Avignon is one of the best bases in France for day trips. Within an hour's journey lie a Roman aqueduct, a famous wine village, ochre cliffs and hilltop villages, the Camargue wetlands and the landscapes that inspired Van Gogh. The challenge is choosing, so this guide sorts the excursions by theme and explains how to get there.
Roman Provence
The south of France was one of the richest provinces of the Roman empire, and its monuments are exceptional. The Pont du Gard, a three-tier aqueduct across the Gardon valley, is a short drive from Avignon, and it sits in a landscaped site with a museum and walking trails. The Roman Theatre of Orange, about twenty kilometres north, has the best-preserved stage wall in Europe, and it is easy to reach by regional train in roughly twenty to thirty minutes. A small-group day trip to Nîmes, Uzès and the Pont du Gard adds the Maison Carrée, a first-century temple, the Arena and a golden hill town. If you can only choose one, pick the Pont du Gard for beauty or Orange for the theatre.
Wine
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a village about fifteen kilometres from Avignon, where the popes built a summer residence and planted vineyards that now produce some of France's most famous red wine. A guided tour handles the driving, which is a real advantage when tasting is involved, and a half day is enough for a couple of estates and a stroll in the village. Wine lovers who want more can add a day in the Luberon or the Côtes du Rhône villages. Tours generally run all year, though the harvest in early autumn is an exceptional time to visit.
Villages and landscapes
The Luberon is the classic Provençal scene: stone villages perched on hills, cherry orchards, lavender and ochre cliffs. A half-day tour to Gordes and Roussillon is the easiest way to see it, and the ochre cliffs at Roussillon are a highlight for photographers. Lavender tours run in summer only, when the plateaux around Sault bloom from roughly late June into July. Outside the bloom, the Luberon is still beautiful in spring and autumn. A hire car gives more freedom in the Luberon, but narrow roads and busy summer parking can be stressful.
Art and atmosphere
The Carrières de Lumières at Les Baux-de-Provence is an immersive projection show inside a former quarry, with changing programmes, and the hilltop village above it is worth an hour's wander. The Van Gogh half-day tour takes you into the countryside around Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where the artist painted during his stay at the asylum. Both are easy to pair with a visit to the Alpilles.
Wild Provence
For a complete change of scenery, the Arles and Camargue day links Roman Arles, the wetlands with their white horses, black bulls and flamingos, and the walled town of Aigues-Mortes. It is a long day, and a tour is far easier than public transport here. Bring sun protection and insect repellent in summer.
Choosing between a tour and a train
Trains are excellent for Arles, Nîmes and Orange, which all have stations near their centres, and they cost far less than a tour. Tours win where distances and parking are the problem: the Luberon villages, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Camargue and the lavender plateaux. A hire car suits independent travellers who like to stop where they please, but plan for narrow roads, summer traffic and paid parking at popular sites. If you plan to taste wine, a guided tour or a driver is the safest option.
Combining and timing
Two or three day trips fit comfortably into a five-day stay, and many travellers pair one Roman day with one villages or wine day. Do not stack two long days in a row if you can avoid it. Summer heat makes midday sightseeing tiring, so start early and keep lunch long. Winter is quiet, with shorter hours and cooler days, but many sights stay open and crowds vanish. Whatever you choose, book popular tours ahead in spring, July and early autumn, check what is included in the price, and return to your hotel with time for a long dinner. A base in Avignon, such as the Mercure Pont d'Avignon Centre or the Avignon Grand Hotel with its car park, makes each excursion easy to begin and finish.
