Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage

Our Favorite Towns in Provence

Where we happily get lost (and occasionally found at a wine bar) in southern France

Provence has played host to more than its fair share of fictional and non-fictional characters — Peter Mayle’s sun-dazed expats, famous artists (including Vincent Van Gogh and Cézanne), and, in the world of fiction, even a Siberian cat detective (Cats in Provence, if you’re wondering. A good one for the grandkids or your inner child).

Our CEO, Mikael Audebert, who grew up in Aix-en-Provence, says it best:

“What draws people in — and keeps them coming back — is the rhythm of these towns. The way the shutters creak open in the morning. The long lunches that stretch into wine tastings. The mix of Roman ruins, crumbling châteaus, and market stalls that sell secret treasures you didn’t know you needed.”

This list isn’t exhaustive but it’s personal. Five of our favorite towns in Provence — the ones we return to, recommend, and sometimes romanticize just a little too much.

Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence is the kind of place where even the fountains seem to be eavesdropping — and there are many of them. This dreamy town just north of Marseille is nicknamed the “City of a Thousand Fountains,” and you’ll find one gurgling on almost every square. It’s also known for its Roman ruins — baths, walls, and the odd column left standing as if the Empire only just packed up.

Cours Mirabeau is the city’s catwalk, flanked by grand 17th- and 18th-century manor houses built for noble families and bankers who needed somewhere pretty to stroll. It still does the job — everyone here looks like they have impeccable style and a strong opinion about olive oil.

Aix-en-Provence is full of life thanks to its university and some 40,000 students. It’s also where Paul Cézanne was born, and you can follow his paint-splattered footsteps on a walking route past his favorite cafés, his studio, and the view of Mont Sainte-Victoire he couldn’t stop painting. Understandable, really.

Join us on one of our Provence tours — there’s one in May and one in June 2026 — to soak up Aix-en-Provence’s markets, manor houses, and Cézanne-favored streets.

Can I visit the famous lavender fields of Provence from Aix-en-Provence?
Yes — Aix-en-Provence is a great base for day trips to the Valensole Plateau and other lavender hotspots, especially during the bloom season from late May to mid-July.

Grasse

If Provence had a nose, it would be Grasse. Perched in the hills above the French Riviera, this town has been scenting the world since the 16th century — initially out of necessity. Grasse was once a leather tanning center, and local glove makers started using fragrant flowers to mask the less-than-chic smell of their product. The perfumes outshone the gloves, and the industry bloomed.

Jasmine, rose, lavender, and a whole catalog of fragrant flora are still grown in and around Grasse, their oils distilled into some of the world’s most famous scents (Chanel No. 5 and Miss Dior are just two). Fragonard, Molinard, and Galimard — the holy trinity of local perfumeries — all offer tours and hands-on workshops where you can blend your own signature scent.

The old town itself is all sunny ochre facades and picture-postcard streets with colorful cafés and markets. Visit in May to catch the Rose Festival, or in August for the Jasmine Festival. Either way, expect flowers, music, and the kind of subtle fragrance that lingers on your clothes for days. Queen Victoria popped in from Nice to shop for perfume here. Perhaps you will too!

Tempted by a “scent-sational” visit to Grasse? We’ll craft your very own perfume odyssey — a tailor-made escape that blends workshops, flower fields, and the sweetest-smelling Provençal corners. Click here to begin your journey.

Can you make your own perfume in Grasse?
Yes — several historic perfume houses like Fragonard, Molinard, and Galimard offer workshops where you can create your own scent using locally sourced ingredients.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

If you’ve ever looked at “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh painting and thought, “Where was he?”, the answer is: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. This little Provençal town is where he spent a year in treatment at Saint-Paul de Mausole, painting masterpieces (the OG art therapy?). “Starry Night”, “Irises”, and dozens more were born here, inspired by olive groves, cypress trees, and the not-unpleasant view from his window.

Today, you can follow the Van Gogh Trail through sunflower-yellow lanes to the very asylum, now a museum, where he lived and worked. The town itself is easy to fall for: cobbled streets, handsome shuttered houses, weekly markets, and more galleries than you can count.

Oh, and Nostradamus was born here too — just in case you’re into prophecies with your pastis.

On our Provence journeys (there’s one in May and one in June 2026), we’ll walk the same paths Van Gogh once did, eat like modern artists, and stay somewhere even Nostradamus would’ve approved of.

What is there to do in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence besides the Van Gogh sites?
Saint-Rémy has Roman ruins, fantastic markets, boutique shopping, and great food — all in a setting that feels more village than museum. It’s a perfect place to slow down.

Arles

Some places lean into their past — Arles practically lounges in it. Once a Roman colony under Julius Caesar, it’s still dotted with ancient leftovers: an amphitheater, a theatre, baths, and bits of crumbling stone just hanging out like it's no big deal. No medieval wall here — Arles is open, sun-drenched, and proud of its patina.

It’s also where Van Gogh painted “The Yellow House”, “Starry Night Over the Rhône”, and more than 300 others in a blur of inspiration.

Today, Arles balances the ancient with the contemporary: its UNESCO-listed old town and venues across the city hold a yearly world-class photography festival (Les Rencontres). Stay near the Place du Forum, enjoy steak tartar (one of the region’s specialties), sip a pastis, and watch it all go by like you’re in your own scene.

Arles is a favorite stop on our Provence tours (have a look at our journeys in May and June 2026). Will you be joining us? If you fancy a photography festival adventure, we’ll tailor-make a journey just for you — click here to inquire.

Is Arles worth visiting?
Absolutely. Arles is packed with Roman ruins, art history, and a strong cultural scene, including the world-famous Rencontres d’Arles photography festival each summer.

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Imagine if Venice had fewer pigeons, clearer water, and a fondness for antiques. That’s L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue — a Provençal river town wrapped around the bright, spring-fed Sorgue, where mossy waterwheels turn slowly and locals dangle their legs in the canal on hot afternoons.

Once a fishing village, it became rich off paper and textiles, and later antiques — for which it’s now justifiably famous. The Sunday market is legendary, but any day is good for rummaging: vintage luggage, walnut harps, marble horses, and an eight-foot black quartz sphinx have all turned up in local stalls. Good luck fitting it in your carry-on.

It’s also a town of leafy cafés, faded pastel facades, and baroque surprises — like the Collégiale Notre-Dame-des-Anges, plain on the outside but dazzling inside. Come for the canals, stay for the brocante (vintage and antique shops), and leave with a treasure wrapped in too much newspaper.

Antique-hunt, canal-hop, and people-watch with us on our Provence journeys (there’s one in May and one in June 2026) — all part of our expertly curated Provence itineraries.

When is the best time to visit L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue’s antique markets?
Sunday is the big day, with antique stalls lining the canals — but smaller markets happen on Thursdays, too. Arrive early for the best finds.

Ready to fall for Provence one town (and glass of wine) at a time?

Join our Luxury Provence Tour: A Culinary Journey in Lavender Season in May 2026, or opt for Provence Your Way: Small-group Travel, Personalized Itinerary in June 2026. Both are hosted by your favorite duo — our Provence-born CEO Mikael Audebert and award-winning Chef Kevin Fonzo — and packed with insider access, seasonal flavors, and just the right amount of spontaneity.

You can also have us design a Provence getaway just for you — click here to inquire.

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