10 of the prettiest Provence villages worth travelling for this summer

Picturesque hilltop village of Gordes, located in the Luberon valley of Provence, France

For more French travel inspiration, check out our guide to the best French food trips and the best hotels in Paris.

10 of the prettiest Provence villages to visit

St Paul de Vence

Situated 25 minutes by car from Nice, the cobbled medieval streets of Saint-Paul-de-Vence have been attracting legions of artists, writers and gastronomy lovers for centuries. This picture-perfect village is surrounded by 16^th century ramparts, with incredible views overlooking the French Riviera from all angles.

La Colombe d’Or is its most iconic culinary establishment – a historic hotel filled with paintings by Picasso and Matisse, who’s chic terrace serves up a menu of Provençal classics executed with panache. Think fresh Niçois hors d’oeuvres, perfectly grilled fish with aioli, and local roasted chicken with gratin dauphinois. Le Tilleul is a more relaxed, well-loved bistro just inside the village gates, serving up an all-day menu of artisanal pastas, seasonal salads and a tea-room menu of delicious crepes and patisserie. Finally, Le Fromager de St Paul is a charming, picturesque spot with an aperitif terrace where you can pick up local artisan cheeses, mountain honeys, saucisson and organic wines to take away.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a old historic village in France.

Èze

The stunning village of Èze (20 minutes along the coast on the train from Nice) is one of the most unique in Provence as it’s split across two levels – with medieval Èze-Village high up in the hills and Èze-sur-Mer situated along the sea. Its steep stone pathways are excellent for walking, with lots of bijou bistros to discover along the way.

Its most famous culinary institution is the two-Michelin starred La Chèvre d’Or – established in 1953 and today headed up by Chef Tom Meyer. The tasting menu features high French gastronomy at its most intricately refined, showcasing ingredients like fermented cherries, veal sweetbreads, fresh pike eggs and Andaliman pepper.

Deli' – near the Jardin Exotique – is a brilliant spot for a casual lunch, serving up generously filled baguettes and fresh pizza served alongside tastings of local olive oils. Away from the bustle of tourists is La Campagne, which has a welcoming rustic terrace and specialises in Corsican and Mediterranean dishes that are wood-fire grilled and made with fresh seasonal produce.

Sainte Agnes

The accolade of being the ‘highest coastal village in Europe’ gives Sainte Agnes a unique edge when it comes to culinary offerings – blending rustic mountainous flavours with influences from the Mediterranean. Located 800m high, its labyrinth of stone streets and balcony views across the lime-stone cliffs of the Med are dramatically beautiful to behold.

A 20-minute drive up the winding roads from Menton, traditional dishes from the area include rich mountain-game stews made with rabbit or wild boar and herbs, Swiss chard pies, and sweet tarts filled with local blueberries or figs. Le Righi, near the Maginot Fort, has the best panoramic views in the area, with a menu of dishes like roasted suckling pig, pasta with beef stew, baked trout and zingy lemon tarts. Another great option is the family run Le Saint Yves, whose generously plated menu includes local country pates, homemade courgette pies and a lavender scented crème brûlée.

Les Baux de Provence

Nestled in the heart of the Alpilles, 1 hour from Marseille, the stunning rural village of Les Baux de Provence is rooted to the world of gastronomy. This is primarily thanks to its prestigious AOP protected olive oil which is cold pressed for 24 hours and has an intense, grassy peppery flavour, along with other specialities like artichokes à la barigoule and local honeys.

Le Petit Rocher is a relaxed bistro in the old village that’s carved into the rocks, whose kitchen follows the rhythm of the seasons. Their menu includes Charolais beef, lamb from the Alpilles, organic ice creams and local wines from Vallée des Baux. The romantically cosy Une Table Au Soleil serves up a menu of ingredients sourced within 50km of the village – cooked up into dishes like rack of lamb, stuffed squid and fresh apple tart.

Or for something more fancy, the bucolic L'Oustau de Baumanière is a three-Michelin star restaurant serving up an avant garde 10 course menu using hyper local ingredients in a historic Provençal farmhouse setting.

Colorful doors on shops inside the medieval old town of Les-Baux-de-Provence in the Alpilles mountains of Southern France.

Lourmarin

One of the prettiest of the Luberon region’s villages, Lourmarin is often cited as being one of the most beautiful in France and is famous for its mix of rustic Provençal traditions with sophisticated contemporary flair. Just under 1 hour from Marseille, locals from across the region travel for its renowned Friday morning market in Boulevard du Rayol and Place Henri Barthélemy, which has seasonal produce in abundance. Browse sun-ripened melons, Cavaillon strawberries, goat cheeses and salty tapenades.

Le Champ des Lunes is Lourmarin's must-visit restaurant known for its creative cuisine that uses produce from their restaurant garden. Think pigeon with rosemary, coffee-encrusted fish with Jerusalem artichokes, and candied carrot millefeuille’s for dessert. The more relaxed Le Comptoir serves up a daily changing menu that’s based on the freshest produce of the days harvest, including platters of Corsican charcuterie, Provençal classics like duck confit, and salads filled with wild aromatic herbs and cheeses. Don’t miss La Maison du Gibassier bakery, famous for its firm shortbread made with French olive oil.

Square with tourists sitting on terraces in Lourmarin, Provence, France

Gordes

The hilltop village of Gordes – situated 1hr 20mins from Marseille – is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful villages in the world. With its high altitude and limestone soil, the village is renowned for its winter truffles, Banon goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves and local honeys, all proudly for sale at Gordes Tuesday market, set amidst the village’s renaissance castle.

For an authentic taste of the region, try La Trinquette which serves up a modern take on traditional dishes – like their crab and red snapper ravioli, tender lamb chops, stuffed aubergines and well-soaked rum baba. Alternatively, the daily fixed menus at the family-run Restaurant L'Outsider includes inventive dishes like smoked salmon and leek "crème brûlée", slow cooked lamb with rosemary and a triple chocolate fondant.

Don’t leave without picking up olive breads, speciality cuculine loaves, orange-blossom scented brioche or strawberry tarts from Le Fournil de Mamie Jeanne – the best artisanal bakery in the village.

Gordes, Provence, France, Spring, Valley of Luberon. One of the most beautiful villages in France

Ramatuelle

Just 15 mins from St Tropez, the village of Ramatuelle mixes rustic Provençal tranquillity with full-on sandy coastal luxury. One of the culinary highlights of the village is Chez Camille, famous for its signature wood-fired bouillabaisse cooked to a family recipe that dates back to 1953. Other menu highlights include their lobster linguine, Provençal calamari and pavlova aux fruits rouges.

For a more refined taste of the regions terroir, La Voile serves up the option of a ‘Tout Légumes’ tasting menu featuring dishes like beef heart tomatoes with burrata, saltwater cooked beetroot with cherry chutney and even garden inspired desserts that feature celery.

For something more relaxed, but equally refined, head to Saveurs Sincères – a family run establishment that offers the choice of either cozy interior rooms or a stone terrace patio. Their rotating chalk board menu includes dishes like traditional pork meatballs with sage, stuffed squid with prawns and mussels and peanut-praline ganache pie.

Ramatuelle, France - 06/14/2016 : The tiny place Gabriel Péri, lined with small Provençal houses, and flowered by some shrubs in bloom ... on the left, an iron staircase goes up to the first floor of a house.

Gassin

One of the most noticeable landmarks in the medieval village of Gassin, 10 minutes from St Tropez, is Place deï Barri – a beautiful scenic square filled with shaded restaurant terraces and stone architecture. The popular Le Pescadou has a surf-and-turf menu with dishes like filleted Mediterranean seabass with sauce vierge, and hand cut steak tartar with summer truffles.

After taking a stroll around its narrow-cobbled streets, (including L'Androuno, one of the narrowest streets in the world), check out Gassin market which specialises in sun-ripened tomatoes, artisanal jams and house-made anchovy purées. Alternatively, head to the family-run La Verdoyante who’s shaded terrace with panoramic views is one of the loveliest spots in the village. They serve of a menu of southern gastronomy, with dishes like lamb quasi with herb panisse, vol au vents with mushroom and asparagus, and a molten moelleux au chocolat served with banana ice-cream.

Some Street signs of the Golfe de St Tropez in South East of France. It was in a little village called Gassin . It was a sunny day in September

Le Casstellet

The fortified medieval village of Le Casstellet – 45 minutes from Marseille – balances pastoral Provençal traditions with ultra-luxurious gastronomy, perched above the Bandol AOC vineyards that surround it with timeless views on all sides.

Its Saturday morning market is famous for it’s Cadière d'Azur goat cheese and Beausset saffron which come directly from producers, along with anchoïade dips and fougasse breads. The village has many terraced cafés and restaurants which celebrate the finest produce and wines of the region, such as La Farigoule which is known for its wood-fired cooking. The menu includes dishes like rabbit terrines, whole grilled fresh mullet, and a trio of crème brûlée.

For something ultra-refined, head to the 3-starred La Table du Castellet headed up by chef Fabien Ferré, where the multi-course tasting menu includes dishes like: squid and marjoram, velvet crab soup, lamb with anchovy, and a cheese-trolley which has an extra-special selection of matured regional cheese from across France.

Le Castelet is a feudal village perched on a promontory in the Provence region.

Tourettes sur Loup

Also known as ‘The City of Violets’, Tourettes sur Loup – situated 40 minutes from Nice – is an artistic village perched on a rocky spur, filled with quaint vaulted passages, some excellent food and lots of galleries that sell the local speciality violet ice-cream.

The refined menu at Le Bistrot Gourmand Clovis offers something a little different – focussing in on one seasonal ingredient, with menu options built around that speciality – be it St Jaque scallops, Bresse poultry or Provençal green asparagus.

The charming Le Petit Tourrettan has a ‘home-cooked’ feel and menu of soulful dishes like stuffed petit farcis, octopus with chorizo and classic tarte tatin. And don’t leave without making a visit to Confiserie Florian, where you can sample and buy speciality violet scented chocolates and even violet jams.