Provence

Roman cities, village days & Rhône wines

Provence is wonderfully varied, which makes it tempting to turn a visit into a long list of stops.

A Roman arena in Arles, the papal city of Avignon and a small Luberon village ask for different sorts of attention. A month based in Avignon showed me how much you can see while still having somewhere familiar to return to. The guides below help you choose a base and build days with enough room to enjoy what you came for.

Plan your Provence trip
A sunlit street leading towards the Roman amphitheatre in Arles
Arles, Provence

Plan your stay

Start with your base

Avignon is my first choice for the inland route covered here: walkable, interesting in its own right and useful for excursions. Aix-en-Provence offers a more polished city setting and may suit a trip that continues towards Marseille or the coast. The base guide sets out the differences; the five-day itinerary shows how a stay centred on Avignon can work.

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Where to stay in Provence

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A five-day Provence itinerary

Avignon rooftops, the Hôtel de Ville bell tower and café tables around the central square
Avignon from above

Your city base

Make Avignon part of the visit

Avignon is more than a convenient place to sleep between day trips. The Palais des Papes gives you the scale of its papal past; the streets, restaurants and walks by the Rhône make time outside the monuments worthwhile too. If you have one day, follow the shorter route. If you are staying longer, the wider city guide gives you room to choose.

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One day in Avignon

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Things to do in Avignon

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Is Avignon worth visiting?

Bunches of lavender hang among potted plants on a wall in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Beyond Avignon

Choose a few contrasts

Arles is the place I would prioritise for Roman history, with an arena that brought the Colosseum to mind on a much more compact scale. It can easily take a full day. Saint-Rémy offers a different mix of art, archaeology and smaller-town streets, while the Luberon villages bring changes in landscape and architecture. Treat the day-trip guide as a set of choices, not a list to finish.

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Things to do in Arles

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Visiting Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

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Day trips from Avignon

Wine country

Give wine country time

Châteauneuf-du-Pape makes a rewarding wine-led day, especially if you leave space around a tasting for the village and a meal. Decide whether you want to visit independently or have transport arranged before choosing the experience. The guides explain the region, compare tour options and include a separate account of staying among the vineyards.

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Wine tours from Avignon

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A stay at Château des Fines Roches

A useful rule

Plan village days differently from city days

A car makes the rural sections of my five-day route possible; it is not needed for every day in Avignon or Aix. If you prefer rail or guided excursions, build around those connections instead of trying to reproduce the driving route stop for stop. Fewer places can make a much better day.

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