116 Best Hotels in Provence, France

It took four years for the two delightful owners, one a fifth-generation antiques dealer, to transform this 18th-century bastide amid farmland and vineyards into a guesthouse of rare elegance and taste. Whichever of the spacious suites you choose, you’ll be treated to museum-worthy antiques and artworks, luxury linens, comfortable contemporary furniture, and all the considerate touches that make you feel at home (the home of your dreams, that is). The private guesthouse next to the bastide is a masterpiece of contemporary design, mixing modern and classical artworks and antiques in the beautiful sleeping and sitting areas. The estate lies on three private acres of manicured gardens, orchards, and olive groves, with a pool and plenty of lovely spots to relax under the shade of ancient trees and take in breathtaking views of Ménerbes.

This hotel and wine estate in the heart of nature is billed as an “experimental” space, with everything from the joyful, primary-color decor schemes to the configuration and contemporary design of each room to the unconventional touches (skylights, raised sinks, platform beds) expressing uniqueness. Common areas invite conviviality, and a large pool, gardens, and outdoor terraces invite you to relax and enjoy the view. For a more private stay, book one of the three cozy wooden cabins with terraces or the two fully equipped houses, each with three bedrooms, their own grounds, and stellar views.

In the medieval part of town, this turreted 16th-century former bishop's palace has rooms with rustic charm—delicate fabrics, exposed beams, and wooden bedsteads. The surroundings and the warm welcome have garnered a loyal following among travelers who prefer character over modern luxury.

Chopin spent the night and George Sand kept a suite in this historic hotel overlooking the Vieux Port. Public rooms still have real antiques, burnished woodwork, Provençal style, and plush carpets, all comprising a convincing part of this intimate urban hotel's genuine old-world charm. Guest rooms are in the same style but have been updated to include all the modern comforts. Harbor-view rooms, with balconies high over the fish market, more than justify the splurge.

Set on sandy Les Sablettes Beach, part of the Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer Peninsula across the harbor from Toulon, this fully restored, Belle Époque–era hotel has bright, casually elegant rooms with a few classic nautical touches and lots of modern amenities. The ocean view from some rooms is spectacular, and nine suites have terraces with a private whirlpool. You can swim in the sea out front or in the hotel pool—perhaps before or after a treatment in the lovely Nuxe spa. The ferry to Toulon is a 10-minute walk away.

You might not guess that this friendly, family-run, shabby-chic hotel, convenient to both the train station and the Palais des Papes, is a budget option. It's full of welcoming touches like vintage art and colorful linens, and it's comfortable, functional, and easy on the wallet.

This eccentric and slightly threadbare inn in an elegant 18th-century house is the antithesis of slick, which, coupled with the location in the Quartier Mazarin, makes it a favorite with writers, artists, and musicians at festival time—and at any time with guests who appreciate the charm of novel furnishings and the music of the bells of St-Jean-de-Malte. Its large rooms are furnished gracefully enough with secondhand finds; some rooms even have original 18th-century painted door panels. The hotel also has six kitchenette suites; the two across from the Musée Granet and the one on the ground floor with a private garden are the best.

Like the views from its interconnected hilltop houses, prices at this sumptuous property are elevated—but, in return, you get a rarefied stage-set of medieval luxury. Antiques, bold fabrics, and cozy southern touches inform the book-filled salons and French-country-chic guest rooms, some with terraces looking out onto infinity. Unwind in the heated pool, indulge in the spa, or sample stylish French cuisine in the stone-vaulted dining room. Wine tastings and regional discovery packages encourage longer stays.

This classic, vine-covered 16th-century home once hosted Emperor Maximilian (as well as Victor Hugo and Napoléon Bonaparte), and some of its guest rooms are emperor size. Regally discreet, it is notable for its walled, tree-shaded courtyard and an interior filled with Aubusson tapestries, porcelain, and Provençal antiques. Rooms are not state-of-the-art and can seem more than a little grandmotherly, but it's all part of the old-world experience. Two suites have views onto the Papal Palace. The highly acclaimed restaurant, La Vieille Fontaine, is among Avignon's best.

This old private home has, fortunately, fallen into the hands of a loving and very hospitable owner, who has refinished 18th-century double doors and fitted rooms with restored-wood details, white-tiled bathrooms, and antique bedroom sets. Some rooms are more modern than others—ask for one overlooking place du Marché, where you can watch café life from your balcony. A generous breakfast buffet (€11) is served in the dining room.

This prosaic old town option has 12th-century exposed stone walls, a 15th-century spiral staircase, weathered wood everywhere, and homey touches like cream-color linens. Among the many pluses are good beds, flat-screen TVs, and free (although sometimes weak) Wi-Fi.

Capitalizing on the village's gorgeous bay views is just one of this lively, Art Deco–style boutique hotel's many virtues—it also has light-drenched guest rooms (some with private balconies), a spa with a steam room and solarium, two restaurants (one on the beach), and an irresistible wine bar. True to its name, the hotel sits right on Bestouan Beach, so fun in the sun is easy. There's also easy access to both the village and Calanques National Park.

"A river runs through it" is no exaggeration at this amiable hotel in a former mill, where a romantic garden is laced with water channels and shaded by plane trees and where terraces and some of the pleasant, light-drenched guest rooms overlook the Sorgue River or the shaded garden and pool. Breakfasts and dinners at the hotel's "bistronomic" restaurant, are served indoors or outside in the garden, where you can enjoy drinks throughout the day. The same is true of the pool area, which also has a whirlpool tub.

Although the rooms are rather snug, this modest city hotel is right around the corner from the Quai du Port and is a good value. The interior design is simple and sufficient, even the street-facing rooms are quiet, and the service is prompt and friendly. Ask for one of the fifth-floor rooms with tiny balconies overlooking the port—or the crow's nest "nuptiale" double with private rooftop terrace.

A 17th-century Carmelite convent provides an intriguing backdrop for fashion designer Christian Lacroix's fantaisie interiors, which feature ultramodern color schemes, large (sometimes jarring) motifs, and furnishings in a jumble of periods and styles. The rooms go from a wildly imaginative style on the first floor to "exuberant Provençal style" on the second to a more restrained "monastic" style on the third. Many rooms overlook a quiet courtyard, and the downstairs spa and pool are a nice way to wind down from a day of touring—perhaps before your meal at Lou Marquès, the hotel's gastronomic restaurant. The hotel's central location on the main market street makes exploring Arles's famous Saturday marché a breeze.

This picturesque hotel, set amid lovely gardens, is a 10-minute walk to town but far enough from its summer crowds to offer peace and quiet. Handsome, spacious rooms—most with terraces overlooking the pool or gardens—are bright and comfortable and offer every modern convenience. On fine days, a copious buffet breakfast or specially prepared dinner (you must order ahead) is served in the garden.

Set back from the port in the heart of the shopping district, this cozy, charming, little hotel offers a warm reception and a homey breakfast-room-cum-bar. Guest rooms are beautifully decked out in homage to various artists—Picasso in red, black, and gilt, for example, with jazzy Cubist curtains or Matisse in gray-backed walls with colorful prints.

A view over the infinity pool to the (private) beach and sea greets you at this luxury spa hotel two steps from Bandol's port. Rooms are sleek and contemporary, with all the comforts you'd expect from a five-star hotel, but it's the sweeping sea views from your bed and terrace that steal the show. Streamlined bathrooms, some with both a tub and a shower, are ample and stocked with luxury products. The well-equipped thalassotherapy spa has an indoor pool and a full range of seawater therapies—from single treatments to weeklong programs—that can be customized to your wants and needs.

Consisting of three 17th-century buildings that were restored and combined, this hotel is a stone’s throw from the port and the picturesque old town and within walking distance of most sights. Some rooms have lovely views of the bay (best seen from fourth-floor balconies), old town, and Mont Faron; all rooms are spare and functional, with a maritime design theme featuring uplifting shades of blue and white and spotless white-tiled bathrooms. The in-hotel restaurant, L’Équerre, is a popular neighborhood choice for a classic bistronomic meal or a cocktail. The tiny rooftop pool offers stellar views of the bay and cool respite on a hot summer’s day.

Once an idyllic youth hostel, this old stone farmhouse with blue-shuttered windows is now an unpretentious but enchanting country inn set in a pine-shaded garden court. Its pretty rooms are done in stone, pine, and stucco, with bright, artisanal-tiled baths. Downstairs is a low-slung dining room with plank tables by a stone fireplace. Breakfast can be enjoyed on a sweet terrace, and the €28 dinner menu includes typical regional specialties such as garlic-roasted lamb, duck breast with honey and rosemary, and lavender-scented crème brûlée.

Michelin-starred chef Mathias Dandine’s transformation of a 200-year-old, tree-shaded auberge at the heart of a quaint village near Aix into a sleek boutique hotel bucks the trend toward Provençal charm in favor of a resolutely contemporary style, featuring creamy walls and terrazzo floors, giant backlit mirrors, minimalist-chic wooden furniture, dreamily colored velvet upholstery, and sizeable marble bathrooms with huge walk-in showers (some with tubs, too). Some the spacious rooms have outdoor terraces, and and a large suite has views of a medieval chapel on the opposite hillside. Bask in the sun around the swimming pool or enjoy a massage in the treatment room before indulging in a gastronomic lunch or dinner in Dandine’s Michelin-starred dining room, where dishes feature all-local ingredients, and the wines are sublime. A quick 10-minute drive from downtown Aix-en-Provence, this a good choice for a village getaway with easy access to cosmopolitan Aix.

Whether on or off the Lavender Route, arriving by car or by bicycle—as many do—a warm welcome awaits you at this reasonably priced bed-and-breakfast set in a series of 18th-century stone mas (farmhouses) in the midst of lavender fields near Sault. Spotless rooms evoke a Provençal ambience with contemporary touches, and the spacious pool is appreciated on hot summer days. Four independent stone houses, including a 1,500 square-foot farm house with its own private pool, and a picturesque stone cottage adjoining the hotel offer a touch more privacy. If you’re booking for lavender season (mid-June to mid-July) reserve at least six months ahead.

You can unwind in total comfort at this retreat near the village and amid the Luberon Natural Park, where each contemporary villa is done in earth tones and has a private terrace. Take advantage of the indoor or outdoor pools and spa (with a steam room and whirlpool tub), which are set among gnarled olive trees and pretty gardens. Overlooking the hotel's sun-drenched grounds, the Casa Gia restaurant (open for lunch and dinner) serves Mediterranean specialties and seafood.

A mere 2 km (1 mile) from Pont du Gard, a 17th-century coach house on 30 acres of greenery has been lovingly converted into this boutique hotel and gourmet restaurant. The interior is modern, which contrasts nicely with the old stone walls of the exterior. Rooms have all the modern conveniences, including Wi-Fi access, satellite TV, and room service. The restaurant is as contemporary as the rest of the place, and the set menus are reasonably priced. There's an outdoor swimming pool, a river to dip into (just a short walk away), and electric bike rentals for exploring the nearby paths.

Featuring interior details like heavy old beams, a stone fireplace, and terra-cotta tiles, this graceful, shuttered, family-owned mas, set on manicured grounds dotted with tall pines, feels centuries old, but it was built to look that way some 30 years ago. The refined, modern guest rooms have air-conditioning, large bathrooms, and such charming touches as throws on the settees and comfy cushions on the bed. You can have a drink on the terrace and cool off in the olive tree–shaded pool, beside which dinner (the prix-fixe Provençal-Mediterranean menu is €70) is served.

Outside the hustle of town and yet just five minutes from the Arènes, this luxurious Art Deco hôtel particulier has lots of charm—especially in its large, airy, individually decorated guest rooms. The scent of jasmine leads you out to the garden, where colorful bougainvilleas contrast with the deep blue of the pool. Drift back to the lovely sitting room in the early evening for a cup of tea or a glass of wine (a fridge is at your disposal), and then curl up with one of the many good books thoughtfully provided by your hosts.

Resident chineur (that’s fancy for "antiques hunter") Michel Montagnier decorated his 18th-century home in the heart of Arles with furniture and paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries, creating a setting so flawless that it feels like a stage and enables you to relax in an arcaded courtyard, lounge in a library, or retire to a spacious and luxurious guest room. No detail has been overlooked—Quagliotti linens, Annick Goutal beauty products, and your choice of cashmere bedspreads by Oyuna. On a budget? One room with two twin beds goes for a lower rate. Breakfast is included, as are Wi-Fi access and access to two parking places (if available).

Set in a historic mansion on the town’s main street, this bed-and-breakfast has four loft-like rooms with soaring ceilings, contemporary furnishings, ample marble baths, and lovely garden or historic center views. Two of the four rooms can accommodate people with mobility issues, a rarity in historic hotels. Breakfasts are served in the onsite restaurant and tea salon, L’Heure Bleue, or in the greenery-filled garden.

Perched on a cliff top in the Old Town, this gracious grouping of 16th-century mansions comes together as a fine hotel, where an extravagant period salon leads to curving stone stairs that go up to sizable rooms with beamed ceilings and antiques. Corner rooms have wonderful views. By day you can take a dip in the courtyard pool. In season, have dinner on the walled-in terrace, where the sweeping view takes precedence over the decent if unexciting food. The restaurant is a good spot for children thanks to the adjoining garden equipped with a swing set.

This hotel just steps from the Théâtre Antique lacks nothing in the way of charm or service—indeed, it would be hard to find a more welcoming staff. Rooms are basic and range from small and serviceable to comfortably spacious. Some have tremendous views over the Roman amphitheater, and all have bright if small bathrooms. The steam room and whirlpool in the basement spa are welcome perks after a day on foot. The hotel has a café, and the garden and small terrace are pleasant places to enjoy lunch, dinner, or just a cup of tea or a glass of wine.