Towns & Villages in Provence

Châteauneuf du Pape lies in the heart of the Vaucluse region, 19km to the north of Avignon and 10km south of Orange. It is of course, most famous for the wine it produces, but the village itself is also worth a trip, with its pretty medieval lanes and ruined castle.

Saorge is a wonderful medieval village perched high on a rock overlooking the magnificent Gorges de Saorge and the Vallée de la Roya; it's classed as one of the 40 most beautiful villages in France.

Port-Grimaud is a purpose built Venetian-style Provençal village that looks as if it has been there for centuries. In the sixties Alsatian-born architect François Spoerry bought a large piece of swamp by the coast and over four years created one of the most successful property developments in France.

In summer there is no better place to enjoy the lush flowers of the bougainvillea, plumbago or oleander than in the pretty village of Grimaud. Close to the Mediterranean sea on the first hilltop before the Massif des Maures, Grimaud sits there with a cocky attitude that says: we've been here for ages and that's the way it's going to be for centuries to come.

The home of AOC Rasteau wines, the village of Rasteau is tiny and can be covered quite easily in an hour's walk.

A sweet village sitting in the Dentelles de Montmirail hills just to the south of Vaison la Romaine. The medieval lanes are full of cobbled squares, winding steps, and ancient stone mansions.

Caumont sur Durance lies midway between Avignon and Cavaillon on a small plain near the Durance river. 

Best known for its 12th century bridge with 19 arches, Pont St Esprit sits by the Rhône as it starts its journey through Provence.

Moneiux is located at the top of the Gorges de la Nesque, an impressive natural feature scoured into the limestone rocks of the Vaucluse plateau. 

Vaison la Romaine has it all, Roman ruins, a historic and delightful medieval town centre, a castle on a rock, arts festivals, wonderful vineyards and glorious countryside for hiking and biking.

Named for being a station on the salt route in Roman times, Salon de Provence is a main town in the Bouches de Rhône region.

Biot is a lovely picturesque old town located up in the hills of Antibes. This medieval town is full of culture, history and art.

A busy market town of 30,000 inhabitants, Carpentras sits on the fertile plain of Comtat Venassin that is protected from the elements - in particular from the Mistral wind.

Sault is not only an attractive place to visit in its own right, but it's also a great place for cyclists to base themselves as it lies just to the south east of Mont Ventoux.

You can't fail to miss Mornas as you drive down the motorway into the Vaucluse region. As the cliffs rise up to your left you can see the imposing fortress perched on top, overlooking the town below. 

This little hilltop village is surrounded by around 1,300 hectares of vineyards, the reason that most people may have come across its name.

Villecroze is an attractive village in the foothills of the Alps, to the north of Brignoles in the beautiful and lush region of the Var.

The old village of Oppede is filled with cobbled streets and dates back to around the 12th century.