Photo by Chelsea Essig on Unsplash
A slow week and a day around the Luberon and the Rhone plain, by car. Stone villages on the hills, Avignon and Arles, Saint-Remy and Les Baux, Aix-en-Provence and the Pont du Gard. Two things a day, a market, a long lunch and open afternoons.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
An easy start in the hills. A village stacked on a rock, an old abbey in a quiet valley and a river that rises from the ground. Three short stops and a long lunch.
A village of pale stone built up the side of a hill, with a castle at the top. Walk the steep lanes slowly and look back across the valley.
Go when Morning, before the day visitors, or around sunset (about 7:52 PM) when the stone turns gold.
Local tip Stop at a bend on the road in and look at the village from outside first. The view of it stacked on the hill is the best one.
A plain stone abbey in a narrow valley, built by Cistercian monks and still a place of quiet. Lavender is planted in front of it, and it usually flowers in early summer, but the dates change with the year, so check ahead.
Go when Late morning, then a slow lunch nearby.
Local tip Lavender usually flowers in early summer, and the dates change with the year, so check ahead. The valley is calm at any time of year.
Tapenade is a spread of black olives, capers and anchovies, eaten on toasted bread with a glass of cold rosé. A plain, long lunch on a terrace in the hills.
Local tip Order a few small plates and share them. Nobody here is in a hurry.
A small village at the end of a valley, where a deep green river comes out of the foot of a cliff. How much water you see depends on the season. Walk along the river, then sit by it.
Go when Afternoon, then a drink beside the river.
Local tip The path to the spring is a short, gentle walk beside the water. How much water there is depends on the season.
Ratatouille is a slow stew of tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and peppers cooked in olive oil. Order it as a side or as a main with a poached egg.
Local tip It is better on a warm evening, with a table outside.
A morning among the ochre cliffs, a slow lunch in the sun and an afternoon on a ridge. Colors you do not see anywhere else.
A Provence market is a slow morning: stalls of olives, cheese, bread, honey, fruit and flowers. Buy a picnic and eat it in the shade. Check ahead for the market day of the village you pass through.
Local tip Go early, when the stalls are full and the lanes are quiet, and carry a basket or a bag.
A village built from the red and yellow earth around it, so even the houses glow. Walk to the square and look at the colors of the walls.
Go when Morning, when the light is soft on the walls.
Local tip Walk to the viewpoint at the top of the village and look out over the ochre cliffs before you go down to the trail.
A walking trail through old ochre quarries just outside the village, with red, orange and yellow cliffs. There is a short loop and a longer one, so choose the one that suits your legs. Wear shoes you do not mind staining.
Go when Late morning or afternoon, on a dry day.
Local tip The red dust gets onto shoes and clothes, and it is hard to wash out. Wear things you do not mind marking, and stay on the paths.
A big salad with goat cheese, olives and tomatoes, a local lunch dish in the heat of the day. Good after the trail.
Local tip Ask for the salad of the day and finish with a small ice cream.
A hill village that climbs up to an old church, with a wide view across the Luberon from the top. The steps are many, so take them at your own pace.
Go when Afternoon, after a long lunch.
Local tip Climb to the old church at the top for the view across the Luberon. The cedars near it give welcome shade.
Three villages with very different moods, linked by quiet back roads. Plenty of time to stop in the middle for a long lunch and an unplanned walk.
A long, narrow village on a rocky ridge, made famous by a book about a year in Provence. Walk to the end of the ridge for the view.
Go when Morning, when the ridge is quiet.
Local tip Walk along the length of the ridge to the far end. The view south over the Luberon is wide and open.
A quiet hill village below the ruins of a castle once linked with the Marquis de Sade. The lanes are steep, stone and nearly empty.
Go when Midday, then lunch in the shade.
Local tip The lanes are steep and the paving is uneven, so wear shoes with a good grip.
A long, unhurried lunch under the plane trees: a plate of grilled vegetables, a daube of beef stewed in red wine, or a simple omelette with herbs.
Local tip Order the dish of the day and take your time over coffee.
A lively little town on the southern side of the Luberon, with a Renaissance castle, a clock tower and tables in the shade. The writer Albert Camus is buried in the cemetery.
Go when Afternoon, then stay for an early dinner.
Local tip Walk to the castle and around the edge of the village. Come back to a table in the square when you are done.
Soupe au pistou is a thick vegetable soup with white beans and a spoonful of basil and garlic paste, a summer and early autumn dish. Warm and filling.
Local tip Stir the pistou in at the last minute.
A walled city on the Rhone, with a huge palace, a bridge that stops halfway and a garden on a rock. Leave the car outside the walls and walk.
The covered market hall in the city has stalls of cheese, olives, meat, fish and bread, with places to stand and eat. A good way to begin the day before the palace.
Local tip Buy some bread and fruit and eat it on a bench in the park later.
A vast stone palace, the home of the popes in the fourteenth century. The outside alone is worth standing in front of. Step inside to see its big rooms and courtyards.
Go when Morning, before the middle of the day gets busy.
Local tip Stand in the big square in front of it first to see the whole front, then go inside.
The old bridge over the Rhone that ends in the middle of the river, because floods took the rest. Walk out to the end and look back at the walls.
Go when Midday, then a break in the shade.
Local tip The best view of the bridge is from the park on the rock, so look at it again later in the day.
Pissaladière is a soft bread tart topped with slow-cooked onions, olives and anchovies, a Provence classic. Light and satisfying.
Local tip Eat it hot and share with the table.
A green park on a rock above the river, with shaded paths, a pond and a view over the bridge and the plain. A restful place for an open afternoon.
Go when Afternoon, when the shade is deepest.
Local tip Take a bench by the pond or the lookout over the river and do nothing for a while.
The old ramparts that still ring the city, with towers and gates. Walk a short stretch at dusk, then come back into the center for dinner.
Go when Evening, around sunset (about 7:52 PM).
Local tip You do not need to walk the whole ring. Pick a gate and a stretch of wall and follow it for a few minutes.
Daube provençale is a stew of beef cooked slowly in red wine with herbs and orange peel, often served with rice, pasta or potatoes. Slow food for a slow evening.
Local tip It tastes even better on a cooler evening.
A small, sunny town of Roman ruins and the places Van Gogh painted. It is flat and easy to walk, so it is a good day to leave the car parked.
A Roman arena that is nearly two thousand years old and still used for events. Climb to the upper rows and look over the roofs of the town.
Go when Morning, when the stone is cool.
Local tip Climb up to the top rows and look out over the roofs and the river, then go down to the arena floor.
A former hospital where Van Gogh was treated, with a courtyard garden planted to match one of his paintings. A quiet place to sit.
Go when Midday, when most people are at lunch.
Local tip Sit in the courtyard and look at the flowerbeds. The garden is planted to look like one of his paintings.
Aïoli is a garlic mayonnaise served with boiled vegetables, fish and a hard-boiled egg, a traditional Provence meal for a long lunch.
Local tip Share one big plate between two. It is much more than it looks.
A long avenue of stone tombs under tall trees, from the days when Arles was a Roman town. Van Gogh and Gauguin both painted it.
Go when Afternoon, when the long shadows fall on the stone.
Local tip Walk the whole avenue to the little church at the end, then come back slowly under the trees.
A small square with plane trees and cafe tables, close to the spot that Van Gogh painted at night. A good place to end the day.
Go when Evening, around sunset (about 7:52 PM).
Local tip Take a table in the square and stay for the lights. The cafe terrace is good for people-watching.
Rice grown in the nearby Camargue marshes is a local product, and it turns up in salads, in stuffed vegetables and beside a stew. Ask what the kitchen does with it tonight.
Local tip Pair it with a glass of the local rosé.
A gentle day in the Alpilles, the low white hills south of Avignon. A cloister where Van Gogh stayed, a Roman town in the olive trees and a ruined castle on a rock.
A quiet monastery with a cloister and a garden, where Van Gogh stayed for about a year and painted the olive trees and the wheat. It is still a care home, so keep to the visitor areas and be quiet.
Go when Morning, when the cloister is quiet.
Local tip Look for the reproductions of his paintings in the garden, set up near where he painted them.
The ruins of a Roman town just beside the road, with an old triumphal arch and a tomb standing across the way. A quiet walk among low stone walls.
Go when Midday, on a clear day.
Local tip The arch and the tomb just across the road can be seen from outside the site. The site itself is a short wander among walls.
Socca is a thin, crisp pancake made from chickpea flour, a regional street food. Eat it hot from the oven with olives and a squeeze of lemon.
Local tip Order it as a starter to share and finish with a sweet pastry.
A village and a ruined castle on a long rock, with a wide view over the plain. It is busy in the middle of the day, so go late in the afternoon.
Go when Late afternoon, after the middle-of-the-day crowds.
Local tip Walk up through the village to the castle ruins and look down over the stony valley. Wear shoes with good grip, because the rock is uneven.
Lamb from the Alpilles hills is a regional favorite, roasted with thyme and rosemary. Ask for it on a menu in the village or in Saint-Rémy.
Local tip Ask for a side of roasted vegetables from the market.
A graceful old city of fountains and plane trees, and the home of the painter Cézanne. Easy on foot and full of places to sit down.
The studio of the painter Paul Cézanne on a hill above the town, kept as he left it, with the objects he put in his still lifes. A small, quiet place.
Go when Morning, as soon as you arrive in Aix.
Local tip Look at the objects on the shelves and the tall window that let in the north light. The painter put these in his still lifes.
The long, tree-lined street at the heart of Aix, with fountains, old mansions and cafe terraces under the plane trees.
Go when Midday, then a long lunch under the plane trees.
Local tip Walk from one end to the other and look at the fountains, including the mossy one in the middle.
A cafe terrace on a tree-lined street is the right place for a slow lunch. Try a salad of tomatoes, a plate of cold meats, or a simple fish dish with herbs.
Local tip Take a table in the shade and order only what you want to eat.
A small, hidden square of the eighteenth century in the old town, with a fountain and honey-colored houses. Walk the lanes between here and the cathedral.
Go when Afternoon, then wander the old town.
Local tip The square is small and easy to miss. Look for it off a narrow street, and listen for the fountain.
Calissons are small, diamond-shaped sweets of almond paste and candied melon, covered with a thin glaze, a specialty of Aix for centuries. Buy a few in a shop and eat them as you walk.
Local tip They keep well, so they make a good small gift to take home.
A cathedral that mixes many centuries and styles, with a quiet cloister. Look at the carved doors and the old cloister garden.
Go when Late afternoon, before dinner.
Local tip Step through into the quiet cloister and sit for a minute.
A famous Roman bridge in the morning, then a market town on the water and a last ruined village on a hill. The slowest drive of the trip, with nothing to hurry for.
A Roman aqueduct bridge of three tiers of stone arches over a river, nearly two thousand years old. Walk the paths beside the water and look up at it from below.
Go when Morning, before the heat and the crowds.
Local tip Walk down to the river and look up at the arches from below. The scale only makes sense from there.
A market town built on canals, with old waterwheels, plane trees and shops of antiques. A relaxed place for a long lunch beside the water.
Go when Midday, with a long lunch by the water.
Local tip Walk along the canals and look at the old waterwheels. Check ahead for market days if you want the stalls.
Trout, fresh salads and a plate of local cheese beside the canal, followed by a coffee. A relaxed final meal in a market town.
Local tip If you can, sit by the water and take no photographs for a while.
A half-ruined village on the side of a hill, with a church at the top and very few people. A quiet last stop on the way back.
Go when Late afternoon, when the village is nearly empty.
Local tip The path up to the church is steep and rough in places. Take your time and wear sturdy shoes.
A bowl of soup, bread and a salad of tomatoes, finished with a piece of local cheese. Light after a long trip.
Local tip Buy olives and a jar of tapenade to take home before you go.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, March to May and September to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Provence. This plan is built for late September, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 8 days in Provence, planned for late September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 1.5 to 69.8 kilometers between its stops, and 151.8 kilometers in all across 8 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
5 days in Nice and the French RivieraAbout 180 km awayAn easy add-on
5 days in LyonAbout 220 km away
7 days in Chamonix and the Mont Blanc valleyAbout 270 km awayOther guides with a page about Provence. Each one opens in a new tab.
WikivoyageProvence, the free travel guide
Lonely PlanetProvence travel guideRick StevesProvence travel guide
The GuardianProvence travel featuresPhoto by Frédéric Barriol on Unsplash · Photo by Henri Picot on Unsplash · Photo: François de Dijon, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo by Piermario Eva on Unsplash
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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