Sun-Baked Villages or a Royal River
Provence is all texture and light. Gordes and Roussillon, with its ochre cliffs, are among the most photographed villages in France. Les Baux sits on a rocky spur below a ruined castle. The Roman arena at Arles and the Pont du Gard are easy drives. Sénanque Abbey sits in a fold of the hills behind rows of lavender. Summer heat, cicadas and the smell of herbs set the mood.
The Loire is softer and greener. The river is the spine, with Chenonceau spanning the Cher on stone arches, Chambord's rooftop of turrets rising from a walled forest and Villandry's geometric kitchen gardens. Vineyards and tufa cliffs line the banks near Vouvray and Montlouis. It feels gentle and storybook rather than rugged.
Couples who love warmth, color and outdoor living lean toward Provence. Couples drawn to history, gardens and fairy-tale architecture lean toward the Loire.
Where You Will Stay
Provence has a strong lineup of country hotels. Airelles Gordes, La Bastide is a 16th-century palace set into the ramparts of Gordes, with 40 rooms and suites, a Guerlain spa and terraces looking over the Luberon valley. Baumanière, at the foot of Les Baux, spreads rooms across five old houses on a large estate. Its restaurant, L'Oustau de Baumanière, holds three Michelin stars. Coquillade Provence, near Gargas, is an 11th-century hamlet wrapped in its own vines with a serious spa. Many couples rent a mas with a pool for a week instead. Check for air conditioning in summer.
The Loire's signature is the château hotel: a castle or grand manor converted into an intimate inn, often in a large park with a restaurant serving river fish and local wine. Smaller château guesthouses, called chambres d'hôtes, offer the same setting for less, often with a family dinner in a grand dining room. Amboise is the most convenient base. In a château, ask for a room in the main building, where the character is.
How You Spend Your Days
In Provence, build mornings around markets: Saturday in Apt, Friday in Lourmarin, Wednesday in Saint-Rémy and Sunday at L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue with its antiques along the canals. Arrive by 9 a.m. for parking. Walk Roussillon's ochre trail in late afternoon, watch the light show inside the old quarries at the Carrières des Lumières and swim in the river below the Pont du Gard. For something active, drive to the Verdon Gorge and paddle into the canyon. Then leave the afternoons loose.
In the Loire, the days are a little more structured. Visit Chenonceau at opening, before tour buses arrive and its gallery over the river. Climb Chambord's double spiral staircase, where two people can go up and down without crossing paths. Ride e-bikes on the Loire à Vélo between Amboise and Tours or Blois and Chambord. Take a dawn balloon flight over the river. Plan two châteaux a day at most, mixed with wineries and riverside picnics.
Wine and Food
Provençal cooking leans on olive oil, garlic, herbs and vegetables: tapenade, ratatouille, daube, petits farcis and soupe au pistou. Lunch is the main event, often a menu of the day on a village terrace. Rosé is the everyday drink, pale, dry and inexpensive, while Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras pour richer reds. Pastis is the village café aperitif. For a celebration, Baumanière's three-star dining room is one of France's great tables.
The Loire is called the garden of France. Expect asparagus in spring, pike perch with beurre blanc, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine goat cheese and rillettes de Tours. Tarte Tatin comes from the Sologne nearby. Vouvray and Montlouis make chenin blanc from bone dry to sweet and sparkling, aged in cellars cut into tufa cliffs, some with tasting rooms carved into the rock. Chinon and Bourgueil add light cabernet franc reds. Sancerre lies upriver.
Both regions have Michelin-starred restaurants in château and country hotels. Book those ahead.
Getting There From Paris
The Loire is the easy one. TGV trains from Paris Montparnasse reach Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, the station serving Tours, in about an hour. Regional trains continue to Amboise and Blois. Driving from Charles de Gaulle takes about two and a half to three hours. Pick up a car in Tours or Amboise to avoid driving out of Paris, or skip the car and combine trains, bikes, taxis and a private driver for a day of château visits. Some hotels arrange bike rentals with luggage transfer from inn to inn.
Provence takes longer. The TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon reaches Avignon in about 2 hours 40 minutes and Aix-en-Provence TGV in just over three hours, with rental agencies at both stations. Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) has connections through European hubs. Once there, a car is essential because buses are sparse. Rent the smallest car that fits your luggage, since village streets are steep and narrow. Drive times are short.
Seasons and Weather
Provence is at its best in May, June and September. Lavender blooms from roughly late June to mid-July, earliest on the Valensole plateau. Fields are often harvested by late July. July and August bring heat often in the 90s and crowds of European families, so book hotels and cars months ahead. Some hill and forest areas close to walkers on high fire-risk days. The cold mistral wind can blow for days, especially outside summer.
The Loire is milder. Late April through June brings gardens in bloom and long days. September and early October bring the harvest and fewer visitors. July and August are warm rather than hot, with crowds at Chenonceau and Chambord by late morning but lovely long evenings on terraces. Winter is misty and quiet in both regions, with many smaller hotels closed. Pack a light jacket for Loire evenings by the river, even in summer. In Provence, pack sun hats for both of you.
Budget and Trip Shape
The Loire is the better value. Its inns and château guesthouses cost less than comparable Provençal hotels. Village bistros serve excellent prix fixe lunches. It suits a three or four night side trip from Paris at the start or end of a honeymoon.
Provence costs more, especially in July and August. Top Luberon and Alpilles hotels start at roughly $450 to $900 a night. The best restaurants book up. It deserves at least four nights in one place, since packing up every other day undoes the slow pace. Many couples continue to the French Riviera afterward. All prices are approximate ranges.
You can do both. A classic ten-night France honeymoon might be three nights in Paris, two in the Loire and five in Provence, using the TGV between them via Paris. That trip moves from city to castles to sunshine and with the slowest part when you most want it.
