Provence

Click here for a map of Provence
(Mileage is estimated distance from each preceeding city or site.)

  1. Marseille to Sanary-sur-Mer (80 miles)
  2. MARSEILLE France's second-largest city. La Canebière, the Old Port, Notre-Dame de la Garde, St-Victor Basilica, museumq, gardens, restaurants.

    CASSIS (19 miles) Irresistable fishing port, wine.

    LA CADIERE (12 miles) Medieval and Renaissance village.

    LE CASTELLET (4 miles) Hilltop hamlet, Romanesque church, fine views.

    SANARY-SUR-MER (11 miles) Working fishing port, the catch sold along the harbor; sport fishing center. Return Marseille 34 miles.

  3. Ramatuelle to La Garde-Freinet (59 miles)
  4. RAMATUELLE (86 miles from Marseille) Chic crow's nest village.

    ST-TROPEZ (9 miles) Old port and marina, Musée de l'Annonciade's excellent modern art collection.

    GASSIN (11 miles) Saracen gate, good views.

    COGOLIN (5 miles) Pipe-smoker's mecca, hand-carved oak-burl pipes.

    GRIMAUD (5 miles) Tiny, pure Romanesque St-Michel church, château ruins.

    LA GARDE-FREINET (9 miles) Strategic medieval village. Return Ramatuelle 20 miles, via Plan-de-la-Tour, Port Grimaud.

  5. Ramatuelle to Cotignac (120 miles)
  6. LES ARCS (28 miles, via Ste-Maxime) Restored medieval quarter.

    LORGUES (9 miles) Baroque church, Cours de la République.

    LE THORONET ABBEY (10 miles) Beautiful Romanesque abbey and cloister.

    ENTRECASTEAUX (8 miles) Handsome 17th-century château.

    COTIGNAC (7 miles) Charming village, ruins of medieval château, troglodyte houses, 16th to 17th-century mansions. Return Ramatuelle 58 miles, via Carc&egrav;s, Flassans, Gonfaron, Les Mayons.

  7. Aix-en-Provence to Oppède-le-Vieux (73 miles)
  8. AIX-EN-PROVENCE (97 miles from Ramatuelle, via Toulon) Cours Mirabeau, Old Aix, clock tower, cathedral and cloister, Cézanne's atelier.

    CADENET (18 miles) 3rd-century marble baptismal font, Provençal bell tower.

    ANSOUIS (4 miles) 17th-century village, elegant château.

    CUCURON (5 miles) Gallo-roman museum, old dungeon, clock tower, Notre-Dame-de-Beaulieu church.

    LOURMARIN (7 miles) Ancient grain warehouses, château.

    BONNIEUX (12 miles) 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century houses, superb view, bread museum.

    LACOSTE (7 miles) Ruins of château of Marquis de Sade.

    GOULT (3 miles) Ancient village in mid-gentrification.

    MENERBES (4 miles) Stylish village, 17th-century houses.

    OPPEDE-LE-VIEUX (7 miles) Château ruins, church, old village clinging to mountainside. Return Aix-en-Provence 46 miles, via Cavaillon, Cadenet, Rognes.

  9. Avignon to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (116 miles)
  10. AVIGNON (52 miles from Aix-en-Provence) Papal Palace, rampartq, old town, Petit Palais, Doms Rock, St-Bénézet bridge.

    GORDES (22 miles) Château with modern art museum, ramparts, old stone village, neolithic settlement Les Bories.

    SENAQUE ABBEY (3 miles) Romanesque monastery and church surrounded by lavender fields.

    FONTAINE-DE-VAUCLUSE (8 miles) Romanesque St-Véran church; Vaucluse Fountain where the river Sorgue emerges from underground, spectacular in winter and spring.

    VENASQUE (16 miles) Notre-Dame church, splendid view of Mont Ventoux.

    VAISON-LA-ROMAINE (26 Miles) Extensive Roman ruins and museum, twothousand-year-old bridge.

    L'ISLE-SUR-LA-SORGUE (24 miles) Baroque church, canals and remains of old millworks, antiques center, Sunday morning flea market. Return Avignon 17 miles.

  11. Avignon to Les Baux-de-Provence (50 miles)
  12. EYGALIERES (17 miles) Ruins of château and keep, local museum, tortuous streets.

    SAINT-REMY-DE-PROVENCE (8 miles) Delightful Provençal town; Place de la République, St-Martin church, Alpilles musuem, Archaeological museum in Hôtel de Sade, Greco-Roman ruins at Glanum-Les Antiques. Street cafés and restaurants.

    LES BAUX-DE-PROVENCE (5 miles) Medieval and Renaissance village, eerie hilltop ruins of "dead city." Return Avignon 20 miles.

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON ITINERARIES

  1. Montpellier to Uzès (87 miles)
  2. AIGUES-MORTES (18 miles) Walled 13th-century fortress-village.

    ST-GILLES (22 miles) Gateway to the Camargue, 12th-century abbey church with spectacular facade, rare circular staircase.

    BEAUCAIRE (15 miles) Château, museum, nearby St-Roman-l'Aiguille Abbey ruins.

    UZES (32 miles) Renaissance town, Place de la République, 16th to 18th-century mansions, Fenestrelle Tower, the Dukes' Residence, St-Etienne church. Return Montpellier via Nîmes 85 miles.

  3. Montpellier to Gorges du Tarn (188 miles)
  4. SOMMIERES (19 miles) Fortified medieval village, arcaded marketplace, covered streets, Roman bridge.

    LA GARDE-GUERIN (60 miles) Fortified mountain village, tower keep, view.

    GORGES DU TARN (64 miles) Spectacular 45-mile drive from Ispagnac to Le Rozier, including villages of Sainte-Enimie and La Mal&egrav;ne. Return Montpellier via Millau 55 miles.

  5. Montpellier to Pézenas (84 miles)

    ST-GUILHEM-LE-DESERT (25 miles) Romanesque church, old stone houses.

    VILLENEUVETTE (19 miles) 17th-century village built by Colbert.

    PEZENAS (10 miles) Old town, Place Gambetta, Consulaire Mansion, Lacoste Mansion, rue de la Foire, medieval Jewish quarter. Return Montpellier 30 miles.

  6. Gruissan to Villerouge-Thermenès (66 miles)
  7. GRUISSAN Ruined château, Notre-Dame-des-Auzils chapel.

    MINERVE (27 miles) Fortified medieval village.

    LAGRASSC (20 miles) St-Michel church, 13th-century covered market, Abbey of Ste-Marie-d'Orbieu.

    VILLEROUGE-TERMENES (19 miles) Ruins of 13th-century fortified castle.

  8. Collioure to Villefranche-de-Conflent (75 miles)
  9. COLLIOURE (72 miles) Picturesque, popular port village.

    ELNE (8 miles) 12th- to 14th-century cloister, one of the most beautiful in France.

    CERET (25 miles) Exellent modern art museum.

    CASTELNOU (17 miles) Fortified medieval village.

    ST-MICHEL-DE-CUXA (20 miles) Stunning 10th-century church and monastery.

    VILLEFRANCHE-DE-CONFLENT (5 miles) Ramparts by Vauban, old houses, Romanesque church of St-Pierre. Return Collioure 50 miles.