Few things are more effortlessly romantic than a road trip through the South of France, with the car roof down, the sun on your shoulders and the landscape unveiling more of itself at every turn. Even the occasional impatient local zipping past with an expressive honk feels like part of the adventure. While a GPS will gently guide you from place to place, there’s a certain charm in getting a little lost, taking the scenic route from the palm-lined promenades of the Côte d’Azur to the rolling vineyards, lavender fields and postcard-perfect villages of Provence. Fortunately, navigating isn’t something to stress over: French roads are smooth and well-kept, signage is clear, and detours often lead to beautiful, lesser-known corners of the region.
DAY 1-2: NICE TO THE CÔTE D’AZUR
Drive time: 1 hour
Les Roches Rouges
If you’re arriving by air, Nice is a great place to start, where you’re greeted by sparkling coastline and the sea-salted breeze. After collecting our rental car at the airport we set off on a leisurely 50-kilometre drive west along the Mediterranean, the road curling past ochre cliffs and parasol pines, until we reached Les Roches Rouges, an impeccably designed boutique hotel in the town of Saint-Raphaël. Here, interior architects Antoine Ricardou and Clémentine Larroumet of Atelier Saint-Lazare have redefined Riviera chic, marrying minimalist modernism with timeless coastal soul. Each of the 25 rooms is centred around a private patio — we spent golden mornings sipping coffee to the rhythm of the waves and lingered over twilight cocktails as the sea whispered below. Récif, the hotel’s Michelin-starred flagship, offers delicate, sea-inspired tasting menus; alfresco Estelo brings Provençal flavours in a relaxed setting; and La Chicoula, the breezy seaside bar, serves lighter bites — perfect for lazy afternoons.
DAY 3-5: CÔTE D’AZUR TO AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Drive time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Capelongue
We set off early down the A8 (aka La Provençale route), letting the morning light guide us on the scenic two-and-a-half-hour drive inland, arriving in Aix-en-Provence just in time for a leisurely lunch. Known as ‘The City of a Thousand Fountains’, this university town fizzes with an artistic, free-spirited energy that dates back to the rebellions of the 15th century. It’s the cultural heartbeat of the region, where stone façades and leafy boulevards give way to baroque beauty in Vieil Aix (the Old Town). We spent the afternoon meandering through sun-dappled squares and lingering at café terraces with espresso in hand, serenaded by street musicians. Fountain-hunting became a sport: it’s hard to miss the grand Fontaine de la Rotonde, but it’s the smaller gems — the moss-draped Fontaine Moussue, or sculptural Place des Quatre-Dauphins, encircled by four leaping dolphins — that were the most delightful.
For art lovers, Aix offers an intimate glimpse into the world of one of its most famous sons, Paul Cézanne. Follow the Cézanne Trail, stopping at landmarks tied to the painter’s life, and ending at Atelier Cézanne, his studio, where time seems to have stood still. Just a short stroll away, the Musée Granet has a treasure trove of European art, with works by Rembrandt, Picasso, and Ingres, housed in a restored 17th-century priory. We timed our visit with the city’s vibrant open-air market (held Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays), and couldn’t resist gathering still-warm bread, local cheeses and thinly sliced saucisson from the stalls in Place des Prêcheurs for a picnic in Parc de la Torse. Gourmands should also make time to visit L’Atelier des Madeleines, where these delicate cakes are infused with creative, seasonal flavours; and Le Bistrot on Rue Campra, a charming spot where red-and-white checked tablecloths and a glass of wine are all you need to feel deliciously French.
After long days of sightseeing, it was a joy to return to our hotel, Villa Saint-Ange, tucked into a cypress-wrapped enclave just minutes from the bustling city centre. A stately 18th-century mansion-turned-boutique-hotel, the 35-room property has been brought back to life by almost 40 different artisans, from gilders to cabinet-makers. Even the entry-level Classic rooms are sumptuous, with parquet flooring, Toile de Jouy fabrics, Carrara marble bathrooms and antique writing desks overlooking manicured gardens. Days began with breakfast on the sunlit patio — paper-thin crêpes, poached pears in saffron syrup, and espresso — before melting into slow swims in the travertine-lined, emerald-green pool. At La Table de Saint-Ange, the food was as precise as it was poetic: sea bass with fennel pollen, glazed heirloom tomatoes, and a wine list anchored in the nearby Coteaux d’Aix vineyards.
DAY 6-8: AIX-EN-PROVENCE TO THE LUBERON
Drive time: 45 minutes
Le Moulin
We hopped back in the car and headed north to the enchanting Luberon region, with its mediaeval stone villages, surrounded by vineyards and swathes of purple lavender. Everyone has a favourite, from the russet-toned Roussillon and storybook Gordes to the lesser-known Ménerbes, Bonnieux and Oppède. And then there’s Lourmarin; at once sophisticated and characterful, it captured the essence of the region in every golden-hued stone.
The village is anchored by the Château de Lourmarin, a Renaissance gem that hosts summer concerts and art exhibitions. Saturdays are made for the lively marché, when the narrow lanes overflow with stalls offering sun-ripened figs, handwoven straw baskets, antique linens and other local goods. We stopped for goat’s cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves, and lingered over an espresso at Café Gaby, the village’s unofficial living room on rue Henri de Savournin, where locals read the paper and cyclists refuel on noisette and croissants. Just beyond the main square, concept boutiques like La Maison Pernoise and Côté Sud offer a modern take on local style: linen dresses, handmade ceramics and vintage furniture. For a long, lazy lunch, La Louche à Beurre, hidden down a quiet side street, serves melt-in-your-mouth daube (beef stew) and tarte Tatin.
Le Moulin, our home in Lourmarin, was once a working olive mill, now reimagined into a hideaway that marries rustic elegance with quiet luxury. From the moment you enter through its wrought-iron gates and step into its jasmine-scented courtyard, there’s a sense of tranquillity. The interiors are all natural textures — cool stone, woven linen, pale wood — and handpicked objets d’art hint at the building’s agrarian past. Each of the 25 rooms is a haven: ours had a clawfoot tub beneath a timbered ceiling and a Juliet balcony overlooking a rose garden.
Breakfast here is served under century-old plane trees, with coffee in dainty cups, flaky croissants and homemade apricot confiture. Evenings were for slow dinners at the hotel’s café, where Provençal classics, such as lavender-honey duck and chèvre drizzled with olive oil, were paired with wines from nearby vineyards like Château La Dorgonne. Service is warm, polished and unhurried, and staff seemed delighted to pass on local intel. Whether you’re lounging by the turquoise pool, leafing through books in the library, or borrowing one of the vintage bicycles, Le Moulin feels less like a hotel and more like the home of a very chic, very discreet friend.
It’s worth lingering longer in the Luberon, with a night or two at Le Moulin’s sister property Capelongue, perched just above Bonnieux. The pace is even slower here — landscaped gardens are abundant in lavender, roses and fig trees, inviting you to do little more than curl up on a sunlounger, take a dip in one of two serene pools, and perhaps try your hand at a game of pétanque or padel. Inside, the suites are effortlessly elegant, with lime-plastered walls, pops of retro orange and giant rattan lampshades. The food, as expected in this rich terroir, is sublime. At La Bastide, the Michelin-starred restaurant, we sampled dishes like beef tartare with fresh coriander and briny Camargue oyster. For something more rustic, La Bergerie offers wood-fired feasts best enjoyed under the stars, followed by a glass of chilled thyme liqueur at the bar — the perfect end to a long, sun-soaked day.
DAY 9-10: THE LUBERON TO MONT VENTOUX
Drive time: 1 hour
Our last stop was Hôtel Crillon Le Brave, a property so seamlessly woven into its namesake village that it feels less like a destination and more like a discovery. Set in the foothills of Mont Ventoux, this escape is formed of seven restored 17th-century stone houses, each with an understated aesthetic of whitewashed walls, terracotta tiles, dove-grey furnishings and periwinkle shutters. In spring, the gardens burst with almond and quince blossoms; autumn is truffle-hunting season, guided by local foragers and their eager dogs. Bicycles await the more adventurous for exploring the cherry orchards nearby, but we preferred to enjoy massages in the quiet vaulted rooms of the spa. Every corner of the hotel invites lingering: by the secluded pool edged with olive trees, in the candlelit bistro or on a sunny terrace with a glass of rosé. The final proof, if ever we needed it — before our coolly anticipated three-hour drive back to Nice Airport — that in Provence, romance isn’t curated. It’s simply in the air.
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