Famed for its perpetual sun and bee-dazzled lavender fields that rustle in the wind, Provence is one of Europe’s must-see destinations. After all, if you own a flowy white outfit and don’t have an Instagram pic of yourself in a Provençal lavender field, then what are you even doing with your life?
But Provence is more than the sum of its Instagrammability. This region, covering the southeast corner of France, has a cadre of distinct, indelible destinations and attractions that delight those in the know. That said, while Provence technically comprises the coastal urban centres of Marseille, Nice and Cannes, most tourists associate the word with its inland westernmost departments: Vaucluse and Bouches du Rhône. Those are the parts we’ll be discussing today—the ones with all the lavender. Mostly made up of a rural wonderland of geographic curiosities and quaint towns (the largest of the bunch, Aix-en-Provence, has a population of 142,743), west Provence is famous across France for its varied landscape, delicious rosé, laid-back populace and contributions to art history.
It’s also full of surprises. Though Aix-en-Provence attracts many visitors to its chic boutiques and plentiful fountains, it isn’t necessarily the gayest town in Provence. That would be Avignon (population of 90,194), which attracts Marys from all over to its Pride d’Avignon every June and its spectacular theatre festivals every July. While you may want to schedule a couple days in Aix, you’ll have an easier time visiting west Provence’s top tourist attractions if you set up in Avignon and take public transportation from there. Day tours and rental cars are also good options. However you decide to get around, though, you shouldn’t miss our below recommendations.
Why do artists love Provence?
Provence has historically attracted artists from all over the world who come for its perpetual sunlight, storied sunflower fields and olive tree groves. Most notably, van Gogh chose to shack up here during his famously ear-averse Starry Night phase. At his lowest point, he committed himself to the Saint Paul asylum (2 VC des Carrières, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence), where his old bedroom remains open to the public. After a pensive visit here, you can head over to the town of Arles, another former haunt of van Gogh, where the Hôtel du Cloître (16-22 Rue du Cloître, Arles) welcomes queer travellers to its chic, contemporary rooms. In fact, if you have time, Arles is a good place to settle for a day or two if you want to see more van Gogh works at the Van Gogh Foundation (35 Rue du Dr Fanton, Arles) and unwind at the LGBTQ+-friendly bar Paddy Mullin’s (5 Bd. Georges Clemenceau, Arles). In this boisterous spot, billiards, beer and locals collide to create buoyant fun.
However, if theatre is your preferred art form, then you won’t want to stray too far from Avignon, which hosts an extraordinary month-long Festival d’Avignon theatre festival (July 5 to 26, 2025) that takes over the entire city every July and includes English-language works. In 2024, the town hosted more than 1,500 plays and musicals, many of which centred on famous queer figures like Oscar Wilde and Marlene Dietrich. Outside the official venues, visitors can further lose themselves wandering the city centre, taking in the countless street performances and drag spectaculars that line the streets throughout the festival. Additionally, a self tour might include a visit to the stately medieval Papal Palace (Pl. du Palais, Avignon, France), where no fewer than nine popes lived during the Middle Ages. Then let off some steam at queer nightclub L’Esclave (12 Rue Limas, Avignon), which packs a lot of revelry and dancing into its relatively cozy space. Finally, flop onto a cushy king-sized bed at the unpretentious Hotel Magnan Avignon (63 Rue du Portail Magnanen, Avignon), which nestles against the medieval ramparts that enclose the entire city centre.
What did the Romans leave behind in Provence?
Provence has more to offer than just jaw-dropping landscapes. Beneath its flowery surface lies a staid underbelly of striking Roman architecture. Here is where you can find the picture-perfect Pont du Gard (Vers-Pont-du-Gard). The three-tiered arched aqueduct—built around 50 CE, during the reigns of the emperors Claudius and Nero—and its army of picnic spots is just 30 minutes from Avignon by car. The aforementioned Saint-Rémy-de-Provence also harbours several preserved Roman mausoleums in its olive groves. Even Arles has a “colossal” Roman artifact in its city centre—and you can guess what it is based on by the adjective I just used. Indeed, the Arles Arena (1 Rdpt des Arènes, Arles) is a two-tiered former gladiatorial amphitheatre that rivals El Djem in Tunisia and, yes, the Colosseum in Rome.
But true history junkies will want to hit up the town of Nîmes, which was a key crossroads during the time of the Roman Empire. While technically outside the official Provence region, it’s spiritually connected and often gets added to Provence itineraries. After all, in Nîmes, you can visit both an ornate, dignified Roman temple and a miraculously well-preserved amphitheatre—the most prominent in all of France. In fact, the Roman aesthetic of the city extends to the homoerotic prints of Roman soldiers on the walls of Le Pride Nimes (Rue de Bernis, Nîmes), the town’s eminent gay bar and epicentre of drag shows. If you decide to stay, you can shack up at Hostel Vertigo Nîmes Centre Gare (3 Bd. Talabot, Nîmes), a simple but sleek lodging that hosts Pride-related and other queer events.
Where can you find every colour of the rainbow?
Provence is already famous for its lavender fields, especially the one at Sénanque Abbey, five kilometres north of the hilltop town of Gordes. Nestled in an elongated valley, the staid mediaeval abbey is famed round the world for its front yard of neverending lavender rows that explode with purple every July. A tour there is a must. But those with a rental car and time on their hands can experience a few more shades of the rainbow than purple. In the town of Roussillon, the rust and mahogany-coloured buildings are proof of how local townspeople borrow pigments from their backyard: In the nearby hiking trails, you can find ochre deposits with at least 12 different colours, from eggshell to burgundy. Meanwhile, over in the boundless marshes and lagoons of the Camargue Regional Nature Park (Mas du pont de Rousty, Arles), you can find wild white horses, and if you’re lucky, a handsome knight who can mount you—er—the horses. Once you’re done riding your knight and/or car around Provence, you can buy those lavender hand creams from Sénanque Abbey that your mom has been begging you for. The lavender fields really are stunning, you know. Haven’t you heard?
