Discover Provence at your own pace.

Le Bistrot de Lou Calen serves food daily in an air-conditioned dining room beneath a large glass roof, opening onto a shaded terrace. The menu gives classic bistro dishes a fresh twist.

A stylish restaurant with a tucked-away terrace overlooking the surrounding greenery. The menu changes weekly to make the most of local, seasonal produce. 

A tearoom on the town hall square, away from the bustle of the Cours, the village’s main square. Stop at Le Temps de Pose for tea and a slice of the day’s homemade cake.

Au petit Marché is a small local shop selling fresh produce, including meat, fruit and vegetables, as well as local beers.

Mon–Sat 8 am–12:30 pm / 4–7 pm, Sun 8 am–12:30 pm
5 Rue d’Antoine

Pick up local olive oil at the “Les Vignerons de Cotignac” wine cooperative or at Les Flaveurs du Rocher, a small shop at 3 rue d’Antoine in Cotignac.

Honey is a local speciality. Les Ruchers du Bessillon, based near the Bessillon hills outside Cotignac, has been keeping bees since the 1880s. You can buy their honey at their shop on Cours Gambetta.

Paddle 7 km down the River Argens from Vallon Sourn to Correns, surrounded by lush greenery, with natural pools along the way.

Famous for its 42-metre waterfall, Sillans-la-Cascade offers a short family outing to admire the falls, on foot or by donkey, taking around 15 to 25 minutes. Swimming is prohibited at the waterfall, although there are swimming spots further downstream.

Cotignac is around 40 minutes from the beautiful Lac de Sainte-Croix, a lake measuring 10 × 3 km at the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon, one of Europe’s most spectacular natural sights.

For a day by the Mediterranean, allow just over an hour’s drive to the nearest beaches, including those at Carqueiranne.

This privately owned château offers guided tours at 4 pm every day except Saturday. The original fortress dates back to the 11th century, while its present appearance took shape in the 17th century. Its formal French garden was inspired by the designs of André Le Nôtre, the landscape architect behind the gardens at Versailles. 

Along with Silvacane and Sénanque, Le Thoronet is one of Provence’s three Cistercian abbeys. A masterpiece of 12th-century Romanesque architecture, it was home to monks until the late 18th century.

The village has two tennis courts with synthetic surfaces and a padel court.

Near Brignoles, Barbaroux Golf Course combines a natural setting with the technical challenges of an American-style course.

If you fancy heading out, almost every Provençal village has a pétanque area where you can bring your own boules — and a glass of pastis!