South of France Road Trip: 10 Day Provence Itinerary
Enjoy 10 days in Provence with this South of France road trip itinerary. This sun-soaked corner along France’s Mediterranean coast is a sensory feast. Where the scent of lavender wafts through the air on warm summer days and the chorus of cicadas rings out across vineyard-laden plateaus.
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A road trip through Provence highlights some of the best parts of the South of France. For a long time I dreamt of passing by fragrant lavender fields and sipping crisp rosé among the vineyards. But choosing where to visit and how to spend 10 days driving around Provence proved overwhelming.
With so many quaint villages, artistic enclaves, and scenic spots begging to be admired, I knew I had to narrow it down so I could maximise my time enjoying the best this region had to offer. One thing I was certain of, is that having a car would make the entire trip easier. So, I pulled out the map of everywhere I had pinned and got to work.
This 10 day South of France road trip takes you through bucolic landscapes and calls at some of the most beautiful towns in the region. It focuses on inland Provence, rather than the coast but it could be adjusted to your preferences and I’ll make note of that where relevant too. After several trips to southern France, this is the ideal trip to make the most of the Luberon and beyond.
I always hire cars in Europe through rentalcars.com as they offer a great range of vehicles from numerous locations making it easy to hit the road.
South of France Road Trip: 10 Day Provence Itinerary Overview
Days 1-2 | Verdon Gorge &
Valensole
Days 4-7 | The Luberon
Days 8-10 | Saint-Remy-de-Provence
Where to stay
I recommend the following bases for this itinerary and visiting various towns and villages across Provence as day trips.
Valensole
Gordes
Saint-Remy-de-Provence
Days 1 | Cotignac and Valensole Plateau
This itinerary more or less follows my favourite route that visits plenty of villages, some natural highlights, and mixes artistic and foodie interests too.
If you’re flying to the South of France, you’ll most likely land in either Nice or Marseille airport. Both are convenient for a Provence road trip and I recommend either arriving the evening before or early morning so you can make the most of your first day. You can also reach Provence via train to Aix-en-Provence or Nice and pick up a rental car there.
The first stop is Cotignac, which is around 1 hour 15 minutes from Marseille airport or 1.5 hours from Nice airport. A quieter village on the eastern side of Provence, Cotignac is home to leafy avenues, pastel-painted streets, and a host of stores selling the work of local artists including paintings and ceramics.
The perfect place for lunch, it’s not difficult to see why this spot, referred to as ‘St Tropez of the Var’ is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France Association. I’d spend an hour or two here strolling the streets and lunching before continuing on to your next stop: Sillans-la-Cascade.
Just a 10-minute drive from Cotignac is the spectacular Sillans-la-Cascade. This was a rather underrated highlight of this part of Provence that I’d rarely seen anyone mention when doing my own travel planning. But clicking around on Google Maps, I spotted this place and knew I had to visit.
The 44-metre high falls plunge into a turquoise pool that stretches into a peaceful lagoon and stream. From the car park, it takes around 15 minutes to walk to the fall by a well sign-posted trail. It can get hot during the day in the middle of summer, so remember to pack water. As tempting as it may be, you can’t swim here as there is a protection order in place to look after the natural landscape.
Give yourself around an hour wandering along the shaded woodland paths and the falls before making your way to your final destination, Valensole. By now, you should be able to check in so I recommend settling into your accommodation before heading out to the lavender fields for sunset. This is by far the best time to capture photos at golden hour when the light oozes across the landscape like honey.
The lavender fields often change position every few years, however if you head west out of Valensole town towards TERRAROMA Lavande Amandes, you’ll have no trouble spotting endless rows of purple running right into the horizon.
Lavender season in the South of France runs from mid-June to mid-July usually, after this time the farmers begin harvesting the lavender fields. If you’re travelling outside of this period, then you could swap your first day and spend it by the coast in Cassis or Parc national des Calanques, or somewhere like Aix-de-Provence.
Day 2 | Verdon Gorge and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Jump in the car and head to Verdon Gorge, around an hour drive from Valensole. I’d set off straight after breakfast to make the most of your day and to beat the crowds. Gorges du Verdon (in French) is a river canyon carved into the limestone cliffs, snaking its way for 25km through Verdon Natural Regional Park.
The most striking feature is the turquoise water that runs through the gorge, which I was pleased to see was just as intense in person as in the pictures I’d seen. The best way to enjoy the gorge is from scenic view points and on the water by rental boat, pedalo, kayak.
There are several view points in the area, with the main one being from Pont du Galetas bridge. This gives you the opportunity to peer down into the narrowing gorge and also the opposite direction where the gorge opens up into the Lac de Sainte-Croix.
My favourite way to enjoy the gorge was via pedalo. My husband and I rented a pedalo for two hours and made our way up the gorge, taking in the scenic views and stopping a few times for a swim. We chose a pedalo with a sun shade from Pedalos chez Nounet Verdon and it cost €25 per hour.
In the afternoon, head to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Built into the limestone hills, the town is split in two by a cascading waterfall that runs through the town. The village market is held on Friday mornings, but smaller artisan markets are also held throughout the year as well. I was lucky enough to visit on a day when a local ceramics and art market was held and added to my ever-growing collection.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is famous for its faience pottery factory, and if you’re a fan of pottery then stop in to visit the earthenware museum. While in town, you should also be sure to make your way to Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir chapel. Built on a rocky outcrop above the town, the church is accessed by a stone staircase and offers panoramic views of the surrounding area.
Head back to Valensole for dinner. If you’re here in the peak of summer, sunset is around 9pm, which means you can enjoy dinner in town and still have time to see the lavender afterwards. One night I grabbed a takeaway pizza from the popular pizza van just outside of town, Chez Dédé Valensole. Another, I grabbed bits from La maison de Marius and opted for more of a small bites to make a board to graze on.
I recommend heading out again at sunset to the lavender fields, as this is when the light is best. This time, head north east away from Valensole. While the fields do change every few years, I found a few spots near here that had some beautiful scenery and no crowds!
Days 3-7 | The Luberon
Ah, the Luberon. Home to some of the prettiest villages in France, excellent vineyards, spectacular landscapes, and the perfect base to explore for the next few days on your South of France road trip.
Instead of setting you a strict itinerary for this portion of the trip, I’m going to recommend a series of towns and villages you should visit in the region, including information about what to see and do there, market days, and how long I recommend spending there.
I used Gordes as my base for this part of my Provence road trip because it had a great selection of restaurants to choose from in the evening without needing a car, and I preferred to spend mornings and the late afternoon into the evening in town when the day trippers had gone.
If you’re visiting in summer, a hotel with a pool is the perfect place to indulge in an afternoon of reading after visiting nearby Luberon villages in the morning. And that’s exactly how I enjoyed my time at Mas des Romarins, The Originals Relais which affords incredible views looking directly across at the Gordes town centre perched on its hilltop mantle above the Vaucluse Plateau.
Gordes
Let’s begin with Gordes, my favourite base in the region. A centre of artistic expression and a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, it is also where you’ll find one of the Luberon’s largest weekly markets. Add to this foliage-filled laneways, light stone buildings that seamlessly blend with the surrounding landscape, and a skyline that has become an icon of Provence, and you’re in the right place.
Featured in Ridley Scott’s film, ‘A Good Year’, there are several attractions within the town itself including the pastel interior of L’Eglise Saint Fermin, Château de Gordes (the town’s castle), and nearby Abbaye de Sénanque. I recommend spending time around these sights in the morning as soon as they open, and then exploring towns nearby. This will beat the day trippers and tour buses that visit Gordes from around 10am. You can check out my detailed guide to Gordes for a deeper dive into what to do in and around the town.
As for your time over your days based in Gordes, these are the towns I recommend you visit. Mix and match the order as you please, and be sure to leave some time to unwind as well.
Rousillon
Best known for its rich ochre deposits, Rousillon is one of the best and closest day trips from Gordes. The warm, earthy buildings of the town contrast the lush green vineyards that sprawl across the landscape. With its history rooted in medieval times, ancient fortifications and churches are spread across the town, giving it plenty of character.
I recommend spending at least half a day here and arriving in the morning, as parking can be difficult later in the day. While there, don’t miss Les Sentier des Ocres, a trail that passes through the rich pigmented ochres cliffs. That was by far one of my favourite things to do in Roussillon. Just don’t wear white, including no white shoes!
Distance from Gordes | 10km / approx 15-minute drive
Market day | Thursday
Goult
Often flying under the radar of visitors in Provence, Goult is impossibly beautiful and felt a little sleepy in just the right way. Devoid of the throngs of tourists that visit some of Goult’s hilltop neighbours, you can enjoy the preserved old town in peace.
With several lovely restaurants and cafes on the main square, a morning market on Thursdays through the warmer months, and a 17th-century castle and Gothic church, spend at least two hours here.
Distance from Gordes | 9km / approx 15-minute drive
Market day | Thursday
Menerbes
Yet another member of France’s most beautiful villages, Menerbes is a hilltop town that remains impressively intact, despite centuries of war throughout the town’s history. It’s best to approach this town from the north where it seemingly rises up from the landscape below filled with vineyards and orchards.
Filled with a collection of stunning houses and mansions, a notable mention is the 18th-century home that belonged to Dora Maar, a muse of Picasso and renowned photographer. From mid-spring until mid-autumn, you can visit La Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon where you can enjoy wine tastings among its vaulted cellars.
Distance from Gordes | 11km / approx 15-minute drive
Market day | Thursday
Bonnieux
Not only is Bonnieux a stunning town, but so are the views from its perched position. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans when I visited (the only day of rain all trip!). With roots dating back to the Roman era, one of the points of interest is the Roman bridge, the Pont Julien.
Don’t miss admiring the Église Neuve de Bonnieux or snaking your way through the cobbled streets to the ruins of the 13th-century towers and ramparts. Bonnieux has also featured in Ridley Scott’s film, ‘A Good Year’, as well as scenes in the Netflix series, ‘Emily in Paris’.
Distance from Gordes | 16km / approx 20-minute drive
Market day | Friday
Oppède le Vieux
At first it seems as if this small hamlet in the Luberon is abandoned, however life is just quiet here. I love spending around an hour walking around the 13th century ruins and floral-lined laneways. The town remains sleepy after it was turned into a ghost town after the residents moved lower down the plateau to Oppède, a more convenient location.
Life in the town was revived when a commune of artists and writers returned to the area, inhabiting the forgotten homes. Pass under the old city gate towards the old churches and castle ruins before a walk through Jardins de Sainte-Cécile. Paid parking is available right by the gardens for a small fee and it’s spacious and shaded.
Distance from Gordes | 13km / approx 20-minute drive
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
Named after the Vaucluse Spring which is fed by the Sorgue River, this village is tucked into the narrow end of a valley. Its shaded town centre built around the water makes it perfect for escaping the heat of the Provencal summer. Filled with riverside restaurants and small shops selling tourist fare and locally produced goods, you can spend around 2-3 hours here.
Despite visiting around midday in the middle of summer, I didn’t find the town as busy as I expected. I did visit on a week day though, which may have benefitted my timing.
Distance from Gordes | 18km / approx 20-minute drive
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
One of my favourite towns I visited was L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. It’s a brilliant place for antique enthusiasts, with numerous antique stores dotted around town and a weekly market on Sundays that sells antiques and bric-a-brac. Great to pair with a day visiting Fontaine-de-Valucluse, the town was lively but not too busy.
Built around the Sorgue River, the town is larger than others on this list and deserves at least half a day to explore. Get lost among the attractive streets and lanes around the old town centre, dip your feet in the river to cool off, and pop into the boutiques selling homewares and clothing from local businesses.
Distance from Gordes | 18km / approx 25-minute drive
Market day | Sunday
Day 8 | Loumarin and Saint-Remy-de-Provence
For the final leg of your Southern France itinerary, it’s time to depart Gordes and make your way to Saint-Remy-de-Provence. I absolutely adored this town and it was the perfect final base for my road trip. Of course, with the flexibility that having a car provides, it’s worth making a stop or two.
My favourite town to spend a few hours and grab lunch was Loumarin. On the other side of the Luberon mountains, I adored the atmosphere of this village in Provence. After visiting, I could have easily spent a few nights here as it has enough going on to prove as a solid base, but every bit of charm that comes with village markets, cobblestone streets, and the slow pace of village life.
Loumarin has attracted famous writers including Albert Camus and Henri Bosco over time, unsurprisingly inspired by the essence of daily life captured in town. There are lots of beautiful boutiques and restaurants, from simple local favourites to the Michelin-starred, making it a great place for dining. I recommend you spend at least half a day in Loumarin on your way to Saint-Remy-de-Provence.
If it’s late enough to check into your hotel in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, settle in there before heading out to explore the town. I stayed at Mas Valentines, which is a short drive on the outskirts of town. If I was staying in the town centre, I’d choose Le Petit Hotel for its convenient location and boutique appeal.
Saint-Remy-de-Provence harks back to origins around 500BC as a Roman city. Now, it sits at the heart of the The Alpilles Regional Natural Park and is best known for its thriving weekly market and ties to famous artist, Vincent van Gogh.
Sun-dappled squares, light stone maisons with pastel-painted shutters, and ornate fountains are just a few of the features that make this Provencal town a visual treat. Even in the height of sumer, strolling around town is calm and seldom too busy, with the exception of market day on Wednesday.
For dinner, head to Edú, which is a short walk outside of the town centre. It has an idyllic garden setting, which makes sense as the premises was formerly a garden centre, with small dishes designed to share. Serving great local wines and a mixture of international and local specialities, it was perfect on a warm summer evening. I recommend reserving a table.
Day 9 | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Les des Baux-de-Provence
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before making your way to Carrières des Lumières. What was once a quarry was converted into an art centre in 2012, focused on projected digital exhibitions. A completely immersive experience, there are several series that are shown daily, so you can watch for an hour or more and be totally transported by the moving pieces that engage your senses through light and sound.
Currently, ‘Monet: Creator of Impressionism’ is running until January 2026, alongside ‘Customs Officer Rousseau, in the land of dreams’which explores the work of Henri Rousseau. Parking in the area is limited, so I recommend arriving early and also pre-purchasing your tickets ahead of time.
From there, head to Les des Baux-de-Provence which is just a 5-minute drive away. 250 metres high above the Apilles, the ancient fortified town has views to Arles and across the Carmague on a clear day. The town is a bit more of a tourist spectacle compared to others in the region, but still worth a visit to see the ruins and stunning vistas across the landscape.
If your hotel has a pool or a space to relax, spend some down time reading or relaxing before enjoying dinner in Saint-Remy again. I really enjoyed eating at Maison Marshall where the food was excellent and the atmosphere was perfect. If you’d like to head to a wine bar before dinner, Chez Clem is set in a gorgeous shaded garden where fairy lights add a warm glow in the evening. Small plates are also available, and it wasn’t ever too busy.
Day 10 | Saint-Remy-de-Provence and Monastery Saint-Paul de Mausole
Spend your final morning in Saint-Remy following the Van Gogh Trail. After spending several months in Arles seeking treatment for his mental health, the famous Dutch artist moved to Saint-Remy-de-Provence as a patient at the Monastery Saint-Paul de Mausole psychiatric institution.
He painted several iconic pieces during his time both at the Monastery and later around town, including Irises, The Starry Night, and several self-portraits. You can visit the Monastery, an exemplary piece of Provençal Romanesque art. For a small fee, you can visit parts of the monastery including the gardens and Van Gogh’s former room which shows how he lived while staying there.
After this, make your way back to the airport if you have a flight later that day and return your car or continue to your next destination.
When is the best time for a South of France road trip?
While you could complete this road trip in Provence any time of year, it’s best enjoyed through the warmer months from May to early October. The region does tend to be seasonal, so will operate shorter opening hours or total closures in some places through winter.
If you want to enjoy lavender season in Provence, mid-June to mid-July is the best time to visit. Flowering of the lavender varies by year depending on the weather, but this is typically when they will be in full bloom.
I hope you love this South of France road trip as much as I did. With the aim of seeing some of the most picturesque corners of Provence, it can also easily be extended to include more of Southern France, such as the French Riviera.
