It’s quite the mystery while everyone raves about Paris, many forget about Provence! As an American living in London, I finally made it out of Paris and to this beautiful French countryside. After traveling quite a bit of the world and with no expectations before visiting Provence, I was surprised at how much I loved it and wished I had visited sooner. I even found a chateau hotel that I’ve now booked a repeat stay at, something I’ve never done! Provence is such a magical place, there is no other way to explain it. If you’re looking for the perfect Provence France itinerary for 5 or 7 days, or even just a weekend trip from Paris keep reading for everything you need to know before visiting Provence!

Provence France Itinerary 5 Days Itinerary Overview

1: Visit Roussillon and Gorde’s famous Abbaye Notre-Dame de Seneque

2: Explore the Luberon region of Provence

3: Spend the day in Aix-en-Provence and Plateau de Valensole

4: Shop the Provence Markets

5: Take a trip to the French Coast

How many days in Provence is enough?

If you’re deciding on how many days you want to spend in Provence it depends on how much time you have! You can easily visit Provence for the weekend, and plan a Provence France itinerary 5 days or even longer. Spending a weekend will give you a taste of the slow country life with plenty of delicious food and wine options. Staying a week in Provence will allow you to have time and explore even more of the country’s villages. You could easily spend more than a week in Provence as it is quite a large geographical area and then have time to visit the coast as well!

What is the best time of year in Provence?

The best time of year to visit Provence is in the shoulder seasons between April to May or October to September when the weather isn’t too hot and there are fewer crowds. Summer in Provence can be busy with crowds, but if you’re visiting to see lavender in bloom you will need to visit during this time. Keep reading for the best time to visit Provence during the lavender season.

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What time of year can you see lavender in Provence?

The best time to visit Provence during the lavender season is from the end of June until early August. My husband and I planned a Provence France itinerary 5 days at the end of July last year, and some of the smaller lavender fields had already been harvested, so keep that in mind. If you plan it well, you can also see sunflowers in bloom as well as lavender!  

If you’re looking for more incredible blooms, these are some of my favorite blooms I’ve seen around the world, and you can also find them on this magical island.

What’s the best way to get to Provence?

The best way to get to Provence is either by plane or train. If you’re an international traveler it will be best to fly into the Marseille or Nice airport. If you can’t book a direct flight to either of these airports, you can fly into Paris and book a domestic flight to Marseille or Nice. There are multiple trains available from Paris to many different areas in Provence.

My husband and I love using Google Maps to find the best train travel options. When my husband and I visited Provence, we flew into Marseille and rented a car from the airport.

5 Day Provence France Itinerary

Day 1: Visit Roussillon’s and Gorde’s famous abbey

Stroll around Roussillon

As soon as we picked up our rental car at the Marseille airport to start our Provence France itinerary we headed straight to Roussillon. Roussillon is a small town in what’s considered the Luberon Valley, one of the most beautiful areas of Provence. Roussillon is famous for its red and orange hues from ochre deposits in the land. You can admire the landscape from the ‘Sentier des Ocres’ trail or just by taking a walk around this idyllic town. There are a few public parking lots you can find on Google Maps.

Visit the stunning Abbaye Notre-Dame de Seneque

Visiting the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Seneque is one of the best things to see in Provence, especially during the lavender season. The Abbey was founded in 1148, and even though it’s gone through quite a change through the ages there are original pieces of the building still standing. You can take a guided tour, even in multiple languages. They don’t offer English or different language tours all day so make sure to check the times of these tours if you’re interested when pre-booking your tickets. This abbey is beautiful and must be included on your Provence France itinerary 5 days.

Watch the Sunset in Gordes

After visiting one of the most famous places in Provence, make sure to also wander around Gordes. This is one of the most beautiful towns in Luberon. Gordes is more of an upscale village, with the famous five-star Airelles Gordes near the town center. There are plenty of boutique shops, restaurants, and even a Laduree- an upscale bakery. After you wander around the town and possibly enjoy a meal in the main square, head to Town View Point for the sunset.

Santorini has some of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen; if you’ve never been I highly recommend adding it to your bucket list!

Enjoy an evening at Hotel Moulin d’Aure

After a long travel day on day one of your Provence France itinerary, enjoy a quiet evening in. We chose to stay towards Avignon at Hotel Moulin d’Aure. This spot feels like a lovely home away from home with the most beautiful pool and outdoor restaurant and bar.

Day 2: Explore the Luberon region of Provence

The Luberon region of Provence is said to be the most beautiful area in Provence, known for its stunning landscape and hilltop villages. If you’re looking on a map it’s the countryside nestled between the bigger cities of Aix en Provence and Avignon. Here’s a comprehensive list of all the villages in Luberon if you’re looking for Provence France cities, or keep reading for some of my favorites we visited.

Visit the Villages of Luberon

Since we wanted to have a relaxing day by the pool, we started exploring the Luberon region later in the day. We had time to visit Saint Remy de Provence which was lovely. Many of Luberon’s small villages offer the most incredible scenery with cute shops and restaurants. Saint Remy is a bit bigger than Roussillon and Gordes, with more shops and restaurants. They also have the loveliest central square. Les Baux de Provence is another smaller, mountain town that’s only a twenty-minute drive from Saint Remy if you have time to visit!

Have Dinner near Menerbes

The dinner in Menerbes at La Bastide de Marie was one of the highlights of our trip to Provence! Picture a romantic open courtyard in the middle of a vineyard with the sun setting while you listen to the evening nature sounds as the night goes on. The food and wine were delicious, and the service was incredible too. Sadly we didn’t have a chance to explore Menerbes as it’s another one of the most beautiful towns in Provence, but the drive to La Bastide de Marie had the most incredible countryside views.

Another small mountain village close to Menerbes is Bonnieux. The five-star Capelounge looks like a dream to stay in if you have a few days to enjoy the simple, slow life of Provence.

Day 3: Spend the day in Aix-en-Provence and Plateau de Valensole

Spend the day in Aix-en-Provence

As mentioned earlier, Aix-en-Provence and Avignon are two of the biggest cities in Provence with the Luberon region in between them. Even though Aix-en-Provence is a larger city in Provence it is easily walkable. Aix-en-Provence is known to be the city of 1,000 fountains and has incredible French architecture and art exhibitions as this was the home of the famous Paul Cezanne. You can find incredible cuisine and wine in this city, and everything is graced with a lavender flavor honoring the surrounding region. You can usually find a market, and we found incredible designer-esque accessories and hand-made art and gifts. 

Best Things to Do in Aix-en-Provence France

A few of my favorite places in Aix-en-Provence were Hotel de Caumont, Pavillon Vendome, and the market stalls near Palais de Justice and Rue d’Italie.

Aix-en-Provence reminded me of a mini Paris, without the crowds and the terrible-smelling metro stations. If you’re looking to visit Paris here’s all my favorite spots and everything you need to know before visiting!

Visit the Lavender fields

Plateau de Valensole is the best place to admire the lavender fields, however, this also means it gets busy in the summer. There are plenty of lavender fields near the shop Lavandes Angelvin. If you want to avoid the crowds, choose another area like Luberon or Verdon. These areas will still be busy but generally see fewer tourists than Valensole. If you have time, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is a beautiful small town close by. Valensole is a little less than an hour’s drive from Aix-en-Provence, so if you time it right you can admire the sunset from the beautiful lavender fields.

Have Dinner in Lourmarin 

Even though this was a long day, I wanted to squeeze in one last adorable Luberon town. Lourmarin was one of my favorite small towns in Provence. We enjoyed dinner at one of the restaurants on the main Rue Hendri de Savornin-L’insolite where I had the most delicious tuna tartar with avocado and a mix of French deliciousness. Another one of the best things to do in Lourmarin is visit Chateau de Lourmarin and wander the magical cobblestone alleyways. 

If you’re looking for an idyllic hotel in Provence France here is one of the best places to stay in Lourmarin, Le Moulin Hotel.

Day 4: Shop the Provence markets

Shop the Provence markets

If you want to enjoy some relaxing, pool time in the morning, you can head to the Provence markets for lunch. If you’re specifically looking for items I would suggest arriving before the markets open to avoid the crowds and find parking. The markets we chose to visit were the markets at L’isle-Sur-la-Sorgue. L’isle-Sur-la-Sorgue is famous for its wonderful antique markets and shops. Another market I’ve heard wonderful things about is Lourmarin. Some of the Lourmarin markets are known for some of the best olives you’ll find anywhere!

Stay in a French chateau 

Checking into Chateau de Varenne was another one of our highlights during our Provence France itinerary. This spot is an absolute gem and a destination in itself. I wish we would have spent more time here, but made sure to make time to relax by the pool and enjoy a few meals on their lovely outdoor terrace.

Have Dinner in Avignon

The city of Avignon is divided by a river. Palais des Papes is located on the Southern side of the Rhone River which used to serve as the old papal palace that once rivaled the Vatican. This part of the city is completely walled in and reminded me a lot of Aix-en-Provence even though I liked Aix-en-Provence better. The northern side of the city which sits opposite the river reminded me of an older village or mountain town you would find in Luberon. This was my favorite area of Avignon, with tons of beautiful cobblestone streets and wonderful restaurants. If you’re looking for restaurant recommendations, I highly recommend Flo’s or the restaurant at the beautiful Hotel le Prieure.

Day 5: Take a trip to the French Coast

Depending on how much time you have on the last day of your Provence France itinerary, take a drive along the coast before heading to the Marseille airport. Keep reading for other coastal destinations near Provence I recommend if you’re planning a Provence France itinerary for 7 days or longer.

What is the prettiest place in Provence?

The prettiest place in Provence is often thought to be Luberon, and I agree. The rolling hills, vineyards, and mountain and cliffside villages are stunning. The food and wine in this region are delicious, and it is the perfect place for a slow travel experience in the countryside. The other prettiest place in Provence is Abbaye Notre-Dame de Seneque. The view of this centuries-old abbey surrounded by lavender is quite magical.

Best Hotels Provence France 

What is the best town to use as a base in Provence?

The best town to use as a base in Provence would be near Avignon or Aix-en-Provence. Both Avignon and Aix-en-Provence are the bigger cities of Provence and offer hotel accommodations for all budgets, restaurants, and shops. These cities are also within easy driving distance from the Luberon area of Provence, where you will find the smaller towns and villages. These towns and villages do have lovely accommodations but just as many.

Avignon: Hotel Moulin d’Aure $ • Chateau de Varenne $$ • Le Prieure $$

Aix-en-Provence: Villa Saint-Ange $$$ • Chateau de la Gaude $$-$$$ • Hotel Cezanne $-$$

Gordes: Airelles Gordes La Bastide $$$$

Menerbes: La Bastide de Marie $$-$$$

Bonnieux: Capelounge $$$

Lourmarin: Le Moulin $$

What is the difference between Provence and Aix-en-Provence? 

The difference between Provence and Aix-en-Provence France is that Aix-en-Provence is a larger city within the Provence region. This is one of the best areas to base yourself in Provence when visiting.

Is it better to stay in Marseille or Provence?

As I’ve been to both Marseille and Provence I think it is better to stay in Provence. Even though Marseille is on the coast, it is a big city that feels like Paris and can feel overwhelming. The drive time between Marseille and Provence is a little under two hours and it would be too far to base yourself if you’re interested in visiting Provence. Marseille would make a great day trip from Provence!

Provence Itinerary 7 Days: Head to the Coast

If you’re planning a Provence Itinerary for 7 Days I recommend visiting the coast! The coastal towns of Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Eze, and Menton are well worth a visit. 

How to get around Provence

Can you get around Provence without a car?

The best way to get around Provence is by car. We had no difficulty pre-booking and picking up and returning our rental car at the Marseille Airport. Depending on where you’re going in Provence from the Marseille Airport it won’t take more than a few hours. 

How to Get From Paris to Aix-en-Provence

The best way to get from Paris to Aix-en-Provence is by train. The total time it takes to get from Paris to Aix-en-Provence by train is a little over four hours depending on the season and time of day. You can drive from Paris to Aix-en-Provence France but it will take nearly twice the time. 

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