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Road trip in Provence from Marseille

Traveling from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean connects two regions of France with strong identities, separated by distance but united by the same cultural richness: Brittany and the South. From Brest, you can plan a road trip to Provence, with Marseille as the ideal gateway to the southern lifestyle, before immersing yourself in the beautiful region of Marcel Pagnol.

A sensory experience

Leaving the North for the South is not just a change of latitude, it is feeling an almost physical shift between the brighter light, the warmer air, and the days that seem to stretch out. A change of pace and relationship with time that is noticeable as soon as you land on the Brest-Marseille flight.
Sunny, popular, and cosmopolitan, the Phocaean city is worth lingering in before heading to Provence. From the Old Port to the Panier district, from the colorful stalls of the Noailles market to the contemporary lines of the Mucem, France's second largest city (in terms of population) is a distillation of the Mediterranean art of living, where people take the time to stroll, share a coffee on a terrace, and gaze out at the sea.

The perfect starting point before heading into inland Provence for a gourmet road trip, Marseille offers quick access to the Aix region, the Luberon, the Alpilles, and the Camargue.

A provencal journey through heritage, gastronomy, and culture

The first natural stop is Aix-en-Provence. Culture lovers can visit Cézanne's studio, while strollers can admire the mansions lining the Cours Mirabeau.
Gourmets, after working up an appetite strolling through its many markets, will enjoy sampling the refined Provençal cuisine, seated peacefully in front of a pretty fountain in the shade of the plane trees. For a post-lunch stroll, they can also immerse themselves in the narrow streets of the heart of this city of art and history, renowned for its elegance.

As you continue towards the Luberon, the landscape changes. The hilltop villages of Gordes, Roussillon, and Ménerbes reveal a mineral and luminous Provence. Between abbeys, castles, and listed landscapes, the heritage reveals itself as you travel along paths lined with dry stone walls and houses with preserved vernacular architecture. 
Here, the art of living rhymes with slowness: bookshops, farmers' markets, artisans' workshops (especially ceramists) and art galleries can be discovered between two contemplative breaks in front of the ochre cliffs or lavender fields.

Further south, the Alpilles reveal another facet of this ancient territory in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, you can walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh (it was here that the Dutch painter created The Starry Night, one of the most famous works of art in the world), while the ancient site of Glanum reminds us of the age of this land, which has been inhabited for thousands of years. Oil mills, farmhouses, and local restaurants celebrate a gastronomy rooted in tradition.

Finally, the Camargue concludes this journey by offering a bridge between the past and the present and an immersion in vast, unspoiled spaces. 
In Arles, Roman heritage dialogues with contemporary creation, with the ancient amphitheater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, coexisting with the LUMA Foundation and its atypical tower designed by architect Frank Gehry.

At the same time, the Camargue invites visitors to contemplate nature, with its 150,000 hectares of wetlands home to many plant and animal species, such as its famous pink flamingos. And of course, it's impossible to leave this rich destination without enjoying the Camargue traditions associated with horses and bulls raised in freedom on its plains (herds, races, horse riding, etc.).

Rolling vineyards, olive groves reminiscent of neighboring Italy, pine forests, lavender fields... Provence is the ideal setting for a road trip dedicated to the good life.

And the itinerary is full of inspiring stops, including the cities of Avignon, Saint-Tropez, Antibes, and Hyères, which can be explored at any time of year.


Valérie from Comme des Français

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