The 10 Most Beautiful Villages to Visit in Provence, France
The 10 most beautiful villages to visit in Provence, France, are the kinds of places that almost feel like a dream—rolling lavender fields, sun-drenched vineyards, and charming open-air markets that make you slow down and enjoy the little things. Whether you’re wandering through a hilltop town or shopping in one of the many market squares, everywhere you go in Provence has a story to tell.
If you’re planning a trip, these ten must-visit villages and towns will make you fall in love with this magical region. The towns are all filled with history, delicious bakeries, art galleries, bistros, antiques, and a Michelin-starred restaurant or two. You could also drive to the French Riviera or the Mediterranean Sea for a day trip.
What’s the best way to get to the south of France?
You have a few choices when planning a trip to the south of France, specifically Provence. You can fly from Paris or other European cities into Marseille and rent a car. You can take the TGV train from Paris to Avignon and rent a car there. They have Hertz, Avis, and many other car rental companies at the train station. Or you can rent a car in Paris and drive, which is what we usually do.
On our way down to Provence, we always stop in Lyon and Beaune and buy vintage products to fill our online shop. If we didn’t do that, we’d take the train to Avignon and then rent a car. The train is such a lovely way to travel throughout Europe. It’s especially nice after an overnight flight to Paris. You can relax and watch the country go by.
The Local Markets of Provence
The local markets happen in almost all of the cities, towns, or villages throughout France. It’s really one of the best ways to experience the local cultures of these similar yet very diverse regions of the country. You may even find a few things you’ll want to bring home with you.
Here are some of our favorite beautiful villages to visit in Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix en Provence and Avignon are two of the larger towns in the Provence region. Aix en Provence is a great place to visit for a week. On a previous trip, we used it as a base to explore many of the smaller villages throughout the area. It’s such a safe area that every night late, we would go out for a gelato and long walk just wandering all the cafe and store-lined streets. Once you’re off the main touristy streets, you begin to see how the locals live. A surprising number of young people live here as the outdoor cafes and plazas are packed every night – even in September.
Market days happen regularly here, but do a quick search online to ensure they have one on the day you visit.
Street parking is very difficult to find in Aix-en-Provence. However, there is a large parking garage in the center of town where we parked and walked everywhere.
Avignon
Avignon is in the heart of Provence and sits on the banks of the Rhône river. One of the things we like most about Avignon is that it is a completely walkable city. It’s surrounded by a wall, and though we didn’t do it, you can walk the circumference of the wall in about an hour – longer if you decide to venture down many of the medieval streets or get pulled into the lure of the cafe to sit down, rest, and do a little people watching.
Avignon is also home to the Palais des Papes (Pope’s Palace), one of France’s 10 most visited monuments. In the 14th century, it was both a fortress and a palace and the seat of Western Christianity.
Bonnieux
Bonnieux is centered in the heart of the Luberon and is one of the most famous villages in Provence. If you saw the movie “A Good Year,” you might enjoy visiting Bonniuex and seeing the estate where it was filmed. The house is a private residence now, but you can get a glimpse of it as you wander through the vineyards and gardens that are accessible to the public.
Bonnieux and Lacoste face each other, sitting at the top of hills, and are often referred to as the twin brothers. So if you’re planning a visit to one, you might as well see both. And the roads winding up to the hilltops are quite scenic. When at the top of both villages, you have incredible views of the entire Luberon Valley, where cedar trees, pine forests, and vineyards fill the countryside.
Lacoste
As far back as the 15th century, artists flocked to Lacoste because of what they called “the purity of light.” The summer light in all of Provence is striking. It’s no wonder that so many famous artists, like Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh, and many more, completed some of their most famous works here.
Lacoste is a perfectly restored village where you can wander the narrow walkways up and down throughout the entire village. It was home to the French art school, Lacoste School of Arts. However, in the early 2000s, as enrollments dramatically dropped, they approached Savannah College of Art and Design to help restore the campus, and SCAD took over. Now, SCAD has a study abroad program for both graduates and undergraduates. You can see the school’s influence throughout the entire village.
Cucuron
In addition to its rich history, one of the main attractions is the Bassin de l’Étang. It’s a small rectangular basin that used to supply water to the flour mill. However, it’s now the village centre surrounded by small restaurants, bistros, and gelaterias. It’s around this basin that a scene in the movie A Good Year was filmed. It’s the scene where Russell Crow and Marion Cotillard were watching a vintage black-and-white movie with a live orchestra, and it started to rain.
On the day we visited, we discovered La Petite Maison Cucuron, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and tried to get a table. Unfortunately, we were about 10 minutes late, and they had just stopped seating people for lunch. I’m sure it’s an excellent restaurant. Knowing we were just past prime lunchtime, we began a desperate last-minute search for a place to eat and were lucky enough to be the last people seated at Restaurant Le Cercle de Cucuron. We had one of the nicest meals of our entire trip here. Sometimes, the best things are fortunate accidents.
After a leisurely lunch, we took the opportunity to walk the streets, visit the small shops and boutiques, and see some of the beautifully restored homes.
Ménerbes
The small village of Ménerbes is built on top of a rocky outcrop that overlooks the entire Luberon. It has a stunning view of the surrounding countryside and vineyards. Everywhere you looked, there was greenery.
This was our last stop on a day of exploring the small villages, and we were looking for a place to sit down and relax for a bit. In our search for a nice spot, we first stumbled into a magazine and newspaper shop/cafe and were a bit skeptical. That is until we walked through the store and onto a beautiful terrace overlooking the vineyards below. We decided to sit down, enjoy the view, and have a drink. It’s now one of my favorite moments of the trip. I couldn’t think of a better place to relax for a few minutes and have a drink. It’s one of the loveliest villages in Provence.
Saint Rémy de Provence
Saint Rémy is a little larger than most of the other small villages we explored. It’s most known for its open-air market and deep connection to Vincent Van Gogh. The village inspired some of Van Gogh’s most celebrated works. If you’re interested, there is a free Van Gogh walking tour.
What I enjoyed most was the open-air market in Saint Remy. You could sample different foods: cheeses, hot food, cold food, or bakery items. You could buy honey, olive oil, herbs, and spices from the Provence region to bring home. I bought about a pound of lavender to bring back with me. I still have some left, and I keep it in my office. I love the smell, and it always reminds me of our exploring around Provence and southern France in general.
Gordes
Gordes is one of the most beautiful hilltop villages in the entire Luberon Valley. It sits in the foothills of the Monts of Vaucluse.
The Castle is one of the main attractions and it dates as far back as the year 1031. It was later remodeled during the Renaissance period. It’s been used for many things over the years; a prison, a school for boys, a place to store harvests, a bar, a post office, and even the town hall.
Today, it’s used as a cultural center for exhibitions.
Arles
Arles is a village that’s situated on the cliffs overlooking the Rhone River. It is one of the oldest cities in all of France. In the center of town and one of the main attractions is the Arles Amphitheater, which is still in use. Today it hosts, plays, concerts, and even some bullfights.
In addition to exploring the town, we also went for a long walk on the pathway that runs along the Rhone River. Afterward, we stopped in at one of the local cafes for a drink and a snack.
On our stroll through the town, we also discovered an old Monoprix (the French version of a small department store and grocery under one roof). You can find a Monoprix in almost every town in France – sometimes several. We always stop and take a look. And sometimes we find something fun to bring home with us.
Grignon
About three kilometers away from where we stayed on one of our trips to Provence is the charming little town of Grignon. There are a few stores, restaurants, gelato shops, an ancient castle, and an old church at the top of the hill. It’s a bit of a hike, but the views from the top are stunning, and they give you a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. It’s such a beautiful place, especially at sunset.
This is by no means a complete list of beautiful villages to visit in Provence, but hopefully, it gets you started on your next adventure. And if you discover some favorites that we haven’t included, we’d love to hear from you, and we’ll put them on the list for our next trip.
