Villas in Provence
Inland Provence of olive groves, vineyards and stone hill villages, where a villa week runs on market mornings, long lunches on the terrace and a swim before dinner, based among the limestone ridges of the Alpilles or the hilltop villages of the Luberon.
Why Choose Provence for a Luxury Villa Holiday?
Pale limestone ridges rise above olive groves in one corner of inland Provence. In the other, stone villages sit on hilltops, looking across vineyards to the bare summit of Mont Ventoux. This is a place for slow weeks: market mornings, long lunches in the shade and a swim before dinner, with summers that are long, hot and dry. Our villas are concentrated in two areas of countryside. The Alpilles is a compact range around Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Eygalières and Maussane-les-Alpilles, where restaurants and markets are rarely more than a few minutes away. The Luberon is a larger regional natural park of hill villages such as Gordes, Ménerbes and Bonnieux, and it feels wilder and more spread out. Aix-en-Provence and Avignon are close enough for a day of city culture, and the coast around Marseille and Cassis makes an easy day out.
A villa here usually means a restored stone mas or bastide among olives and vines, with a shaded terrace, a private pool and grounds large enough for several generations to spread out. Food sets the pace. Market produce, Vallée des Baux olive oil and Luberon wine make cooking at the villa a pleasure, and many guests book a private chef for at least one dinner outdoors.
On a first visit we usually suggest the Alpilles if you want things close at hand and the Luberon if you want space. Couples who like to stroll out for an aperitif should look at farmhouses within walking distance of village cafés.
DESTINATIONS
Choose Your Area in Provence
38 VILLAS
Alpilles
The Alpilles pair limestone ridges with olive groves, vineyards and honey-coloured villages. Villa stays centre on St Remy and Eygalieres, with Les Baux close by. Days tend to mean market mornings, cycling or walking, long lunches by the pool, and a game of petanque as the light softens.
35 VILLAS
Luberon
The Luberon is a patchwork of vineyards, lavender fields and honey-stone hilltop villages, with Gordes and Bonnieux at its heart. Villas here tend to come with pools, petanque courts and long views, while market mornings, cycling lanes and long lunches set an easy, sociable pace.
11 VILLAS
Gordes
Gordes stacks its honey-coloured stone houses up a hillside above the Luberon valley, crowned by a Renaissance château. Lavender typically fills the fields at Sénanque Abbey in early summer, the Tuesday market keeps mornings busy, and villas here come with long views and quiet pools.
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Best Time to Visit Provence
Temperature units
Late May, June and September are the months we would pick for a villa stay. They are warm enough for the pool, the evenings are long and the village lanes are calmer. July and August are typically the hottest and busiest months, and villa rates peak then, so book well ahead. Autumn tends to bring the heaviest rain, mostly in October and November. The mistral, a cold, clear north wind, can blow at any time of year.
Historical averages for this area over the past 10 years: typical high and low temperatures, total monthly rainfall and peak wind speed. Conditions vary from year to year.
Spring (March-May)
Average highs usually climb from about 16°C in March to around 23°C by May. Showers are common, and the mistral can bring cool, very clear days. Almond blossom gives way to cherry orchards in the Luberon, and by May the roadsides around the Alpilles are red with poppies. The villages stay calm apart from Easter, when Arles holds its Feria de Pâques. On Whit Monday, thousands of sheep walk through Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for the Fête de la Transhumance. In the Camargue, migrating birds join the resident flamingos. Spring suits walkers, cyclists and couples.
Summer (June-August)
This is peak season. Highs typically run from about 29°C in June to around 32°C in July and August, and July is usually the driest month. The lavender generally flowers between late June and mid-July around Sault, the Valensole plateau and the Abbaye de Sénanque near Gordes. July is festival month in Avignon, Orange and Arles. Families split their days between the pool and trips to Cassis or the Camargue beaches. The evenings belong to village markets and dinner outside.
Autumn (September-November)
September is one of the most popular months, with highs averaging around 26°C and the sea near Cassis usually still warm enough for swimming. The grape harvest runs across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Côtes du Luberon and the Les Baux-de-Provence appellation, and many estates open for tastings. October is generally the wettest month. In November the olive mills around Maussane-les-Alpilles and Mouriès start pressing the new oil. Fewer visitors make this the season for Mont Ventoux, the Luberon loop and the Alpilles ridges. We think both areas are at their best in early autumn.
Winter (December-February)
Winter is cool and often bright. Highs average about 10°C to 13°C, and nights can be cold. Christmas brings santon fairs, including the Foire aux Santons in Marseille, the thirteen desserts on Christmas Eve and the shepherds' midnight mass in Les Baux-de-Provence. Truffle markets generally run from November to March, in Carpentras on Fridays and in Richerenches on Saturdays. Golf carries on, and the cities make good day trips. The small Mont Serein ski area on Mont Ventoux and the Southern Alps resorts are within driving distance. Some restaurants close for the season, so plan a quieter villa stay with spa visits.
Month-by-Month Guide
| Month | Best for | Where to stay |
|---|---|---|
| January | Truffle markets in Carpentras, city days in Aix and Avignon, quiet countryside | Luberon, Aix-en-Provence |
| February | First almond blossom, winter walks, golf, gastronomy | Alpilles, Luberon |
| March | Cycling, blossom, quiet villages | Luberon, Alpilles |
| April | Easter breaks, walking, the Feria de Pâques in Arles | Alpilles, Luberon |
| May | Hiking, cycling, wildflowers, the Transhumance, Camargue birdlife | Saint-Rémy, Alpilles |
| June | Family villa holidays, early lavender around Sault, wine estates | Luberon, Alpilles |
| July | Lavender, the Avignon and Orange festivals, pool days, trips to Cassis | Luberon, Alpilles |
| August | Family holidays, the warmest sea, days in the Calanques, evening markets | Alpilles, Luberon |
| September | Grape harvest in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, cycling, couples, sea swimming | Luberon, Alpilles |
| October | Wine tasting, autumn colour, food, the Carrières des Lumières on wet days | Luberon, Aix-en-Provence |
| November | Olive pressing in Maussane and Mouriès, first truffles in Carpentras | Maussane-les-Alpilles, Alpilles |
| December | Santon fairs in Marseille, Christmas traditions, wellness | Les Baux-de-Provence, Aix-en-Provence |
Seasonal Highlights
- February-March: almond and then cherry blossom in the Luberon
- Whit Monday: the Fête de la Transhumance in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
- Late June-mid-July: lavender around Sault, Valensole and the Abbaye de Sénanque
- July: the Festival d'Avignon, the Chorégies d'Orange and Les Rencontres d'Arles
- September: harvest tastings in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Luberon
- November-March: new-season olive oil in the Alpilles and truffle markets in Carpentras and Richerenches
Concierge Travel Guide to Provence
The villa country lies inland, with the Alpilles to the west, the Luberon to the east and Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille around the edges. Marseille Provence Airport is the main gateway. It has direct flights from across Europe and connections via hubs such as Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Istanbul, and both areas are roughly an hour's drive away. Nice Côte d'Azur Airport has more long-haul routes, including some from North America and the Middle East, but it adds a drive of around two and a half to three hours. TGV trains link Paris with Avignon and Aix-en-Provence in about three hours. Whichever way you arrive, you will need a hire car.
Where to Eat
L'Oustau de Baumanière, at the foot of Les Baux-de-Provence, is the Michelin-starred landmark of the Alpilles. Le Petit Nice in Marseille is known for Gérald Passédat's seafood cooking. Day-to-day cooking is simpler and seasonal, built on tomatoes, herbs, garlic and lamb, and finished with Vallée des Baux olive oil, which has its own protected designation. This is serious wine country, with Les Baux-de-Provence and Luberon reds, whites and rosés alongside Côtes de Provence rosé. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just north of Avignon, is an easy day trip from either area. Winter adds black truffles, sold at the markets described in Best Time to Visit.
Markets
The weekly markets set the rhythm of a stay: Saint-Rémy on Wednesdays, Lourmarin on Fridays and Apt on Saturdays. On Sundays it is L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a canal town where antiques dealers set up alongside the produce stalls. Arrive early for the best produce and the easiest parking.
Beaches
Cassis and the Calanques National Park are usually an hour to 90 minutes' drive from either area. The park's limestone coves, among them En-Vau, Port-Pin and Sugiton, are good for kayaking and paddleboarding, and boat trips leave from Cassis harbour. Access is sometimes restricted in summer because of fire risk, so check before you set off. From the Alpilles, the wild beaches of the Camargue near Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer take about as long to reach and feel very different. Pampelonne, near Saint-Tropez in the Var, has the best-known beach clubs. It works better as an overnight stay or as the last stop on a longer trip to the South of France.
Things to Do
Walking and cycling are the main draws. Marked trails cross the Alpilles ridge and the Luberon hills, quiet lanes link Lourmarin, Bonnieux and Ménerbes, and the Luberon loop is a classic cycling circuit. Experienced cyclists take on Mont Ventoux, one of the Tour de France's best-known climbs. You can also canoe on the Sorgue, ride horses in the Camargue or take a hot-air balloon over the Luberon at dawn.
Golf
Golf de Servanes in Mouriès is the home course of the Alpilles. Pont Royal, near Mallemort, was designed by Seve Ballesteros and sits between the Alpilles and the Luberon. Terre Blanche in the Var is a resort with two championship courses and makes a good one-night stop on the way to the coast.
With Children
Wave Island waterpark and Spirou Parc are both at Monteux, near Carpentras. In the Camargue, the Pont de Gau bird park gives children a close look at the flamingos. The ochre trails around Roussillon and the Colorado Provençal at Rustrel are easy family walks, best done in the morning in high summer. At the Carrières des Lumières in Les Baux, art is projected onto the walls of an old quarry, which makes it a good plan for a rainy day.
Culture and History
Avignon's Palais des Papes and the Roman amphitheatre in Arles are the big historic sights. Arles also has the LUMA Arles arts centre, and in Aix-en-Provence you can visit Cézanne's studio. Near Saint-Rémy are the ruins of Glanum and Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, where Van Gogh stayed. The Pont du Gard and Nîmes are an easy drive west of the Alpilles. Summer brings the Festival d'Avignon, the Festival d'Aix opera season, the Chorégies d'Orange and the Rencontres d'Arles photography festival.
What We Can Arrange
Our concierge team can often arrange a private chef for a long dinner on the terrace, or vineyard visits and tastings during your stay. Ask early for July and August.
Find Your Perfect Villa in Provence
Choosing between the two areas shapes the week more than any single villa feature. In the Alpilles, distances are short and Saint-Rémy or Eygalières is rarely more than a few minutes' drive away. In the Luberon, drives between villages take longer, the houses tend to sit in more open countryside and the views are wider. Our 78 villas are almost all farmhouses and bastides in these two areas, with a handful around Maussane-les-Alpilles and Aix-en-Provence.
| Traveller type | Where to stay | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Families | Alpilles | Short drives, many houses within walking distance of Saint-Rémy, and pools and pétanque courts as standard. |
| Couples | Luberon | Quiet stone houses close to Gordes, Lacoste and Goult. |
| Large groups | Luberon, Alpilles | Estates with up to 11 or 12 bedrooms, some spread across separate houses. |
| Food lovers | Alpilles, Luberon | Vallée des Baux olive oil, Saint-Rémy's Wednesday market and the Sunday market at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. |
| Walkers and cyclists | Luberon | Marked hill trails, the Luberon loop and Mont Ventoux on the horizon. |
| Golf | Alpilles | Golf de Servanes at Mouriès, with Pont Royal and Avignon's courses within easy reach. |
| Beach lovers | Alpilles | The Camargue beaches are about an hour away, and the Var coast lies further east. |
| Wellness | Luberon | Peaceful countryside, walking trails and some villas with spa access. |
| Luxury escapes | Gordes, Eygalières | The grandest bastides, looking across the hills to Mont Ventoux. |
Almost every house has a fully equipped kitchen and space for outdoor dining. Most have a private pool with sun loungers, and many add a pétanque court and a pool house. Weekly linen changes and end-of-stay cleaning are usually included, and most villas are let for a minimum of seven nights. If you want to stroll to dinner, start with our villas within walking distance of town. Otherwise, choose a house for the views across the Luberon and Alpilles, or an 18th-century mas from our historic properties. Active families should look at the estates with a private tennis court. Timing matters as much as the area, so check Best Time to Visit before you fix dates.