Provence, the sun-drenched region of southeastern France, embodies the romantic ideal of French countryside living. With its rolling lavender fields, ancient Roman ruins, medieval hilltop villages, world-class vineyards, and vibrant markets bursting with local produce, Provence offers an enchanting blend of natural beauty, rich history, and authentic French culture. While tour buses rush through highlights and independent travel requires complex logistics, a private Provence tour allows you to experience the region’s treasures at your own pace, with expert guidance and the flexibility to discover both famous landmarks and hidden gems that make Provence truly magical.
Why Choose a Private Tour of Provence
Provence is best experienced slowly and personally. The region’s charm lies not just in major attractions but in unexpected discoveries—a perfect café in a quiet square, a local artisan’s workshop, a viewpoint offering breathtaking vistas, or a family-run vineyard producing exceptional wine. Private tours enable these authentic experiences while ensuring you don’t miss the must-see destinations.
BKD Driver’s private Provence tours combine luxury Mercedes transportation, knowledgeable local expertise, and complete flexibility. Your experienced chauffeur-guide knows the region intimately, understands the best times to visit popular sites to avoid crowds, and can adapt your itinerary based on your interests, energy levels, and discoveries along the way.
Essential Provence Destinations
Avignon: The City of Popes
Avignon, Provence’s historic capital, offers a perfect starting point for your private tour. This UNESCO World Heritage city combines monumental architecture, vibrant culture, and an authentic Provençal atmosphere.
Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes): The largest Gothic palace in the world, this imposing fortress-palace served as the papal residence during the 14th century when popes fled Rome’s political turmoil. The massive structure towers over Avignon, offering magnificent views from its towers and featuring remarkably preserved medieval architecture and frescoes.
A private tour allows you to explore the palace at your preferred pace, spending time in sections that interest you most without rushing through with tour groups.
Pont d’Avignon (Pont Saint-Bénézet): The famous bridge immortalized in the French children’s song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon” originally spanned the Rhône River with 22 arches. Today, only four arches remain, creating a picturesque sight that defines Avignon’s silhouette. The bridge offers excellent photo opportunities and connects to a small museum explaining its fascinating history.
Old Town and Les Halles Market: Avignon’s medieval center features charming narrow streets, elegant squares, and the covered Les Halles market, where locals shop for fresh produce, cheeses, olives, and regional specialties. Your guide can help you navigate the market, recommend the best vendors, and explain local products.
Official Avignon tourism: https://avignon-tourisme.com/en/
Luberon Villages: Medieval Hilltop Gems
The Luberon region, stretching east of Avignon, is renowned for its spectacularly preserved medieval villages perched on hilltops, each offering unique character and breathtaking views.
Gordes: Consistently ranked among France’s most beautiful villages, Gordes cascades down a rocky hillside in a stunning display of honey-colored stone buildings. The village offers:
- Spectacular panoramic views across the Luberon valley
- The Renaissance Château de Gordes houses a contemporary art museum
- Narrow cobblestone streets are perfect for exploration
- Artisan workshops and galleries
- Excellent restaurants featuring Provençal cuisine
The best time to photograph Gordes is from the viewpoint on the approach road, where the entire village spreads before you in golden stone glory.
Roussillon: Famous for its ochre cliffs and buildings painted in vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, Roussillon offers a completely different aesthetic from other Provençal villages. The Sentier des Ocres (Ochre Trail) winds through former ochre quarries displaying extraordinary natural color formations. The village itself features art galleries, ochre-themed shops, and charming cafés with terrace views.
Ménerbes: This elongated village stretches along a narrow ridge, offering stunning valley views on both sides. Ménerbes gained international fame through Peter Mayle’s book “A Year in Provence” and attracts visitors seeking an authentic Provençal village atmosphere. The village features a 13th-century citadel, a beautiful church, and truffle markets during the winter months.
Lacoste: Dominated by the ruins of the Château de Lacoste (former residence of the Marquis de Sade), this artistic village offers a quieter alternative to more touristed Luberon destinations. The village has been partially restored by fashion designer Pierre Cardin and hosts cultural events throughout the summer.
Aix-en-Provence: Elegant University Town
Aix-en-Provence combines sophisticated urban elegance with Provençal warmth. As the former capital of Provence and hometown of painter Paul Cézanne, Aix offers culture, history, and vibrant contemporary life.
Cours Mirabelles: This grand avenue, lined with plane trees and elegant 17th-18th century mansions, defines Aix’s sophisticated character. Fountains punctuate the boulevard, and café terraces invite lingering over coffee while watching the world pass by.
Old Town (Vieil Aix): A labyrinth of narrow streets, hidden squares, gurgling fountains, and beautiful architecture creates an enchanting environment for wandering. Markets fill several squares, including the flower market in Place de l’Hôtel de Ville and the general market in Place Richelme.
Cézanne’s Studio (Atelier Cézanne): Paul Cézanne’s preserved studio on the northern edge of Aix offers insight into the master’s working methods. The studio remains exactly as he left it, with easels, brushes, and the objects he painted in his still-life works.
Montagne Sainte-Victoire: Cézanne painted this distinctive mountain repeatedly, and it’s become synonymous with both the artist and Provence. Your private tour can include drives through the countryside around Sainte-Victoire, offering viewpoints that inspired Cézanne’s masterpieces.
Aix-en-Provence tourism: https://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/en/
Les Baux-de-Provence: Dramatic Clifftop Village
Perched on a rocky outcrop with commanding views across the Alpilles mountains and the Camargue plains, Les Baux-de-Provence offers a dramatic medieval atmosphere and a stunning natural setting.
Château des Baux: The ruined castle crowns the rocky spur, offering extraordinary 360-degree views. Medieval siege weapons have been reconstructed and demonstrated during the summer. The atmospheric ruins invite exploration and photography.
Village Streets: Beautifully restored stone buildings house artisan shops, galleries, and museums. The village has retained its authentic character despite tourism, partly because vehicle access is restricted, preserving a peaceful ambiance.
Carrières de Lumières: Just outside Les Baux, these former limestone quarries have been transformed into an extraordinary immersive art venue. Digital projections display the works of famous artists (changing annually) across the quarry walls, floors, and ceilings, accompanied by music. The effect is magical and unique.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: Van Gogh’s Inspiration
This charming market town combines authentic Provençal living with artistic heritage. Vincent van Gogh spent a productive year here at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, creating some of his most famous works.
Saint-Paul-de-Mausole: The former monastery and psychiatric hospital where Van Gogh lived and worked features a small museum, the artist’s recreated room, and gardens with reproductions of paintings he created on site. The peaceful atmosphere helps visitors understand the environment that inspired masterpieces like “Starry Night.”
Old Town: Wednesday morning’s market is one of Provence’s finest, filling streets with stalls selling produce, textiles, crafts, and local specialties. The town features excellent restaurants, boutiques, and the Hôtel de Sade archaeological museum displaying Roman artifacts from nearby Glanum.
Glanum: Just outside Saint-Rémy, this ancient Greco-Roman city offers remarkably preserved ruins, including a triumphal arch, a mausoleum, a forum, temples, and residential areas. The site provides fascinating insights into Roman Provence.
Arles: Roman Heritage and Van Gogh Legacy
Arles beautifully preserves its Roman past while maintaining vibrant contemporary culture. The city inspired Van Gogh during his most productive period and hosts an important annual photography festival.
Roman Amphitheater: This remarkably preserved arena, dating from 90 AD, still hosts bullfights and events. Visitors can climb to the upper levels for excellent city views and appreciate the engineering sophistication of Roman construction.
Roman Theater: Adjacent to the amphitheater, this ancient theater continues hosting performances during summer festivals, maintaining its original function across two millennia.
Van Gogh Trail: Plaques throughout Arles mark locations where Van Gogh set up his easel, displaying reproductions of the paintings he created at each spot. While the yellow house he lived in was destroyed during WWII, the trail helps visitors understand his Arles period.
Ancient Cryptoporticus: These underground galleries supported the Roman forum above. The atmospheric vaulted corridors offer a fascinating glimpse of Roman urban infrastructure.
Arles tourism: https://www.arlestourisme.com/en/
The Camargue: Wild Natural Wetlands
South of Arles, the Camargue offers completely different landscapes—vast wetlands, lagoons, rice paddies, salt marshes, and beaches stretching to the Mediterranean.
White Horses and Black Bulls: The Camargue’s famous white horses (actually born dark and lightening with age) and black bulls roam semi-wild across the marshlands. Manades (traditional ranches) breed these animals, and you can often spot them from roads crossing the region.
Pink Flamingos: Thousands of pink flamingos inhabit Camargue lagoons, creating spectacular scenes, especially at the Étang de Vaccarès nature reserve. Bird-watching opportunities abound with over 400 species recorded.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer: This coastal town serves as the Camargue’s spiritual and geographic center. The fortified church contains a pilgrimage site, and the town offers an authentic Camargue atmosphere with excellent seafood restaurants.
Lavender Fields: Provence’s Purple Paradise
Provence’s iconic lavender fields bloom from mid-June through early August, transforming valleys into seas of purple. The most spectacular fields lie on the Valensole Plateau and around Sault.
Valensole Plateau: Vast lavender fields stretch to the horizon, creating the quintessential Provence landscape. Small roads cross the plateau, allowing stops for photos amidst the purple rows. Several distilleries welcome visitors to learn about lavender cultivation and essential oil production.
Sault: This small town surrounded by lavender fields hosts a lavender festival in mid-August. The area offers stunning vistas and a less touristed atmosphere than Valensole.
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque: This 12th-century Cistercian abbey near Gordes, surrounded by lavender fields, creates one of Provence’s most photographed scenes. The monastery still houses a small community of monks who produce honey and lavender products. Respectful visits are welcomed outside worship times.
Provençal Markets: Authentic Local Life
Provence’s markets offer the best way to experience authentic local culture. Every town hosts weekly markets selling fresh produce, cheeses, olives, herbs, textiles, pottery, and crafts.
Top Markets:
- Aix-en-Provence: Daily produce market (Place Richelme); Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday general market (Old Town)
- Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: Wednesday morning market (town center)
- L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: Sunday morning market (France’s second-largest antiques market)
- Apt: Saturday morning market (one of Provence’s largest and best)
- Coustellet: Sunday morning market (excellent for fresh produce)
Your private tour can be timed to include markets on their operating days, and your guide can help navigate, translate, and recommend the best vendors.
Vineyards and Wine Tasting
Provence produces exceptional wines, particularly rosés that perfectly complement the Mediterranean climate and cuisine. Several prestigious wine regions offer tasting opportunities:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: This renowned appellation north of Avignon produces powerful red wines from the distinctive galets (large stones) that cover vineyards and retain heat. The impressive papal palace ruins overlook the village, and numerous wineries welcome visitors.
Côtes du Rhône: The Rhône Valley produces diverse wines across many appellations. Private tours can include tastings at family estates where winemakers personally explain their terroir and techniques.
Côtes de Provence: East toward the coast, this vast appellation produces the refreshing rosé wines Provence is famous for. Many estates offer beautiful settings with tastings on terraces overlooking vineyards.
Your guide can arrange visits to wineries matching your preferences—from prestigious châteaux to small family operations offering intimate, personal experiences.
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse: Natural Wonder
The Sorgue River emerges from an enormous underground spring at the base of dramatic cliffs, creating one of France’s most powerful springs. The picturesque village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse surrounds the spring, offering riverside walks, the Vallis Clausa Paper Mill museum (demonstrating traditional papermaking), and the Museum of Santon Figures (Provençal nativity figurines).
The spring is most impressive during spring when snowmelt increases flow dramatically. Even during summer, the turquoise water and dramatic setting create a magical atmosphere.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: Venice of Provence
This charming town spreads along channels of the Sorgue River, with antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants lining the waterways. Giant waterwheels that once powered paper mills still turn in the river, creating a distinctive character.
Beyond the famous Sunday antiques market, the town offers year-round browsing in permanent antique villages (groups of dealers in converted warehouses) and excellent dining along riverside terraces.
Customizing Your Private Provence Tour
The beauty of private tours lies in personalization. BKD Driver creates itineraries matching your specific interests:
For History Enthusiasts
Focus on Roman sites (Arles, Glanum, Vaison-la-Romaine, Pont du Gard), medieval architecture, and museums.
For Art Lovers
Follow Van Gogh’s trail through Arles and Saint-Rémy, visit Cézanne’s studio in Aix, explore art galleries in Gordes and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and visit Carrières de Lumières.
For Food and Wine Enthusiasts
Design tours around market days, include winery visits and tastings, stop at artisan producers (olive oil, cheese, lavender), and enjoy meals at recommended restaurants featuring regional cuisine.
For Photography Enthusiasts
Time visits for optimal lighting, include the most photogenic villages and landscapes, allow flexible schedules for perfect conditions, and visit viewpoints offering spectacular vistas.
For Nature Lovers
Include the Camargue wetlands, lavender fields during bloom season, the Luberon Regional Park, and the Montagne Sainte-Victoire hiking areas.
Practical Considerations for Your Private Tour
Best Times to Visit Provence
Spring (April-May): Pleasant temperatures, wildflowers blooming, lighter tourist crowds, perfect for outdoor exploration.
Summer (June-August): Warm to hot weather, lavender fields in bloom (mid-June to early August), vibrant festivals, but peak tourist season with higher prices and crowds.
Fall (September-October): Excellent weather, grape harvest season, reduced crowds, beautiful autumn colors, perfect for wine touring.
Winter (November-March): Quieter, cooler weather, truffle season, lower prices, some attractions have reduced hours, but major sites remain open.
What to Bring
- Comfortable walking shoes (village streets are often cobblestone)
- Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
- Light layers (temperatures can vary)
- Camera and charged batteries
- Water bottle
- Small backpack for purchases at markets
Duration Options
Half-Day Tours (4-5 hours): Perfect for sampling Provence with visits to 2-3 key destinations like Gordes, Roussillon, and Sénanque Abbey.
Full-Day Tours (8-10 hours): Comprehensive exploration including 4-6 destinations with time for lunch at a recommended restaurant.
Multi-Day Tours: In-depth Provence experiences covering different regions each day, with overnight stays in charming Provençal hotels or gîtes.
Booking Your Private Provence Tour
BKD Driver offers customized private Provence tours with luxury Mercedes transportation and expert guidance:
Contact Methods:
- Online: Visit the BKD Driver website to explore tour options and book your customized Provence experience
- Phone: Call +33 6 67 511 500 to discuss your interests and receive personalized tour recommendations
- Email: Send detailed preferences to contact.bkddriver@gmail.com for custom itinerary creation
Tour Planning: Your tour can depart from Nice, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, or other locations. BKD Driver works with you to create the perfect itinerary matching your interests, schedule, and preferences.
Experience Provence’s Magic
Provence rewards those who take time to experience it deeply rather than rushing through highlights. A private tour with BKD Driver allows you to discover the region’s treasures at your own pace, with the flexibility to linger where inspiration strikes and the expertise of local knowledge guiding you to both famous landmarks and hidden gems.
From ancient Roman ruins to medieval villages, from purple lavender fields to sophisticated wine estates, from vibrant markets to tranquil monasteries, Provence offers endless discoveries. Experience it the way it deserves—privately, luxuriously, and authentically.
Contact BKD Driver today to plan your private Provence tour and create memories of one of France’s most enchanting regions.
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