The Best Villages to Visit in Provence: From Rural to Riviera
Provence is one of the most iconic regions in the world. Lavender fields as far as the eye can see, serene hilltop towns and villages full of endless charm, rocky beaches scattered with sunbathers and cliff jumpers, and local farmers markets saturated with regional fruits, vegetables, lavender soaps and perfume, and honey sold by locals.
In the summer of 2018, I stayed in the Luberon region of Provence for seven nights with my parents and my bestie. I chose a central town as our home base, so each day we jumped in our rental car and visited breathtaking villages and cities, all within comfortable driving distance. You can read all about our rental farmhouse HERE.
After the Luberon region, we stayed on the French Riviera for seven nights and did the same thing—picked a town as our home base and visited the nearby coastal villages by car or train.
Every day in Provence brought new beauty and excitement wondering what magical place we would stumble upon that day.
When we visited in late June into early July, the towns were relatively quiet. I was surprised because I thought the early summer would be one of the busiest tourist seasons, but it was pleasantly uncrowded. In many of the villages, we only passed by a handful of tourists, if any. If you’re like me, I love experiencing places with very few tourists, so I included a “touristy scale” (1-5) for each of the towns listed below. Keep in mind, it was very quiet the entire time we were there, so even a “5” isn’t too crowded.
Since the region of Provence covers so many gorgeous towns, it can be difficult to narrow down which ones are a must-see… So I did it for you.
Allons-y!
Luberon Region
GORDES
The epitome of Provence, Gordes is one of the most well-known villages in France. The town rises up in a spiral form the stone beneath it, assembling into a maze of calades (narrow cobblestone streets). Gordes is complete with its own impressive 10th century château on the crest of the village. After wandering the calades, drive just down the hill to visit the ancient Senanque Abbey, an icon of Provence. Founded in 1148, you can visit the abbey and hear the Cistercian monks sing while admiring the surrounding lavender fields.
Gordes is a wonderful option as a home base in the region because it’s centrally located and bigger than most of the other towns, so there are more easily-accessible amenities—more grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. But on the down-side, Gordes is pretty touristy. It was probably the most crowded village that we visited in the Luberon.
Touristy scale: 4/5
GOULT
Goult is a tiny, sleepy village just a 15 minute drive south of Gordes. The charming and colorful streets look like they’re straight out of Beauty and the Beast. As you can tell by the photos, there was nearly no one in the entire town, except a few locals having aperitivo in a bar. It was amazing to wander the empty, picturesque lanes. Fun fact: Goult holds an annual honey festival each July.
Touristy scale: 1/5
ROUSSILLON
Only 17 minutes east of Gordes, the village of Roussillon is special because all its buildings are painted bright, vibrant colors from the ochre deposit that the town is situated on. In fact, Roussillon is so colorful, it’s often said to resemble a painter’s palette. Hiking trails surround the town and wind through the cliffs and ochre quarries. The red, rocky terrain is almost reminiscent of Arizona. But heads up—Roussillon is a more crowded town like Gordes.
Touristy scale: 4/5
LACOSTE
Although not colorful like Roussillon, Lacoste is just as charming in very different ways. This dreamlike, almost entirely cobblestone village is located just 20 minutes south of Gordes and is perched high on a mountaintop. Lacoste is home to only 400 residents and has one grocery store and bakery, and a couple restaurants. As you climb the steep, medieval road to the top, you’ll feel like you’re going hundreds of years back in time. And when you reach the summit, you’ll be greeted by the 11th century château and an amazing view of the Luberon valleys as far as the eye can see. Lacoste is abundant with artists so be sure to stop into several local boutiques and galleries on your way up to the top.
Touristy scale: 3/5
MÉNERBES
Another peaceful hilltop town just 15 minutes south of Gordes. This village is so picturesque and tranquil that Picasso had a home here and even bought his muse, Dora Maar, a house in Ménerbes that hosts workshops for artists today. Inhabited since Roman times, Ménerbes has a ton of history, including a medieval citadel at the peak of the village. The town also has a museum dedicated entirely to corkscrews! And I ate the BEST meal I had in all of Provence here—a traditional salad made up of quiche, ratatouille, red peppers, carrots, lettuce, salmon, and cheese. I honestly still think about that lunch. Ménerbes was very quiet when we visited, perfect for getting lost in the gorgeous alleys and breathtaking views.
Touristy scale: 1/5
LOURMARIN
One of the few villages not atop a hill, Lourmarin is a bigger town full of lively markets, local boutiques, and terrace restaurants. There is a beautiful 15th century château just outside the town where you can wander the intriguing medieval rooms. There was nearly no one else in the château when we visited, so we basically had the entire castle to ourselves. Lourmarin is 40 minutes south of Gordes, and although it’s further, the drive through the Provencal countryside full of olive groves and whitewashed canyons is absolutely stunning.
Touristy scale: 3/5
AIX-EN-PROVENCE
With a population of 140,000 people, Aix-en-Provence is one of the biggest cities in Provence and known as the “City of Fountains.” The city is a one hour drive south of Gordes and is perfect to visit local museums, lively markets, and get a feel for city life in the region. If you’re looking for a more urban stay in Provence, I recommend booking an Airbnb or hotel in Aix-en-Provence. The city is very walkable and there’s always something to do and people to meet. One downside is that it may be hard to find a rental with free parking.
Make sure to visit the Musée Granet, an art and sculpture museum featuring works by Picasso, Cezanne, Rembrandt, and many more iconic artists.
Touristy scale: 2/5
MOUSTIERS-SAINTE-MARIE
This is probably my favorite Provencal village of them all. Between the lavender fields, Verdon Gorge, and village itself, our day spent in Moustiers-Saint-Marie was definitely the most memorable of the entire trip. I wrote an article exclusively about Moustiers-Sainte-Marie which you can read HERE.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie touristy scale: 4/5
Valensole (lavender fields) touristy scale: 2/5
Verdon Gorge touristy scale: 4/5
CASSIS
Likely not what you picture when you think of Provence, Cassis is a fisherman town just outside of Marseille, but it’s not quite on the French Riviera as it is located more west. Famous for its calanques, which are narrow rocky coves developed between steep limestone cliffs descending into turquoise waters, and beaches, Cassis is a hike-lovers dream. On our day in Cassis, we went on an unexpectedly challenging yet amazing five hour hike to the Calanque D’En Vau, the most famous calanque in town. I will never forget that hike, and I’d love to return to do it again ASAP.
Touristy scale: 3/5
French Riviera
SAINT-JEAN-CAP-FERRAT
Called the “Peninsula of Billionaires,” Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is frequented by celebrities and known for its luxurious properties hidden amongst lush greenery. To give you an idea of how insanely wealthy the population of 1,600 residents is…in 2019, a mansion on the peninsula was listed for $386 million, making it the most expensive home for sale in the world at the time. It ended up selling for $221 million to Ukraine’s wealthiest man. Just some of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat’s visitors over the years include Elizabeth Taylor, Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Paul McCartney, Bill Gates, former U.S. presidents, Pablo Picasso, Bono, Rita Ora, and Dwayne Wade.
We stayed in an Airbnb in this exclusive seaside community for six nights. I expected the town to be glitzy and crowded, but it was actually the opposite—quiet and low-key. The harbor promenade is full of small restaurants, shops, and bars overlooking the water. There are many hidden beaches linked by trails to discover on the peninsula.
Touristy scale: 2/5
ÈZE
A gorgeous, completely cobblestone village directly on a mountain peak (similar to Lacoste) overlooking the deep blue Mediterranean Sea and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. You won’t find a better view of the sea anywhere else in the entire French Riviera. Èze is so tiny and adorable but really touristy so try to visit early in the morning. To find the perfect photo spot, follow the signs up to the botanical garden, Le Jardin Exotique d’Èze, which is located at the very peak in a medieval fortress.
Touristy scale: 4/5
VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER
In between Saint-Jean-du-Cap and Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of the most picturesque villages in the French Riviera. Its roads are filled with pastel-colored houses, blooming bougainvillea, charming balconies, and many cafes and restaurants while its promenade has a big, sandy beach. Our Airbnb in Saint-Jean-du-Ferrat overlooked Villefranche-sur-Mer’s bright buildings and bay harboring dozens of boats and yachts of all sizes. It was an amazing sight to take in every morning and evening.
On our very last day of the trip, we decided to enjoy Villefranche-sur-Mer’s beach, Plage des Marinieres. It was decently crowded so get there early to get a good spot on the sand. We returned to the town on our last evening for dinner directly on the front promenade.
Touristy scale: 3/5
NICE
The city of the Riviera. As the fifth largest city in France, over 340,000 people call Nice their home. I wouldn’t recommend Nice as a home base because it’s touristy and crowded, but it’s perfect for a day trip to visit museums and to get a feel of city life on the coast. I could get lost in its colorful alleys for hours. Nice’s main piazza, , full of Belle Epoque architecture is particularly stunning.
Nice is brimming with art and culture and after Paris, has the most museums in the country. Visit Musée Matisse, a museum entirely dedicated to French painter and former Nice resident, Henri Matisse. He’s my favorite artist.
Touristy scale: 4/5
ST. TROPEZ
Another beautiful town, but honestly it wasn’t that memorable for me because we didn’t spend a lot of time here. Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in shopping, have time to explore or maybe a yacht.
Touristy scale: 4/5
MONACO
Monaco is just like you would expect—every few minutes you’ll hear a quick revving of an engine and an insane luxury sports car will fly past you. Pretty cool, but not really my vibe. It’s interesting to see, but honestly I don’t think it’s 100% necessary to visit if you’re not into sports cars or the casino.
Touristy scale: 4/5
ANTIBES
A gorgeous village with its Old Town and château surrounded by medieval city walls. Antibes is the second largest town on the Riviera with 80,000 inhabitants. The château was transformed by Picasso into an art studio in 1946 and is now a museum called Musée Picasso. It houses over 200 of his paintings and sculptures that you can view today.
Touristy scale: 3/5
CANNES
Cannes is super touristy and commercialized. It doesn’t have much charm truthfully. There’s not much to see besides the harbor, designer stores, and cardboard cut outs of celebrities and super heroes. I would only recommend going if you’re interested in luxury shopping or the film festival. We ate lunch at a restaurant on the harbor before going shopping.
Touristy scale: 4/5
MENTON
Menton is an amazingly colorful town and the closest to the Italian border. I took some of the best photos on the whole trip here. The tranquil beach is beautiful in itself and to top it off, the backdrop is the entire stunning town. Just looking at its vibrant colors makes me happy. Fun fact: Menton is known for its annual lemon festival each spring. I mean how cute is that?!
Touristy scale: 2/5
