Provence Road Trip: Part One

An itinerary built around picturesque villages, Provençal markets, good food and even better rosé.

Provence had been high on my bucket list for a while, and after finally visiting in June 2024, it completely lived up to my (high) expectations. When planning my trip, I was overwhelmed by the scale of the region and choice of locations, so I hope this two part guide helps you plan yours.

This was a nine day road trip through the south of France, but I wanted to separate this first part to show just how easily you could recreate a similar experience with only a weekend, and still fit in some of the very best of Provence.

We flew into Marseille, hired a car, and drove straight into the Vaucluse region to begin. For context, over the course of the full road trip, we visited Oppède-le-Vieux, Gordes, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Bormes-les-Mimosas, Marseille, and Aix-en-Provence.

This post focuses on the first part of the trip, based in the Vaucluse region and will cover Oppède-le-Vieux, Gordes and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.

Located in the heart of the Luberon, Bastide du Mourre hotel in Oppède was our first base, and I cannot recommend it enough. Oppède-le-Vieux a quiet, lesser-known hilltop village is worth a visit while you’re there. With its stone buildings, winding paths, and views across the countryside, it felt like stepping back in time. It is also walking distance from the hotel - albeit a steep hill!

Things to do

The Sunday market in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue was a standout and easily one of the best markets I’ve been to in Europe. Known for its antiques, it stretches through the town alongside the river, with stalls selling everything from vintage homewares to local food. The setting is what really makes it - winding along the water with little bridges, cafés, and bars dotted throughout. We spent hours wandering, picking up food, and shopping along the river.

Gordes quickly became one of our favourite villages, and we ended up going back twice for dinner during our stay. Perched high on a hill with incredible views, it has a slightly more polished feel than some of the smaller villages nearby. Make sure you stop at the viewing point on the drive in for the best view of the village and its surroundings!

Hotel

We stayed at Bastide du Mourre, which I highly recommend. It’s the kind of place that feels peaceful, beautifully designed, and completely in tune with its surroundings — exactly what you want from a stay in Provence (rooms from around £200 per night).

It deserves its own full spotlight (coming soon), but it was genuinely one of the highlights of the trip, I’ll let the pictures below do the talking!

Highlight

We sort of stumbled upon the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday market, then later realised its quite famous, and for good reason. This quintessential Provençal market, with live music, great produce and good vibes, is exactly what you’d picture it to be!

Restaurant recommendations

• La Bastide de Pierres — An Italian restaurant in Gordes owned by the Airelles group, with a relaxed atmosphere and delicious food.

• Le Tigrr Gordes — A really fun spot for dinner and drinks when we visited. It has since closed but appears to be reopening this summer as a Beefbar pop-up, great views!

Across the few days, there were also countless cafés and casual spots, particularly in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, where we stopped for drinks and food along the river.

Top tips

• Base yourself in a smaller village like Oppède for a quieter, more authentic feel, and then visit places like Gordes for meals.

• Visiting in June also meant we caught lavender season, and seeing the fields in full bloom across the region was a real highlight.

• Hire a car — it’s essential for exploring the region properly and gives you the flexibility to move between villages at your own pace. We found parking quite easily but expect to pay in the public parking in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Gordes.

Getting there

We flew into Marseille and hired a car, the drive into the region was straightforward, and having a car made the entire trip much easier.

Overall

The region is an incredible introduction to Provence — scenic, relaxed, and full of character. From hilltop villages to riverside markets and long rosé-filled meals, it’s exactly what you want from this part of France.

This first part of the trip alone would make the perfect long weekend itinerary, and a great example of how much you can see and do in Provence with just a few days.

Part two will be coming soon, where I’ll cover the rest of the trip including the coast and some of the other towns we visited.

As always, thanks so much for reading. If you enjoyed this guide, feel free to share it with a friend, and don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already!