One Week in Provence: A Road Trip Itinerary
One week is the ideal length for a first road trip through Provence. The route below uses just two bases, Avignon for five nights and Aix-en-Provence for two, and covers Avignon and the Pont du Gard, the hilltop villages of the Luberon, Arles and the Camargue, Aix and the Calanques near Cassis. Daily drives are mostly under an hour, so you spend your time in villages and markets rather than on the road.
Planning a Week in Provence
Provence rewards slow travel. The villages are small, the markets are in the morning, and lunch is a long affair, so plan one main area per day and leave the afternoons loose. A few things to know before you start:
- You need a car for the Luberon villages, the Pont du Gard and the Camargue. Cities such as Avignon, Arles, Aix and Marseille are linked by train, but rural buses are infrequent.
- Market days shape the week. Each village has its weekly market, usually from early morning until about 12:30 or 1 p.m. Plan your days around the ones you want to see.
- Sundays and Mondays are quieter. In smaller towns many shops close on Sunday afternoon and Monday, and some museums close one day a week.
- Arrive and leave smartly. Take the TGV from Paris to Avignon (about two hours and forty minutes) and collect a car at Avignon TGV station, or fly into Marseille Provence airport. End the trip near Marseille airport or Aix-en-Provence TGV station.
If you are combining Provence with Paris and the Riviera, our 10-day France itinerary shows how to fit it into a longer trip.
Where to Base Yourself
Changing hotels every night wastes time. Two bases cover the whole route comfortably:
| Nights | Base | Why | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Avignon | Train station, restaurants, central for the Pont du Gard, Luberon and Arles | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, or a farmhouse (mas) in the Luberon |
| 6–7 | Aix-en-Provence | Lively old town, 40 minutes from Cassis, close to Marseille airport | Cassis (by the sea, but expensive and busy in summer) |
Staying in a Luberon village or a rural mas is lovely if you have a car, but you will drive for every meal. Avignon is the practical choice if you arrive by train.
The Week at a Glance
| Day | Highlights | Approximate driving |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avignon: Palais des Papes, Pont d’Avignon, Les Halles | None (arrival) |
| 2 | Pont du Gard and Uzès, or Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 30 minutes each way |
| 3 | Gordes, Abbaye de Sénanque, Roussillon | About 45 minutes from Avignon |
| 4 | Ménerbes, Bonnieux, Lourmarin (or L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue) | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
| 5 | Arles and the Camargue | 40 minutes to Arles, 45 more to the coast |
| 6 | Drive to Aix-en-Provence; old town and Cours Mirabeau | About 1 hour |
| 7 | Cassis and the Calanques; head to the airport | 40 minutes to Cassis, about 45 to the airport |
Days 1–2: Avignon and the Pont du Gard
Day 1: Avignon
Spend your first day in the city of the popes. Visit the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in Europe, walk out onto the broken Pont Saint-Bénézet (the Pont d’Avignon of the song), and climb to the Rocher des Doms garden for views over the Rhône. Les Halles, the covered food market, is open every morning except Monday and is the best place for picnic supplies. Our guide to things to do in Avignon has more ideas.
Day 2: Pont du Gard and Uzès
Drive about 30 minutes west to the Pont du Gard, the three-tiered Roman aqueduct over the Gardon river. Go early in summer; you can swim in the river below the bridge in warm weather. Continue to Uzès, an elegant medieval town whose Saturday market on the Place aux Herbes is one of the best in the region. Wine lovers can swap Uzès for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 20 minutes north of Avignon, where many estates offer tastings (book ahead and choose a designated driver).
Days 3–4: The Luberon Hilltop Villages
Day 3: Gordes, Sénanque and Roussillon
Start in Gordes, the most photographed village in Provence, ideally on a Tuesday morning for its market. Our Gordes travel guide covers parking and viewpoints. Drive five minutes north to the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, a working Cistercian monastery framed by lavender in early summer; access to the church depends on the monks’ schedule. In the afternoon, head to Roussillon, built on cliffs of red and orange ochre, and walk the short Sentier des Ocres (Ochre Trail). Wear shoes you do not mind staining.
Day 4: Ménerbes, Bonnieux and Lourmarin
Cross to the southern Luberon. Ménerbes and Bonnieux sit on ridges with wide views across the valley, and Lacoste is crowned by the ruined château of the Marquis de Sade. End in Lourmarin, a lively village with cafés, a Renaissance château and a Friday market. If Day 4 falls on a Sunday, go to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue instead, where the river canals fill with an antiques and food market.
The village markets are a highlight of any trip, so here are the main ones on this route:
| Day | Markets |
|---|---|
| Monday | Cadenet, Cavaillon |
| Tuesday | Gordes, Vaison-la-Romaine |
| Wednesday | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Arles (smaller), Cassis |
| Thursday | Roussillon, Ménerbes, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (smaller) |
| Friday | Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Cassis |
| Saturday | Arles, Uzès, Apt, Aix-en-Provence (with Tuesday and Thursday) |
| Sunday | L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Coustellet farmers’ market (spring to autumn) |
Market days occasionally change; check with the local tourist office before you plan around one.
Day 5: Arles and the Camargue
Arles has a remarkable set of Roman monuments, including the arena, the ancient theater and the Alyscamps necropolis, and many places linked to Van Gogh, who painted some 300 works here. Come on a Saturday for the big market along the Boulevard des Lices. Read our article on whether Arles is worth visiting for more.
In the afternoon, drive south into the Camargue, the wetland delta of the Rhône, known for its pink flamingos, white horses and black bulls. The Parc Ornithologique du Pont de Gau is an easy place to see flamingos up close, and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer has long sandy beaches. Bring insect repellent from late spring to autumn. Our guide asks whether the Camargue is worth it.
Alternative: if birds and beaches are not your thing, spend the afternoon in Les Baux-de-Provence and the Carrières des Lumières immersive art show, then Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
Days 6–7: Aix-en-Provence and Cassis
Day 6: Aix-en-Provence
Check out and drive about an hour to Aix. Settle into a café on the Cours Mirabeau, the plane-tree-lined avenue at the heart of the city, then wander the old town with its fountains and 17th- and 18th-century mansions. The produce market on Place Richelme runs every morning, and the larger markets fill the center on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Art lovers can visit Cézanne’s studio (the Atelier de Cézanne) and the Musée Granet. Try calissons, the almond-shaped local sweet.
Day 7: Cassis and the Calanques
Drive about 40 minutes to Cassis, a fishing port with pastel houses, white wine vineyards and the dramatic Cap Canaille cliffs. To see the Calanques, the limestone inlets of the Calanques National Park, you have two choices:
- By boat: tours leave from Cassis harbor and visit three to nine calanques in about one to two hours. This is the easiest option and works in any season.
- On foot: from the Port-Miou area, a marked trail leads to Port-Pin and on to En-Vau, the most spectacular of the Cassis calanques. Allow around three hours there and back, wear proper shoes and carry plenty of water; the final descent to En-Vau is steep and rocky.
Important in summer: from June 1 to September 30, access to the Calanques massifs depends on the daily fire risk. A map, updated every evening for the following day, shows whether the trails are open; check it on the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture website or the Mes Calanques app. On high-risk days the trails close and only the boat tours run. If time allows, drive the Route des Crêtes from Cassis toward La Ciotat for the views; it closes in strong wind and high fire risk.
Cassis is about 45 minutes from Marseille Provence airport, so you can fly out in the evening or stay an extra night. For more nearby ideas, see our day trips from Marseille.
Driving and Parking Tips
- Park below the villages. Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux and Les Baux have paid car parks outside the center; the lanes inside are narrow, steep and often pedestrian-only.
- Arrive before 10 a.m. in July and August, when car parks fill and tour buses arrive.
- Tolls and fuel: the A7 and A8 motorways are toll roads that accept cards. Supermarket fuel stations are usually cheapest; some automated pumps only accept chip-and-PIN cards.
- Rent a small car. Village streets and parking spaces are tight.
- Expect speed cameras and lower limits on country roads. See our tips for driving in France and guide to renting a car in France.
Doing the Route Without a Car
A car-free version is possible with a different focus. Base yourself in Avignon and Aix, use trains between Avignon, Arles, Marseille and Aix, take the bus from Marseille to Cassis, and book small-group day tours for the Luberon villages, the Pont du Gard and the lavender fields. You will see fewer villages, but you avoid driving and parking stress.
Best Time of Year for This Route
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| April–May | Green countryside, wildflowers, comfortable temperatures; some rain |
| June–mid-July | Lavender season (roughly mid-June to mid-July), long days, crowds building |
| Late July–August | Hot, busy and pricier; lavender harvested from mid-July; Calanques trails often closed |
| September–October | Warm sea, grape harvest, fewer crowds; one of the best times |
| November–March | Quiet and mild on sunny days, but many village restaurants and hotels close for the winter |
If lavender is your priority, read our article on when lavender blooms in Provence before booking.
Summary
A week in Provence works best with two bases: five nights around Avignon for the Pont du Gard, the Luberon villages, Arles and the Camargue, and two nights in Aix-en-Provence for the city and the Calanques at Cassis. Plan around market days, drive early to beat the crowds, check the Calanques fire-risk map in summer, and leave time for long lunches. To continue along the coast, follow our 5-day French Riviera itinerary. For more inspiration, see our top things to do in Provence.
