Provence – our Top 10 list

Provence – our Top 10 list

Naturally we are biased, so we are quite certain that doing an art-retreat with us at ARTELIER PROVENCE and relishing the village experience in Jouques, merits 1st place in our TOP 10 LIST! It’s definitely rare these days to discover such an authentic-living-village in Provence, particularly one as historic and pretty as Jouques. That suggestion aside, we can highly recommend all the wonderful places listed below in these repeat-visited, tried-and-tested, varied and exceptional parts of our neighbourhood in France. All the places listed are approximately an hour or less from our home in Jouques which is in the Bouches du Rhone department in the south of France, right in the far north-eastern corner, just 30 minutes (by car) from Aix-en-Provence.

A little background information might interest you (ref. wikipedia): the Romans made the region their first province beyond the Alps and called it Provincia Romana, which evolved into “Provence”. Until 1487 it was ruled by the counts of Provence from their capital in Aquae Sextiae (today Aix-en-Provence). In the middle ages it hosted the Avignon papacy when the Pope and his Curia fled Rome. Although it has been part of France for more than 500 years, it still retains a distinct cultural and linguistic identity.

Provence is in the south-eastern part of France and is made up of six departments, the Bouches du Rhone of course, and the other five being: the Var, Vaucluse, the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Haute-Alpes and the Alpes-Maritimes. With more days of sunshine than any other region in France, Provence offers Summer holidays in the sun to innumerable French and European citizens every July and August, as well as amazing locations for many French and foreign people (like us) to have a home away from home, where we can experience a lifestyle and culture that is very different to that of our home country. Of course for anyone who has the means, there’s the possibility to visit Provence any time – but where to go and for how long?

Obviously a TOP 10 LIST cannot include every location, as is the case with this essential guide which includes our favourite places, that we feel thrilled to return to time and time again, to revisit the familiar or perhaps explore a little further to discover something we didn’t see before. We now tend to stay away from the particularly touristy places, especially in Summer when they are oh-so congested – which ultimately means that many of the iconic and famous places may not have made our list. For example, although we have visited Avignon a few times, we feel that it’s very touristy and for most of the year has little authentic appeal. Likewise much of the Côte d’Azur is super touristy most of the time and, although we’ve visited Saint Tropez in September in recent years, when it is definitely less crowded than during Summer, it still did not make our Top 10.

So, rather then encourage you to go off to the VERY touristy spots that everyone has heard of, in the limited time you may have to spend in Provence, we are instead giving you a list that encompasses a perfect balance (in our opinion) of cities and villages, markets and history, with a little art thrown in. So if you enjoy that kind of mix, and you also desire a good dose of authentic in your travel experience, then I’m sure you’ll appreciate our preferences too. And let’s face it, even an intrepid traveller on vacation for several weeks in Provence would barely scratch the surface without some guidance!

Happy holidays et bonnes vacances!

1.
Spend a few days in elegant Aix-en-Provence – wander around the old town to admire it’s beauty and spot some of the many fountains for which the ‘city of a thousand fountains’ is famous! Another thing Aix (pronounced EX) is renown for are its markets, various types of markets take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and are spread over various locations around the old town. There are several excellent museums including the Musée Granet if you are interested in classical art and the works of Cézanne, and the magnificent Hôtel de Caumont which is a must-see – check out the feature exhibition and/or have afternoon tea/coffee and ice-cream at the lovely café.
Allow at least three nights and two full days in Aix, one being a market day.
NOTE: other than in July and August, many stores and restaurants are closed on Mondays. Be sure to check at the Tourist Office for all current information, tours and events

2.
Don’t miss Marseille – so much history around the Vieux Port and Le Panier (the oldest suburb which includes the Vielle Charité) districts; discover a wonderful mix of cultures and cuisines, plus old and modern architecture (MuCEM, Cathédrale la Major, Notre Dame de la Garde) as well as France’s oldest quincaillerie (Maison Empereur) a must-see store that is a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of everything culinary (knives, frypans, bonbons), plus so much more that is made in France. People-watch under the clever Sir Norman Foster’s ‘Vieux Port Pavilion’ and if you love Brutalist architectural style, then you must see Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse. Allow two full days.

3.
Cassis – nestled in a picturesque cove not far from Marseille and once a small fishing village, a day-trip to Cassis is a must. You must take a morning boat trip to see some of the beautiful calanques (limestone coves) between Cassis and Marseille – we recommend seeing the first three; be sure to book for lunch so you can wander the little streets at your leisure whilst working-up an appetite! People-watch around the charming harbour whilst enjoying coffee or a cocktail at one of the many cafés or bars, or even take a swim nearby as beaches are just a stone’s throw away. Be sure to drive up the Route des Crètes to take in the spectacular view from atop Cap Canaille (the highest sea-cliff in France that overlooks Cassis) before you go. If your time permits, do drive via the Route des Crètes to also visit the nearby town of La Ciotat, a very authentic harbour town which is less touristy than Cassis.
NOTE: stay a couple of nights in La Ciotat (more affordable) or Cassis (très chic et très cher) to enjoy this area.

4.
For an authentic Provençal market visit Forcalquier on a Monday morning – arrive early for parking and be sure to visit some of the artisanal studios, stay for lunch, then walk up to see the Citadel later at your leisure – it’s a lovely old town and a wonderful day!

5.
Plan a day-trip to Les Gorges du Verdon; start early with a morning walk around the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie (famous for Faïence: china glazing and painting), have lunch at 12 noon, allowing time to drive to the gorges – stop at the Lac-de-Sainte-Croix and hire a paddle boat to enjoy the water if it’s hot, and/or drive the southern side of the gorge and pull-over wherever possible to take in the spectacular views. You might spot an eagle or two.

6.
From mid-June to mid-July drive to lavender country: on the ‘Plateau de Valensole’ (photo below) you’ll see some of the most expansive fields of lavender in Provence – book ahead to have lunch in Valensole or Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Early morning or pre-sunset are best for light and colour, but are the busiest times. If you are traveling later (mid-July to mid-August) you can see lavender around Sault instead where lavender flowers later. Allow a full day.

7.
Pre-book an early show at Les Carrieres de Lumieres (exceptional digital projection of famous artists work); afterwards enjoy a stroll around the nearby medieval town of Les Beaux de Provence, before heading to St Rémy-de-Provence for lunch (pre-book a café/restaurant for 12.30pm); later visit the lovely Monastere St Paul de Mausole where Van Gogh was interned voluntarily for a year and painted 101 artworks, many of which are his most memorable paintings.
Stay two days in St-Rémy-de-Provence, one to do the itinerary as above, then another to wander around the village, its many charming squares and boutiques, the churches and perhaps the Roman site of Glanum if ancient history appeals to you. NOTE: market day is Wednesday morning.

8.
Plan to spend 3-4 nights in the Luberon Valley – visit some of the many perched villages, our picks are: Rousillon (walk the ochre trail), Saignon (walk to the top for a fabulous view), Bonnieux (a must-see view from up at the church), Menerbes (for lovely views of the valley), Lacoste (very touristy but so pretty), Gordes (avoid market day), Lourmarin for its lively Friday morning market. Or, like us, you might prefer the quieter sud-Luberon which we particularly love – especially the villages of Ansouis, Cucuron and La Tour d’Aigues.

9.
Explore l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and it’s pretty canals – avoid market-day and the crowds so you can peruse the hundreds of brocante and antique stores without the hustle and bustle. There are lots of cafés, restaurants and lovely boutiques to explore which makes a nice change to an extremely crowded street market. Pop into the Fondation Villa Datris to see the always wonderful (and free) sculpture exhibition and sculpture-garden out the back. Find a quiet spot to sit by the river to rest your feet and watch the resident lucky-ducks enjoy the water.

10.
Visit Arles – a magnificent town with a rich Roman history, wonderful architecture and the incredible Roman arena. You’ll find lots of lovely streets to explore, a huge choice for lunch and shopping, museums and a riverside walk along the mighty Rhône. Also the lovely Hôtel Dieu/Maison de la Santé made famous by Vincent Van Gogh’s (interned there in 1889-90 for health issues) painting of this iconic yellow building and its square courtyard garden. LUMA Arles is unmissable and, aside from Frank Gehry’s iconic and elegant building at the heart of this foundation for the arts, offers many varied spaces to wander inside and out – whether to appreciate some artwork in the many studio spaces, take in the architecture and views from the main building (plus enjoy the huge metal slide), or to see the sustainable landscaping and lake – there is also plenty of public parking nearby.

If you have enjoyed this guide and gleaned even a little useful information to plan your travels around Provence, please consider leaving a comment, that way many more travellers are more likely to find, enjoy and benefit from reading this post.