15 Best Things to Do in Provence, France

Some places look beautiful in photographs. Then there are places that feel even better when you’re actually there.

For me, Provence is one of those places.

Through my work with Low Cost Vibes, I’ve had the opportunity to experience and explore Provence from a different perspective. What I love most is the variety. One day can be about history and old towns, the next about lavender fields and countryside, and then you can finish with a relaxed meal in a little village square.

And you don’t necessarily need a huge budget to enjoy it.

Some of the best experiences are actually the simplest ones: wandering through a market, stopping for coffee, exploring a village without a strict plan or finding a beautiful viewpoint and just staying there for a while.

That is the side of Provence I want to share with you.

So, if you’re looking for the best things to do in Provence, especially as a UK traveller planning a trip in 2026, here are 15 experiences I would put on your list.

Whether it’s your first trip to southern France or you’re already thinking about returning, I hope this Provence travel guide helps you plan a trip that feels enjoyable rather than rushed.

Take your time exploring Avignon

I would start with Avignon.

There is something special about walking through the old city, surrounded by medieval walls and historic buildings.

The Palais des Papes is the obvious highlight, while the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet, better known as the Pont d’Avignon, is another must-see.

But honestly, don’t spend your whole time rushing from one attraction to another.

One of my favourite things about Provence is the atmosphere between the big sights.

Walk through the smaller streets.

Stop for a coffee.

Browse the shops.

Find a quiet square.

Sit down and watch everyday life happening around you.

Avignon is also a practical base for a Provence trip if you’re travelling without a car. For 2026, Eurostar and SNCF offer London-to-Avignon journeys with a connection, with the full journey taking just under seven hours on the advertised service.

My tip: If you’re travelling from the UK by train, check the connection carefully and allow enough time for your journey rather than trying to make everything too tight.

Start your morning at a market in Aix-en-Provence

If you ask me what travellers should do more often in Provence, my answer is simple:

Go to a local market.

Aix-en-Provence is perfect for this.

You’ll find fresh produce, bread, cheese, flowers, olives and plenty of local specialities.

I love markets because they make you feel like you’re experiencing a place rather than simply visiting it.

You’re watching people shop for their lunch, chatting with friends and getting on with their day.

And from a Low Cost Vibes point of view, markets can be brilliant for keeping your holiday spending under control.

Pick up some bread, cheese, fruit and something local to drink. Find a pleasant spot and enjoy your own little Provençal lunch.

You don’t always need an expensive restaurant to create a great travel memory.

Explore the villages of the Luberon

The Luberon is probably the Provence many people picture before they even arrive.

Stone houses.

Hilltop villages.

Vineyards.

Olive trees.

Country roads.

And, depending on when you visit, fields of lavender.

Gordes, Roussillon, Lourmarin and Bonnieux are among the names you’ll come across when planning a trip around the Luberon.

Gordes is particularly impressive because of its hillside setting, while Roussillon is completely different thanks to its ochre-coloured landscape.

The mistake I think many travellers make is trying to see too many villages in one day.

Choose one or two.

Walk around.

Have lunch.

Stop for a drink.

Take photographs.

Then move on when you’re ready.

You don’t need to tick off every village to enjoy Provence.

In fact, slowing down is one of the best things you can do here.

See the lavender fields of Valensole

Let’s be honest.

For many people, lavender is one of the main reasons to visit Provence.

And I completely understand why.

The Valensole Plateau is one of the region’s most famous lavender areas, with huge stretches of fields creating that classic purple Provençal landscape.

The exact flowering period depends on weather, but the official Provence tourism information places Valensole’s main flowering period around mid-June to mid-July, with the timing changing slightly from year to year. (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Tourisme)

So if seeing lavender is one of your priorities, don’t simply book a random summer week and hope for the best.

Check the local conditions closer to your trip.

And please remember that these are working agricultural fields.

You don’t need to walk through the lavender to get a beautiful photograph. Stay on public routes or designated areas and don’t pick or damage the plants.

For me, seeing the landscape from the roadside, especially in softer morning or evening light, is more than enough.

Spend a day around the Gorges du Verdon

This is one of those places where you really need to stop looking at your phone and simply take in the view.

The Gorges du Verdon is enormous, with dramatic limestone cliffs and the turquoise waters of the Verdon.

Some of the gorge’s walls reach around 700 metres in height.

You can experience the area in different ways.

Go hiking.

Drive along the scenic roads.

Take a kayak or boat around Lac de Sainte-Croix.

Or simply stop at viewpoints and enjoy the landscape.

If you’re hiring a car, give yourself plenty of time.

The roads can be winding, and this isn’t somewhere I would recommend trying to rush through just to fit another attraction into the day.

The Gorges du Verdon is one of those things to do in Provence where the journey is almost as important as the destination.

Walk through Arles and follow the Van Gogh connection

Arles is a great choice if you want to combine history, art and culture.

The Roman heritage is impressive, particularly the ancient amphitheatre.

But Arles also has a strong connection with Vincent van Gogh, who lived and worked here and created paintings inspired by the city and its surroundings.

What I like about Arles is that its history doesn’t feel locked away inside one attraction.

You experience it simply by walking around.

Old buildings.

Quiet streets.

Historic squares.

Places connected to artists and writers.

Give yourself time to wander.

Have lunch.

Stop for coffee.

You don’t need to see everything in one afternoon.

Slow down in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Saint-Rémy is one of those places I would visit without creating a very strict timetable.

It has the beautiful old streets, cafés and small shops you expect from Provence, but there is also a strong connection to Van Gogh.

Nearby Saint-Paul-de-Mausole is where Van Gogh stayed for a period of his life.

If you’re interested in art, that connection makes Saint-Rémy particularly interesting.

But even if you’re not an art enthusiast, I would still include it in your itinerary.

For me, it captures that slower, more relaxed side of Provence.

And sometimes that’s exactly what you want from a holiday.

See the incredible setting of Les Baux-de-Provence

Les Baux-de-Provence is another place where the scenery almost steals the show.

The village sits high in the Alpilles, with the remains of its medieval fortress overlooking the surrounding countryside.

Walk through the old stone streets, explore the historic area and, most importantly, stop to look at the views.

Wear comfortable shoes because there are plenty of uneven surfaces.

And if you’re visiting during the warmer months, go earlier in the day if possible.

I would much rather explore somewhere like Les Baux slowly in the morning than arrive during the hottest part of the afternoon and feel like I’m racing through it.

Discover the Calanques

One of the things I love about Provence is how quickly the scenery can change.

You can go from vineyards and hilltop villages to dramatic Mediterranean coastline.

The Calanques near Marseille are a perfect example.

Here you’ll find rocky cliffs, bright blue water and some spectacular coastal scenery.

You can explore parts of the area on foot or see the coastline from the water.

But there is one important point for 2026: check access conditions before visiting, particularly during summer.

The Calanques and surrounding forest areas can have restrictions because of wildfire risk. The French national parks guidance says access to the Bouches-du-Rhône forest areas is regulated from 1 June to 30 September, with restrictions possible when fire risk is high. (parcsnationaux.fr)

So don’t rely on an old itinerary you found online.

Check the latest local information before setting off.

Experience the energy of Marseille

Marseille feels completely different from the smaller towns and villages of Provence.

And that’s exactly why I think you should see it.

Start around the Vieux-Port and simply walk.

Explore Le Panier.

Stop for lunch.

Take in the Mediterranean atmosphere.

You can also visit major cultural attractions such as the Mucem or explore the coastline around the city.

Marseille has a much more energetic feel than the quiet villages of the Luberon, so don’t expect it to feel like a postcard version of Provence.

Let it be Marseille.

For UK travellers, it can also be a useful arrival point. Eurostar currently offers journeys from London to Marseille with connections rather than the old direct South of France service.

That makes it possible to build a Provence trip around the city without automatically needing to hire a car from day one.

See a wilder side of Provence in the Camargue

The Camargue is completely different again.

This huge wetland region is known for its wildlife, horses, flamingos and open landscapes.

It doesn’t look like the Provence you see in most Instagram photographs.

And that’s precisely why I think it’s worth adding to your itinerary.

If you’re interested in nature and photography, give yourself time here.

Don’t treat it as another place to drive through quickly.

Slow down.

Watch for wildlife.

Take photographs.

Enjoy the landscape.

Sometimes the quieter days become the ones you remember most.

Make food part of your Provence experience

I couldn’t write a Provence travel guide without talking about food.

Food is one of the easiest ways to understand a destination.

In Provence, look out for dishes and ingredients such as ratatouille, tapenade, pistou, aïoli, olives, local cheeses and fresh Mediterranean produce.

And when you’re in Marseille, you may want to try bouillabaisse, the city’s famous fish dish.

But you don’t need to spend a fortune on food.

This is another area where I think travelling with a Lowcost Vibes mindset helps.

Visit a market.

Buy some fresh bread.

Pick up cheese, fruit and local produce.

Find somewhere beautiful to sit.

Enjoy it.

A picnic with a view can sometimes be more memorable than an expensive restaurant meal.

Visit the vineyards around Châteauneuf-du-Pape

If wine is part of your holiday, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an obvious place to consider.

The village and surrounding vineyards are famous for their Rhône wines.

You can visit wineries, learn more about the local production and, where available, arrange tastings.

My advice is to plan ahead.

Check opening times and booking requirements before you go.

And if you’re driving, remember the obvious bit that can sometimes get forgotten on holiday: you need a safe plan for getting back.

Even if wine isn’t your main interest, the countryside around Châteauneuf-du-Pape is beautiful and the village itself is worth exploring.

See the colours of Roussillon

Roussillon is one of those places that immediately shows you how varied Provence can be.

Instead of the pale stone villages you might expect, Roussillon is full of reds, oranges and warm yellow tones created by the local ochre.

The Ochre Trail is a great way to see the landscape.

And if you enjoy photography, pay attention to the light.

The colours can look completely different depending on the time of day.

This is another reason I don’t like planning every minute of a Provence holiday.

You want enough space to stop when somewhere catches your attention.

Do less and enjoy more

And this might be the most important advice I can give you.

Don’t turn Provence into a checklist.

I know that sounds slightly strange in an article about the best things to do in Provence, but hear me out.

You can visit all the famous places and still miss what makes the region special.

Have a slow breakfast.

Walk through a village.

Visit a market.

Sit outside with a coffee.

Take a country road.

Stop at a viewpoint.

Stay out for sunset.

Some of the experiences I’ve enjoyed most through my connection with Provence and my work with Lowcost Vibes aren’t necessarily the ones you find at the top of a sightseeing list.

They’re the moments between them.

That’s what makes Provence so enjoyable.

You don’t always need another attraction.

Sometimes you just need more time.

When should you visit Provence in 2026?

It really depends on what you want from your trip.

If lavender is your main reason for visiting, mid-June to mid-July is an important period to consider around Valensole, although flowering varies with weather and location.

If you want warm weather without making lavender the main focus, May, June and September are worth considering.

July and August are the main summer months, so popular places can be busier and temperatures can be high.

Personally, I like the idea of giving yourself enough time outdoors without feeling that you have to rush from one attraction to another.

How can UK travellers get to Provence?

For UK travellers, you have a few options.

By train

Travelling by train can be a great option if you don’t mind making the journey part of the holiday.

Eurostar currently offers connections from London towards destinations including Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, generally involving a change in Paris or Lille.

London to Avignon can take just under seven hours on the advertised connecting service.

For a longer European trip, I really like this option because you arrive without starting your holiday with airport queues and baggage logistics.

By plane

Flying to Marseille can be convenient for a shorter Provence break.

But compare the whole cost, not just the flight.

A cheap flight can become less cheap once you add baggage, airport transfers and car hire.

By car

If your plan includes lots of small villages, lavender fields and countryside, hiring a car can make life considerably easier.

It gives you much more flexibility outside the main cities.

What UK travellers should know before visiting France in 2026

British citizens travelling to France for tourism can currently visit the Schengen Area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, provided they meet the relevant entry requirements. (GOV.UK)

Your passport also needs to meet the Schengen validity rules. GOV.UK currently states that it must have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter and have at least three months’ validity remaining after the date you plan to leave the Schengen Area.

There is also an important border change for UK travellers.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) began on 12 October 2025 and is being implemented across the Schengen Area. UK visitors on short stays may need to register biometric information such as fingerprints and a photograph.

If you’re travelling through Eurostar from London, these checks take place before you leave the UK.

My advice is simple: allow extra time for border procedures and check the latest GOV.UK guidance before travelling.

Travel requirements can change.

How long should you spend in Provence?

For a first visit, I would look at around 5–7 days.

That gives you enough time to explore without turning every day into a long-distance road trip.

For example:

3 days: Avignon and Aix-en-Provence

5 days: Avignon, Luberon and Saint-Rémy

7 days: Add Valensole, Marseille or the Gorges du Verdon

If you have longer, even better.

You can add Arles, the Camargue and the Calanques without constantly checking the clock.

And honestly, I would rather spend seven relaxed days in Provence than try to squeeze everything into four.

My low-cost tips for Provence

Because of my work with Low Cost Vibes, I’m always looking at how you can enjoy a destination without spending unnecessarily.

Here are a few things I would do.

Use local markets

Markets can be one of the easiest ways to eat well without spending a lot.

Choose your base carefully

Staying slightly outside the most expensive tourist centres can sometimes give you better value.

Don’t pay for every attraction

Some of the best experiences cost nothing.

Walking through villages, exploring markets and enjoying viewpoints can fill an entire day.

Consider travelling outside peak summer

If your dates are flexible, compare May, June and September as well as July and August.

Think about transport before booking accommodation

If you’re staying mainly in cities, public transport and trains may work well.

If you’re planning a countryside road trip, a hire car can give you much more freedom.

Plan the itinerary first, then decide what transport makes sense.

Final thoughts on Provence

After experiencing Provence through my connection with the region and my work with Lowcost Vibes, I think the thing I appreciate most is how easy it is to make the trip your own.

You can make it a food trip.

A road trip.

A history trip.

A photography holiday.

A hiking escape.

Or simply a few days of slowing down.

For me, Provence isn’t about trying to see every famous attraction.

It’s about the moments in between.

The market you didn’t expect to find.

The village you hadn’t heard of.

The coffee you stopped for because you weren’t in a hurry.

The countryside changing outside the car window.

The lavender appearing around a bend.

The sunset that makes you stay outside a little longer.

Those are the memories that stay with you.

So, if you’re planning your trip from the UK, I hope this guide has given you plenty of ideas for the things to do in Provence in 2026.

And if you’re exploring more of France, have a look at my [Best places to visit in France] guide.

For more practical planning tips and ideas for this part of the country, you can also read my [Provence Holiday Guide].

My final advice?

Don’t rush Provence. Let it surprise you.

FAQs About Visiting Provence