Photo by Chelsea Essig on Unsplash
The 8-day plan, rearranged for 4 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 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.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
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 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.
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.
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 4 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 17.0 to 68.2 kilometers between its stops, and 187.6 kilometers in all across 4 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 guide
Rick StevesProvence travel guide
The GuardianProvence travel featuresPhoto: Bjs, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons · Photo by Piermario Eva on Unsplash · Photo by Frédéric Barriol on Unsplash · Photo by Xuan Nguyen 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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