To Do

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque

Close to town, known for its lavender field

Hiking

The Luberon mountain trails lead you through pretty villages perchés (hilltop villages) that overlook romantic panoramas of mountains, plains, and valleys of vineyards and olive groves.

open air markets

A must! The quintessential Provencal activity is shopping at a market. Each village has their own market day with large open air stalls of farmers' produce and other goods to sell. check the link for the schedule and stock up your rental with the best French cheeses, meats, breads etc. Make sure to have cash. Markets are typically mornings 8 am - 12/1. The Gordes market is Tuesday morning, the Rousillon market (10 min drive) & Menerbes (16 min) markets are Thursday mornings and Saturday mornings are Lourmarin (40 min) & Bonnieux (22 min).

Wine Tours

Wine Uncovered with Olivier Hickman Expert-led visits to top Southern Rhone wine domaines Tel: 06 75 10 10 01 www.wine-uncovered.com Avignon Wine Tour Tel: 06 28 05 33 84 www.avignon-wine-tour.com Découvertes Vigneronnes Expert-led visits to top Southern Rhone wine domaines Tel: 06 78 70 55 93 www.decouvertesvigneronnes.fr Le Vin à la Bouche Wine tours of the Rhone valley and Provence vineyards Tel: 06 76 59 56 30 www.levinalabouche.com

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

home to some of the best wine in the region with a rich history. About 30-40 min from Gordes. Sign up for one of the many tours leaving from here or from Avignon. (search for tours or try airbnb experiences) or email the guide we used bea@escape-provence.com who did a great intro for us, especially good for novice tasters.

Cassis

DAY TRIP: drive down La Route des Cretes to a gorgeous little fishing village. Eat the freshest fish for lunch at the restaurants around the port, famous for bouillabaisse. You can book a boat ride to see the calanques at the dock, leaving frequently, no need to book ahead. For a sailboat or fancier/a large group you’ll need to book ahead.

The Calanques

DAY TRIP: the calanques are creeks or mini-fjords that cut into the limestone cliffs between Marseille and Cassis. you can get to them by renting a kayak, hiking, or by boat (private or public) from Cassis.

The Domaine de la Citadelle

Vineyard 14 min drive, with museum, can make a rez for groups or walk in

Domaine Des Jeanne

Open Tues, Thurs & Sat 9am-12pm; or by appointment. 15 min drive. Known for rosé.

Château La Canorgue

where the movie A Good Year was filmed, they don’t allow tourists to visit the chateau anymore but the wine shop is open. 22 min drive.

Château Isolette

28 min drive

Château de la Verrie

vineyard and olive oil producers - book a guided experience. 40 min drive from La Bastide.

Le Sentier des Ocres

a short non-strenuous hike through ochre colored cliffs that starts in the village of Roussillon (another cute tiny village to explore), 10 min drive from Gordes. The Roussillon market day is every Thursday morning. There is a large public parking lot. It costs a few euro per person to enter the park, pick the “long” hike which is advertised as an hour but took us less than half.

views on views

Instagram spot: the viewpoint, Listed as “Town View Point Gordes” on Google maps. There is space for parking nearby or you can walk depending on where you’re staying.

AirBnB Experiences

We’ve had great luck finding things to do on Airbnb experiences including our wine tour.

Golf

Lourmarin

Charming village - piano concert May 31st

Avignon Antiquités

Professional antiques market for serious shoppers, check website for schedule

Pentecost Feria (Nîmes)

Pentecost Feria, May 27 to June 1, 2020. Held for the first time in 1952, the five-day festival runs from Thursday to Whit Monday. A huge carnival parade (Thurs May 28 at 9:15 pm) starts festivities, winding its way through the city streets and launching the mass celebrations of the thousands of people who come out to celebrate. The world’s best toreros demonstrate their skills in corridas in the ancient Roman amphitheater, together with courses camarguaises (where the bulls live to see another day), before the streets fill with revellers enjoying the open-air concerts, dance parties and drinking in bodegas that go on throughout the night.

Monaco

Monaco Grand Prix. A prestigious Formula One motor race held each year the last weekend of May on the Circuit de Monaco.

Antibes

“Voiles d'Antibes” is the race that marks the opening of the Mediterranean circuit, and is the first stage of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge or Trophée Panerai. It's a stunning regatta drawing some of the world’s most-spectacular rare, vintage and classic yachts, matching ancient cutters with professional crews against America’s Cup yachts. And then there are the after-parties, just like you'd expect in a town like Antibes, with many hosted on board the yachts themselves.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

At the start of June the Fête de la Transhumance event sees thousands of sheep pack the streets in a mass exodus to the mountains for the summer.

Aix-en-Provence

Fete de la Vigne et du Vin (food & wine fest) is Saturday May 23: Cellar visits, walks in the vineyards and introductory tasting sessions, accessible to all levels, for beginner amateurs as well as for the most informed are offered during this day. The 7th Aix en Juin Festival (throughout the month of June) brings a marvelous schedule of performances to indoor and outdoor venues around the city. Music, dance and more.

Mount Ventoux

And the truly fit might want to make their way to Mont Ventoux to hike or bike the steep terrain, particularly popular with cyclists (and often featured in the annual Tour de France). Plus, the cherry trees are blooming adding another layer of beauty to your day.

Verdon Gorge

For those that prefer the water, book yourself in for a tour of the Gorges du Verdon in southeastern France’s Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department. The largest canyon in Europe offers plenty for the active nature lover, spring being one of the best times to white water raft or kayak down the Verdon River between Castellane and Lac Sainte-Croix. It’s also possible to swim and canoe the river as well as hike, rock climb, and go canyoning.

Apt

Apt hosts the Luberon Jazz Festival at the start of June. Come for the jazz, stay for the famous Saturday-morning market that sells its famed fruits confits (candied fruit), local produce, and Provençal wares. Apt is also a hub for hiking trails and footpaths and a series of cycle routes that crisscross the Luberon National Park.

Valley of Wonders

If you’re an active hiker, consider heading inland to hike the Vallée des Merveilles (Valley of Wonders) in Mercantour National Park. It’s a great option that combines world-class hiking with fascinating archaeological history—over 40,000 petroglyphs from early man to be discovered—in the Southern Alps. Or, put your feet up and ride the two-hour Trains des Merveilles from Nice to Tende, a guided voyage through the lush park.

Camargue

If you’re a nature lover you’ll want to head straight for the Camargue to spot wildlife, including the flocks of flamingos among hundreds of thousands of bird species. The “Wild West of France,” the Camargue is a scene of marshes, swamps, rice paddies, and ancient villages waiting to be explored. Keep an eye out for the white Camargue horse, an ancient breed, and the gardiens (cowboys). And if you find yourself here, make your way to nearby Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for the Fête de la Transhumance event that sees thousands of sheep pack the streets in a mass exodus to the mountains for the summer.