South of France Itinerary: 7 to 10 Days in Provence and the French Riviera
This South of France itinerary combines the two halves of the region that most visitors want to see: the hill villages, markets and lavender of Provence, and the beaches and glamour of the French Riviera. It runs from Avignon to Nice in 7 days, with ideas to stretch it to 10, and it is designed to be done by car in Provence and by train on the coast. Not sure when to go? Read our guide to the best time to visit the south of France.
Your South of France itinerary at a glance
Route: Avignon, Arles, the Luberon, Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Nice and the Riviera
Length: 7 days, or 10 with the extensions below
Getting around: hire car from Avignon to Nice, then trains and buses on the Riviera
Arrive and leave: TGV from Paris to Avignon, fly home from Nice (or fly into Marseille)
Where to sleep: Avignon (2 nights), the Luberon (1), Aix-en-Provence (1), Nice (3)
Best time: May, June and September
7-day South of France itinerary
Day 1: Avignon
Arrive by TGV from Paris (about 2h40) and spend the afternoon in the city of the popes. Tour the Palais des Papes, walk out onto the famous broken bridge, the Pont d'Avignon, and climb to the Rocher des Doms gardens for the view over the Rhône. Have dinner in the old town. Pick up your hire car the next morning.
Day 2: Arles and the Pont du Gard
Drive to the Pont du Gard, the Roman aqueduct 30 minutes west of Avignon, early in the morning before the coaches. Continue to Arles for lunch, then see its Roman arena and the places Van Gogh painted. Return to Avignon for the night, or stop in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence on the way back.
Day 3: The Luberon villages
Head east into the Luberon. See Sénanque Abbey in the morning, have lunch in Gordes, then walk the ochre trail at Roussillon in the late afternoon light. From late June to mid-July, add a detour to the lavender fields. Sleep in a Luberon village or farmhouse. For the best fields and dates, see our lavender fields guide.
Day 4: Lourmarin and Aix-en-Provence
Cross the Luberon to Lourmarin, one of the prettiest villages in Provence, then continue to Aix-en-Provence. Stroll the Cours Mirabeau, browse the market and try calissons, the city's almond sweets. Spend the night in Aix.
Day 5: Cassis and the Calanques, then drive to Nice
Drive 45 minutes to Cassis and take a boat trip into the Calanques, the turquoise coves between Cassis and Marseille. Have lunch by the harbour, then drive about two hours along the motorway to Nice. Drop your hire car in Nice: you won't need it on the Riviera.
Day 6: Nice
Start at the Cours Saleya market, get lost in the lanes of Vieux Nice and climb Castle Hill for the view over the Baie des Anges. Eat socca for lunch, spend the afternoon on the beach or at the Matisse Museum, and walk the Promenade des Anglais at sunset.
Day 7: Villefranche, Èze and Monaco
Take the coastal train to Villefranche-sur-Mer for a morning swim, then the bus up to the medieval village of Èze. Continue to Monaco for the Prince's Palace, the Oceanographic Museum and the Monte-Carlo Casino square, and take the train back to Nice in the evening.
Booking this route? Hotels in the Luberon and Nice fill up first for June to September. Compare flights and hotels for your dates.
Extending to 10 days in the south of France
- Day 8: Antibes and Cannes. The old town and Picasso Museum in Antibes, then the Croisette in Cannes, both easy by train from Nice.
- Day 9: Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Menton. An art-filled hill village with the Fondation Maeght, or the pastel old town and gardens of Menton on the Italian border.
- Day 10: A slow day in Nice. A beach morning, a last market and a long lunch before your flight.
- Alternative: add the Gorges du Verdon between Aix and the coast if you love nature, or a day in Marseille after Cassis.
Getting around the south of France
Car: essential in Provence for the villages and the countryside. Hire it in Avignon and return it in Nice; one-way rentals usually cost extra, so compare prices early.
Train: TGV trains link Paris with Avignon (about 2h40), Aix-en-Provence, Marseille and Nice (about 5h40). On the Riviera, the regional TER coastal line connects Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Villefranche, Monaco and Menton.
Flying: Nice and Marseille have the main airports. Flying into Marseille and out of Nice fits this route perfectly.
Where to stay on your South of France itinerary
Avignon (2 nights): stay inside the city walls so you can walk everywhere.
The Luberon (1 night): a village hotel or farmhouse around Gordes, Bonnieux or Lourmarin.
Aix-en-Provence (1 night): the old town, near the Cours Mirabeau.
Nice (3 nights): the Carré d'Or or Vieux Nice. Compare the areas in our guide to where to stay in Nice, and check prices on our hotel search.
South of France itinerary: FAQ
How many days do you need in the south of France?
Seven days is enough for the highlights of Provence and the French Riviera. With 10 days, you can add Antibes, Cannes and a hill village without rushing. If you only have 4 or 5 days, choose one area: Provence or the Riviera.
Do you need a car for a South of France road trip?
For Provence, yes: the villages, the Luberon and the lavender fields are hard to reach without one. On the Riviera, a car is more trouble than it's worth, because the coastal trains are frequent and parking is expensive.
Can you do the south of France by train only?
Partly. Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Cassis and all the Riviera towns have train stations. You'll miss the Luberon villages and the lavender unless you add a guided day tour from Avignon or Aix.
Should I start in Provence or on the Riviera?
Either works, but starting in Provence and ending in Nice is easiest: the TGV from Paris reaches Avignon in under 3 hours, and Nice airport has the most international flights for the journey home.
Ready for your South of France road trip?
Book your train to Avignon, your hire car and your hotels early, especially for June to September.
Need more detail? Read our Provence travel guide and the French Riviera travel guide.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Gordes by Elliott Brown (CC BY 2.0); Avignon by Txllxt TxllxT (CC BY-SA 4.0); Sénanque Abbey by Jean-Pierre Roger (CC BY-SA 3.0); Aix-en-Provence by Georges Seguin (CC BY-SA 3.0); Calanque d'En-Vau by kallerna (CC BY-SA 4.0); Nice by Lspigon (public domain); Èze by avu-edm (CC BY 3.0).
