WELCOME TO PROVENCE

10 minutes • 7 km

Home to Paul Cézanne, Emile Zola and countless artists, the old stones oozing history, colourful markets and lively café terraces will cast their Aix-en-Provence magic over you.

Not to be missed

• Cours Mirabeau and Aix old town
• Aix Cathedral
• Musée Granet
• Cézanne sites: Bibémus quarry; Jas de Bouffan country house
• Fonderie Vasarely
• Entremont oppidum
• Les Jardins d’Albertas park
• Sainte Victoire: this isn’t just a mountain; it’s a symbol of Provence immortalised by Cézanne who portrayed it over 60 times.
• Vauvenargues, 17th century château owned by Picasso
• Château la Coste in Puy-Sainte-Réparade
• Countless footpaths

35 minutes • 35 km

Marseille and its stunning setting was the 2013 European Capital of Culture. Stroll down the city streets, visit the old port and soak up its unique atmosphere.

Not to be missed

• The cliff road and stunning views from Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica (nicknamed “La Bonne Mère!”)
• The old port and its buzzing terraces
• Le Panier district and its Mediterranean-style lanes
• Noailles markets
• La Vieille Charité cultural centre
• MuCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations)
• La Canebière, the most famous street in Marseille
• Saint-Victor Abbey
• Château d’if
• Frioul archipelago
• Watch a Marseille football match in the buzzing Stade Vélodrome

45 minutes • 60 km

The calanques are over 5000ha of limestone mountains stretching 20km between Marseille and Cassis. This is an otherworldly sight for sore eyes.

Not to be missed

• Cassis tour: ancient fishing port in a beautiful natural setting which inspired countless artists including Derain, Vlaminck, Matisse and Dufy
• Hike in the Calanques
• Cliff road from Cassis to La Ciotat
• La Ciotat beaches
• La Côte Bleue beaches
• Saint-Maximim-la-sainte-Baume and Sainte Baume mountains
• The famous October Marseille-Cassis half-marathon

35 minutes • 30 km

Cliffs, ochre quarries, hilltop villages and mysterious limestone huts, the Luberon epitomises Provence. You won’t be able to resist its charming landscapes and villages.

Not to be missed

• Apt and its big Saturday morning market
• Luberon mountain range
• Petit Luberon and its hilltop villages of Bonnieux, Lacoste, Ménerbes and Oppède-le-Vieux
• Grand Luberon and the famous village of Lourmarin
• Roussillon and the colourful Sentier des Ocres footpath
• Colorado Provençal of Rustrel
• Gordes and its stone hut village
• Sénanque Abbey
• Forcalquier area

55 minutes • 78 km

Arles is the capital of the Camargue. Vincent Van Gogh loved its light and you’ll love its impressive architectural relics.

Not to be missed

• UNESCO World Heritage Roman monuments and sites
• Musée départemental de l’Arles Antique archaeological museum
• Saturday morning Boulevard des Lices market
• Les Corridas
• Camargue regional nature park
• Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
• Pont-de-Gau ornithological park

1 hour • 76 km

Des collines d’une incroyable blancheur se découpant sur le bleu intense du ciel et les verts des garrigues et des champs d’oliviers, le massif des Alpilles et ses villages offrent l’image de la Provence , ses senteurs de thym, romarin et lavande, et sa douceur de vivre.

Not to be missed

• Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
• Alpilles Regional Nature Park
• The village of Baux-de-Provence, listed entirely as a Monument Historique and one of the “Most beautiful villages in France,” and its château
• Maussanne-les-Alpilles
• Eygallières
• Fontvieille

1 hour • 80 km

Few cities can rival Avignon’s artistic and architectural heritage. Its fascinating legacy has seen the Palais des Papes and Pont Saint Bénezet become UNESCO World Heritage sites. The famous festival that brings the Papal City to life in July is unmissable.

Not to be missed

• Avignon and its festival
• Le Palais des Papes
• Saint Bénezet bridge
• Isle-sur-la-Sorgue flea markets

1 hour • 105 km

Soak up this slice of Provence between Orange and Carpentras, its fascinating history, spellbinding scenery and land radiating warmth.

Not to be missed

• Pretty lanes in Orange old town
• Les Chorégies d'Orange (lyric art, opera, symphony concert) in the stunning setting of the ancient arena
• Gallo-Roman Orange: stately arch, ancient arena, ruins
• Carpentras old town and its Friday morning market
• Le Mont-Ventoux, one of the widest panoramas in Europe
• Côtes du Rhône trail
• Vaison-la-Romaine
• Montmirail lace
• Wine cellars in Gigondas and Beaume-de-Venise
• Nesque gorge

75 minutes • 105 km

UNESCO World Heritage site, the Pont du Gard is one of the best known ancient constructions. This impressive Roman aqueduct towers over the stunning Gardon gorges.

Not to be missed

• The city of Nîmes and its magical ancient heritage
• Féria de Pentecôte bull festival
• Pont du Gard
• Canoe trip down the Gardon

90 minutes • 85 km

This is how Giono described this landscape from the dawn of time: “Here, you’re not just far away; it’s another world.” The Verdon is paradise for hikers and climbers.

Not to be missed

• Verdon gorge and cliff path
• Sainte Croix lake
• Moustiers Sainte Marie
• Castellane
• Les Salles-sur-Verdon

50/90 minutes • 80/130 km

Saint-Tropez, Ramatuelle, Estérel, Porquerolles and more. Fine sand beaches, untamed nature, protected islands, famous sea resorts, lakeside villages, miles of coastline and footpaths along the beaches, calanques, wild creeks, pine forests and undergrowth all with stunning views of the sea and rocky cliffs. 

Not to be missed

• Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer
• Bandol
• Sanary-sur-Mer
• La Cadière d’Azur
• Le Castellet
• Sainte-Baume mountain range
• Giens peninsula and Porquerolles island
• Le Lavandou
• Bormes-les-Mimosas
• Saint-Tropez
• Sainte-Maxime
• Ramatuelle (Pampelonne beach)
• Grimaud
• Saint-Raphaël
• Fréjus
• Estérel mountain range