A sun soaked region marked by azure Mediterranean waters and cobalt blue skies, fields of deep purple lavender, bright sunflowers, poppies, and olive and lemon trees, Provence was a favored region for impressionist painters like Van Gogh and Cezanne who used the pervasive light and stunning palette of colors to vividly paint landscapes here. With scents of lavender and herbs, 300 days of sunshine a year, beautiful beaches, deep canyons, bustling markets full of fresh melons, cheeses and olives, it is no wonder Provence is one of the most popular areas to visit in France. But unlike some places that may not live up to all the hype, Provence deserves all of the accolades it receives.
The Provencal countryside and ports of Marseille characterized by author and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol still holds true today —old men gathered in town squares playing petanque; people clinking glasses of pastis on sun-soaked café terraces; market stalls with fresh Cavaillon melons, bunches of lavender, fresh olives and fresh, crusty breads; fish coming straight from the boat to Marseille’s fish market; roman ruins and medieval cobblestoned villages.
Boasting so many great sights, sounds and tastes, the only difficult part about deciding to take a trip to Provence could very well be deciding where to go and what to see. Since you could potentially fill a lifetime with exploring this diverse and colorful region, here is my list of the Top 10 Things to Do and See in Provence. Since narrowing this list down to just 10 things was hard enough, I refused to try to order the list in terms of most to least important. That being said, here are my 10 favorite things to do/see/eat in Provence in no particular order:
1. Stroll through Marseille’s Vieux Port and eat bouillabaisse
The second largest city in France, Marseille is certainly not what many people picture when they envision quiet, stoned villages set among fields of lavender. Marseille is big, gritty and rough’n’tumble, but don’t let this city’s harsh exterior discourage you from making a visit. With terra cotta roofed buildings set against the azure Mediterranean waters and blending French and North African culture, Marseille is an extremely diverse, unique, culturally rich and beautiful city to make a stop in.
Visitors to Marseilles should not miss heading to the Vieux Port area of the city, where you will find market stalls filled Provencal products, Moroccan-like souks, and a centuries old fish market with fish straight off the boat. In Vieux Port’s Le Panier neighborhood, you’ll find narrow, winding streets and authentic shops. You’ll also find pedestrianzed shopping streets (Rue St-Feereol).
Make sure you stop somewhere and get a steamy bowl of bouillabaisse, a traditional Marseille fish stew containing different kinds of cooked fish and shellfish and vegetables, flavored with a variety of herbs and spices such as garlic, orange peel, basil, bay leaf, fennel and saffron.
2. Visit the Palais de Papes and check out the famous the Pont d’Avignon
Avignon has long been one of my favorite cities in Provence. Home to impressive and amazingly well preserved art and architecture, Avignon is not only picturesque, but also oozes history. The Papal Palace, which was home to several popes during the 14th century, boasts impressive cavernous halls, beautiful grounds and is the largest Gothic palace in the world.
While Avignon is probably most noted for its famous bridge, Pont St. Benezet or the Pont d’Avignon, it is a vibrant city with an active student community, lots of history and makes for a great jumping off point for exploring the region.
3. Check out Roman ruins and see where Van Gogh painted Starry Night in the charming village of Saint Remy de Provence
Located just 20 km south of Avignon, Saint Remy de Provence is a quaint, traditional Provencal village. Marked by Roman ruins (specifically the Triumphant Arch of Glanum), Saint Remy is a small, sleepy town with a whole lot of history. Not only was it once the site of a Roman city, it was also where Van Gogh was housed at the Monastery de Mausole when he was being treated (unsuccessfully) for his many psychiatric problems and where he painted his famous Starry Night painting as well as the birthplace of the famous Nostradamus.
There is a beautiful town square in this usually sleepy town, which has a good selection of hotels, restaurants and shops. On Wednesdays, Saint Remy is home to a popular and bustling market. Stalls full of fresh produce (including melons grown in nearby Cavaillon), pottery and other Provencal goods fill the city. Though the atmosphere is lively and pleasant, if you’d prefer to avoid the crowds make sure you stay away from Saint Remy on Wednesdays in the high-season.
4. Check out wild horses and flamingos in the Camargue Wetlands
The bleached, desolate landscape of the Camargue landscapes stands in stark contrast to the usually brightly colored scenery of Provence, but this wetland wilderness should not be missed by visitors headed to this area of Provence. The marshes, salt pans and rice fields in this protected region are roamed by wild white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos. The 780-sq-km area at the Rhone River delta was created over thousands of years by sediment flowing from the River to the Mediterranean. Today the area is home to over 500 species of migratory birds.
This unique area is great to explore by bike, jeep or horseback. If you are like me and seem to get by any and all mosquitoes in any given area, make sure you wear lots of bug repellent as the marshes attract lots of the little bugs. While some of the flamingos here hang out year round, if you for sure want to catch the glimpse of the pink birds, visit in the spring, summer or fall before thousands migrate to Spain and Senegal in search of warmer temperatures.
5. Visit the ancient stone village of Les Baux
Although one of the most visited spots in France, Les Baux is well worth braving potential crowds and other tourists. Located about 25 km south of Avignon just past the small town of Saint Remy de Provence, Les Baux sits precariously on a 245 meter high limestone baou (which means rocky spur in Provencal). The uniquely spectacular village has been home to humans since 6000 BCE and during the Middle Ages was home to the most powerful feudal lords in southern France.
The dramatic rocks and cliffs overlooking a valley full of olive groves and vineyards boasts a castle, a church and ancient narrow streets atop the hill. Its unique beauty has long inspired authors and artists and is even said to be the inspiration for Dante Aligheri’s descriptions of Purgatory in the Inferno. It is a truly spectacular spot and shouldn’t be missed on a trip to Provence.
>>View more photos of Les Baux
6. Hike in the Gorges du Verdon and visit Moustiers Sainte Marie
Also known as the Grand Canyon of Verdon, the plunging Gorges du Verdon is Europe’s deepest canyon. Etched out the limestone plateau. A deep, narrow canyon with almost oddly bright green waters flowing through the bottom, the Gorges du Verdon plunge 250m-750m deep and is only 8m-90m wide. There is a great hike up this canyon, though I have never done it myself as my mother’s fear of small, enclosed spaces kept the family far away from the long, dark tunnel hikers must go through (if you do it, make sure you bring good flashlights!).
While the drive to the beautiful Medieval town of Moustiers Sainte Marie is long and windy and can be very slow, a visit to this charming village is well worth it. Perched on the cliffs above the Gorges and marked by red tilled roofs, this scenic village seems a million miles away from the 21st century.
7. Shop the markets at Isle sur la Sorgue
Often called the antiques capital of France, Isle sur la Sorgue sits on a winding set of canals and is home to the largest marche aux puces (flea market) in France outside of Paris. Many antique and bric-abac dealers post up in this small, picturesque Provence town year round.
Isle sur la Sorgue is also home to a great Provencal market every Sunday and Thursday. Here you will find Provencal street market with stalls overflowing with fresh walnuts and olives, men in aprons slicing hunks from giant wheels of cheese, brightly colored produce spilling out of bins and baguettes leaving crusty crumbs on tables. It has long been one of my very favorite markets in France.
>>Read more about Markets Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Need Market Shopping Tips?
- Shopping at France’s Markets
- Markets in France: Tips to maximize your shopping experience
- Make sure you bring a basket with you. I like this one
8. Hang out at the Beach and explore the Calanques at Cassis
Although this charming fishing town on the Mediterranean coast bears the same name as a specialty liqueur made from black currants, it should not confused with the main ingredient in a kir. Cassis is a picturesque port town located not far from Marseille. Cassis was an ancient fishing port and was rebuilt on the old ruins in the 18th century, resulting in a more regular layout than most other medieval villages. A walk through the old village streets will reveal well preserved old buildings, some dating back to the 16th century, and some restored with the colorful pastels of Provence.
Although not nearly as famous as its nearby Riviera neighbor, Cassis is just as delightful as St. Tropez with an equally beautiful town and beach. Cassis is defined by white, limestone cliffs and sheltered inlets called calanques. It also has a lovely, wide sandy beach perfect for getting your tan on in the summer (of course in the French tradition, sans bikini top).
The picture-perfect portside village is marked by brightly colored buildings and its harbor is dotted with masts and fishing boats. Although not an undiscovered beach town in France, Cassis tends to be less crowded than other Mediterranean cities and nearby Marseille.
>>Cassis is one of France’s Best Beaches
9. Soak in the thermal springs and check out fields of lavender at Digne les Bains
Located at the foot of the Alps near the Gorges du Verdon and 100 km northeast of Aix-en-Provence, Dignes les Bains is named for supposedly curative thermal springs located here. Wild and cultivated fields of lavender carpet the mountains and plains around Dignes and the town celebrates the harvest of the fragrant purple plant every year during a 5 day festival the first weekend in August. While Dignes is a great place simply to soak up the beauty of the natural surroundings—from fields of lavender to nearby mountains—it is also a great place to soak in the thermal pools here.
Located 2 km from Dignes center, you can soak in the thermal pools, cover yourself in mud and seaweed or soak in a lavender bath at the Etablissement Thermal. There is also a a great Provencal market in town on Wednesday Saturday mornings.
The best part of going to Dignes, however, very well could be getting there. The famous Train des Pignes (Pine Cone Train) chugs along a narrow gauge railway from Nice to Dignes. The train crosses through some of Provence’s most stunning mountainous scenery and is well worth a trip to Dignes les Bains.
10. Visit Roman ruins or watch bull fighting in Arles
Although the narrow, winding streets, stone squares and colorful houses may look oddly familiar from many Van Gogh paintings, Arles’ historic roots date back far further than the days of the famous impressionist painter. Arles was the site of a Celtic settlement, a Greek colony and later a Roman city, so it is easy to imagine that this Provencal city is bursting at the seams with history and culture.
Arles made an important political decision in Roman times when it choose to back Caesar (rather than loser Pompey). As a result, Cesar plundered Marseille (they supported the losing guy) and built Arles into a prosperous port and city in southern France. Today the city boasts a 20,000 seat Roman amphitheatre, which once hosted gruesome gladiator battles and now stages corrida (bullfighting), which sends the entire city into a fervor when the bull-fighting season begins each spring.
photo credits: provence, marseille , saint remy , camargue, moustiers sainte marie , sorgue market , cassis, lavender
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