Aix en Provence Marseilles: An Itinerary of Things to Do

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist. Photos: Delphine Del Val

Everyone knows that person who spends weeks sniffing around travel blogs, going deep into Tripadvisor rabbit holes, collecting Google docs from friends of friends, and creating A Beautiful Mind–style spreadsheets to come up with the best vacations and itineraries possible. In this recurring series, we find those people who’ve done all the work for you and have them walk us through a particularly wonderful, especially well-thought-out vacation they took that you can actually steal.

When Delphine Del Val’s father retired and moved from Paris to Provence, the talent agent and founder of Pool Creatives started visiting his home near Aix-en-Provence every summer, at first for one week, then two weeks, then when COVID arrived for a month at a time. “I love the climate,” she says. “It’s warm but dry — the nature is gorgeous.” Del Val last traveled to Provence from New York this spring, and flew back with her husband for their seventh summer and 11th trip in late July. A Del Val–approved holiday meanders through the sun-washed villages and open-air markets with the hum of cicadas in the background. “You have to like the quiet,” she says. “It’s kind of magical.”

I land at the Marseille airport, which is between Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, and then my dad picks me up and we drive about 45 minutes, depending on traffic, passing Aix-en-Provence to my dad’s village, La Bastidonne. You can spot poppy fields (in late spring) or lavender fields (in summer).

The dream, for me, is Villa La Coste (2750 Route de la Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade), which is in the middle of Château La Coste, a 600-acre wine estate and art gallery. It’s expensive but super-gorgeous.

Le Moulin de Lourmarin (Av. Raoul Dautry, 84160 Lourmarin) is in the most charming village; the hotel is in an old bastide, very typical of Provence and what you can see in movies. The food is incredible and the pool is a dream. I’ve been here for lunch a few times.

I’m a big proponent of Airbnb. My friends rent houses with pools. You want to have the chance to cook because the food is so incredible. It’s a great option for a family or if you travel with friends.

When I arrive at my dad’s house, I go to my room and open the window. Then I put on a swimsuit and linen shirt and get a French lemonade, which is lemon and water or lemon and sparkling water. Next, I walk around the garden until I lie by the pool and listen to the sounds.

After hanging out at the house, I go into La Bastidonne, walk around, refamiliarize myself with the village, and take in the smells of the apricot and fig trees. It’s about a 45-minute walk through fields of lavender.

I try to wake up early to stop the jet lag, and then go on a hike with my husband before it gets too hot. The trail ends at a church above the village with a view of the valley.

We walk back down and have a beautiful breakfast. My dad goes to this famous bakery, Boulangerie du Griffoul (89 Rue du Lavoir, 84240 La Tour-d’Aigues), to get the best bread made with local ancient grains. We usually have toast with salted butter and jam that my dad makes from fruit from the garden.

Because my husband is American and loves French food, especially French cheeses, we go to the food co-op Le Luberon Paysan (176 Bd Saint-Roch, 84240 La Tour-d’Aigues),…