209 Best Sights in Provence, France

This mammoth, Romanesque fortress-church, built in the 9th century, is almost devoid of windows, and its tall, barren nave is cluttered with florid and sentimental ex-votos (tokens of blessings, prayers, and thanks) and primitive artworks depicting the famous trio of Marys. For €3, you can climb up to the terrace for a panoramic view of the Camargue (hours vary depending on the season).

At the corner of a picturesque Place Saint-Louis in the heart of the old town, this 13th-century church mixes a sober Romanesque architecture with graceful Gothic elements in its flying buttresses and lovely rose window. It was built in the 13th century to commemorate Saint Louis’s final crusades, and a statue of the saint and king, who was monarch when the church was built, stands in the square. Though the church was ransacked by the Protestants in the 15th century and suffered damage during the Revolution, a sensitive restoration has returned it to its medieval splendor, although with modern windows. The rounded towers and square belltower are typical of the local architecture.

The interior of the village's Église St-Fermin is overblown Rococo—all pink and gold.

This 12th-century church served as a chapel of the Knights of Malta, a medieval order of friars devoted to hospital care. The church was Aix's first attempt at the Gothic style, and it was here that the counts of Provence were buried throughout the 18th century; their tombs (in the upper left) were attacked during the revolution and have been only partially repaired.

Classed as a world treasure by UNESCO, this extraordinary Romanesque church alone would justify a visit to Arles. The side aisles date from the 11th century and the nave from the 12th. The church's austere symmetry and ancient artworks (including a stunning early Christian sarcophagus) are fascinating. But it's the church's superbly preserved Romanesque sculpture on its 12th-century portal, the renovated entry facade, that earns it international respect. Particularly remarkable is the frieze of the Last Judgment, with souls being dragged off to Hell in chains or, on the contrary, being lovingly delivered into the hands of the saints. Christ is flanked by his chroniclers, the evangelists: the eagle (John), the bull (Luke), the angel (Matthew), and the lion (Mark).

This graceful, old 17th-century Jesuit cloister has been converted for office use by the well-known Avignon Festival—a performing arts event that lasts most of the month of July. The cloister's symmetrical arches (now partly enclosed as the sleek Hôtel Cloître St-Louis) are shaded by ancient plane trees. You can wander around the courtyard after you've picked up your festival information. Occasional exhibitions are held inside as well.

Aubagne on a market day is a feast in more ways than one. Depending on the season, for sale are fresh local asparagus, vine-ripened tomatoes and melons, and mesclun scooped by the gnarled fingers of blue-aproned ladies in from the farm (Tuesday, Thursday, and weekends, 8–1:30). The weekend markets make more of regional products; those labeled Pays d'Aubagne must be organically raised. Although they're not as social as markets in Aix, these farmers' markets are more authentic.

In the unlikely setting of Bonnieux’s old train station, France’s leading museum for West African art showcases a scintillating array of contemporary works in several exhibitions a year. The museum was founded 20 years ago by Jean-Paul Blachère (owner of Blachère Illumination, which lights the Eiffel Tower, New York’s Fifth Avenue, and Harrod’s London), who became enthralled with contemporary African art three decades ago and has since dedicated himself to discovering and exhibiting the exceptional talents of West Africa and beyond.

Located in the beautifully restored 15th-century Hôtel Léautaud de Donines, this foundation pays homage to Van Gogh's legacy and monumental influence with an impressive range of artworks contributed by 90 contemporary artists. It also hosts temporary art exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events. Van Gogh's 15-month stay in Arles represented a climax in the artist's career. Enchanted with Arles's limpid light, vibrant landscape, and scenic monuments, Van Gogh experienced here what was to be his greatest blossoming as a painter.

Deliciously thick with dripping moss, this 18th-century fountain is fed by Sextius's own thermal source. It seems representative of Aix at its artfully negligent best. In sunny Provence, Aix was famous for its shade and its fountains; apropos, James Pope-Hennessy, in his Aspects of Provence, compares living in Aix to being at the bottom of an aquarium, thanks to all the fountains' bubbling waters and the city's shady streets and boulevards.

Within a tiny square at a symmetrical crossroads in the Quartier Mazarin, this lovely 17th-century fountain has four graceful dolphins at the foot of a pine-cone-topped obelisk. Under the shade of a chestnut tree and framed by broad, shuttered mansions, it makes an elegant ensemble worth contemplating from the park bench.

There's no exaggerating the magnificence of the Fontaine de Vaucluse, a mysterious spring that gushes from a deep underground source that has been explored to a depth of 1,010 feet—so far. Framed by towering cliffs, a broad, pure pool wells up and spews dramatically over massive rocks down a gorge to the village, where its roar soothes and its spray cools the visitors who crowd the riverfront cafés. You must pay to park, and then run a gauntlet of souvenir shops and tourist traps on your way up to the source of the water.

At the top of the village is the Fort St-André, which once ostensibly protected the town of St-André, now absorbed into Villeneuve. The fortress's true importance was as a show of power for the kingdom of France in the face of the all-too-close Avignon popes. You can explore the fortress grounds and the ruined walls of inner chambers. There's a good view from the Notre Dame de Belvézet church within the fort, and you can also climb into the twin towers for broad views over Avignon, the Luberon, and Mont Ventoux.

A slick visitor center prepares you for entry into the ancient village of Glanum, with scale models of the site in its various heydays. A good map and an English brochure guide you stone by stone through the maze of foundations, walls, towers, and columns that spread across a broad field; helpfully, Greek sites are denoted by numbers, Roman ones by letters. Note that Glanum is across the street from Les Antiques and set back from the D5, and the only parking is in a dusty roadside lot on the D5 south of town (in the direction of Les Baux). In addition, hours vary, so check ahead.

Head north on D11 to Ollioules; just past the village, follow N8 (toward Le Beausset) through a 5-km (3-mile) route that twists its scenic way beneath the chalky rock faces of the Gorge d'Ollioules.

Across from a commercial gallery that calls itself the Petit Musée Cézanne (actually more of a tourist trap), this 17th-century mansion once hosted Louis XIV—and now houses government offices. This means that during business hours you can slip in and peek at the fabulous 18th-century stairwell, decorated in flamboyant trompe-l'oeil. Pseudo-stone putti and caryatids pop into three dimensions—as does the false balustrade that mirrors the real one in stone.

Vestiges of the Renaissance remain in Les Baux, including the pretty Hôtel de Manville, built at the end of the 16th century by a wealthy Protestant family. Step into its inner court to admire the mullioned windows, stained glass, and vaulted arcades. Today it serves as the mairie (town hall). Up and across the street, the striking remains of the 16th-century Protestant temple still bear a quote from Jean Calvin: "post tenebras lux" ("after the shadows, light").

Make your way to the Hôtel de Sade, a 15th- and 16th-century private manor now housing the treasures unearthed from the ruins of Glanum. The de Sade family built the house around remains of 4th-century baths and a 5th-century baptistery, now nestled in its courtyard.

Built between 1655 and 1678 by Pierre Pavillon, the Hôtel de Ville is fronted by a pebble-encrusted courtyard set off by a wrought-iron gateway. At the back, a double stairway leads to the Salle des Etats de Provences, the old regional assembly room (where taxes were voted on), hung with interesting portraits and pictures of mythological characters. From the window, look for the unmistakable 16th-century clock tower with an open ironwork belfry. The tree-lined square in front—where cafés set up tables right into the center of the space—is a popular gathering place.

This ornately decorated mansion houses the Institut d'Études Françaises (Institute of French Studies), where foreign students take French classes. During the Festival d'Aix in July, the hotel's courtyard is used for a series of classical concerts.

Note that boats make round trips several times a day to the Calanques de Cassis from Marseille's Quai de la Fraternité (Quai des Belges). This company offers a 3½-hour round trip.

Worth a visit for the beauty and balance of its architecture alone, this fine old museum contains a rich collection of antiquities and classically inspired works. Acquisitions include neoclassical and Romantic pieces and are almost entirely French, including works by Manet, Daumier, and David. There's also a good modern section, with pieces by Bonnard, Dufy, and Camille Claudel (note Claudel's piece depicting her brother Paul, who incarcerated her in an insane asylum when her relationship with Rodin caused too much scandalous talk). The main building itself is a Palladian-style jewel in pale Gard stone dating from the 1740s, and the garden is so lovely that it may distract you from the art.

The Pharo, another larger-than-life edifice built to Napoléon III's epic tastes, was a gift to his wife, Eugénie. It's a conference center now, but its green park has become a magnet for city strollers who want to take in panoramic views of the ports and fortifications.

This lovely compact garden on a 12th-century site re-creates a typical botanical garden with plants commonly used in medieval medicines. It's well worth the steep 100-step climb up the King's tower for the eye-popping views of the town. Afterward, you'll be served a refreshing tisane made from garden herbs. There's also a fascinating 19th-century jail and several art galleries showing works by local artists.

A testimony to the taste of the Age of Reason, this elaborate formal garden was created on the site of a once-sacred Roman spring, which was channeled into pools and a canal. The shady haven of mature trees and graceful stonework makes for a lovely approach to the Temple de Diane and the Tour Magne.

The grounds of a Cistercian abbey—constructed in the late 11th century and rebuilt in the 17th century—contain a dry garden, a vegetable garden, and a spectacular rose garden with more than 500 varieties. Guided nature tours are offered, as are history tours that take in the church and might feature Gregorian chant. Open year-round, the on-site restaurant serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and lunch on Sunday. A boutique sells gardening books and tools, as well as locally made fragrance and food items.

Cézanne's father bought this lovely property 1 km (½ mile) west of the center of town in 1859 to celebrate his rise from hatmaker to banker. The budding artist lived at the estate, whose name translates as "the sheepfold," until 1899 and painted his first images of Mont Sainte-Victoire—foundations of 20th-century art—from the grounds. Today the salons are empty, but the estate is full of the artist's spirit, especially the Allée des Marronniers out front.  The site is closed for renovations until 2026. Check with the central tourist office before visiting, as access has traditionally been via guided tours arranged through the office.

At this famous village north of Marseille, Cézanne led an influx of artists eager to capture its cliff-top views over the harbor. Braque, Derain, and Renoir all put its red rooftops, rugged cliffs, and factory smokestacks on canvas. Pick up the English-language itinerary "L'Estaque and the Painters" from the Marseille tourist office, and hunt down the sites and views they immortalized. The town is a little seedy these days, but there are cafés and a few fish shops that make the most of the nearby Criée (fishermen's auction), which moved here from Marseille's Quai de Rive Neuve. A novel way to see Cézanne's famous scenery is to take a standard SNCF train trip from the Gare St-Charles to Martigues; it follows the L'Estaque waterfront and (apart from a few tunnels) offers magnificent views.

Although the town of Manosque, 9 km (15 miles) south of Forcalquier, is not itself a draw, its main employer is. This where you'll find the factory of L'Occitane, the renowned Provençal purveyor of botanical skin-care products. You can make reservations for a one-hour tour of the production facility or just visit the gardens and shop in the company shop.

Don your headphones and enter an immersive landscape of sound and light that, for 45 minutes, transforms the magnificent Théatre Antique d’Orange into a pageant of fantastical images, mythical characters, and deities from Roman myths.