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Welcome to Provence
From Bastide Cedrea in Peyrolles-en-Provence, you are ideally located to explore all of cultural Provence: Aix-en-Provence and its Cézanne heritage, the ancient cities of Arles and Nîmes, the Palais des Papes in Avignon, the hilltop villages of the Luberon, and the immersive exhibitions of Les Baux-de-Provence. Here is a selection of the most noteworthy visits, listed by destination, with practical information and booking links.
Aix-en-Provence — 20 minutes from La Bastide
(Parking: Pasteur Parking)
Granet Museum — 20 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
The grand fine arts museum of Aix, housed in the former priory of the Knights of Malta. More than 12,000 works in 4,000 m², including a major collection of Cézanne, as well as Rembrandt, Ingres and Giacometti.
Visit duration: 2 to 3 hours
Granet Annex 20th Century (Chapel of the White Penitents): Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art
Booking / information: https://www.museegranet-aixenprovence.fr
Cézanne's Studio — 20 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
On the Lauves hill, the painter's last studio, preserved in its original state: his brushes, his still lifes, his easel. An intimate immersion into the creative process of the Aix-en-Provence artist.
Visit duration: 45 min
Ticket can be combined with the Jardin des Peintres (view of Sainte-Victoire)
Booking / information: https://www.atelier-cezanne.com
Hôtel de Caumont — Art Center — 20 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
Magnificent 18th-century private mansion in the heart of the Mazarin district, restored with its French-style gardens. Temporary exhibitions of great masters (Toulouse-Lautrec in 2026), concerts and screenings.
Café and bookstore on site
Booking / information: https://www.caumont-centredart.com
Vasarely Foundation — 20 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
Avant-garde architecture by Victor Vasarely, listed as a historical monument and awarded the Musée de France label. 44 "integrations" of optical and kinetic art in rooms of impressive height.
Accessible to people with reduced mobility
Free parking on site
Booking / information: https://www.fondationvasarely.org
Camp des Milles Memorial Site — 25 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
The only major French internment and deportation camp still intact, open to the public since 2012. A powerful visit in three parts: historical, reflective and memorial.
Booking / information: https://www.campdesmilles.org
Calisson Museum — King René's Confectionery — 20 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
Contemporary museum space dedicated to the iconic confectionery of Aix, with tasting included. A stroll through the Gardens of King René and the production almond grove.
Ideal as a complement to a morning visit to Aix
Shop on site
Booking / information: https://www.calisson.com
TO VISIT AIX
Aix-en-Provence Tourist Office — group ticketing: https://reservation.aixenprovencetourism.com/musees.html
Avignon & its surroundings — 45 minutes away
Palace of the Popes — 45 min — Vaucluse
The largest Gothic building in the world, seat of the papacy in the 14th century, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour (Histopad included in several languages) takes you through the Cour d'honneur, the Grand Tinel, and the papal apartments.
Visit duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
Ticket can be combined with the Pont d'Avignon and the Pontifical Gardens
Booking/information: https://www.palais-des-papes.com
Avignon Bridge (Saint-Bénézet Bridge) — 45 min — Vaucluse
Made famous by the children's song, this UNESCO World Heritage bridge now only has four arches spanning the Rhône. An audio guide in 12 languages recounts its history and legends.
Visit duration: 40 min
Accessible to people with reduced mobility
Booking/information: https://www.palais-des-papes.com
Pont du Gard — 1 hour — Gard, near Vaucluse
A masterpiece of 1st-century Roman engineering, this aqueduct, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, carried water 50 km to Nîmes. Its imposing arches span the Gardon river.
Natural swimming area downstream (summer season)
Site museum about the history of the aqueduct
Booking / information: https://www.pontdugard.fr
Les Baux-de-Provence & the Alpilles — 50 minutes away
Quarries of Light — 50 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
An immersive digital art show projected onto 7,000 m² of limestone walls, 14 meters high, in a former quarry that was in operation until 1935. More than 600,000 visitors per year, one of the most visited cultural sites in Provence.
Expect temperatures of 14 to 16°C on site: bring a jacket
Ticket can be combined with the Château des Baux-de-Provence
Booking / information: https://www.carrieres-lumieres.com
Château des Baux-de-Provence — 50 min — Bouches-du-Rhône
Remains of a perched medieval fortress, overlooking the village classified among the Most Beautiful Villages of France and the Alpilles plain.
Booking / information : https://www.chateau-baux-provence.com
Glanum Archaeological Site — 55 min — Bouches-du-Rhône, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
A remarkably well-preserved Greco-Roman city at the foot of the Alpilles mountains, with its temples, forum and thermal baths. Nearby, the arenas and the ancient theatre of Saint-Rémy complete the visit.
Booking / information: https://www.site-glanum.fr
Arles — at 1 a.m.
Roman amphitheater (the Arena) — 1 hour — Bouches-du-Rhône
The most visited monument in Arles, built in 90 AD, can accommodate up to 21,000 spectators. Over 130 meters long, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Combined ticket with the Ancient Theatre recommended
Guided tours of the underground tunnels in summer
Booking / information: https://www.arlestourisme.com
Arles Antique Departmental Museum — 1 hour — Bouches-du-Rhône
On the peninsula of the Roman circus, this museum presents exceptional archaeological collections, including the model of the Roman circus and the famous restored Gallo-Roman barge.
Free entry on the first Sunday of the month
Arles Monuments Pass available (6 sites + 3 museums)
Booking / information: https://www.arlesantique.fr
Vincent van Gogh Foundation Arles — 1 hour — Bouches-du-Rhône
Dialogue between the work of Van Gogh, who painted many of his most famous canvases in Arles, and contemporary creation.
Booking/information: https://www.fondation-vincentvangogh-arles.org
TO VISIT ARLES
Arles Tourist Office — ticketing and monument passes: https://www.arlestourisme.com
Villages of the Luberon — 45 min to 1 hour 15 min
The Luberon has five villages listed as "Most Beautiful Villages of France": Gordes, Roussillon, Lourmarin, Ménerbes and Ansouis. Each deserves half a day.
Gordes & the Village des Bories — 1 hour — Vaucluse
A village perched at an altitude of 373 m, built of dry stone, dominated by its Renaissance castle. Nearby, the hamlet of bories (stone huts from the 16th-17th centuries) bears witness to traditional rural architecture.
Provençal market on Tuesday mornings
Can be combined with Sénanque Abbey (10 min)
Booking/information: https://www.villagedesbories.com
Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbey — 1h05 — Vaucluse, Gordes
A 12th-century Cistercian monastery, still inhabited by monks, nestled in a valley. The lavender fields that surround it in summer make it an iconic site of Provence.
Booking / information: https://www.senanque.fr
Roussillon and the Ochre Trail — 1 hour 10 minutes — Vaucluse
A village built atop an ochre cliff, in perfect chromatic harmony with the surrounding landscapes. The Ochre Trail and the Ôkhra ecomuseum explore this deposit, one of the largest in the world.
Booking / information: https://www.roussillon-provence.fr
Lourmarin — 45 min — Vaucluse
The first Renaissance castle in Provence, lively alleyways, Friday market under the plane trees. Albert Camus is buried there; the village remains an artistic hub of the Luberon.
Booking / information: https://www.chateaudelourmarin.com
Bruoux Mines — 1h05 — Vaucluse, Gargas
Unique underground galleries carved into the ochre, bearing witness to a century of industrial activity. A cool and spectacular immersion, ideal in summer.
Booking / information: https://www.minesdebruoux.fr
Var & Pays d'Aix — in the immediate vicinity
Sainte-Victoire Mountain — 20 min — Bouches-du-Rhône / Var
Immortalized by more than 80 paintings by Cézanne, this iconic 18km long mountain offers 250km of marked trails. The Croix de Provence, at 946 m, is the most popular climb.
Access is regulated in summer depending on the fire risk.
See also the "Your Walks: Nature & Activities" section for detailed hikes
Booking / information: https://www.grandsitesaintevictoire.com
Museum of Prehistory of the Verdon Gorge — 1 hour 10 minutes — Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Quinson
Designed by Norman Foster, this museum traces a million years of human history. Reconstructed prehistoric village and archaeological sites in an exceptional natural setting.
Booking / information: https://www.museeprehistoire.com
To plan your stay
All these destinations are accessible by car from Bastide Cedrea, generally in under an hour. We recommend checking schedules, prices, and booking conditions directly on the official websites before each trip, as some places have specific time slots during peak season.
Don't hesitate to ask us for advice: we will be happy to guide you towards the visits best suited to the length of your stay and your desires.
Bastide Cedrea — Peyrolles-en-Provence