Summer Guide: The Provence of Your Dreams

Provence isn’t quite as sleepy as it used to be. Lured by idyllic portrayals in everything from coffee-table books to Instagram feeds, tourists are spilling into towns like Arles and Aix-en-Provence to quaff the wine country’s coveted rosés and drink in the postcard landscapes. Beyond the well-traveled trail, however, this region of rambling vineyards, lavender fields, Roman ruins, and French châteaux remains unapologetically rural and utterly unpretentious. In outskirt villages like Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade and Châteauneuf-Grasse, the Old World lives on—albeit with a host of new reasons to visit. Indeed, recently opened restaurants, luxurious hotels, and new experiences are making this summer the perfect time to visit Provence.