Provence

Provence captures everything that makes France irresistible — the light, the food, the wine, the architecture, the pace of life. From the lavender plateau of Valensole to the markets of Aix-en-Provence, every moment is a feast for the senses. The Luberon, with its perched villages of Gordes, Bonnieux, Menerbes, and Lacoste, offers the quintessential Provencal experience — stone houses draped in wisteria, weekly markets overflowing with olives, tapenade, and fresh cheeses, and vine-covered terraces where time loses all meaning. The lavender season, from mid-June through July, transforms the countryside into an endless sea of purple, with Senanque Abbey near Gordes providing the most iconic composition in all of France. The Calanques between Marseille and Cassis — dramatic limestone fjords plunging into turquoise Mediterranean waters — offer some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in Europe, accessible by boat or on foot along cliff-edge trails. For wine lovers, Provence is rose country: Chateau d'Esclans, Domaines Ott, and Chateau Miraval produce world-class roses that have redefined the category. But the region also excels at reds and whites, particularly in Bandol, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and the emerging terroirs of Les Baux-de-Provence. Dining reaches extraordinary heights here: La Bastide de Moustiers (Alain Ducasse), L'Oustau de Baumaniere in Les Baux, and countless village restaurants serving market-fresh Provencal cuisine at communal tables beneath plane trees. Stay at a converted mas (farmhouse) for the most authentic experience — properties like Le Mas des Herbes Blanches above Joucas and La Bastide de Gordes offer five-star comfort in deeply atmospheric settings.

Highlights