Inspiration

Reasons to visit Provence: Dazzling coastline, fascinating landscapes, and idyllic villages

Guest Expert

5 min read

Renting a villa is a wonderful way to feel at home in the region of Provence, which has drawn people to its fascinating landscape, dazzling coastline and idyllic villages for centuries. Shop the markets for delicious food, follow in the footsteps of legendary artists, and gaze upon some of France’s most remarkable scenery before retreating to your holiday abode, complete with pool, terrace or garden.

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Follow your heart to its art

The quality of light on the Côte d’Azur has long drawn artists to the area, but even beyond the Riviera, art lovers are spoiled by the attractions and galleries that celebrate this legacy. In Aix-en-Provence, visit Paul Cézanne’s studio to discover how Aix and the landscape around it was a constant source of inspiration. The bijou villa Le Mas des Anges de Flo is a little bolthole nearby, ideal for a couple of art lovers. Similarly, in St Remy de Provence, couples will love Le Cabanon, which makes a good base for exploring the legacy of Van Gogh, who spent a year there in 1889 and painted many of his most famous works. Venture into the Luberon regional park and you can’t miss the Carrière des Lumières, a former quarry in Les-Baux-de-Provence (also near St Remy), which has been transformed into an incredible gallery in which moving images of classic artists’ works are projected onto the gigantic walls. In the past these have included Van Gogh, Dali and Picasso. Of course, the latter had a long love affair with Provence and the Musée Picasso in Antibes is easily reached from La Bergerie in Vallauris.

Good food on show

Provençal cuisine is imbued with sunshine, which means its dishes are a simple celebration of the region’s perfect conditions for growing fruit, vegetables, rearing lamb and catching fish. It also means that self-catering in a villa is easy: shop the markets for glossy tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to turn into a simple salad; buy a tart to simply warm in the oven and serve for supper; seek out a punnet of peaches to slice and serve with ice cream. There are more specific local favourites to look out for, too: if you’re staying in the Var, for example, at Mas Saint Martin, you’re near the fig orchards of Solliès-Pont which are harvested from August to November. Many of the villages and towns of the Vaucluse each celebrate their harvest of a different fruit or product, so take back a Cavaillon melon to enjoy poolside at Maison d’Artiste, or in winter, some truffles to Le Mas de La Baou from Ménerbes.

Celebrate at its festivals

The French are expert at celebrating everything from food to farming and Provence has its own fair share of lively festivals. If you’re in the far south-east corner of the Riviera in February, you can join in with both the exciting Menton lemon festival and the Nice carnival, for which Babylon makes a good base when party time is over. Later in the year in June, the Fête de la Transhumance in St Remy-de-Provence sees the local farmers walk their 3000 sheep through the town to celebrate the ancient tradition of transhumance, that is to say moving their livestock to the still-green higher mountain pastures. Close by is Mas de Reves, a dreamy place to stay and escape from the crowds. Autumn is a wonderful time to be in the region and the chestnut festival in Collobrières is an enchanting event. As it’s held over three weekends in October, there’s plenty of opportunity to book the villa Mounto Davalo and weave along the winding roads to the Massif des Maures for the festivities. And at the end of the year, the Christmas tradition La Fête des Santons sees locals in the towns of the Bouches-du-Rhone department fill their windows with the traditional crib figures and scenes, providing an ideal excuse to book villas such as La Bastide des Amandiers for your own Christmas celebration.

Land of many wonders

France is so full of natural wonders, from its mountains to its coastline, prairies and forests, but Provence claims more than its fair share of jaw-dropping scenery. To the west, you have the wetlands of the Camargue, where the Rhone Delta is home to an astonishing array of bird and wildlife, from flamingos to semi-wild horses. East of Marseille, the Calanques de Cassis regional park sees steep limestone cliffs descending into azure waters, with La Daby providing a comfortable abode nearby. Venture inland from the coast, and you’re rewarded with the herb-scented maquis, olive groves and vineyards overlooked by the villa Beaurecueil. Even further north, the dramatic Gorges du Verdon where the River Verdon has carved out a steep canyon with an astonishing turquoise lake at its heart. And if that isn’t enough wow factor, then the ochre quarries at Roussillon, with their red and yellow cliffs and canyons, could be another planet entirely.

Sunshine

It’s a cliché, but us Brits want some guaranteed sunshine when we book our holidays. As places such as Aix-en-Provence are said to have 300 days of soleil each year, it’s little wonder so many of us head south. Villas with gardens, terraces and their own swimming pools are the best place to come back to after a day exploring. Start with the morning markets, where it’s not just food on offer but colourful pottery, baskets, paintings and crafts.

Away from the chichi designer stores, Saint Tropez has a great market so snap up some enticing objets before retreating to the elegant villa at Domaine St Marc des Omedes, an hour inland at Lorgues. The summer sees the landscape turn a bright hue of purple as lavender fields burst into fragrant life. The main vistas are at Valensole, while the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque is equally impressive; stay nearby at the Quartier des Poulety at Gordes, a village with some of the most incredible views of the Luberon from its warren of narrow streets.

Explore our collection of special places to stay in Provence >

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Carolyn Boyd

Guest Expert

Carolyn is one of the UK’s leading food and travel writers and an expert on France. She likes nothing more than telling a good story, packed with expert insight and inspirational recommendations. Her writing for The Guardian, The Times, National Geographic Traveller and many more has seen her cycle across France, seeking out its beauty, culture and delectable produce in search of some of the most delicious and exciting experiences in travel.

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