Classic Provence & French Riviera Road Trip

Enter via Avignon and exit via Nice, connecting the Luberon hilltop villages, Valensole, Verdon Gorge, and the coast

Travel east from the City of Popes, starting with Roman ruins and the Alpilles, staying in the Luberon to explore its hilltop villages, passing through Valensole to spend two nights in Verdon, and finally descending to the coast along the Route Napoléon. This one-way route avoids backtracking and maintains a moderate pace, making it ideal for first-time visitors to the South of France who enjoy driving. It skips Marseille and Cassis to allow for a full, uninterrupted day in the gorge.

Lavender blooms from late June to mid-July; accommodations should be booked several months in advance.

Day by day

Day 1 · Arrive in Avignon & Old Town Walk

Avignon & Luberon（Palais des Papes, Avignon、Rocher des Doms、Pont Saint-Bénézet (Pont d'Avignon)）

Take the TGV to Avignon, transfer to the shuttle train to the city center (approx. 5 minutes), and explore the town entirely on foot.

Stay: Avignon Intra-Muros

Day 2 · Pont du Gard & Arles Old Town

Avignon & Luberon（Pont du Gard、Arles）

Pick up your car and drive to Pont du Gard (approx. 40 minutes), then to Arles (approx. 50 minutes), and arrive in Saint-Rémy in the evening (approx. 35 minutes).

Stay: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Day 3 · Les Baux & Saint-Rémy to the Luberon

Avignon & Luberon（Les Baux-de-Provence、Glanum、Saint-Paul de Mausole、L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue）

Drive from Saint-Rémy to Les Baux (approx. 20 minutes). In the afternoon, drive to Gordes via L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (approx. 1 hour in total).

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue hosts an antique market on Sunday mornings; you can adjust your schedule accordingly.

Stay: Gordes and the Luberon Hill Villages

Day 4 · Luberon Hilltop Villages Loop

Avignon & Luberon（Gordes、Sénanque Abbey、Roussillon、Bonnieux）

A loop of about 60 km starting from Gordes. Driving time between villages is 20–30 minutes, totaling about 2 hours of driving for the day.

It is recommended to book Sénanque Abbey interior visits on the official website. Entering the flower fields is prohibited; the D177 is one-way in summer.

Stay: Gordes and the Luberon Hill Villages

Day 5 · Valensole Plateau to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

Valensole Plateau & Gorges du Verdon（Valensole Lavender Fields、Riez、Moustiers-Sainte-Marie、Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir）

Drive from Gordes to Valensole via Manosque (approx. 1.5 hours), then take the D6 and D953 to Moustiers (approx. 40 minutes).

The flower fields are private crops; do not walk into the rows or pick the flowers.

Stay: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

Day 6 · Verdon Gorge Loop

Valensole Plateau & Gorges du Verdon（Lac de Sainte-Croix、Aiguines、Balcons de la Mescla、Pont de l'Artuby、Point Sublime、Route des Crêtes）

Drive from Moustiers via Aiguines along the south bank, then loop back via La Palud on the north bank (approx. 150 km of winding mountain roads, a 5-hour drive).

Some sections of the Route des Crêtes are one-way. The road is closed from late November to late March.

Stay: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

Day 7 · Route Napoléon to the Coast

Valensole Plateau & Gorges du Verdon（Castellane & Notre-Dame du Roc） → Nice & Côte d'Azur（Grasse、Saint-Paul-de-Vence）

Drive from Moustiers to Nice via Castellane and Grasse (approx. 3.5 hours). Return your car at the airport and take the tram into the city.

Parking in Nice is difficult; it is recommended to return your car on this day rather than keeping it until departure.

Stay: Vieux Nice

Day 8 · Eze Hilltop Village & Monaco

Nice & Côte d'Azur（Èze、Monaco / Monte Carlo）

Take bus 82 or 602 from Gare Routière Vauban to Eze (approx. 30 minutes). Bus 602 continues to Monaco. Return to Nice by train in the evening.

Bus 602 does not run on Sundays. Eze is most crowded between 11:00 and 16:00.