Things to Do
Few places inspire quite like Provence — vineyards rolling into the distance, storybook villages, Roman ruins, long lunches and landscapes that seem almost impossibly beautiful. From our corner of the region, some of the South of France’s most beloved destinations are all within easy reach. Spend the day tasting wine in the Rhône Valley, wander through ancient towns, swim beneath limestone cliffs, linger over lunch in Avignon, and let the wedding bookend a longer Provençal escape.
Eat & Drink
Wine Tasting
Straight from the source
We’re surrounded by one of France’s great wine regions, with Côtes du Rhône vineyards stretching through the countryside around the château, so you won’t have to go far for a proper tasting. For something intimate and family-run, Domaine des Gravennes in Suze-la-Rousse does organic Côtes du Rhône wines and tastings; Château La Borie is another beautiful nearby estate with guided visits and tastings.
Provençal Markets
Shop like a local
Spend the morning wandering stalls piled high with sun-ripened fruit, local cheeses, olives, flowers, soaps, baskets and other regional treasures. Pick up something for lunch, something for the château, and probably something you’ll convince yourself absolutely had to come home with you. Bollène’s Friday morning market is the easiest option during the wedding weekend, while early arrivals can make a morning of the larger Thursday market in Orange.
Cave à Vin
Drink like a local
In France, the local wine shop is the cave à vin — and ours is just minutes from our château. Stop into Le Flacon, ask the caviste what’s drinking well nearby, and pick up a bottle from the southern Rhône to bring back for the terrace, dinner or wherever the evening takes you.
Provençal Dining
Take your time
From shaded terraces to dinners among the vines, eating well here is as much about the setting as the plate. Look for seasonal cooking, local produce and a bottle from the Rhône — and give the meal nowhere else it needs to be.
Hôtel Restaurant La Beaugravière
€€€ · 4.4 ★ · 10 min by car
Classic Provençal cooking with a seriously impressive wine cellar; especially good for guests who want the full Rhône food-and-wine experience. Their menus change with the seasons, and reservations are encouraged.
Campagne, Vignes et Gourmandises
€€€ · 4.6 ★ · 20 min by car
Seasonal Provençal cooking in Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, with a peaceful terrace and vineyards all around — this is the one that feels most like a destination meal in wine country.
Ferme auberge le mas de flore
€€ · 4.5 ★ · 15 min by car
A rustic farm-auberge near Bollène serving generous, traditional cooking — a more casual, very local counterpoint to the polished dining options.
Le Clair de Plume
€€€€ · 4.6 ★ · 35 min by car
A Michelin-starred restaurant in the storybook village of Grignan, pairing refined Provençal cooking with one of the prettiest settings in the region.
Nearby
Suze-la-Rousse
15 minutes by car
Wine country, with a château
Surrounded by vineyards in the Drôme Provençale, Suze-la-Rousse is home to a medieval château, the Université du Vin and plenty of nearby domaines for an easy afternoon tasting.
Aiguèze
20 minutes by car
A medieval village above the Ardèche
Perched high above the river, Aiguèze is one of France’s officially designated Most Beautiful Villages. Wander its cobbled lanes and old stone ramparts, stop for lunch or a glass of wine, then head down toward Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche for a swim, a riverside walk or an afternoon canoe.
Orange
25 minutes by car
Step back into Ancient Rome
Orange is home to one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in Europe, along with its monumental triumphal arch and a charming historic centre. Tour the theatre, wander the old streets, stop for lunch in one of the squares and make an easy half-day of it.
Saint-Martin d’Ardèche & The Gorges
25 minutes by car
Trade the vineyards for the river
At the southern gateway to the Gorges de l’Ardèche, Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche is made for warm-weather wandering. Rent a canoe, swim beneath limestone cliffs, follow a riverside trail or simply claim a spot by the water and spend the afternoon doing very little at all.
Worth the Drive
Avignon
40 minutes by car
The City of Popes
Walk the medieval ramparts, explore the immense Palais des Papes, cross the famous Pont d’Avignon, then disappear into the old town for a long lunch and a little shopping. It’s the kind of place that rewards wandering without much of a plan.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
35 minutes by car
An icon of the southern Rhône
Set high above the Rhône Valley, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is surrounded by some of the region’s most celebrated vineyards. Visit a domaine, taste your way through the village’s cellars, then climb toward the ruined papal château for sweeping views over the vines.
Grignan
35 minutes by car
A storybook village
Grignan rises above the countryside in a jumble of honey-colored stone, narrow lanes and terraced views, crowned by its magnificent Renaissance château. Wander the village, tour the château, and stay for lunch somewhere shaded and slow.
Pont du Gard
35 minutes by car
Two thousand years of history
One of the best-preserved Roman aqueducts in the world stretches dramatically across the Gardon River. Walk the trails, explore the site, bring a picnic, or make an afternoon of it by the water.