Most Beautiful Places in Provence
There is a version of France that exists only in the south — slower, golden, scented with lavender and wild thyme, where shuttered farmhouses sit in fields of purple that stretch to the horizon and the light at evening turns everything to warm amber. That place is Provence, and once you've been, nowhere else quite compares.
Here are the most beautiful places in Provence — from medieval hilltop villages to vast lavender plains — that deserve a place on your bucket list and your walls.
1. The Lavender Fields of the Valensole Plateau
From late June to early August, the Valensole Plateau transforms into one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Europe. Row upon row of lavender stretching to the foot of the Alps, the air heavy with scent, the light at sunrise turning everything violet and gold. If you visit only once, come in July.
2. Les Baux-de-Provence
Perched on a rocky outcrop above the olive-covered plain of the Alpilles, Les Baux is one of the most dramatic villages in France. Medieval castle ruins crown the summit, the village below is a maze of ancient stone lanes, and the views across the garrigue are extraordinary. At sunset the whole village glows gold.
3. Gordes
Arguably the most beautiful village in Provence, Gordes cascades down a rocky hillside above the Luberon valley in tiers of pale stone houses. From the valley below the view of the village is one of the great sights of southern France — a perfect composition of rooftops, towers and ancient walls against the Provençal sky.
4. Roussillon
Unlike any other village in Provence, Roussillon is built entirely from ochre — the vivid reds, oranges and yellows of the local rock giving the village an almost impossible warmth. The surrounding cliffs of the Colorado Provençal are equally spectacular — a landscape of eroded ochre pinnacles in shades from cream to deep burnt sienna.
5. The Luberon
The long ridge of the Luberon mountains divides the Vaucluse from the Var, and on either side lie some of the most beautiful villages in France. Ménerbes, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Oppède-le-Vieux — each hilltop village more beautiful than the last, each one looking out over a valley of vineyards, cherry orchards and lavender fields.
6. Aix-en-Provence
The most elegant city in Provence, Aix has a beauty that's entirely its own. Wide, plane-tree lined boulevards, 17th-century fountains on every corner, ochre buildings with green shutters, the best market in the south of France and the light — always the light — that inspired Cézanne to paint Mont Sainte-Victoire over and over until the end of his life.
7. The Calanques
Between Marseille and Cassis, a series of dramatic limestone inlets plunge from white cliffs into water of piercing turquoise. The Calanques are one of the great natural wonders of the Mediterranean — accessible only on foot or by boat, wild and impossibly beautiful, a landscape unlike anything else in France.
8. Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
A village built around one of the most powerful springs in the world, where the River Sorgue emerges from a clifftop cave in a torrent of brilliant green water. The village is small and beautiful, the cliff above it extraordinary, and the river — lined with old watermills and trailing weeds of vivid green — utterly enchanting.
9. Sénanque Abbey
The 12th-century Cistercian abbey of Sénanque, rising from a valley of lavender with the grey limestone hills of Provence behind it, is one of the most iconic images in all of France. Visit in July when the lavender surrounding the abbey is in full bloom and you'll understand immediately why Provence has inspired painters for centuries.
10. Cassis
A small fishing port at the foot of the highest cliffs in France, Cassis is everything a Provençal harbour town should be. Colourful boats in the port, excellent wine from the surrounding vineyards, the Calanques on the doorstep and the most beautiful waterfront terrace in the south of France. Come before lunch and stay until the stars come out.
Bring Provence Home
From the lavender fields of Valensole to the hilltop villages of the Luberon — our watercolour print collection captures the golden light and timeless beauty of Provence and the South of France. Each print is made to order on premium fine art paper with free UK shipping.