Southern France, or the South of France, consists of regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, and Italy. Southern France is considered part of the Southern European region because of its border with the Mediterranean Sea.
The South of France region has the best sparkling blue waters, dramatic cliffs, colorful food, and charming villages. Known for its fresh produce and wines, this is a perfect place to have a family vacation.
But you already know this. What you want to know is what you can do during your one-week stay in the South of France. Below is the best South of France itinerary you can find to ensure you have the best fun in the next 7 days.
1 Week South of France Itinerary Guide
Day 1: Chapelle du Rosaire
Chapelle du Rosaire is an important religious building you should check out on the first day of your southern France tour. This masterpiece was built in the 20th century and designed by Henri Matisse for the Dominican sisters.
The Rosary Chapel or the Matisse Chapel is located on the exceptional site of Vence near Nice, in the center of a region rich in artistic and spiritual places. The Matisse chapel is known for its white and blue tiled roof and its thirteen-meter-high wrought iron cross, bearing crescent moons and golden flames.
For your southern France itinerary, you can explore the chapel and its adjacent museum, where a large collection of the artist’s preparatory works is presented. You’ll be awed by the large stained glass window made up of three colors and the three large paintings in black lines on white ceramics evoking Saint Dominic, the Nativity, and the Stations of the Cross.
Day 2: Palace Idéal
If you plan to travel to southern France, then you should free your second day to visit this palace built by a postman, the Palace Idéal. Postman Chevel spent 33 years building this inspired by nature, postcards, and illustrated magazines, using stones he’d collected during his rounds.
In 1969, Palace Idéal was classified as a historical monument by André Malraux, the Minister of Culture, in the context of naive art. The site is open all year round, so you will be able to explore its museography space and the exhibition space.
Thanks to the illustrations of his time, Ferdinand Cheval reproduced in niches a Swiss Chalet, a Hindu temple, the White House, the Square House of Algiers, a Castle in the Middle Ages, and a Mosque that opens onto the inside of the Ideal Palace, the Gallery.
In the middle, you’ll see a fountain made by Cheval “The Source of Life,” which is surrounded by a lion and a dog. On the left, you’ll see the Hindu temple with a niche where his famous and faithful wheelbarrow is hidden.
It was on the South side that Ferdinand Cheval decided to place his Antediluvian Museum, a cave in which the Postman Cheval collected stones waiting to be used in the work under construction.
Day 2: Arles Amphitheater
Arles is full of incredible Roman history, including the Arles amphitheater and other impressive 17th-century mansions, which you can explore. So if you have time on your second day, you can explore this spot and see the popular Van Gogh Exhibition.
The Arles Amphitheatre is a two-tiered Roman amphitheater located in Southern France and in 1981, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments group.
The building has an oval arena surrounded by terraces, arcades on two levels bleachers, a system of galleries, a drainage system in many corridors of access, and staircases for a quick exit from the crowd.
With the fall of the Western Empire in the 5th century, the amphitheater became a shelter for the population and was transformed into a fortress with four towers. The structure encircled more than 200 houses, becoming a real town, with its public square built in the center of the arena and two chapels, one in the center of the building, and another one at the base of the west tower.
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Day 3: Le Palais des Papes
Before starting your 7-day South of France itinerary, you should know that Le Palais des Papes in Avignon is the biggest medieval Gothic palace in Europe. You can stop at this palace on the third day of your southern France tour to have a full experience.
You should know that during the 14th century, the Palais des Papes was a fortress, a palace, and the seat of Western Christianity. In 1995, the Palais des Papes was even classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding architecture and historical importance.
The Palais des Papes is a major venue for an annual July celebration known as the Festival d’Avignon. It is also the site of many cultural and economic events, including art exhibitions, shows, and conventions.
The Palais is also home to the International Congress Centre, which was established in 1976 and today hosts a large number of events annually. These include congresses, parliaments, symposia, reunions, and other gatherings.
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Day 3: La Forêt d’Acrobates
La Forêt d’Acrobates is a leisure center located on the Base Départementale de Bessilles in Montagnac, in the heart of a hundred-year-old pine forest. It is a fantastic, fun activity to do on your third day to balance all the learning from Le Palais des Papes.
La Forêt d’Acrobates is full of assault courses, zip wires, and climbing walls. It’s a great way to challenge yourself while getting fit at the same time. There are many outdoor activities offered to you, for all levels and all ages, from 2 years to 99 years.
You can go tree climbing with 7 tree courses and 170 workshops including 40 zip lines or explore the outdoor adventures. Don’t forget to build your team spirit by trying out the outdoor escape game and fun shooting activities like the archery range, laser games, archery tag, and paintball.
Day 4: Amphitheatre of Nimes
This historic Amphitheatre of Nimes is one of the most preserved spaces of the Roman Empire and can be explored on the fourth day during your southern France tour.
The arena is elliptical with a central ring encircled by 34 rows of seats that can take over 20,000 people. Beneath the seating, there’s a network of galleries that leads to different levels with 126 staircases.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, it became a fortified village with wells, houses, two churches, and even a castle, all of which existed up to the 18th century. In 1786, as part of a city rehabilitation project, the destruction of the houses and the restoration of the amphitheater were decreed.
The arena gives an audio-guided tour that allows you to discover its architecture and history. You can also explore the multimedia space devoted to the gladiators. During your stay, ensure you attend the Féria de Pentecôte, which is based on the Spanish bullfighting festivals.
Day 4: Monaco Aquarium
Monaco Aquarium is one of the oldest aquariums in the world, which has been designed to recreate some ecosystems in which each species has a role to play. Just be sure to explore the Amphitheater of Nimes first, before you pay a visit to this amazing spot, cos you can end up spending your day here.
In this giant aquarium, 30-cm-thick glass panes have been installed to resist the pressure of the water, without betraying the shapes or colors. In the aquarium tour, you will discover that some fish change sex, that the octopus is the king of illusionists, and that the large mother-of-pearl is a protected species.
Here, you’ll have fun exploring different ecosystems, from the Mediterranean to the tropics, to the shark lagoons, to the fluorescent corals. The tropical zone of the aquarium reveals the enchantment of the coral reef and its inhabitants.
A visit to the Monaco Aquarium is a fantastic way to get up close and personal with all the creatures of the deep, from sharks to stingrays and so much more.
Day 5: Gorges du Verdon
The Gorges du Verdon is a river canyon located in southeastern France and acts as France’s very own Grand Canyon. It was formed by the Verdon River, which is named for its turquoise-green color, one of the location’s distinguishing characteristics.
The source of the Verdon is close to the Col d’Allos hills and flows into the Durance River near Vinon-sur-Verdon after traveling 175 kilometers. The Verdon Gorge is narrow and deep, with depths of 250 to 700 meters and widths of 6 to 100 metres at the level of the Verdon River.
The gorge is very popular with tourists, so you can drive around its rim, rent kayaks to travel on the river, or hike. The limestone walls, which are several hundred meters high, are an outstanding spot for multi-pitch climbing so it attracts many rock climbers.
On the fifth day of your 7-day south of France itinerary, you can take a walk around its scenery, or hire a canoe and take to the water to fully appreciate the canyon from a whole new angle.
Day 6: Domaine Natura
Created in 2004, Domaine Natura extends over around twenty hectares and is located in St Laurent la Vernède. These lands formed in places of sand, clay, or limestone, combined with different grape varieties, allow them to produce the best wine in southern France.
Their wine range consists mostly of fruity white, rosé, and red wines full of character, produced under the Duché d’Uzès PDO following wine-making traditions. You can also try out other wines, from light summer beverages to more powerful vintages that reflect their terroir.
On your sixth day, you can go on a tour to Domaine, where the crew will welcome you, introduce you to the local products, and allow you to taste the wines. This is an amazing southern France tour, especially if you’re visiting with younger kids.
Day 7: Meze Dinosaur Museum
Meze Dinosaur Museum is the largest museum park in Europe devoted to dinosaurs, in the middle of an outstanding paleontological site in the South of France. The exhibits and museum on this site are great, but nothing compares to the life-size dinosaur replicas that can be found in the park.
In 1996, this site, consisting of numerous dinosaur eggs and fossilized bones, was discovered, so to protect this remarkable heritage, an open-air museum was founded in the heart of the site. This was to offer both a cultural center and a teaching structure for researchers and the general public.
The Mèze Museum-Park tells the story of dinosaurs from their origin to their extinction, explaining all we have learned about them from their discovery to the most recent scientific research.
A visit to this museum on your last day should be on your southern France itinerary so you can observe, understand, and participate in this original concept, an open-air museum.
Conclusion
With its balmy summer days, picturesque beaches, and rustic countryside, it’s no surprise you’re planning to visit the South of France for the first time. With this 1 week’s South of France itinerary, you’ll be sure to explore fully.
While there’s never really a bad time to visit the South of France, it’s a good idea to plan when you go with the weather in mind. Spring can be a bit unpredictable, so if you’re after a tan-topping stay with more time in the pool, plan your trip between May and October.
Summer months will be the best for beach clubs and warmer weather, but with it comes the crowds. The peak season in France is July and August, so it’s the prime time for festivals, fairs, and tourists.
