Paris. The town is large and full of shops and restaurants. The most historic part of the city is the former papal palace. The Palace of the Popes became important in 1309 when a French pope was elected. Pope Clément V moved the papal residency to Avignon and built this immense structure. The pope resided here until 1403.
The train station can be confusing so be sure to arrive early for any travel. If you’re returning a rental car here (like we were), note the cars should be parked in the corresponding company’s parking spots (look on the pavement). We almost missed our train trying to figure it out!
I so wanted to get to Nîmes on this trip, but it was just too far from our home base of Gordes. This town has some of the most preserved Roman sites in France, including an amphitheater that rivals the Colosseum and the Maison Carree which inspired Thomas Jefferson’s design of the Virginia capital! I’ll have to visit on my next trip!
Between Avignon and Nîmes is the historic Pont du Gard aqueduct from the first century!
Cote d’Azur
The Cote d’Azur is a beautiful gateway to Provence. Spend a night or two here before you pick up a rental car and head to your Provençal town!
If you want to add in some glamour, a side trip to Nice is a great way to begin or end your trip. We flew into Nice and spent two days there. Our hotel was the most historic in the city – Le Negresco – and had a chandelier that had been made for the Russian czar. Unfortunately, it didn’t get delivered before the Bolshevik Revolution so it’s now at home in the royal lounge.
Built right before WWI, the hotel became a hospital during the war. It is now the grand dame of the promenade. We loved wandering through its grand rooms that highlight its stunning art collection.
We didn’t get to spend much time in Nice, but it has a pretty town square and cathedral. There is also a museum next door to the Le Negresco that has a monument to the people who lost their lives in the 2016 terrorist attack on the promenade.
We went for lunch on Cap Ferrat, a short drive from Nice. Our lunch spot, La Véranda at the Grand Hotel, was recommended by my travel agent (Angie is awesome!) and it did not disappoint. The views were outstanding and the food was delicious. We felt like celebrities!
The city-state of Monaco is just a short drive from Nice as well. Americans love its history pertaining to the movie star-turned-princess Grace Kelly as she married here in 1956. You can visit the cathedral where she was married and is now buried as well as visit the Prince’s Palace where she lived.
We spent some time shopping in Monaco’s swanky shops and eying the fancy cars parked in front of the casino!
Grab a drink at Cafe de Paris and people watch! We had an amazing dinner at the nearby La Môme restaurant.
The coastal town of Antibes is home to a Picasso museum and a 500-year-old fort. This town was an important Roman port over 2,000 years ago and has a museum dedicated to this history. The town can be accessed by bike from Nice if you’re adventurous!
There is a Renoir museum between Nice and Antibes at Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Provence is such a unique part of France. With its fresh food and friendly people, you’ll want to stay even longer!
Helpful hints:
- We visited in early June so it wasn’t too hot yet. The mistral winds come through Provence in spring and fall, making it a tough time to visit.
- Provence has so many little towns, they can’t all be visited. I listed above the ones we visited or have the most historical sites, but there are so many more. Pick a few to see and don’t try to get to them all.
- The French Riviera is fun and flashy but is still family-friendly. Spend a day at the beach instead of trying to cram in all of the sights if you’re traveling with little ones.
- We hired a driver to take us to Cap Ferrat and Monaco from our hotel in Nice. I don’t recommend driving on those roads!
- We rented a car for our Provence trip at the Nice train station with drop off at the Avignon train station. It was easy and convenient.
Books to Read:
All books links are Amazon affiliate links. To support independent creators and bookstores, check out my Bookshop.org list.
Adult/Young Adult:
- Rick Steves Provence & the French Riviera
- A Year in Provence
- My Twenty-five Years in Provence: Reflections on Then and Now
- The Memory of Lavender and Sage
- Meet Me in Monaco
- The Girl from the Grand Hotel
- Cooking for Picasso
- Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure
Middle Grade:
Picture Books:
- Puss In Boots in Provence
This was lovely! Thanks for sharing.