How To Experience Provence

One of the things I love most about Provence is that it’s somewhere I can keep coming back, but always experience it in a different way. I return to Provence each summer chasing experiences, longing to recapture the feeling that being there gives me.

I came across this page in a book I was reading on my last visit, and it struck me. Look at a map and you’ll see an overwhelmingly large region labeled “Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.” Planning a trip to Provence can feel overwhelming because there are so many fabulous options (over 800 towns and villages, and endless hotels, bastides, mas, and maisons). But anyone who has spent time here can tell you, Provence is a way of life, so rather than worrying about exactly where you want to go, you may want to think, how do I want to experience it…?

As An Explorer?

You don’t want to leave a road unwalked or a market unvisited - no matter the temperature, or the crowds. You want to see as much as you can each day, and don’t grabbing a meal on the go, or packing light in order to change hotels easily and cover more ground. A lack of AC, or ice cubes is something you can live without (for a few days), and you don’t mind going on a trip without an exact itinerary; in fact, you often prefer it. Your priority is discovery and spontaneity.

As A VIP?

This is your dream trip and you want the best of the best: nicest hotels, relaxing spa days, fancy shops, fantastic restaurants for lunch and dinner. You want to see and do everything, but you want people there to host and to help you (a hotel concierge, maybe a private guide) so you can make sure any problem that may arise is easily handled. You’re up for adventure, but you need the comforts of home.

As A Local?

You do not want to feel like a visitor for even a moment. You’ll pass on a hotel for a home rental so you can stock the fridge with groceries from the local market. You’ll steer clear of any place going viral on TikTok or Instagram. Your priority is immersion, experiencing as much of the true way of life in this place as much as possible - regardless of whatever culture shock it brings. Rather than moving around and trying to do it all, you prefer to dig into one place fully, making a sincere effort to slowly experience everything about it.

Now, what is the ideal experience for each?

“An Explorer” should take a road trip through Provence.. Don’t have a “home base” that requires you to backtrack; you want to see as much as you can, so pack light and move as often as you need to. Arrive in Avignon, and plan for your first night or two in one location within an hour’s drive. With the time you have, weave through the region to see whatever cities you choose (Some of my favorites are Saint-Remy - Les Baux - Eygalieres - L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue - Loumarin - Valensole - Aixe -en- Provence) at whatever pace you like. You may find you want to spend just a few hours in one town, and days in another. Change hotels as you cover ground, so you don’t have to backtrack. If you’re traveling in peak season it’s better to plan them in advance, but if you’re not fussy about where you stay, and you want to leave it open-ended - you will always be able to find something. Plan to visit as many markets as you can, try your luck at snagging tables at local restaurants you pass in town that catch your eye. If you want to end your trip by the sea, drive further south to Le Ciotat and explore Les Calanques National Park, where the dramatic cliffs and turquoise water will capture your adventurous heart. Sound exhausting? Not to you

“A VIP” should book one of the many gorgeous hotels in one of the more upscale villages of the Luberon (Gordes, Lacoste, Bonnieux). They are among the most beautiful (and thus also among the most crowded - but a huge perk of staying in one of these towns is that you’ll enjoy the early mornings and late nights when most of the day tourists are gone. Since they are all within a short drive of each other, your day trips will be easy and quick, so you’ll still have plenty of time to enjoy the amenities of your hotel. You can rely on your concierge to help recommend and book the best restaurants, and organize anything else you need. If you want to extend your trip to the Côte d’Azur, drive down to Eze and spend a night or two at Le Chateau De La Chevre D’Or. This hotel is a series of little rooms scattered through a few streets of the hilltop village, which feels like a fairyale. Eze is a perfect spot to stay and take a day driving around to see Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

“A local” should rent a home or apartment in a quieter village, like in the Gard region, just west of Provence. It has all the charm, but considerably fewer crowds, and you can still reach popular spots like Arles, Avignon, and Aix-en-Provence within an hour if you need or want to. You will go to the local boulangerie every morning (they’ll know your order by midweek), and be coaxed into buying way too much cheese from the fromager at the marché. You’ll go out for one or two meals, and search for treasures at the brocante nearby, but you’ll spend most of the week barefoot at home in linen overalls you buy at the market. You’ll develop a golden tan from hours spent by the pool or dipping in Le Pont du Gard and fall asleep to the sound of cicadas creating a symphony out your window each night. If you want to end your trip by the Riviera, drive to Cassis, or if you’re up for a farther journey - Menton.

I’ve had each of these experiences. I’ve been “an explorer” on my own, “a guest” with my parents, and “a local” with my fiancé. Maybe, like me, your perfect trip is to mix all of them; a few nights on a road trip, a few nights in the lap of luxury, and then a few living like a local. But regardless of how you choose to experience Provence, there are a few “musts” I believe apply to any experience in Provence.