10 Things to Do in Provence and the French Riviera
With iconic places like Nice, Aix-en-Provence, and Cannes, the southeast corner of France has been one of Europe’s most popular travel destinations for over 150 years. Here are the best things to do on a vacation in the south of France.
Experience the wonder and reverence of the Palais des Papes
The Palais des Papes has long been one of Provence’s must-see sights, and new technology has revived the splendor of touring this vast Gothic palace. The sheer size and scale of the Palais are impressive, and that’s before you learn it was built in less than 20 years. Between 1335 and 1352, successive popes Benedict XII and Clement VI oversaw the construction. The Palais is a stark monolith of forbidding stone that also served as a fortress and inquisitional court.
Lie on the sands of France’s most famous beaches
Visit Plage de Pampelonne near Saint-Tropez or La Grande Plage in Juan-les-Pins for a day of swimming and relaxing on white sand.
Go wine-tasting in the northern Vaucluse
Hop between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and Rasteau to discover the region’s stellar reds. Visiting a vineyard should be an intimate experience. Ideally, you’ll meet the owner or a member of the family, or a staff member involved in the winemaking. Wander amid the vines and crouch down and crumble the soil between your fingers. Poking your head into the cellar where the wine is made is always fun.
Walk through the waving seas of the lavender fields of Haute Provence
With picturesque villages rising like islands and swarms of bees darting this way and that, the Haute Provence feels more remote than the rest of the Luberon. And, in the countryside, it’s the lavender that draws the crowds. From late June to the beginning of August the landscape becomes a patchwork of purple. The higher you go, the later the lavender blooms.
Dine alfresco by the sea and enjoy the best food Southern France has to offer
Food is a big part of the Southern France experience, and a silver platter of gleaming seafood alongside a glass of iced rosé and starched white table napkins is a vision of extravagance.
Explore the Gorges du Verdon
You’ve seen the photos, you’ve planned the trip, you know what to expect, and yet the Gorges du Verdon still delivers a visceral thrill. At 700 m (2,296 ft) deep and 25 km (16 mi) long, the gorge is an awe-inspiring demonstration of the power of nature and time. Motorists, e-bikers, and hikers can soak up the views from either the Route des Crêtes on the north side of the gorge or the Corniche Sublime on the south side. Nature lovers taking the same routes will hope to see one of three species of vultures that inhabit the gorge. And adrenaline junkies can bungee jump, climb, canyon, and whitewater raft.
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Mountain bike and hike the incredible geological giants of Southern France
Mountain biking in the rugged Massif de l’Estérel offers exhilarating views of the coastline and eastern end of the rust-red hills. Meanwhile, the striking Mont Ventoux is known as the White Giant of Provence and serves as the most fearsome climb of the Tour de France.
Visit the daring, futuristic MuCEM
A glass box containing a museum of Mediterranean culture, this is one of the many architectural projects transforming the reputation of Marseille. Minimalist concrete bridges connect the box to Fort Saint-Jean and on from there to the Vieux Port. It’s undeniably mesmerizing to look at and walk around. There are two permanent exhibitions: one focused on Mediterranean agriculture and food through the ages, and the other on Mediterranean cities in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Roll the dice at the Casino de Monte-Carlo
Imagine yourself as James Bond for an evening on a trip to neighboring Monaco. The world’s most famous casino opened in 1863, and it is the single most important institution in the history of Monaco. It is a place of myths and legends, far too glamorous to be a tourist trap. The casino offers games of English roulette, European roulette (one of the few casinos still to offer the game), and more, and card games, dice games, Texas Hold’em poker, blackjack, craps, and slot machines alone provide €120 million in jackpots each year.
Get familiar with the Riviera’s sublime architecture
Few cities in the world can boast the range and quality of architecture of Nice. Having attracted the rich and famous since the early 1800s, there has always been plenty of money and desire around to pay for celebrated architects, extravagant structures, and the use of unusual materials. Belle epoque is the dominant architectural style in Nice, but you’ll also find a lot of art nouveau, which began to take hold at the turn of the 20th century.
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