Marseille
Five kilometres south of central Marseille, this 17th-century park encompasses a lake, a miniature of the Notre-Dame de la Garde cathedral, a botanical…
Must-see attractions in Provence
Fonds Régional d’Art Contemporain
Marseille
The FRAC for Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur moved to this modern centre in La Joliette, with its striking plate-mail façade, in 2013. It hosts temporary…
Arles
Complicated restoration projects mean this 12th-century church, dominating Arles from the highest point in the city, can only be admired from outside…
Aix-en-Provence
South of Aix’s centre is the peaceful Parc Jourdan, home to the town’s Boulodrome Municipal, where locals gather beneath plane trees to play pétanque. An…
Musée de la Préhistoire des Gorges du Verdon
Gorges du Verdon
A small museum exploring the gorges’ natural history and archaeological treasures, detailing the prehistoric wildlife that once roamed here, the…
Jardin Emanuel Lopez & Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen
Var
This wonderful ornamental garden is planted with palms, cypresses, vanilla and grenadier trees, cactus and bamboo, sweetly scented jasmine, and every herb…
Arles
These partly preserved Roman baths were built for Emperor Constantin's private use in the 4th century. While much of the complex has been built over…
Parc National du Mercantour
In Tende, this museum provides useful context if you're visiting the prehistoric carvings of the Vallée des Merveilles. Inside the striking modern…
Pays d’Aix
This handsome church was built between 1344 and 1480 (aside from a brief hiatus when half the town had a touch of the Black Death). Nostradamus' remains…
Town Walls & Tour de Constance
Camargue
Scaling the ramparts of the picturesque town of Aigues-Mortes rewards you with sweeping views. Head to the top of the 13th-century Tour de Constance (in…
Arles
The 16th-century hospital where Van Gogh had his ear stitched on and was later locked up hosts the occasional exhibition (which attracts an entry fee). At…
Parc National du Mercantour
From St-Dalmas-de-Tende, the D91 winds 10km west to this alpine lake (1390m), where trails lead into the valley (plan on eight hours' hiking, round-trip)…
Bouches-du-Rhône
An engaging little museum chronicling the area’s rich heritage, with fossils, dinosaur remains and other archaeological curiosities, as well as displays…
The Luberon
The palatial Château d’Ansouis can be visited by guided tour, and in August it hosts classical-music concerts at its hedged-in courtyard. Tours run at 3pm…
Bouches-du-Rhône
Modern and contemporary art exhibitions fill a beautiful 18th-century hôtel particulier (private mansion). There's also a recently expanded interpretation…
The Luberon
This curious village museum was founded by Provençal painter and diver Georges Mazoyer, whose passion for the sea shows in the museum’s fossil exhibits…
Mémorial du Débarquement de Provence
Toulon
Near the summit of Mont Faron, Mémorial du Débarquement de Provence commemorates the Allied landings of Operation Dragoon, which took place along the…
Vaucluse
Inside a 17th-century mansion, this museum's masterwork is Enguerrand Quarton’s The Crowning of the Virgin (1453), in which angels wrest souls from…
The Luberon
Apt's various industries – ochre-mining, fruits confits and faiences (glazed ceramics) – are explored at this modest but well-curated museum in the middle…
Vaucluse
King Philip commissioned the Tour Philippe-le-Bel, 500m outside Villeneuve, to control traffic over Pont St-Bénézet to and from Avignon. The steep steps…
Var
This 17th-century fort, strengthened by Napoleon after being partly destroyed by the English, crowns the northwestern part of Port-Cros. You can climb its…
Avignon
Construction on this Romanesque and Gothic Carmelite church and cloister began in the 13th century. It became one of the first theatre and dance venues of…
Aix-en-Provence
Across from the Palace of Justice, this 17th-century church only received its monumental facade in the 19th century, and has an imposing obelisk out the…
Viewpoint Where Van Gogh Painted 'Starry Night Over the Rhône'
Arles
This is the spot where Van Gogh painted Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888) now hanging in Paris' Musée d'Orsay. When conditions are right, you can see at…
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
A beautifully sited lavender factory near Thoard, along the Route du Temps. You can watch the distillation process and buy products in the onsite shop.
Arles
Completed in 1676, and still the seat of Arles' government, the handsome Town Hall is also the entrance to the subterranean Roman Cryptoportiques.
Aix-en-Provence
In the centre of cours Mirabeau is this lovely sculpted fountain from 1823, depicting the 15th-century king holding muscat grapes (which he reputedly…
Avignon
Porte St-Charles is one of the entryways to Avignon's Unesco-registered walled city, located on the walls' southwestern edge; it's a modern-day breach cut…
Aix-en-Provence
Dating to 1667, this small fountain, the first along the Cours Mirabeau, is fed by 18ºC spring water that encourages the diversity of greenery with which…
Var
One of three estates comprising Domaines Ott, a winemaking concern with roots in the late 19th-century, Clos Mireille is still run by descendants of…
Pays d’Aix
This tiny, 9-hectare winery manages to cultivate 25 different grape varieties, many ancient and rare, producing highly respected, AOC-protected whites,…
Arles
Arles' cultural museum, founded all the way back in 1889 with the intent of documenting regional culture, styles and creators, is closed for renovations…
Maison du Miel et de l’Abeille
Parc National du Mercantour
This little museum celebrates the craft of local honey-makers. Needless to say, there are plenty of opportunities to taste the goods – this is France,…
Avignon
Porte de la République is one of the gateways to Avignon's walled city, located on the southern edge of the walls, and across from the central train…
Avignon
Porte de l'Oulle is one of the entryways to Avignon's walled city, located on the northwestern edge of the walls, near the River Rhône and Pont d'Avignon.
Vaucluse
This Franciscan church was established in the 14th century and was the burial place of the princes of Baux. It was heavily damaged in the Wars of Religion.
Avignon
Porte du Rhône is one of the entryways to Avignon's Unesco-registered walled city, located on the northwestern edge of the walls, near Pont St-Bénézet.
Avignon
Porte de la Ligne is one of the entryways to Avignon's Unesco-registered walled city, located on the northen edge of the walls, near the River Rhône.
Avignon
Porte St-Dominque is one of the entryways to Avignon's Unesco-registered walled city, located on the western edge of the walls, near the River Rhône.
Vaucluse
This 18th-century riverside mansion is a venue for seasonal contemporary art exhibitions. Opening hours may vary slightly according to exhibitions.
