Planning your holidays to Provence by air

Why we love to fly

Provence is one of our favourite year-round destinations. Its essence is that of the emblematic French lifestyle: classic hilltop villages, mouth-watering food, special wines, and buzzing markets. There are endless ways to arrive in this special region, but we prefer to arrive for our holiday to Provence by air then make our way to our destination by driving.

Whether you'd like to visit the Luberon, Alpilles, Marseille or Avignon, it all depends on how far you'd like to travel once you land. If you love long drives, and like to see the countryside on your drive, or if you just want to get settled as soon as possible.

From wherever, whenever

There are multiple airports in Provence, and all serve different locations as well as airlines, and we know it can be a bit confusing. Depending on where you'll be flying from, and where you'll want to go, each airport has its pros and cons.

• The Marseille Provence Airport serves year-round flights from Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the United States, and Canada.
• The Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport has year-round flights to and from Canada, the United States, the Middle east, North Africa, and Europe.
• Aéroport de Nîmes Alès Camargue Cévennes is mostly just for Ryanair flights, from London Stansted, Fez, and Brussels.
• Toulon-Hyères Airport has daily flights to and from Paris, Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Geneva, Brussels, London and Southampton. The airport also serves seasonal flights to Lyon, Bordeaux, Brest, Strasbourg, Bastia, and Ajaccio.

AVIGNON

Avignon is a breathtaking city that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walled, and bordered on two sides by the Rhône, it is a city that offers something for everyone. It boasts marvellous art galleries, the beautiful Palais des Papes, and excellent gastronomy.

ARRIVING IN AVIGNON, PROVENCE BY AIR AND LAND:
45 minutes minutes by car from Aéroport de Nîmes
1 hour and 10 minutes by car from Marseille Airport
2 hours and 15 minutes by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
2 hours and 30 minutes by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport

Mas Belle Helene

As a classic Provençal home decorated in classic French-style, walking into Mas Belle Helene is like taking a trip back in time. With its palatial gardens, and rich interiors, it is a house that seems like it was made for royalty. It is the perfect home for large families, and special occasions. Or simply if you want to live like a king, or queen.

LUBERON

Luberon is the land where red cliffs intermingle with the tan shades of scenic villages. You can lose yourself in Roussillon, the most famous hilltop village that offers its visitors views of typical architecture of the region. Or visit Gordes or Ménerbes, both perched on hilltops with picturesque stone houses as well. A must-see in the region is the Provençal Colorado, one of the geological features that one must see at least once in his life that amaze all who visit with its dazzling colours and geological shapes.

If you have your eye on Luberon for one of your next Provence holidays, check out this article.

ARRIVING IN LUBERON, PROVENCE BY AIR AND LAND:
1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Marseille Airport
2 hours by car from Aéroport de Nîmes Airport
2 hours and 30 minutes by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
3 hours by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport

Mas des Forgerons  

Mas des Forgerons is a unique house that gives you a feeling of being alone in the middle of nowhere. With rugged interiors, and thought-out pops of colours, it is a modern paradise nestled within the trees of the beautiful Luberon.

ALPILLES

Located between Arles and Avignon, the Alpilles chain is the geological extension of the Luberon; it is divided into Alpilles des Baux to the west, and Alpilles d'Eygalières to the east. The villages all have scents of thyme, rosemary and lavender wherever you go. Between the vines and the oil mills, the colourful markets exude all the scents of Provence.

ARRIVING IN ALPILLES, PROVENCE BY AIR AND LAND:
55 minutes by car from Aéroport de Nîmes Alès Camargue Cévennes
1 hour and 10 minutes by car from Marseille Airport
2 hours and 15 minutes by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
2 hours and 30 minutes by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport

Mas des Oliviers

Mas des Oliviers is all classic on the inside, and refreshingly modern on the outside. With its neutral interiors, richly detailed fabrics, and exotic pieces scattered throughout the house, Mas des Oliviers is distinctly Provençal at first glance. Interestingly, its sharp-lined exterior, lush green gardens and an inviting infinity pool prove it to be quite modern but still exuberating French farmhouse chic.

MARSEILLE

Marseille is one of the most invigorating cities in France, offering an infinite number of cultures and races, and some of the best restaurants in France. We love Marseille for the new-found culture, the buzz of a big port city, the music, the bombast and so much more. We love to try to get up early enough to catch the renowned daily fish market at the Vieux Port. After that, we always find hidden gems when exploring the crooked, narrow streets of the Quartier du Panier.

ARRIVING IN MARSEILLE, PROVENCE BY AIR AND LAND:
25 minutes by car from Marseille Airport
1 hour and 15 minutes by car from Aéroport de Nîmes
1 hour and 20 minutes by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
2 hours by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport

Villa La Corniche

Villa La Corniche has one of the most stunning views of the water in Marseille. It is a retro-themed house, with panoramic views of the sea beyond. Refreshing, and oh so fun, it's a place that will always have you smiling as you get back from a long today of discovering Provence.

CASSIS

Cassis is always buzzing, as several lively events take place in the city throughout the year. However, we a few that we think are particularly worth keeping note of if you are planning a trip outside the high season. In mid-May there's a wine festival called Cassis Fête son Vin and, for ten days at the end of June, the Fêtes de la Mer feature a number of sea-themed celebrations. These are likely to include marine jousting, folk dancing, a regatta, a procession and a sardinade (sardine feast).

ARRIVING IN CASSIS, PROVENCE BY AIR AND LAND:
50 mins by car from Marseille Airport
1 hour by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
1 hour and 35 minutes by car from Aéroport de Nîmes
2 hours by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport

Villa de la Presqu’île  

Villa de la Presqu'île is all about contemporary coastal design. With its stark white interiors, turquoise blue pool and matching tinted glass windows, it almost looks like it belongs in Greece. The living room is our favourite part of the house, with so much vibrant colours that assault the senses. Each bedroom in the house is an exciting extension to the vibe of luxurious amusement.

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Aix-en-Provence is one of the enchanting spots in the South of France. In this city, there are as many markets as days in the week. From fruit and vegetables to antiquarian books, the markets of Aix-en-Provence fill the city with buzzing sound and rich colour. History is also the setting for everyday life here, as it has the third-largest collection of Baroque architecture in the country, just after the grand Versailles and Paris.

ARRIVING IN AIX-EN-PROVENCE BY AIR AND LAND:
30 mins by car from Marseille Airport
1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
1 hour and 45 minutes by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport
2 hours and 30 minutes by car from Aéroport de Nîmes

Villa Carmelie  

A modern home in a classic setting, Villa Carmelie is feast for the senses. Each room is thoughtfully designed, seemingly telling a story through every step of the house. With its vivid wallpapers, and quirky design, to us it is the contemporary interpretation of colours and vibrance of Provence.

ST TROPEZ

The St Tropez peninsula is outstanding, with the views that stretch across the sea to the mountains. It disguises a multilayered vibe, from villa evenings with moguls through to locals going to the market with baskets to do their daily shopping.

ARRIVING IN ST TROPEZ BY AIR AND LAND:
1 hour by car from Toulon-Hyères Airport
1 hour and 30 minutes by car from Nice-Côte D'Azur Aiport
2 hours by car from Marseille Airport
3 hours by car from Aéroport de Nîmes

Villa Koons 

Villa Koons is a quirky home with elegant, sleek lines. From the modern outdoors with curved lounge chairs, to the fun Andy Warhol-esque dining space indoors, it's a house will never ceases to surprise you.

With Le Collectionist, renting a villa in Provence has never been easier. Explore our collection to discover our luxury Provence villas and other extraordinary experiences.