Provence · France
Provence, where wine is part of the art of living
Pale dry rose from the Cotes de Provence, deep Mourvedre reds from Bandol, and markets that smell of warm herbs and the sea. A wine professional with you from the market to the cellar.
Why we come back here
Because the day is built around the table.
The morning is a market, the afternoon is a long lunch under the olive trees at a winery, and the wine is only part of it, next to green olive oil, goat cheese, wild herbs and fruit picked that week. You slow down to the pace of the place, and the wine makes more sense for it.
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What still surprises people is the second Provence hiding behind the pink.
In Bandol, on terraced hills above the sea, the red is at least 50 percent Mourvedre, aged 18 months in large oak casks, and it holds in the cellar for 10 to 20 years.
Few travelers arrive expecting a Provence red they could lay down for a decade.
The flavour of the place
Two Provences, the table, the long lunch, and the light on the land.
The two Provences
Provence pours more pale dry rose than anywhere on earth, close to 90 percent of what it makes. The part people miss sits right beside it: the deep Mourvedre reds of Bandol built to age, the mineral whites of Cassis by the sea, and the rare, age-worthy wines of tiny Palette near Aix-en-Provence.
The table
Village mills press green olive oil and jar the local honey. Wild garrigue herbs from the hills, thyme, rosemary and fennel, flavor the food and a glass of pastis. Goat cheese is eaten where it is made, and in season a dog leads you to truffles before lunch.
The long lunch
A morning market of olives, melons and tapenade, then a table set under the plane trees or the olive trees at a winery, a pale rose poured cool, and no one in a hurry to leave. This is Provence at its most itself.
The land
Stone villages sit high on the hills of the Luberon, lavender turns the fields blue in July, and the dry mistral wind sweeps down and keeps the vines clean under 300 days of sun. The Mediterranean is never far.
Provence wine, in short
The oldest region, far beyond the pink.
Provence is the oldest wine region in France and the world’s largest source of fine rose, and it grows far more than pink. Cotes de Provence is the broad heartland running from Aix-en-Provence toward the coast; Bandol makes structured Mourvedre reds built to age; Cassis makes mineral seaside whites; and tiny Palette near Aix makes rare reds, whites and rose that reward the cellar.
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Our Provence field notes walk through the regions one by one, on the blog.
One day, in detail
To give you the feel.
A real day from a recent Provence trip, built from the producers and experiences we know here.
A morning walk through the Aix-en-Provence market with a local guide, olives, cheese and the smell of warm herbs.
A village mill, green olive oil and local honey tasted at the bench.
A long picnic under the olive trees at a winery, pale Cotes de Provence rose poured cool.
A coastal estate on the schist near the sea, or a Bandol grower pouring reds that age for a decade.
A slow dinner under the plane trees, Provencal cooking and the wines of the day.
Who opens their doors to us here
Friends, twenty years in.
The aristocratic château
on the edge of Aix, contemporary art and sculpture set among the vines, pouring a pale, noble rose.
The traditionalist estate
that still grows all its permitted grapes on 100 year old vines, where lunch is a picnic under the olive trees.
The family goat cheese winery
in a tiny appellation below a famous mountain, where crisp mineral whites meet cheese made on the farm.
The coastal boutique estate
on schist near the Mediterranean, hand-harvested rose with a saline finish and reds that age.
The garrigue distillery
turning the region's wild herbs into pastis and anise in copper stills.
The village mill
pressing estate olive oil, with a tasting bench of oils and local honey.
When to come
Every season here has its own light.
Spring
May to early June
Green vines, mild days, the markets busy and the crowds still light.
Summer
Late June to mid-July
Lavender in bloom across the Luberon and the high plateaus.
Summer
July to August
Hot and lively, the coast and the Riviera at full swing.
Autumn
September to October
Harvest, warm light, and the best all-round time to come.
Provence vs Tuscany
Which one fits you better?
Both are sun-warmed Mediterranean regions where wine, food and a slow table belong together, so travelers often choose between them, and plenty do both on one private journey. Here is how they differ.
Provence
Lavender, olive groves, and the world's oldest rose
The feeling
Lavender, olive groves, perched villages and the Mediterranean coast, with the light that drew the painters.
The wine
The world’s oldest rose alongside the deep Mourvedre reds of Bandol and the mineral whites of Cassis.
The landscape
Stone villages perched on the hills of the Luberon, lavender fields, olive groves, the Mediterranean never far.
The food
Olive oil, garrigue herbs, goat cheese, truffles and the market table, from tapenade to bouillabaisse.
Best for
Light, markets and lifestyle, with real wine depth on request.
Tuscany
Rolling hills, cypress lines, and full-bodied Sangiovese
The feeling
Rolling hills, cypress lines and Renaissance hill-towns under a wide sky.
The wine
Full-bodied Sangiovese red, Chianti and Brunello.
The landscape
Rolling hills and cypress lines, Renaissance hill-towns and vineyards across the valleys.
The food
Ribollita, pecorino and bistecca, the Tuscan country table.
Best for
Pairing red wine with Renaissance art and countryside. Many travelers do both regions with us.
YOUR PLACE AT THE TABLE
The table is already set for you.
Tell us who is coming and what you love to drink, and we build the trip around it: the cellars, the tables, the pace.
A real person replies, usually the same day.
Provence at a glance
The shape of a trip, in short.
The shape of a trip, in short.
- Ideal trip length
- 4 to 7 days, easily extended to the French Riviera or the Rhone.
- Seasons
- May to October for the vines and the light; late June to mid-July for lavender. Many hotels close from late October to early April.
- Gateway airports
- Marseille (about 40 minutes to Aix), Nice, and Avignon by fast train from Paris.
- Pace
- unhurried, village to village and coast, with the driving handled for you.
- Where you stay
- a historic domaine ringed by its own vineyards, with pool, spa and a cellar for private dinners, and chateau-hotels along the way.
- Wine focus
- Cotes de Provence rose, Bandol Mourvedre reds, Cassis whites, Palette, Coteaux d’Aix.
- Culinary focus
- olive oil, garrigue herbs, goat cheese, truffles, market cuisine, bouillabaisse and aioli.
- Best for
- couples, food lovers, and anyone who wants wine woven into a way of living.
A few things people ask
About a trip to Provence.
Is Provence worth visiting for wine?
Yes. Provence is the oldest wine region in France and the world’s largest source of fine rose, and it offers far more: the age-worthy Mourvedre reds of Bandol, the mineral whites of Cassis, olive mills, goat cheese and truffles, and long market lunches. Wine here is part of a whole way of living.
What wine is Provence known for?
Pale dry rose above all, close to 90 percent of what the region makes. Beyond it, Provence makes serious reds, mainly the Mourvedre of Bandol, and mineral whites, above all from Cassis, plus the rare wines of tiny Palette near Aix-en-Provence.
Is Provence only rose?
No. Provence pours more fine rose than anywhere in the world, and rose was its first wine, pressed here by Greek settlers around 600 BC. Alongside it are the deep Mourvedre reds of Bandol that age 10 to 20 years, the mineral whites of Cassis, and the rare reds and whites of tiny Palette near Aix.
What makes Bandol different from the rest of Provence?
Bandol sits on terraced hills above the sea. Its red must be at least 50 percent Mourvedre, a thick-skinned grape that ripens in the heat, and it is aged at least 18 months in large oak casks. The result is dark, savory and structured, a Provence red that can hold in the cellar for 10 to 20 years.
Which Provence wine regions should you visit?
Cotes de Provence is the broad heartland from Aix toward the coast, known for rose. Bandol makes the age-worthy Mourvedre reds, Cassis makes mineral seaside whites, tiny Palette near Aix makes rare age-worthy wines, and Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence rings the city. We sequence these so the region reads as one story.
What is the best time to visit Provence?
May through October for the vines and the light, with September and October adding the harvest. Late June to mid-July is lavender season, and summer is hot and lively along the coast. Many hotels close from late October to early April, so we plan around that window.
How many days do you need for a Provence wine trip?
4 to 7 days. That lets you cover the Luberon villages and markets, Aix and its wineries, and a stretch of coast, without rushing. The region spreads out, so the days are planned and the driving is handled for you.
Can you combine Provence with the French Riviera or the Rhone?
Yes, and we often do. The Rhone adds the bigger reds around Chateauneuf-du-Pape as a serious opening, and the French Riviera adds Nice, Cannes and the old-town markets as a coastal finish. Provence sits between them, so either extension is easy.
Provence vs the French Riviera, what is the difference?
The French Riviera is the coastal strip of beaches, towns and glamour, from Nice to Cannes and Antibes, and it sits inside the wider Provence region. Provence reaches inland to the vineyards, olive mills, markets and perched villages of the Luberon and around Aix. Many trips do both, the vines and the table inland, the coast to finish.
What food is Provence known for, and what wine goes with it?
Olive oil, garrigue herbs, goat cheese, truffles, tapenade, aioli and bouillabaisse, built around the daily market. Pale dry rose fits almost all of it; a Bandol red stands up to roasted meat and truffles, and a Cassis white belongs with the fish and shellfish by the coast.
Do you get access to wineries not open to the public?
Yes. Many of our visits are hosted by the winemaker in person, including estates that do not receive the public. You taste with the people who grew and made the wine, at their table.
How old is Provence as a wine region?
Provence is the oldest wine region in France. Greek settlers from Phocaea planted vines here around 600 BC, roughly 2,600 years ago, centuries before Bordeaux, and rose was the first wine they pressed. That long history is part of why the region feels so settled into its own way of living.
What is Cassis wine?
Cassis is a small seaside appellation in the calanques near Marseille, known for mineral dry whites from Marsanne, Clairette and Ugni Blanc that belong with fish and shellfish by the water. It is a different thing from the blackcurrant liqueur of the same name, and one of the quiet highlights of a Provence trip.
When is lavender season in Provence?
Late June to mid-July, with the Valensole plateau and the high Luberon at their most blue, and the Senanque abbey the classic image. It overlaps the early summer, while the wine harvest comes later, in September and October.
What are the perched villages of the Luberon?
Villages perches are stone villages set high on the hills, Gordes, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Oppede among them, with weekly markets, long views and cafes under the plane trees. We base you near them so the markets and the wineries are an easy drive.
What grape is Provence rose made from?
Provence rose is usually a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvedre and the local Tibouren, pressed pale and dry rather than sweet. Rose is close to 90 percent of what the region makes, yet the same estates also craft serious reds and whites.
Where should you stay in Provence?
A historic domaine ringed by its own vineyards, with a pool, a spa and a cellar for private dinners, or a chateau-hotel near Aix or in the Luberon. We match the base to your trip so the markets, the coast and the cellars are all within reach.
How do you get to Provence?
Marseille airport is about 40 minutes from Aix-en-Provence, with Nice as a second gateway and Avignon reachable by fast TGV train from Paris. On our trips the driving is handled for you, village to village and down to the coast.
Designed by Vinspiration
Built by the two of us.
Every Provence trip is built by hand by the two of us, from relationships with producers we have kept for years, not from a catalogue.
Guy Haran
Founder & CEOAn international wine judge with 20 years building wine journeys across Provence and beyond. A Riedel ambassador and WSET-trained wine educator, author of the book Wine Journey and host of the Wine is Basic podcast. The friendships that open estate doors, from the pale rose of Cotes de Provence to the Mourvedre reds of Bandol, are his, built one harvest at a time.
Mor Koral
Co-founderMor shapes each trip around the people travelling, so the days feel like being handed the keys to the region. She keeps the pace human and the details right, from the cellars and the long tables to where you rest at the end of the day.