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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1. Abbaye de Montmajour
This magnificent Romanesque abbey looming over the marshlands north of Arles stands in partial ruin. Founded in the 10th century by a handful of Benedictine monks, the abbey grew according to an ambitious plan of church, crypt, and cloister and, under the management of worldly lay monks in the 17th century, became more sumptuous. When the Catholic church ejected those monks, they sacked the place, and what remained was eventually sold off as scrap. A 19th-century medieval revival spurred a partial restoration, but portions are still in ruins; what remains is a spare and beautiful piece of Romanesque architecture. The cloister rivals that of St-Trophime in Arles for its balance, elegance, and air of mystical peace. Van Gogh, drawn to isolation, came often to the abbey to reflect, but the strong mistral winds kept him from painting here. The interior, renovated by architect Rudy Ricciotti, is used for world-class contemporary art exhibitions.
Rte. de Fontvieille, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–90–54–64–17Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Mon. Oct.–Mar. -
2. Arènes
The best-preserved Roman amphitheater in the world is a miniature of the Colosseum in Rome (note the small carvings of Romulus and Remus, the wrestling gladiators, on the exterior, and the intricate bulls' heads etched into the stone over the entrance on the north side). More than 435 feet long and 330 feet wide, it had a seating capacity of 24,000 in its day. Bloody gladiator battles, criminals being thrown to animals, and theatrical wild-boar chases drew crowds to its bleachers. Nowadays it hosts bullfights, which transform the arena (and all of Nîmes) into a sangria-flushed homage to Spain, and summer concerts. Self-guided audio tours are available.
Bd. des Arènes, Nîmes, Occitania, 30189, France04–66–21–82–56Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10 -
3. Arènes
Rivaled only by the even better-preserved version in Nîmes, the arena dominating old Arles was built in the 1st century AD to seat 21,000 people, with large tunnels through which wild beasts were forced to run into the center. Before being plundered in the Middle Ages, the structure had three stories of 60 arcades each; the four medieval towers are testimony to a transformation from classical sports arena to feudal fortification. Complete restoration of the arena began in 1825. Today it's primarily a venue for the traditional spectacle of the corridas, which take place annually during the féria pascale, or Easter festival. The less bloodthirsty local variant course carmarguaise (in which the bull is not killed) also takes place here. Festival season starts with the Fête des Gardians on May 1, when the Queen of Arles is crowned, and culminates in early July with the award of the Cocarde d'Or (Golden Rosette) to the most successful raseteur. It's best to book event tickets in advance.
24 bis, Rond Point des Arènes, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–90–18–41–20-for arena infoSight Details
Rate Includes: €9, includes admission to Théâtre Antique -
4. Carrières des Lumières
This vast old limestone quarry has 66-foot-high stone walls that make a dramatic setting for a multimedia show in which thousands of images are projected onto the walls. Exhibitions change yearly, but recent showings have showcased the life and work of van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, and Cézanne.
Rtes. des Carrières, Les Baux-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13520, France04–90–49–20–02Sight Details
Rate Includes: From €14 -
5. Domaine de Méjanes Paul Ricard
Near the northern shore of the Etang de Vaccarès, 4 km (2½ miles) north of Albaron on the D37, this unique cultural center, funded by the Ricard family of pastis fame and set on one of the larger estates in the Camargue, is a place to meet gardiens (French cowboys) and learn about the toro, or bull—virtually a totemic creature in these parts. You’ll also gain a better understanding of the regional spectacle known as the course camarguaise, in which raseteurs (runners) try to pluck off a red cockade and two white tassels mounted on the bull’s horns. There is no mise à mort (as in Spanish-style corridas, or bullfights), so the bulls live to enter the arena again and again—some even become such celebrities that they make the covers of French magazines. Other activities include touring an on-site museum, where exhibits detail the remarkable history of Paul Ricard and the estate; hopping aboard a petit train for a 20-minute tour of the marshlands; or mounting a horse or pony for a beachside trot. At Chez Hélène et Néné restaurant, you can feast on Camargue seafood while gazing at the beach and the ocean. If you want to stay the night, the estate has several charming accommodation options—from guest rooms to cottages to colorful wooden, Roma-style caravans.
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6. Espace Van Gogh
The hospital to which the tortured van Gogh repaired after cutting off his earlobe is a strikingly resonant site. Its courtyard has been impeccably restored and landscaped to match one of van Gogh's paintings. The cloistered grounds have become something of a shrine for visitors, and there is a photo plaque comparing the renovation to some of the master's paintings, including Le Jardin de la Maison de Santé. The exhibition hall is open for temporary shows; the garden is always on view.
Pl. Dr. Félix Rey, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–90–18–41–20Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
7. Luma Arles
This arts center focuses on the pioneers of contemporary art and culture, bringing together sculpture, painting, dance, philosophy, literature, gastronomy, sustainability, and design. It has several spaces used for cutting-edge exhibitions and workshops geared toward art lovers and the curious of all ages, and its Frank Gehry building, a twisting silo sheathed in glittering silver scales, is spectacular.
45 ch. des Minimes, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–88–65–83–09Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. -
8. Musée de la Romanité
The newest museum in Nîmes is impossible to miss: first for its location, just opposite the Arènes, and second for its exterior featuring a gleaming, translucent facade meant to evoke a Roman toga. Exhibits inside this luminous edifice showcase the city's Roman past with more than 5,000 artifacts, as well as touch screens, interactive displays, and other state-of-the art features that will delight both adults and kids. Highlights include intact mosaics discovered during recent excavations, a model of a domus (Roman house), and a green roof with panoramic views of the amphitheater and all the city's major sites. The sidewalk café is great for a quick lunch or afternoon drink, and the upstairs La Table du 2—which also has impressive views—is a Michelin-starred brasserie that serves lunch and dinner.
16 bd. des Arènes, Nîmes, Occitania, 30900, France04–48–21–02–10Sight Details
Rate Includes: €9, Closed Mon. -
9. Musée des Beaux-Arts
The centerpiece of this early-20th-century building, stunningly refurbished by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, is a vast ancient mosaic depicting a marriage ceremony that provides intriguing insights into the lifestyle of Roman aristocrats. Also in the varied collection are seven paintings devoted to Cleopatra by 18th-century Nîmes-born painter Natoire Italian, plus some fine Flemish, Dutch, and French works (notably Rubens's Portrait of a Monk and Giambono's The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine).
23 rue de la Cite Foulc, Nîmes, Occitania, 30000, France04–66–76–71–82Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Closed Mon. -
10. Pont du Gard
The ancient Roman aqueduct is shockingly noble in its symmetry, and its strong arches are a testimony to engineering concepts that were relatively new in the 1st century AD, when the structure was built under Emperor Claudius. Today, the surrounding nature is unsullied, with the Gardon River flowing through a rocky gorge unperturbed by the work of master engineering that straddles it. In fact, one of the preferred ways of viewing the bridge is via canoe or kayak, which are for rent upstream. You can approach the aqueduct from either side of the Gardon River. If you choose the south side (Rive Droite), the walk to the pont (bridge) is shorter and the views arguably better. Although the spectacular walkway along the top of the aqueduct is now off-limits, the sight of the bridge is still breathtaking. The nearby Espaces Culturels details the rich history of the bridge—and Roman France at the time—and includes an interactive area for kids.
View Tours and Activities400 rte. du Pont du Gard, Vers-Pont-du-Gard, Occitania, 84230, France04–66–37–50–99Sight Details
Rate Includes: Guided tour €15 -
11. Carrée d'Art
Directly opposite the Maison Carrée and looking a bit like an airport terminal, the glass-fronted Carrée d'Art was designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. It literally reflects the Maison Carrée's creamy symmetry and figuratively answers it with a featherlight deconstructed colonnade. In addition to a library and archives, the sleek, modern structure houses the Musée d'Art Contemporain (Contemporary Art Museum), with a permanent collection of works that date from 1960 and onward and fall into three categories: French painting and sculpture; English, American, and German works; and Mediterranean styles. There are often temporary exhibits of new work, too. Atop the museum, enjoy spectacular city views over lunch at the Ciel de Nîmes. The restaurant, which closes at 6 pm, is also an excellent spot for afternoon tea or a drink.
Pl. de la Maison Carrée, Nîmes, Occitania, 30000, France04–66–76–35–70Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8 -
12. Cathédrale Notre-Dame et St-Castor
Nîmes Cathedral was damaged by Protestants during the 16th-century Wars of Religion but still shows traces of its original construction in 1096. A remarkably preserved Romanesque frieze portrays Adam and Eve cowering in shame, the gory slaughter of Abel, and a flood-wearied Noah. Inside, look for the 4th-century sarcophagus (third chapel on the right) and a magnificent 17th-century chapel in the apse.
Pl. aux Herbes, Nîmes, Occitania, 30189, France04–66–67–27–72Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
13. Cathédrale Saint-Théodont
The onetime home of the Bishops of Uzès, the original Saint-Théodont was built in 1090 on the site of a Roman temple, but it was demolished during the ensuing religious wars. Though the impressive Fenestrelle Tower—a ringer for the Tower of Pisa minus the tilt—remains, it is too delicate to actually visit. The 19th-century neo-Romanesque facade shelters a pared-down interior and one of the oldest pipe organs in France. The views from the grounds are lovely.
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14. Centre d'Information de la Réserve Nationale de Camargue
At the easternmost point of the Etang du Vaccarès, La Capeliére has a good visitor center with maps as well as exhibits on wildlife. There are three sentiers de découverte (discovery trails) radiating from its pond-side position, each leading to a small observatory.
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15. Centre d'Information du Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue
You can pick up maps and get other information at this center, just up the D570 from the Parc Ornithologique at Pont de Gau. To explore this area, you'll have to strike out on foot, bicycle, or horseback (the park's website has a downloadable English-language brochure with stables clearly marked on a map). Note that you are not allowed to diverge from marked trails.
D570, Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13460, France04–90–97–10–40 -
16. 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. -
17. 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. -
18. Château des Baux
A 17-acre cliff-top sprawl of ruins is contained beneath the Château des Baux. At the entrance, the Tour du Brau has a small collection of relics and models, as well as a music-and-slideshow called Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne au Pays de l'Olivier, which features artwork depicting olive orchards in their infinite variety. From April through September there are fascinating medieval events: people dressed up in authentic costumes and displays of medieval crafts. The exit gives access to the wide and varied grounds, where the tiny Chapelle St-Blaise and towers mingle with skeletal ruins.
Rue du Trencat, Les Baux-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13520, France04–90–49–20–02Sight Details
Rate Includes: From €8 -
19. Cloître St-Trophime
This peaceful haven, one of the loveliest cloisters in Provence, is tucked discreetly behind St-Trophime, the notable Romanesque treasure. A sturdy walkway above the Gothic arches offers good views of the town.
Off Pl. de la République, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–90–18–41–20Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6 -
20. Collégiale St-Martin
St-Rémy is wrapped by a lively commercial boulevard, lined with shops and cafés and anchored by its 19th-century church Collégiale St-Martin. Step inside—if the main door is locked, the side door is always open—to see the magnificent 5,000-pipe modern organ, one of the loveliest in Europe. Rebuilt to 18th-century specifications in the early 1980s, it has the flexibility to interpret new and old music with pure French panache; you can listen for free on weekends mid-April–September.
Pl. de la République, St-Rémy-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13210, FranceSight Details
Rate Includes: Free
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