Provence is lavender fields, markets full of olives and rosé, Roman ruins and little villages built up the hillsides. The region’s bigger than many people think, and the towns are further apart than they look on the map, so you’ll get the most out of your trip with a car, or by taking the train between the biggest towns.
That’s why your choice of base matters so much. Avignon and Arles are easy by train, Aix-en-Provence has the most going on, and Saint-Rémy, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Gordes are best if you’ve got a car. Here are my recommendations for six towns, with hotels in several price ranges.
Contents
The Best Towns in Provence
- Avignon - best town for first-time visitors and train travellers
- Aix-en-Provence - best town for cafés, markets and nightlife
- Arles - best town for Roman ruins and Van Gogh
- Saint-Rémy-de-Provence - best town for couples and food lovers
- L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue - best town for antiques markets and a quiet base
- Gordes - best base for lavender and the hilltop villages of the Luberon
Below, I go through the six towns one by one, from Avignon and Aix-en-Provence to the small towns in the Alpilles and the Luberon, and recommend three hotels in each town in different price ranges.
1. Avignon - best town for first-time visitors and train travellers 🏰
- 📍 Location: On the River Rhône in the western part of Provence. The Old Town sits inside the old city walls.
- 🚆 Transport: TGV trains stop at Avignon TGV outside the town, and from there a local train runs to Avignon Centre in around five minutes. Inside the walls, you’ll get around on foot.
- ✈️ Time from Marseille Provence Airport: Around an hour by car.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £85 to £310 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Avignon is generally safe. Keep an eye on your bag in the crowds on Place de l’Horloge and during the festival in July, and stick to well-lit streets at night.
Avignon is my first choice if you’re going to Provence for the first time, or if you’re arriving by train. The town was the residence of the popes in the 14th century, and the enormous Palais des Papes still stands in the middle of the Old Town, along with the cathedral and the famous half bridge, Pont Saint-Bénézet. The whole area is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Inside the walls, you’ll find narrow streets, small squares with cafés and lots of restaurants, and almost everything is within walking distance. In the evening, the town gathers on Place de l’Horloge and the little squares around it, where you can sit outside until late.
Avignon is also the most practical base if you want to see a lot without a car. According to SNCF, the train to Arles takes less than 20 minutes, and there are local trains to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and buses to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. If you want to see the lavender fields in the Luberon without driving yourself, lots of guided day trips start here too.
Book a guided day trip to the lavender fields and Sénanque from Avignon here.
If you’re coming from Paris, the fastest TGV trains get you here in just over two and a half hours. If you’d like a few days in the capital first, I’ve written about where to stay in Paris, and if you’re driving down through the Rhône Valley, Lyon is a good stop on the way. Have a look at my guide to where to stay in Lyon.
The downside is that Avignon is expensive and packed in July, when the Festival d’Avignon theatre festival takes over the town and the hotels get booked up well in advance. In summer, it can also get very hot between the stone buildings. I’d choose Avignon for the first nights of your trip or for a short break without a car.
Places to Stay in Avignon
Hotel d’Europe - best luxury hotel close to the Palais des Papes
Hotel d’Europe is a five-star hotel in a 16th-century building on Place Crillon inside the city walls, a few minutes’ walk from the Palais des Papes and Pont Saint-Bénézet. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar and a garden, and it has a guest rating of 8.6. There’s no pool, and a few guests mention problems with the parking service and rooms that need some maintenance.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “A beautiful hotel with so much history.”
See photos and book Hotel d’Europe here.
Hôtel Le Colbert - best mid-range hotel for adults only
Le Colbert is on a side street off Cours Jean Jaurès, close to Avignon Centre station and around ten minutes’ walk from Place de l’Horloge. It’s a small adults-only hotel with a terrace and a garden, and it has a guest rating of 8.8. There’s no lift, and several guests mention that the rooms are small.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “From the moment I arrived, everything went perfectly with this hotel.”
See photos and book Hôtel Le Colbert here.
Hôtel Central - cheapest option on the main street
Hôtel Central is right on Rue de la République, the main street between the station and Place de l’Horloge. It was the cheapest of my three picks in Avignon when I searched, and it has a guest rating of 8.0 from more than 2,000 reviews. Some guests feel a few of the rooms are a bit worn and that the cleaning can be hit and miss.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Clean and tidy place. Fantastic location. Helpful staff.”
See photos and book Hôtel Central here.
2. Aix-en-Provence - best town for cafés, markets and nightlife ☕
- 📍 Location: In the southern part of Provence, around 30 km north of Marseille.
- 🚌 Transport: Buses from the bus station run to Marseille and the airport, and Aix-en-Provence TGV station is outside the town. The Old Town is compact and easy to walk around.
- ✈️ Time from Marseille Provence Airport: Around half an hour on the A2 airport bus to the bus station in Aix.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £100 to £335 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Aix is a safe university town. It can get lively around the bars late at weekends, and as in any tourist town, you should watch out for pickpockets at the markets.
Aix-en-Provence is the most elegant of the towns in Provence and my choice if you’d like nightlife, good restaurants and cafés while still having the rest of the region within reach. The main street, Cours Mirabeau, is a wide avenue with plane trees, fountains and cafés, and behind it lies the Old Town with narrow streets and small squares.
The town has a market almost every day with fruit, vegetables, cheese and flowers, and on Saturdays it spreads out across several of the squares. Aix is also Paul Cézanne’s town. He was born here, and you can visit his studio just north of the centre.
Aix is the easiest town to reach from the airport. The A2 bus runs from Marseille Provence Airport via Aix-en-Provence TGV station to the bus station in town around every half hour, and you can check the timetable with La Métropole Mobilité.
See hotels in Aix-en-Provence here.
It’s also not far to Marseille, and if you’d like to combine Provence with a big city and the sea, I’ve written a guide to where to stay in Marseille. Lots of people start or end their trip there, because Marseille Provence is the biggest airport in the area.
The downside is that Aix is further from the lavender fields and the hilltop villages of the Luberon than Avignon and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, so you’ll need to allow more time in the car to Gordes and Sénanque. The hotels in the Old Town are also fairly expensive, and many don’t have their own parking.
I’d choose Aix for couples and friends who want a town with life in the evening and are only planning a couple of day trips during their holiday.
Places to Stay in Aix-en-Provence
Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel - best luxury hotel with a pool and spa
The Renaissance is a five-star hotel around ten minutes’ walk from La Rotonde at the western end of Cours Mirabeau. You get both an indoor and an outdoor pool, a spa, a gym and a restaurant, and the hotel has a guest rating of 8.5. Some guests feel the rooms are a little old-fashioned for a five-star hotel.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff and the restaurant were excellent.”
See photos and book Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel here.
Hôtel des Augustins - best mid-range hotel in an old monastery
Hôtel des Augustins is set within the walls of a 12th-century monastery on Rue de la Masse, right by Cours Mirabeau. It’s hard to stay more centrally in Aix, and the hotel has a guest rating of 8.3 from more than 2,000 reviews. There’s no pool, and some guests mention that the rooms are basic and that some face an inner courtyard.
One guest singles out the staff on Booking.com: “The staff were very helpful and friendly.”
See photos and book Hôtel des Augustins here.
Hôtel Le Mozart - cheapest option with parking
Le Mozart is on Cours Gambetta in the eastern part of town, around a quarter of an hour’s walk from Cours Mirabeau. It was the cheapest of my three picks in Aix when I searched, and it has a guest rating of 8.4 and its own parking, which is rare this close to the centre. Several guests mention that some of the rooms are small and a little old-fashioned.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The location and the parking were good.”
See photos and book Hôtel Le Mozart here.
3. Arles - best town for Roman ruins and Van Gogh 🏛️
- 📍 Location: On the Rhône in the south-western part of Provence, where the river splits and the Camargue begins.
- 🚆 Transport: The train from Avignon takes around 20 minutes. In town, you can walk everywhere, but for the Camargue and Les Baux you’ll need a car or a tour.
- ✈️ Time from Marseille Provence Airport: Around an hour by car.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £85 to £230 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Arles is a quiet town. A few streets on the outskirts can feel deserted in the evening, so stick to the centre after dark.
Arles is the town in Provence where you’ll get closest to Roman times. In the middle of the Old Town stands the large amphitheatre, the Arènes d’Arles, which is still used for concerts and bullfights, and right next to it is the ancient theatre. Together with the cryptoporticus under the town hall, the Baths of Constantine, the Alyscamps burial ground and Saint-Trophime Cathedral with its cloister, they’re part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Arles is also Van Gogh’s town. He lived here from 1888 to 1889 and painted some of his best-known pictures in and around the town. Just outside the Old Town is the LUMA Arles arts centre with its shimmering tower designed by Frank Gehry, so the town is just as much for you if you’re into modern art.
Arles is the gateway to the Camargue, with flamingos, white horses and black bulls in the wetlands that run down to the Mediterranean. If you haven’t got a car, you can take a guided day trip to the Camargue from Avignon, but by car it’s less than an hour to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the coast.
The hotels in Arles are cheaper than in Avignon and Aix, and you get a lot for your money. Many of them are in old town houses close to the amphitheatre, so you can walk to the restaurants on Place du Forum in the evening. In summer, the Les Rencontres d’Arles photography festival fills the town with exhibitions, so book early if you’re travelling in July.
The downside is that the town is small and there isn’t much going on in the evening outside the summer. I’d choose Arles for two or three nights if you’re interested in history and art, or as a base for the Camargue and the Alpilles.
Places to Stay in Arles
Jules César Hotel & Spa Arles - MGallery Collection - best luxury hotel in an old convent
Jules César is on Boulevard des Lices in a former Carmelite convent, and it’s the only five-star hotel among my picks in Arles. There’s a heated outdoor pool in season, a spa with a hammam and a restaurant, and the guest rating is 8.1. Some guests feel the decor is a little old-fashioned and that the breakfast selection is limited.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The spa was excellent, and the beds were super comfortable.”
See photos and book Jules César Hotel & Spa Arles - MGallery Collection here.
Hotel Spa Le Calendal - best mid-range hotel with a spa by the amphitheatre
Le Calendal is on Rue Porte de Laure, a few steps from the amphitheatre and the ancient theatre. The hotel has a garden and a spa with a hammam and a hot tub, and it has the highest guest rating of my three picks in Arles at 8.9. There’s no pool, and some guests mention old-fashioned bathrooms and noise when there are events nearby.
One guest praises the service on Booking.com: “The staff were exceptional, and the service was considerably better than at many five-star hotels.”
See photos and book Hotel Spa Le Calendal here.
Le Régence - cheapest option close to the Rhône and the station
Le Régence is a small, simple hotel in the northern part of the centre, close to the Rhône and the station, so it’s an obvious choice if you’re arriving by train. It was the cheapest of the three when I searched, and it has a guest rating of 8.7. There’s no lift, and some guests feel the bathrooms are cramped.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Everything. Fantastic location, fantastic staff, fantastic service.”
See photos and book Le Régence here.
4. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence - best town for couples and food lovers 🫒
- 📍 Location: At the foot of the Alpilles mountains, around 20 km south of Avignon.
- 🚌 Transport: The town has no railway station, but the ZOU! bus from Avignon takes around 45 minutes. For Les Baux and the small villages, a car is easiest.
- ✈️ Time from Marseille Provence Airport: Around an hour by car.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. The three hotels below cost roughly £120 to £305 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Very safe. The centre gets very busy on market day, so keep an eye on your bag, and watch out for cyclists on the narrow country roads.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is a small, well-to-do town with a ring of boulevards around the Old Town, and it’s my pick for couples who want good restaurants, beautiful hotels with pools and the countryside right outside the door. The streets are full of little shops, galleries and cafés under the plane trees.
Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself to Saint-Paul de Mausole just south of the town from May 1889 to May 1890, and according to the Bouches-du-Rhône tourism website, you can visit the cloister and see his room. Right next door are the ruins of the ancient town of Glanum, which you can walk around. The town is also the birthplace of Nostradamus, and the house where he was born is on one of the narrow streets in the Old Town.
On Wednesdays, there’s a big market in the streets with olives, spices, cheese and pottery, and it’s a good day to be in town if you don’t mind the crowds.
See hotels in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence here.
Saint-Rémy is the best base for the Alpilles. The little hilltop village of Les Baux-de-Provence is just on the other side of the hills, and here you can also see the light show in the old quarries at Carrières des Lumières. Avignon and Arles are around half an hour away by car.
The downside is that Saint-Rémy is expensive, especially in high season, and it’s hard to get around without a car. Many of the best hotels are also a little way outside the centre.
I’d choose Saint-Rémy for a romantic trip or for a longer stay where you want to relax by the pool and take short trips around the area.
Places to Stay in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Le Vallon de Valrugues Hotel Spa & Villas - best luxury hotel with a spa and pools
Vallon de Valrugues is a five-star hotel around a kilometre east of the centre with an indoor and an outdoor pool, a spa, a tennis court and a restaurant. It has a guest rating of 8.7 and suits a special occasion or a few days of pampering. Some guests do feel the rooms are small for a five-star hotel and that the spa could be better.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The staff were fantastic. The hotel is lovely, and it was a treat for my birthday.”
See photos and book Le Vallon de Valrugues Hotel Spa & Villas here.
Le petit hotel - best mid-range hotel with a pool close to the centre
Le petit hotel is on Avenue Fauconnet, a few minutes’ walk from the Old Town, and has a garden, a heated pool and a very high guest rating of 9.4. It’s a good choice if you want to be able to walk out for dinner and still have a pool to come back to. A few guests mention that the rooms can be dark and that there’s little space for clothes.
One guest sums up their stay on Booking.com: “The decor, the staff, the quiet and practical location, the pool and the breakfast. Very comfortable.”
See photos and book Le petit hotel here.
Mas des Tourterelles - cheapest option with a pool and free parking
Mas des Tourterelles is a bed & breakfast in a Provençal farmhouse around five to ten minutes’ walk from the centre. It was the cheapest of my three picks in Saint-Rémy when I searched, and you get an outdoor pool, a garden and free parking. The guest rating is 8.3, and some guests mention that in some rooms the bathroom is separate from the bedroom.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “This was everything we’d dreamed of!”
See photos and book Mas des Tourterelles here.
5. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue - best town for antiques markets and a quiet base 🛶
- 📍 Location: On the River Sorgue around 25 km east of Avignon, between Avignon and the Luberon.
- 🚆 Transport: The local train from Avignon Centre to L’Isle-Fontaine-de-Vaucluse station takes around 25 minutes, and from there it’s about ten minutes’ walk to the centre.
- ✈️ Time from Marseille Provence Airport: Around an hour and a quarter by car.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€€. The three places below cost roughly £75 to £345 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Safe. On Sunday mornings, the streets are packed with people at the market, so watch out for pickpockets, and keep an eye on children along the canals.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a small town where the River Sorgue splits into canals that run all the way around the Old Town. Old mill wheels turn along the water, and in summer people sit at the cafés by the bridges. It’s one of the most charming towns in Provence to wander around, and it feels more relaxed than Gordes and Saint-Rémy. Because of the canals, it’s often called the Venise Comtadine.
The town is known for its many antiques dealers and brocante shops, and according to the regional tourist board, there’s a market on Thursday and Sunday mornings. The Sunday market is the biggest, so come early if you want to find a parking space and see the stalls before it gets really hot.
See hotels in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue here.
The town is well placed between Avignon and the Luberon. Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, where the Sorgue wells up from a spring at the foot of the cliffs, is a few kilometres away, and Gordes is around half an hour by car. In summer, you can hire a kayak at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and paddle down the Sorgue.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is also one of the few small towns in the area that you can reach by train, so it works as a compromise between the towns and the countryside. There are restaurants and supermarkets within walking distance, and in the evening the streets are quiet.
The downside is that there isn’t much going on in the evening, and several of the best places to stay are a little way outside the centre. I’d choose the town for a couple or a family with a car who want a quiet base that’s close to both Avignon and the Luberon.
Places to Stay in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
L’Isle de Leos Hotel & Spa - MGallery Collection - best luxury hotel with pools and a spa
L’Isle de Leos is a five-star hotel a few minutes’ walk from the Notre-Dame-des-Anges church in the middle of town. The hotel has an indoor and an outdoor pool, a spa, a gym, a restaurant and a bar, and it has a guest rating of 9.2. Some guests do find the service in the bar and restaurant hit and miss.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Excellent location, beautiful decor and fantastic bar areas.”
See photos and book L’Isle de Leos Hotel & Spa - MGallery Collection here.
Côté Court - best adults-only bed & breakfast
Côté Court is an adults-only bed & breakfast around ten minutes’ walk from the centre, with a garden, a terrace and free parking. It has a guest rating of 9.4, and a continental breakfast is served. There’s no pool, and it isn’t suitable for larger groups.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “We had a wonderful stay! The hosts were incredibly kind and caring.”
See photos and book Côté Court here.
Une Chambre en Ville - cheapest option with private parking
Une Chambre en Ville is a small bed & breakfast on Avenue Voltaire Garcin, around 700 metres from the church in the centre. It was the cheapest of my three picks in the town when I searched, and it has a garden, free private parking and a guest rating of 9.3. Some guests feel the rooms are a little small.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “What a wonderful stay! The room is fantastic, and we had a lovely time.”
See photos and book Une Chambre en Ville here.
6. Gordes - best base for lavender and the hilltop villages of the Luberon 💜
- 📍 Location: On a clifftop in the northern part of the Luberon, around 40 km east of Avignon.
- 🚗 Transport: You’ll need a car. There are no trains, and public transport is very limited, so most people drive themselves or take a guided day trip.
- ✈️ Time from Marseille Provence Airport: Around an hour and a quarter by car.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€€. The three places below cost roughly £150 to £365 a night when I searched for a weekend in June.
- 👮 Safety: Very safe. The roads up to the village are narrow and winding, and the car parks fill up quickly in summer, so get there early.
Gordes is one of the best-known villages in Provence, and when you see it from the road below, you’ll understand why. The pale stone houses climb up the cliff below the castle, and from the village there are views across the whole of the Luberon. It’s the town I’d choose if the lavender is the main reason for your trip.
The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque lies in a valley just north of Gordes and is surrounded by lavender fields. It was founded in 1148, and monks still live there. According to the Luberon tourism website, the lavender in the Luberon usually flowers from mid-June to mid-July, while the fields at Sénanque are typically in full bloom in early July.
From Gordes, you can drive on to the other hilltop villages in the Luberon, such as Roussillon with its red ochre cliffs and Ménerbes, and it’s not far to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. You can easily fit in three or four villages in a day.
If you want to go inside the abbey itself, check the abbey’s page on Luberon Tourisme first, because the guided visits need to be booked. You can walk around the area by the abbey and the lavender fields without a ticket.
The downside is the price. Gordes is one of the most expensive places in Provence, and there are few hotels in the village itself, so many of them are out in the countryside with pools and views. During the day, the village is full of tourists, but in the evening it gets quiet again. I’d choose Gordes for couples who want views and peace and quiet and have a car.
Places to Stay in Gordes
Hotel Les Bories & Spa - best luxury hotel on the road to Sénanque
Les Bories is a five-star hotel on the road to the Abbaye de Sénanque, around five minutes’ drive from the centre of Gordes. You get an outdoor infinity pool and an indoor pool, a spa, a tennis court and a restaurant, and the guest rating is 9.0. Some guests feel the service in the restaurant could be better and that the furniture is a little old-fashioned.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Beautiful hotel in a beautiful area.”
See photos and book Hotel Les Bories & Spa here.
Mas des Romarins, The Originals Relais - best mid-range hotel within walking distance of the village
Mas des Romarins is in a 19th-century building around five minutes’ walk from the centre of Gordes and has a heated outdoor pool with a view and free parking. It has a guest rating of 9.3 and is one of the few places where you can walk to the restaurants in the evening. Several guests mention that the rooms are small and that the food options on site are limited.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “Lovely hotel, super helpful staff, good location, new and beautiful room. Highly recommended.”
See photos and book Mas des Romarins, The Originals Relais here.
Le Verger - cheapest option with a saltwater pool in the countryside
Le Verger is a bed & breakfast out in the countryside around five kilometres from Gordes, with an outdoor saltwater pool, a garden and free parking. It was the cheapest of my three picks when I searched, and the guest rating is an impressive 9.5. You’ll need a car, and it isn’t suitable for families with young children.
One guest writes on Booking.com: “The place is furnished with great taste and care for the guests.”
See photos and book Le Verger here.
Where should you avoid staying in Provence?
I wouldn’t stay by the TGV stations in Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. They’re outside the towns, and although the hotels there are handy for an early departure, you’ll end up spending a lot of time travelling every day.
Also avoid the chain hotels in the business parks on the outskirts of the towns. They’re often cheaper, but they’re surrounded by big roads and shopping centres, and you lose the atmosphere that’s the reason for going to Provence in the first place.
If you’re after lavender, don’t stay on the coast. Marseille is a great city, but it’s a long way from there to the Luberon and Sénanque, so it’s better to split your stay. And don’t pick a small village if you haven’t got a car, because the buses between the towns are infrequent, and you won’t get to the markets or the restaurants.
If you’re going to Provence for the first time without a car, I’d stay in Avignon and take the train to Arles and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. If you want nightlife and easy access to the airport, Aix-en-Provence is the best choice, while Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Gordes suit couples with a car who want to stay close to the lavender fields and the hilltop villages.
If you’ve got a week, you can split your stay and spend a few nights in Avignon or Aix and the rest in the Luberon. If you’re carrying on along the coast to the Riviera, I’ve written about where to stay in Nice, and if you’re flying home from there, you can read my guide to getting from Nice Airport to the city centre.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?