Provence Road Trip: The Ultimate Itinerary Through Southern France

Provence is made for road trips. The landscape shifts from Roman cities to perched stone villages, from lavender plateaux to turquoise gorges, from olive groves to Mediterranean coastline -- and you need a car to experience it all. This itinerary covers the essential Provence experience in seven days, with suggestions for extending or shortening the trip.

Before You Go

Renting a Car

Pick up your rental car at Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), Avignon TGV station, or Aix-en-Provence TGV station. Major companies (Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Sixt) have desks at all three locations. Expect to pay EUR 35-60 per day for a compact car with automatic transmission. Manual transmission is cheaper (EUR 25-40) if you are comfortable with it.

An automatic is recommended -- Provence's hilltop villages involve steep, narrow roads with tight switchbacks where frequent gear changes are tiring.

Driving Tips

• Drive on the right. Speed limits: 50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on national roads, 110-130 km/h on autoroutes.
• Provencal roads are often narrow and winding. Take it slowly and pull over to let locals pass.
• Many villages have parking outside the village walls -- follow "P" signs rather than trying to drive into the historic center.
• Avoid the A7 and A8 autoroutes on summer Saturday mornings (holiday changeover traffic is extreme).

Day 1: Avignon

Start in Avignon, the medieval papal city on the Rhone. The Palais des Papes (EUR 12) is the largest Gothic palace in Europe, built when the popes relocated from Rome to Avignon in the 14th century. Its austere stone interiors contrast with the lively Place de l'Horloge below.

Walk across the famous Pont d'Avignon (Pont Saint-Benezet, EUR 5.50), or simply admire it from the Rocher des Doms garden, which offers panoramic views over the river and Mont Ventoux in the distance.

In the evening, dine in one of the restaurants on Rue des Teinturiers, a cobblestoned street along a canal lined with old water wheels and plane trees.

Stay: In Avignon's old town. Hotel d'Europe (luxury) or Hotel de l'Horloge (mid-range) are well-positioned.

Day 2: Luberon Villages

Drive east from Avignon into the Luberon, a landscape of limestone ridges, cherry orchards, and golden stone villages that seems to have stepped out of a Peter Mayle novel.

Gordes is the poster village of Provence -- a dramatic cascade of stone houses clinging to a cliff face. Park at the belvedere for the classic view, then explore the narrow streets. The Village des Bories (EUR 6), a collection of dry-stone huts nearby, is fascinating.

Senanque Abbey sits in a valley below Gordes surrounded by lavender fields -- the single most photographed scene in Provence. The Cistercian monks still live here and produce lavender honey.

Continue to Roussillon, built on ochre cliffs in shades of red, orange, and yellow. Walk the Sentier des Ocres (EUR 3) for a 30-minute trail through surreal ochre formations.

End the day in Bonnieux or Lourmarin for dinner. Lourmarin has a livelier restaurant scene and an attractive Renaissance chateau.

Stay: A chambre d'hotes in Bonnieux or Lourmarin (EUR 90-140 per night).

Day 3: Markets and the Lavender Plateau

This day depends on the day of the week -- plan your itinerary around market days:

• Tuesday: Gordes, Vaison-la-Romaine
• Wednesday: Sault
• Thursday: Roussillon
• Friday: Bonnieux, Lourmarin
• Saturday: Apt (the largest market), Arles
• Sunday: L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (France's antiques capital, massive antiques market)

After the market, drive to the Plateau de Valensole (1.5 hours east of the Luberon), home to the most extensive lavender fields in Provence. Lavender blooms from mid-June to mid-July, with peak color in the last week of June and first week of July. The fields stretch to the horizon in purple rows, punctuated by stone farmhouses and lone trees.

Even outside lavender season, the plateau has a stark, beautiful quality. Sunflower fields replace lavender in late July and August.

Stay: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a stunning village wedged into a cliff face at the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon.

Day 4: Gorges du Verdon

The Gorges du Verdon is the deepest canyon in Europe -- 700 meters deep with turquoise water at the bottom. The drive along the two rim roads (D71 on the north bank, D952 on the south) is one of the most spectacular in France, with viewpoints (belvederes) every few kilometers.

For the best experience, drive the complete loop from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Stop at Point Sublime and the Balcons de la Mescla for the most dramatic views. If time allows, rent a kayak or pedal boat at the Lac de Sainte-Croix (the reservoir at the western end of the gorge) and paddle into the canyon mouth.

The complete rim drive takes three to four hours without stops, a full day with stops and activities.

Stay: Return to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie or continue to Aix-en-Provence (1.5 hours south).

Day 5: Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence is the elegant capital of Provence -- a city of fountains, plane-tree-shaded boulevards, and golden stone mansions. The Cours Mirabeau, lined with cafes and 17th-century townhouses, is one of France's most beautiful streets.

Visit the Atelier Cezanne (EUR 7), the painter's studio preserved as it was when he worked here, looking out at Mont Sainte-Victoire. The daily market on Place Richelme sells local produce, while the larger market on Place des Precheurs (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) is one of the best in Provence.

Aix's old town is a pleasure to wander -- fountains appear at nearly every intersection, and the 12th-century Cathedral Saint-Sauveur has a fine Romanesque cloister.

Stay: In central Aix. Hotel Cezanne (mid-range) or Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire (luxury, outside town with mountain views).

Day 6: Les Calanques or Arles

Option A: Les Calanques National Park

Drive 30 minutes south to Cassis, a small fishing port at the western edge of the Calanques -- dramatic limestone fjords with crystal-clear water. Hike from Cassis to Calanque de Port-Miou, En-Vau, or Port-Pin (2-4 hours, moderate difficulty, stunning scenery). Alternatively, take a boat tour from Cassis harbor (EUR 18-28 depending on duration).

Option B: Arles and the Camargue

Arles is where Van Gogh painted some of his most famous works. The Roman amphitheater (Les Arenes, EUR 9) still hosts events, and the Fondation Vincent van Gogh exhibits contemporary art in dialogue with Van Gogh's legacy. The Saturday market along Boulevard des Lices is one of the best in Provence.

From Arles, drive south into the Camargue -- a vast wetland delta where white horses, black bulls, and flamingos roam. The Parc Ornithologique du Pont de Gau (EUR 8) is excellent for birdwatching, and the fortified medieval town of Aigues-Mortes is worth a stop.

Stay: In Arles or return to Aix-en-Provence.

Day 7: Return via the Alpilles or Marseille

The Alpilles

The Alpilles is a small mountain range between Avignon and Arles containing some of Provence's most attractive villages. Les Baux-de-Provence, a ruined fortress village on a limestone ridge, offers extraordinary views and the Carrieres de Lumieres (EUR 16), an immersive art experience in former limestone quarries. Saint-Remy-de-Provence, where Van Gogh painted during his time at the asylum, has excellent markets (Wednesday) and a charming old town.

Marseille

If flying out of Marseille, allow time to explore France's oldest city. The Vieux-Port (Old Port) is the heart of the city, with a daily fish market and the MuCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations, EUR 11), a stunning modern building connected to the 17th-century Fort Saint-Jean by a dramatic walkway. Eat bouillabaisse -- Marseille's signature fish stew -- at Chez Fonfon in the Vallon des Auffes (reserve well in advance, expect EUR 50-70 per person).

Budget Summary

Category	Budget per Day (2 people)
Car rental + fuel	EUR 50-70
Accommodation (chambre d'hotes or 2-3 star hotel)	EUR 80-150
Food (bakery breakfast, restaurant lunch, dinner)	EUR 60-100
Entrance fees and activities	EUR 20-40
Total	EUR 210-360

Packing Tips for Provence

• Sunscreen and a hat -- the Provencal sun is intense from May to September
• Comfortable walking shoes for cobblestoned villages and hiking
• Light layers for cool mornings and warm afternoons
• A swimsuit for the Gorges du Verdon and Calanques
• A corkscrew -- you will buy wine at domaines along the way