Destination
Type of Activity
Editors Pick
Read MoreAix-en-Provence
The birthplace of Paul Cézanne, Aix is a stroller’s paradise thanks to its ornate facades, carved stone fountains and lively cafés that are perfect for people-watching and leisurely coffee breaks under the plane trees. Art aficionados should not miss two...
Read MoreArles
Once a destination associated with haystacks, sunflower fields and Vincent Van Gogh, it has become one of Provence’s most charming, exciting cities. During the ferias —a celebration of the seasonal bullfights that take place around Easter and in September—held in...
Read MoreArles and Camargue
Take a walking tour through Arles following the footsteps of Van Gogh, visiting the Roman Amphitheater and seeing sites painted by Gaugin and the St. Trophime Church. You can stop at a famous Provencal antiques dealer and have lunch at...
Read MoreAtelier Cézanne
Paul Cézanne’s Lauves atelier is impeccably preserved and feels as though Cézanne might have just gone downstairs for stroll. There are all the familiar sights from his still-lifes: chairs, tables and palettes dabbed with vermillion, yellow ochre, emerald and ultramarine,...
Read MoreAvignon
This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with its magnificent Gothic Palace of the Popes (you can visit more than two dozen of the rooms) and its gorgeous mansions. Contact the Indagare...
Read MoreCassis
Drive to Cassis, a lovely seaside town eighteen miles east of Marseille (and about a forty-minute drive from Aix-en-Provence). Having miraculously resisted the cutesy-cum-chic gentrification of Provençal villages, Cassis has remained a friendly, unspoiled spot with crystalline coves, pebble beaches...
Read MoreCaumont Centre d’Art
Set back in the Mazarine quarter, one block from the Cours Mirabeau, this new art museum is housed in a magnificently restored 18th-century hôtel particulier and garden. The institution features seasonal exhibits devoted to both ancient and modern art. Plans...
Read MoreChâteau La Coste
Set back on a narrow winding country road, north of Aix-en-Provence, the sprawling 200-hectare Château La Coste is a not-to-be missed attraction. Part art center, sculpture garden, winery and café, it has a wealth of architectural marvels standing side by...
Read MoreGorges Du Verdon
This spectacular national park forms a border between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region and the Var. It’s also known as France’s Grand Canyon thanks to its spectacular rock formations, with verdant hillsides, deep ocher gorges and waterfalls. Activities here include everything from...
Read MoreLa Mirande Cooking Classes
In the cellar of this historic hotel in Avignon, there's a charming kitchen with hanging copper pots, a wood burning stove and large communal table. This is where the property hosts cooking and pastry classes with world-renowned chefs. From spring...
Read MoreLes Baux de Provence
Visitors must climb for about 10-15 minutes up steep stairs from a parking lot off of the main road to reach this medieval hilltop town. Les Carrières de Lumières, a stunning sound and light show that takes place every day...
Read MoreLourmarin
Located about 20-30 minutes outside of Aix-en-Provence, Lourmarin is your quintessential pretty Provençal hillside town. Wander the winding cobblestone lanes stopping in small boutiques before picking one of the sidewalk cafés to enjoy a cappuccino or lunch.
Read MoreMusée d’Arles et de la Provence Antique
For a crash course in regional folklore and ancient history, see this museum in Arles. It's located in a snazzy modern building devoted to the city’s prehistory and artifacts from the region’s classical era.
Read MoreMusée Granet
Another must-stop for lovers of fine art, this museum hosts top-notch seasonal exhibits. The museum’s permanent collection comprises works by mostly French painters, spanning the 16th-20th centuries, as well as different schools of Dutch, Flemish and Italian art. The Granet...
Read MoreMusée Réattu
This museum in Arles features a small collection of works by Léger, Dufy and Gauguin, plus paintings and drawings donated by the Picasso family to the city.
Read MoreMuseon Arlaten
This small museum in Arles displays fashion collections from Provence and rural objects. It's a good one to combine with the city's Musée Réattu and Musée d’Arles et de la Provence Antique. The museum is currently closed for renovations but...
Read MoreShop the Markets
A great way to explore the smaller villages, all in driving distance to Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, is to go during market days, where vendors sell fresh produce as well as homemade regional specialties, like olive oil, honey, lavender products and...
Read MoreThermes Sextius
A Roman Thalasso spa, whose source springs from the valley surrounding Cézanne’s beloved mountain, Mont Sainte-Victoire.
