Provence is a patchwork of lavender plains, Roman ruins, markets and perched villages like Gordes and Roussillon. Avignon and Aix-en-Provence are good bases. Lavender blooms late June to early August.
Good to know
- Rent a car; public transport between villages is limited.
- Markets are in the morning; arrive before noon for the best stalls.
- Lavender fields near Valensole bloom only in summer; check bloom updates.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Cezanne's city of fountains, markets and shaded cafes.
Market trip and cooking of ratatouille and tarte.
Medieval papal palace and the broken Pont d'Avignon, inside the city's walls.
Hilltop stone villages with ochre cliffs and lavender fields, best visited by car.
Purple rows of lavender at their peak in July, ideal at sunrise.
Three-tier Roman aqueduct over the river, where you can swim in summer.
Antiques and produce market on the river; assemble a picnic of cheese, olives and rose.
Roman arena and the cafe terrace he painted, in a city with a lively photography festival.
Fortress village and an immersive light show inside a limestone quarry.
Famous red wine estates with cellar tastings near Avignon.
Fjord-like limestone inlets with turquoise water, reached by boat or hike.