Le Ciel Ouvert

Your first port of call should be Forcalquier – ideally on a Monday, when one of the region’s biggest markets is held in the town. On any day, the atmospheric Old Town is lovely for a wander, with narrow streets leading to old chapels, a Gothic fountain and the 12th-century cloister of the Couvent des Cordeliers. You should also climb up to the Citadel for stunning views across the Alps and the surrounding area. Want to take a closer look at those surroundings? A hike around the interesting rock formations of Les Mourres (10 minutes’ drive) is a great place to start, or perhaps something more challenging at Montagne de Lure (35 minutes). If you don’t fancy hiking there are several outfits nearby that can help organise things like horse riding, canyoning or hot air balloon flights. Staying firmly on the ground, you might like to visit Château de Sauvan (10 minutes) or the château ruins in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt (50 minutes). And as this is Provence, lavender is never too far off – you can visit the L’Occitanie en Provence factory museum (half an hour) or stroll through the fields of Lavandes Angelvin (35 minutes).