Day 1 - Arrive in Avignon
Base yourself in Avignon inside the medieval walls. Morning at the Palais des Papes and the Pont d'Avignon. Walk the ramparts and the Place de l'Horloge. Afternoon in the Rocher des Doms gardens above the Rhone. Evening at a riverside table for ratatouille and a rose from the Cotes du Rhone. Sleep in the old town to keep walking short.
Day 2 - Luberon villages
Drive east into the Luberon. Morning in Gordes perched on its cliff, then the Abbaye de Senanque among lavender. Afternoon in Roussillon with its ochre cliffs and the Sentier des Ocres. Evening market in Bonnieux for goat cheese and bread. Dinner at a village auberge with grilled lamb and local white wine under the plane trees.
Day 3 - Arles and Les Baux
Head south to Arles, walking the Roman amphitheater and the Place du Forum. Afternoon at Les Baux-de-Provence fortress and the Carrieres de Lumieres light show. Stop in Saint-Remy for Van Gogh sites. Evening in a courtyard restaurant for bouillabaisse or aioli. Return north through vineyard country as the light turns gold.
Day 4 - Aix and the coast
Morning in Aix-en-Provence along the Cours Mirabeau and its fountains. Browse the morning market for calissons and olives. Afternoon drive to Cassis for a boat toward the Calanques or a swim. Evening seafood dinner on the port with a crisp Bandol. Stay near Aix or drive back to Avignon before dark.
Day 5 - Markets and departure
Spend the morning at a Provencal market such as Isle-sur-la-Sorgue with antiques and produce. Buy lavender honey and soap as souvenirs. A final lunch of tapenade, melon, and ham before the train or airport. Keep the afternoon light so you can reach Marseille or Avignon station comfortably. Dinner near the station if your departure is late.
Daily food picks
Eat the market first. Mornings mean croissants, melon, and fresh figs. Lunch is tapenade, olive bread, and a picnic of cheese and charcuterie. Dinner centers on ratatouille, grilled lamb, or seafood with regional rose. Try calissons in Aix and lavender honey on yogurt. A village bakery and a cave for wine cover most cravings cheaply.
Getting around & budget
A rental car is essential for the villages and coast. Stay in Avignon or Aix as hubs. Fuel and parking are cheap off-season. Budget 110 to 170 euros daily with a mid-range hotel and restaurant dinners. Summer peaks; spring and early autumn bring lavender and lower prices. Markets are free and the best value meals.
