These Gorgeous Coffee-Table Books About Provence Will Inspire You To Visit

France is the number one world destination for tourists and after Paris, Provence is the second most visited place in France. It’s a place that’s easy on the eyes, and as such is a perfect subject for coffee-table books – either before your visit to tempt you here, or after, as a wonderful keepsake of your journey.

Provençal Escapes – Caroline Clifton-Mogg/ Christopher Drake

This book on Provençal Escapes is the perfect book for anyone who has ever dreamed of following British author Peter Mayle to Provence, renovating an old house and living the southern French way of life to the fullest. It features 22 homes with something for everyone – small retreats facing the sea or large countryside castles; enough choice to bring out the DIY bug in anyone.

Provence Style; The Art of Home Decoration – Noëlle Duck

The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Provence – Helena Attlee/ Alex Ramsay

The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Provence is part of a series of books that straddle all the regions of France. Alex Ramsay’s photos take in the entire area from Roman ruins or Uzes to the countryside of the Var and Vaucluse. It also pinpoints where to find amazing food and the best places to stay in the region.

Provence; 500 Photos – Gerard Sioen

With a foreword by Terence Conran, this book of 500 photos of Provence aims to show Provence not just as a series of beautiful landscapes but also for what it is – a way of life. The author Gerard Sioen is an internationally-acclaimed photographer and also a resident of Provence, and he manages to capture its architecture as well as the day-to-day life of its people and animals.

Living in Provence – Dane McDowell / Christian Sarramon

Living in Provence is a book of photos that really celebrates what it’s like to live in the region, looking at the architecture in detail and the way that buildings and places play on the fluidity of inside and outside spaces. It’s also a book that helps readers find authentic places to buy Provençal materials to decorate their own homes.

Lavender; Fragrance of Provence – Hans Silvester

No coffee table filled with Provence books would be complete without one of its biggest exports (after wine of course!) – lavender. The Fragrance of Provence is by a local photographer, showing the beauty of lavender throughout all the seasons. It also explains the history of lavender and its importance to the region.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.