Provence holidays Holiday rentals - cottages & apartments for rent in Provence

Overview

Provence is one of the most beautiful and spectacular regions in France boasting world beating beaches, medieval towns dating back to the Roman times and the snow-capped towering peaks of the Alps. Put simply, Provence offers its visitors everything and anything they could wish for on their cottage holidays anytime of year.

Provence is a really diverse region of southern France stretching from Bouches du Rhône in the west to the Alpes-Maritime in the east on the Italian border. The area that hugs the Italian border is packed with National Parks with high mountain valleys, deep gorges and during the winter, its a playground for alpine sports enthusiasts - skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing are all available in the ski resorts.

The coastal area boasts countless silky white sandy beaches and during the summer season, beach resorts such as St Tropez, Cannes and Sainte Maxime to name a few, are overrun with tourists from around the world - booking your beachside cottage in Provence as early as possible is highly recommended.

Key Facts
CapitalMarseille
Departments6
Population4.965 million
CurrencyEuro
Main AirportsMarseille and Nice
Highest mountainMount Ventoux 1909m
Skiing
Cote d'Azur beaches
Wine tourism
Medieval villages
Nature reserves (The Camargue)

Provence holiday rentals - where to stay

Provence is divided into 6 departments that offer such a diverse range of landscapes, culture and activies...

Bouches du Rhône

Famous for its ragged coastline and home to the capital of Provence, Marseille, Bouches du Rhône is the gateway to the regions treasures. Any visit to this part of Provence usually involves a few days exploring France's second largest city famed for its fish dishes such as bouillabaisse. With the marshy plains of The Camargue on the coast to the Alpilles mountains in the north, the area is diverse to say the least. Some popular villages...

  • Arles
  • Cassis
  • Saint Rémy in the Alpilles

Alpes-Maritimes

Bordering Italy to the east, The Alpes-Maritime is home to the spectacular French Riviera attracting tourists from around the world. With 320 days of sunshine, spectacular beaches and vibrant nightlife, this famous strip of coastline is blessed with pristine natural beauty. The other plus point is that you have international ski resorts just an hours drive from the beach so you can be skiing in the morning and sunbathing in the afternoon! Some famous and popular resorts include...

  • Cannes
  • Monte Carlo
  • Nice

Alpes de Haute Provence

This area of Provence is characterised by its towering peaks and high mountain valleys with their historic hamlets that have stood the test of time - perfect for skiing in the winter. To the west in Val d'Allos, there is the ochre coloured landscape with its unique rock formation known as the "French Colorado. Top place to see...

  • Park of Mercantou
  • Vernon Gorge
  • Hilltop village of Roussillon

Vaucluse

Sitting in the middle of Provence, Vaucluse is a region characterised by stunning medieval villages, countless vineyards and the Rhône river on its western border. Home to the much sought after area of the Luberon where the hilltop cottages and holiday rentals are in constant demand, Vaucluse epitomises the culinary delights of Provence. Popular places to see include...

  • Avignon
  • Gordes in the Luberon
  • l'Isle sur la Sorgue

Var

The department of Var has a diverse geography. To the north, Var is full of valleys and hills covered in pine forests and acres of lavander fields, thyme and olive trees in every direction - a great place to relax and enjoy the laid back atmosphere from your country cottage. Whilst along the 300kms of coast, Var is home to some chic and sophisticated beach resorts including...

  • St Tropez
  • Saint Raphael
  • Sainte Maxime and Islands of Hyeres
  • Fréjus

Haute-Alpes

During the summer, the region is a mecca for hiking, mountain biking, climbing and rafting on the numerous rivers running through the gorges. During the winter, the Haute-Alpes are home to some fantastic ski resorts which are suitable for all levels of skier and snowboarder. Being so close to the coast means these ski resorts are perfect as a twin centre holiday.

A Four season holiday destination

With 300 days of sunshine, Provence is a year-round playground with weather to suit sun worshippers and outdoor sports enthusiasts - the best time to visit really depends on what you want to see and do. Much of Provence has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, winters. On the coast during the summer, the average daily high temperature is around 82°F/28°C. Inland, temperatures are slightly cooler and during the winter months, it can get frosty with freezing conditions and snow especially on Mont Ventoux, the Alpilles and the Luberon mountain range.

Featured cottages in Provence

Self catering holiday cottage rentals along the beach resorts and villages of Provence are plentiful and certainly good value especially for family holidays. You will find beachfront cottages, often with private swimming pool, spacious apartments and family holiday homes to rent along the entire coast. In the rural areas of Provence, the beachfront apartments are replaced by quaint cottages, farmhouses and rustic holiday homes surrounded by the poppy and lavender fields and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

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Things to see & do in Provence

Provence is famous throughout the world and is packed with things to see and do any time of year. From the glorious countryside and quaint mountain villages to the glity beach resorts on the French Riveria.

Visit Parc National des Calanques

The Calanques National Park is the 10th National Park in France and is famous for its coastal inlets that are flanked by towering cliffs. Only 90 minutes drive from Luberon, the 15 calonques run from Marseille eastwards towards Cassis. One of the best ways to see these incredible formations is to take a boat trip. Some of the popular calanques include....

  • La Mounine
  • Marseilleveire
  • Les Queyrons
  • Podestat
  • L’Escu
beach at a calanqule in marseille

Lavender museum

The Lavender museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Luberon and is located 7.5km southwest of Gordes heading towards Coustellet. Lavender is the Luberon's most prestigious crop which, as a herb, is most commonly used in aromatherapy although it is also used in cooking and in medicines.

The museum offers guided tours that explain the harvest and the oil extraction process, gift shop and pic-nic area.

lavender museum luberon

Our view on Provence

The ever popular region of Provence in the south of France, with its long hot summers and mild winters attracts tourists from all over the world throughout the year. Young and old, there is something for everyone whether its the beaches and theme parks or the delights of the hilltop villages in the Luberon and around the Monts de Vaucluse. The only problem is time - there are simply too many wonderful places to see and things to do and by staying in a holiday rental, you have the freedom to do what you want when you want - home from home!


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