Please Take Me To Provence!: 3 Places To Visit In The Southern French Region

A lot of people are itching to travel once this pandemic is over, to leave their houses and get a breath of fresh air and run under the sunshine, away from all the anxiety and panic that everyone has been facing for quite some time now. 

If you’re searching for a place where you can do all that, with added historical and cultural trips on the side, then Provence in southern France is the place for you!

According to most travel experts, the best way to explore this region is through a river cruise as it allows you to witness all the must-see iconic sights without the need to be in a hurry. No wonder, this place is a mainstay on most itineraries of several tours, including European vegan cruises. Once it's safe to travel again, you’ll surely have a good time in this region. 

This beautiful village has captivated people from all walks of life over the years. The name literally translates to “Island on the Sorgue River”, hence, it has been nicknamed the Venice of Provence.

Surrounded by canals connecting to the Sorgue River, this place offers an adventure for those who would like to get lost in its beauty, either on foot through its ancient streets and small bridges, or through boats paddled by the locals.

Be sure to drop by the several paddle wheels and watermills scattered across the city, memories left by the silk and paper factories from the 18th and 19th century. If you’d want to have a meal by the waterways, restaurants and cafés line the riverbanks, offering different food choices, from traditional French cuisine, vegan foods, and locally sourced seafood.

As if frozen in time, Avignon is such a nostalgic city in Provence.In the 14th century, it served as the seat of the Catholic Church. Because of this, several religious buildings and sanctuaries stand in Avignon, with Gothic and Renaissance influence.

Some of these are the gargantuan Palais des Papes, a Papal Palace built in the 14th century, the Basilique Saint-Pierre d’Avignon, a basilica built in the 1300s that currently houses several religious artifacts today, Place du Palais, the city square laid out by Pope Benedict XII in the early 15th century where several shops selling French delicacies, local wine, vegan foods, and bread and pastries dot the sidelines., and Musée Calvet, a museum founded by local doctor and collector Esprit Calvet that features art pieces, a library and his countless collections.

This is the famous spot you often see in your books, postcards, and magazines. This is what’s often shown in movies as the perfect spot for a wedding proposal, or a romantic walk for lovers on their honeymoon. Yes, Provence has it.

There are a lot of lavender fields all over Provence, but the main ones are situated by Luberon and Verdon, in the northern part of Aix-en-Provence. The lavenders bloom in different times, depending on the location. In the lowlands, they begin to bloom by mid-June to mid-July. Meanwhile, late June to early August is the flowering time for those on the plateaus and other areas uphill.

Be sure to visit in time for the blooming season to get that Instagram-worthy shot!

As soon as it’s safe to travel already, explore Provence by joining some European vegan cruises!

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