Lusso Travel Ltd, No. 1 Glasshouse - 1LG1,
Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK10 4TG
With its hilltop villages, sun-drenched vineyards and fields of fresh lavender, Provence is a feast for the senses. From the storied Luberon to the dramatic Verdon Gorge, it offers timeless beauty, abundant food markets and unforgettable experiences at every turn.
For views of the famous lavender fields, head to Sénanque Abbey near Gordes or the Plateau de Valensole, where huge fields of purple are broken up by stone farmhouses and distant views of the Alps.
From the flamingo-filled lagoons of the Camargue to the snow-capped peaks of the southern Alps and the gaping Gorge du Verdon, landscapes in Provence are stunning and wildly disparate.
For a spot of antiquing head to L’Isle sur la Sorgue, a lovely town to walk around, especially on a Sunday when the morning market fills the streets with life and colour.
Besides Gordes and Ménerbes, contenders for prettiest village include elegant Lourmarin, known for its castle, and picture-perfect Roussillon, famed for its ochre-coloured buildings.
For city life, try Aix-en-Provence, home to Cézanne and Emile Zola, the Roman city of Arles that so inspired van Gogh, or UNESCO-listed Avignon, the seat of the Papacy in the 14th century.
A patchwork of hilltop villages, vineyards and lavender fields, Provence is easily one of France’s most captivating regions. Several of the country’s ‘Plus Beaux Villages’ (Most Beautiful Villages) can be found in the Luberon, including Ménerbes, the setting for Peter Mayle’s much-loved novel, A Year in Provence, and gorgeous Gordes, arguably the scenic queen of the Luberon’s hilltop villages. Just outside Gordes and a half-hour drive from Coquillade Provence is the incredibly picturesque Sénanque Abbey, whose famed lavender fields are among the most photographed in France.
Away to the east is another of Provence’s most picturesque regions, the Pays de Fayence, home to hotel Terre Blanche and a number of captivating hilltop villages, including Bagnols-en-Forêt, Callian, Fayence and Montauroux. Lying between the two is the spectacular Verdon Gorge, where you can kayak, raft or fly by helicopter up Europe’s largest canyon.
Sprawling across 750 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, Terre Blanche may look like just another picturesque Provençale village, but this standout hotel is anything but rustic, offering stylish suites and magnificent villas, an excellent spa, two championship golf courses and a scene-stealing infinity pool.