Provence
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Provence - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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12 Recommendations
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1. Château de Lourmarin
The "new" wing (begun in 1526 and completed in 1540) of this château—which was restored to near perfection in the 1920s—is the prettiest, with a broad art collection, rare old furniture, and ornate stone fireplaces, including two with exotic vases canopes (ancient Aztec figure vases). The château also offers lots of fun activities for kids, and it hosts a series of highly regarded open-air concerts in summer and several contemporary art exhibitions throughout the year.
24 av. Laurent Vibert, Lourmarin, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84160, France04–90–68–15–23Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7.50 -
2. Château du Barroux
With grand vaulted rooms and a chapel dating from the 12th century, this enormous château is picturesque Le Barroux's main draw. Some of its halls serve as venues for contemporary art exhibits, and the chapel's breathtaking frescoes—undergoing restoration but still accessible to the public—painted between the 16th and 19th centuries are a must-see. Ever full of surprises, the castle also harbors a whiskey distillery that produces a golden nectar from the local einkorn grain, which you'll learn all about on a comprehensive tour that ends with a tasting. Or you can relax in the charming gourmet tearoom, perfect for a refreshing break and an excellent coffee with your homemade pastry or ice cream and panoramic views.
Le Barroux, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84008, France06–59–13–13–21Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8.50; distillery and castle €17.50, Closed Jan. 1–15 -
3. Palais des Papes
Although this disconcertingly fortresslike palace seems like just one colossal building, it actually consists of two different structures: the severe Palais Vieux (Old Palace), built between 1334 and 1342 by Pope Benedict XII, a member of the Cistercian order, which frowned on frivolity, and the more decorative Palais Nouveau (New Palace), built in the following decade by the artsy, lavish-living Pope Clement VI. The Great Court, entryway to the complex, links the two. The interiors are austere—many original furnishings were returned to Rome with the papacy, and others were lost during the French Revolution—so some imagination is required to picture the medieval splendor, awash with color and with worldly clerics enjoying what the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch called "licentious banquets." The main rooms of the Palais Vieux are the Consistory (Council Hall), decorated with some excellent 14th-century frescoes by Simone Martini; the Chapelle St-Jean, with original frescoes by Matteo Giovanetti; the Grand Tinel, or Salle des Festins (Feast Hall), with a majestic vaulted roof and a series of 18th-century Gobelin tapestries; the Chapelle St-Martial, with more Giovanetti frescoes; and the Chambre du Cerf, with a richly decorated ceiling, murals featuring a stag hunt, and a delightful view of Avignon. The principal attractions of the Palais Nouveau are the Grande Audience, a magnificent two-nave hall on the ground floor, and, upstairs, the Chapelle Clémentine, where the college of cardinals once gathered to elect new popes.
6 rue Pente Rapide, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France04–32–74–32–74Sight Details
Rate Includes: €12 -
4. Palais des Papes
Castle/PalaceThis colossal palace creates a disconcertingly fortresslike impression, underlined by the austerity of its interior. Most of the original furnishings were returned to Rome with the papacy; others were lost during the French Revolution. Some imagination is required to picture the palace's medieval splendor, awash with color and with worldly clerics enjoying what the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch called "licentious banquets." On close inspection, two different styles of building emerge at the palace: the severe Palais Vieux (Old Palace), built between 1334 and 1342 by Pope Benedict XII, a member of the Cistercian order, which frowned on frivolity, and the more decorative Palais Nouveau (New Palace), built in the following decade by the artsy, lavish-living Pope Clement VI. The Great Court, entryway to the complex, links the two.The main rooms of the Palais Vieux are the Consistory (Council Hall), decorated with some excellent 14th-century frescoes by Simone Martini; the Chapelle St-Jean, with original frescoes by Matteo Giovanetti; the Grand Tinel, or Salle des Festins (Feast Hall), with a majestic vaulted roof and a series of 18th-century Gobelin tapestries; the Chapelle St-Martial, with more Giovanetti frescoes; and the Chambre du Cerf, with a richly decorated ceiling, murals featuring a stag hunt, and a delightful view of Avignon. The principal attractions of the Palais Nouveau are the Grande Audience, a magnificent two-nave hall on the ground floor, and, upstairs, the Chapelle Clémentine, where the college of cardinals once gathered to elect the new pope. To get the most out of the experience, consider a €2 audio tour.
View Tours and Activities6 rue Pente Rapide, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France-04–32–74–32–74Sight Details
Rate Includes: €11; €13.50 combination ticket, includes Pont St-Bénézet -
5. Château
Despite Tarascon's modern-day drawbacks, with the walls of its formidable château plunging straight into the roaring Rhône, this ancient city on the river presents a daunting challenge to Beaucaire, its traditional enemy across the water. Begun in the 15th century by the noble Anjou family on the site of a Roman castellum, the castle grew through the generations into a splendid structure, crowned with both round and square towers and elegantly furnished. René the Good (1409–80) held court here, entertaining luminaries of the age. The castle owes its superb preservation to its use, through the ensuing centuries, as a prison. It first served as such in the 17th century, and it released its last prisoner in 1926. Complete with a moat, a drawbridge, and a lovely faceted spiral staircase, it retains its beautiful decorative Renaissance stonework and original cross-mullioned windows.
Bd. du Roi René, Tarascon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France04–90–91–01–93Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8, Closed Mon. Oct.–Mar. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Château
If you're disinclined to spend your vacation sniffing and sipping, climb the hill to the ruins of the château. Though it was destroyed in the Wars of Religion (1562–98) between Catholics and Huguenots and its remaining donjon (keep) blasted by the Germans in World War II, it still commands a magnificent position. From this rise in the rolling vineyards, you can enjoy wraparound views of Avignon, the Luberon, and Mont Ventoux.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84230, France -
7. Château
Fontaine has its own ruined château, perched romantically on a forested hilltop over the town and illuminated at night. First built around the year 1000 and embellished in the 14th century by the bishops of Cavaillon, the castle was destroyed in the 15th century and forms little more than a sawtooth silhouette against the sky.
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84800, France -
8. Château de Cassis
This castle has loomed over the harbor since the invasions of the Saracens in the 7th century, evolving over time into a walled enclosure with stout watchtowers. It's private property today and best viewed from a sunny portside terrace.
Cassis, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France -
9. Château de Gordes
The only way you can get into this château is by paying to see a collection of photo paintings by Belgian pop artist Pol Mara, who lived in Gordes. It's worth the price of admission, though, just to look at the fabulously decorated stone fireplace, created in 1541. Unfortunately, hours change without warning (afternoon visits are your best bet).
Pl. Genty Pantaly, Gordes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84220, France04–32–50–11–41Sight Details
Rate Includes: €4 -
10. Château de Lacoste
For many years, little but ruins remained of the once magnificent Château de Lacoste, where the Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) spent some 30 years of his life. Because his exploits, both literary and real, were judged obscene by various European courts, he was also imprisoned several times, including, in 1784, at the Bastille in Paris. It was there that he secretly wrote Les 120 Journées de Sodome (The 120 Days of Sodom), an unfinished novel that featured a Black Forest château very similar in description to de Sade's actual home. Though he had to leave his manuscript behind, de Sade escaped harm during the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. His Lacoste home, however, was not so lucky: it was destroyed with particular relish during the Revolution. In 2001, wealthy Paris couturier Pierre Cardin bought the château and oversaw its restoration up until his death in 2020. His legacy lives on in the Festival Pierre Cardin (aka the Festival Lacoste), a two-week arts extravaganza held on the grounds in late July and early August. Events range from outdoor poetry recitals and open-air film screenings to ballet performances and colorful operettas. The castle is also open to the public between mid-June and late September.
Carrière du Château, Lacoste, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84480, France04–90–75–93–12Sight Details
Rate Includes: Château €10, festival performances from €55, Closed Oct.–mid-June. -
11. Château de Montauban
Summering in the Château de Montauban brought French journalist and author Alphonse Daudet a peace he missed in literary Paris. Daudet frequently climbed the windswept, pine-studded hilltop to the rustic old windmill that ground the local grain from 1814 to 1915—the inspiration for his famous folkloric short stories Lettres de Mon Moulin. The windmill is now closed to the public, but the graceful château houses a museum devoted to Daudet's writings, and you can freely stroll the grounds to enjoy the peace and sweeping views of the Rhône valley and the Alpilles that so inspired him.
Ch. Montauban, Fontvieille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13990, France04–90–54–75–12Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Closed Oct.–Mar. -
12. Ducal Palace
The Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the 17th century are on display at the 1,000-year-old-and-counting residence of the Dukes of Uzès (when the blue flag is flying you know the duke is at home). Tours (in French) from the cellars to the Bermonde tower narrate the history of the castle (which is also basically the history of France), including one of its most colorful residents, Anne de Mortemart, wife of the 12th duke. She was the first woman in France to earn a driver's license and also the first to get a speeding ticket.
Pl. du Duché, Uzès, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 30700, France04–66–22–18–96Sight Details
Rate Includes: €14, €22 with guided tour
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