Travel guide: a weekend getaway in Provence

Last year, Nathalie (from @nathalie_wanders), Ophélie (from @labengale) and I visited Provence during a weekend getaway.

Provence is filled with incredible landscapes and spectacular aesthetic. Lavender fields stretch as far as the eyes can see, spreading heavenly their delicate fragrance. Hillside towns and villages boast an uninterrupted charm, rocky beaches bring a feeling of tranquility… All of this offering a simple yet stunning beauty. As much as I love visiting cities, it’s the countryside where I feel most at home and at ease.

Provence being such a picturesque region, photographers, artists and bloggers from all over the world visit the region from mid-June to mid-July. But if you’re lucky enough to go sightseeing to this part of France in summer, don’t miss a chance to see those beautiful and special places. I’m putting here the highlights of our weekend, in hopes that this Provence getaway itinerary would be an inspirational guide to your own French road trip!

Provence sunrise in the lavender fields by Dancing the Earth

Itinerary for a weekend in Provence

As we only had two days there and wanted to spend time in the lavender fields, we decided to split our time between sunrise and sunset in the fields, relaxing in the pool of our B&B on the morning and exploring nearby towns on the afternoon.

Valensole

The Valensole Plateau is the world’s premier location for lavender cropping. If you venture a bit off on a rocky road, you will discover the photogenic rolling hills between Valensole and Puimoisson. There are also an abundance of poppy, sage and sunflower fields in Provence. As we arrived near Oraison, where was located our B&B, we passed by beautiful sunflower fields. The sun was setting down on the horizon, bathing the fields with its vibrant orange glow. We eventually stopped as we couldn’t pass up this incredible photo opportunity. We also made a stop in a beautiful sage field. But despite we kept driving by the beautiful poppy fields, we sadly didn’t have enough time to stop.

Gorges du Verdon

On our first afternoon, we went to the Lac de St. Croix, which is a reservoir that damns the Verdon River, which flows down from the Gorges du Verdon. It’s a large lake with 4-5 towns along its shores. On this day, there was a lot of people canoeing or boating. We watched paddleboat after paddleboat cruising around the area where the river meets the lake. Kids climbed the rocks along the cliff and jumped in one after another. The color of the water has a vibrant green hue, which during the middle of a summer day made the water look even more appealing. We rented a canoe and off to the Gorges we went!
(*the canoe costs 20€/1 hour, cash only)

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

Not too far from the Gorges is the charming village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. It is listed as one of the ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages’ (France’s most beautiful villages) and is one of the towns we were most excited to visit. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie was one of my favorite spots on the whole trip.

The town is built into the mountains with a stream and multiple waterfalls running right through the center. We also discovered an incredible pottery shop while there. According to the shop owner, this town and area were rich with history in fine china. She told us that for years, Europeans had been obsessed with porcelain from China and weren’t able to replicate it back home, not until the craft was perfected near Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Today, this shop called, Bondil, employs local potters to make this traditional china. We spent a lot of time in the shop, gazing at all those pieces of art.

Gordes

On our second and last day, we visited Sénanque Abbey right next to Gordes. Gordes being one of the most famous and thus touristic hilltop towns in the Luberon area, the site was crowded with tourists when we arrived. All the big tourist buses gathered in this tiny place made it almost impossible to park our car. We decided to skip the visit of the abbey and just took a few photos in front of the small lavender field.

Throughout history, Gordes had been known for the value of its land, which led to constant invasions. To protect themselves, locals built a fortified city on the hilltop, which resulted in what is now known as one of the most beautiful villages in France. The castle, the stone houses, the stone paved streets, and the view on the valley make the village an endless source of inspiration for photographers.

Provence highlights

As we only stayed there for two days, we didn’t have enough time to visit the whole region but here are some of the sites I’ll definitely visit next time! (Sites are listed from West to East)

  • L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and its beautiful antique shops; Fontaine-de-Vaucluse; Vénasque
  • Luberon’s hilltop towns: Gordes, Oppède, Menerbes, Lacoste and Bonnieux
  • Roussillon; Apt, and its Saturday market; Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt
  • Lourmarin
  • Valensole; Moustiers-Sainte-Marie; Gorges du Verdon

How to get there

I suggest you arrive at Aix-en-Provence and rent a car there, which is the most convenient way to explore this part of France. In fact, although the region has become a notorious touristic attraction, nearby cities provide a very limited public transport services and there is simply no public transportation to lavender fields, except for organized tours. So, having a car is a necessity that can’t be neglected.

Where to stay

For this weekend getaway, we stayed at the amazing B&B La Maison dans l’Olivette (get a 10% discount when booking through this link!) and no word could express how perfect this stay was! Our hosts Georges and Geneviève are friendly and welcomed us warmly, giving us a lot of advice regarding photo spots and places to see. The home-made breakfast was just amazing and the pool is heaven! A haven where I can’t wait to come back again!

Depending on the sites you’re planning to visit, consider having a “home base” rental home on your trip instead of spending time checking in and out hotels. You can split the region in two: one location near Valensole so you can explore the Gorges du Verdon as well as Moustiers-Sainte-Marie while enjoying the lavender fields, and another one near Oppède, so you can explore the Luberon area without spending too much time on the road (e.g., Gordes was an hour and half away from our B&B).

Provence lavender fields at sunset by Dancing the Earth

Those are the highlights from our trip (aka what I found to be the can’t-miss moments). But there is always something magical around every corner waiting to be discovered. And that’s why I love Provence! I hope this weekend getaway guide to Provence will be useful for you and if you need, feel free to reach out with any questions as there is SO much to do! And don’t forget to tag me in your stories and posts on Instagram if this article inspires you !

With love, 
Marina

P.S.: find inspiration for other weekend getaway destinations right here!


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29 Comments

  1. 20 July 2019 / 15 h 46 min

    We want you to come with ” dancingtheearth” on this journey by reading stories. You can imagine the world around you through someone else’s eyes and hopes to inspire you to experience the world alone.

    As I dreamed of visiting a lovely place, I kept spending time! As I said, I heard from several people now that. I and my friend used to be in this beautiful place, so I do not know how good our performance in haha ​​haha. Still, it pays to try exactly as I said. Beautiful photos in this publication By the way, you really capture the beauty of places. Wait for your next post! http://Www.moroccotripsahara.com

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      21 July 2019 / 13 h 04 min

      Hello! Thank you very much for coming here and for your comment!

  2. Kay
    2 April 2020 / 5 h 48 min

    Wowww it’s absolutely beautiful! I’ve seen pictures of it but every time I see another, I’m always in shock by how beautiful it is! I’ll definitely be getting a tour when I visit!

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      2 April 2020 / 6 h 23 min

      It’s even more beautiful in real!

  3. 2 April 2020 / 18 h 32 min

    Wow this sounds like such a lovely place, and your photos are gorgeous! I am adding this to my bucketlist for next summer!

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      3 April 2020 / 0 h 52 min

      Thanks a lot! It really is a beautiful place that everyone should see once I think!

  4. 3 April 2020 / 2 h 23 min

    I went to Provence many years ago and am desperate to go back and see the lavender fields. They are stunning. Gorges du Verdon is also on my bucket list, which I have heard so much about. Your photos are beautiful. I would definitely want to stay longer than a weekend. Great tip about getting a car there. Thank you.

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      3 April 2020 / 5 h 41 min

      Thank you for reading! Yes Gorges du Verdon is a must-do! If you haven’t already, I would also take time to explore the little villages nearby, they’re gems!

  5. 3 April 2020 / 3 h 10 min

    WOW! This place looks so stunning! I’m definitely saving this for later. You have completely sold me on it!

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      3 April 2020 / 5 h 41 min

      Haha so happy to hear that!

  6. 3 April 2020 / 4 h 35 min

    such wonderful pictures! the little places always win us over right?! Now I want to go there! 🙂

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      3 April 2020 / 5 h 41 min

      Indeed! I hope you can go soon 😉

  7. 3 April 2020 / 19 h 59 min

    Wow I hope I can go there for the lavender fields and sunflower fields one day! Your pictures were absolutely incredible! Definitely saving this post!

    • Marichankobe
      Author
      3 April 2020 / 23 h 38 min

      Thank you so much for coming and reading Aubrie! I hope you can go there soon to feel all the magic 🙂

  8. 19 May 2020 / 0 h 27 min

    Wow! Your blog is amazing, thank you so much for sharing.

  9. 21 June 2020 / 11 h 17 min

    Your photos are gorgeous and really made me wanna visit Provence! You guys managed to see and do so much in one weekend too

    • Marina
      Author
      22 June 2020 / 23 h 34 min

      Thank you so much for reading! We did, and yet there’s so much left to discover there!

  10. 22 June 2020 / 7 h 02 min

    Provence is so beautiful! Loved your photos. I’ve been to several places in France but never Provence and it’s definitely on our bucket list. Thanks for sharing!

    • Marina
      Author
      22 June 2020 / 23 h 34 min

      It really is stunning! There’s so much to discover there!

  11. Shay
    22 June 2020 / 23 h 27 min

    Your photos are so beautiful!! Great post. Definitely saving for later!

    • Marina
      Author
      22 June 2020 / 23 h 33 min

      Thank you so much for reading! I hope you’ll be able to visit this amazing place!

  12. Taylor
    23 May 2021 / 5 h 12 min

    I LOVE Provence and am dreaming of being back there. Your photos are so beautiful Marina an this is a great guide! 🙂

    • Marina
      Author
      24 May 2021 / 0 h 41 min

      Thank you so much Taylor! I love Provence too, can’t wait to be back!

  13. Jan
    23 May 2021 / 7 h 47 min

    Beautiful place! You had me at the lavender fields and the turquoise GORGES DU VERDON. We are planning a long road trip in France, and I m including this place in it. 🙂

    • Marina
      Author
      24 May 2021 / 0 h 42 min

      Yessss Gorges du Verdon should be in every itinerary! You should definitely include one of the small villages too, it’s too cute!

  14. 23 May 2021 / 10 h 04 min

    Provence looks absolutely stunning to explore! Your photos are really making me want to plan a trip here asap. Thanks for sharing all of these great tips and insights!

    • Marina
      Author
      24 May 2021 / 0 h 42 min

      Thank you so much! I’m dreaming of going back there asap *w*

  15. 24 May 2021 / 4 h 16 min

    The Gorges du Verdon look incredible! I love love loooove the South of France, but I obviously need to spend more time in Provence as I have never been to most of these places. This post is fabulous Marina. I love your photos. 🙂

    • Marina
      Author
      25 May 2021 / 2 h 53 min

      Thank you so much Josy! I love South of France too, and still have so many things to see! One of my dream is to live there one day ^^

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