Provence

Rick's overview of Provence is here: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/provence

I like Arles and would leave at least one day to investigating old town Arles. Avignon is easy to reach by train (~30 minutes) and deserves a day as does Nimes just make sure your trains from Arles to Nimes is direct.

Both Arles and Nimes have intact Roman arenas and Nimes museum is great to visit.
My favorite small, chic town in the area is Saint-Rémy-de-Provence which is reachable by bus. St Remy has an amazing market day - Van Gogh asylum visit and Gallo/Greek/Roman ruins next door at Glanum. Les Baux-de-Provence is a great visit but it is a remote and reachable by bus from St Remy.
Pont du Gard the huge Roman aqueduct ruin and museum is also a possibility.

If you can hit market day in one or more Provencial towns it is worth the experience.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

Thank you, where can we see the lavender?

Lavender is everywhere in Provence but it blooms at different times based on rain, altitude and sunshine.

Here is a pretty good guide using this year's data:
https://www.farmstayplanet.com/farm-stay-rural-travel-guides/france/lavender-provence/

Just like any agricultural product you will need to get out of town to see where it is grown. August is getting a little late so some local knowledge will go a long way so maybe a tour is the best idea. See if there's someone to arrange transport and field selection for you. Otherwise you can rent a car - Avignon TGV station is a popular spot - and head off to find it yourself. Distances are really pretty short in Provence - it would take you less than an hour to get from Avignon TGV to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in the Luberon.

I think Rick has a Lavender trail drive but I know a popular on is from Vaison-la-Romaine through the hills to Apt.

Hope that helps,
=Tod

As a current guide in Provence, I second all of Tod’s itinerary suggestions. Please be aware that there will be NO lavender in August in most of Provence. With summer temperatures consistently climbing, the “season” is peaking earlier and earlier. One can still possibly find a standing field in Sault (higher slopes of the Albion ridge near Ventoux) or in the Drome department. In fact, Sault has a spectacular lavender festival and market in mid-August every year. In 2025, it was on the 15th. The dates haven’t been posted for 2026.

You can also visit the lavender museum in Cabrières-d'Avignon and many local markets throughout Provence will be showcasing recently harvested lavender and their associated products.

Hope this helps!

Please be aware that there will be NO lavender in August in most of Provence. With summer temperatures consistently climbing, the “season” is peaking earlier and earlier. One can still possibly find a standing field in Sault (higher slopes of the Albion ridge near Ventoux) or in the Drome department

And whatever is left in early August typically won't be very vibrant. I drove through the fields around Ferrassières (the highest, latest fields to bloom) on, I think, Aug 1 or Aug 2 a couple of years ago and it was a bit disappointing, with colors starting to get quite muted wherever wasn't already harvested. There were also a few fields here and there in the Baronnies but nothing that impressive.

Hello,
I am also traveling for 5 days and here is my plan from Avignon in September:
1-Arles day trip with train
2-Nimes , Uzes, Pont du Guard with minivan tour from Avignon
3-IIsle le Sorgue day trip, market
4-Chateau du Pope
5-Luberon villages mini van tour out of Avignon

Enjoy!

I enjoyed Orange very much and it has a stunning, highly intact Roman theatre......I've been to the arenas in both Arles and Nimes as well and I think Orange is the most interesting (not that the arenas in Arles and Nimes aren't lovely too). Vaison-la-Romaine is an easy bus ride from Orange and boasts two incredible sites of Roman ruins, as well as a beautiful, medieval upper town. It was easily my favourite place in Provence.