itinerary for provence
 

We will be traveling in Provence during the dreaded summer time......what villages/towns should we visit to avoid the hoardes of tourists? (we can only go in summer)

There is an article on this very subject in the current issue of Conde Nast. You can see it at this link: http://tinyurl.com/2d58ggg

While the Conde Nast article is interesting and filled with lots of good info, it doesn't at all address the OP question. Every place the article mentions will be packed with tourists in the summer (Aix, Cassis, Avignon, St. Remy, etc.)....

If you want to head somewhere stunningly beautiful and still relatively quiet even during the height of the tourist season, I'd recommend the area east and north of Apt (all the way over to Forqualquier). It's the part of the Luberon less well known and therefore less well traveled and then blends into the Alpes de Hautes Provence (high-lavender country). There are many fantastic villages to visit but a few to get you started: Viens, Simiane, Oppedette, and Caseneuve.

-Kevin

Head up to the Drôme region, just north of Provence. You can visit Vaison-la-Romaine, the olive town of Nyons (the market there is where Patricia Wells shops when she's at her country home), the nice small town of Dieulefit, any numbre of perched villages...and lots more. The area around Dieulefit is known for its pottery, often yellow, and you can visit studios. This is French travel country, still relatively unknown to many tourists, and we just love it. You can take the TGV to the lovely town of Montélimar and rent a car, then head out.

Not far from the Drôme is the Ardèche area. The corniche drive above the gorge is beautiful, you can canoe in the river, and there's a great cave to visit: the Aven d'Orgnac.

I don't know where you are staying but let me add to kevin_widrow's suggestions. First, you need to get Michelin maps for this region. They are loaded with info and icons that will denote all kinds of things of historic and touristic interest such as scenic viewpoints, castles, abbeys, churches, ruins, gorges, caves and a host of other features. Go to viamichelin.com to get info on drive times, distances and cost of gas and tolls plus suggested routes.

In addition to the places kevin mentioned don't be afraid to just explore on your own, and here the map comes in handy. The roads that are highlighted in green are designated scenic roads. Just take one of these green roads and maybe pick one that goes through lots of small villages. I guarantee you will find loads of villages that have no tourists and are likely cute and charming. And even better, you will probably be the first person on the travel forums to have driven through these places. Remember, many villages in France have had some sort of population for at least 1,000 years so there is probably at least something old and of historic significance in even the smallest places.

Just north and south of Forcalquier you will notice a host of designated scenic roads. Get lost on them. Surprise yourself. I know this sounds like very vague advice, especially when you are spending a lot of money to take your trip and you would like to be assured of an enjoyable time. But I live here in France and I've seen many of the major tourist places and when I go on vacation this is what I do to discover the places that aren't mentioned in guidebooks. And I am never disappointed.

Here's a couple more tips on the Michelin maps for you. The areas in this region that are shaded in green are generally mountainous. You'll notice how the roads here will be full of twists and turns. If you see streams/rivers in these areas and there are roads next to them you may find some great little swimming holes. This might be useful while you are here in the summer.

So if you have to come to Provence in the summer and you want to avoid the touristy places and see some fantastic natural beauty and discover beautiful villages with no tourists then follow my advice and you will find what you are looking for.