10 Secret Gems in the South of France

As seductive as the south of France is in summer, we kind of like it off-season too. Maybe even prefer it. Domestic holidaymakers, international college students, jet-set VIPs and look-at-me-now celebs may swell the likes of Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Juan-les-Pins in July and August but Le Midi is vast – well beyond the borders of the chi-chi communes that dot the Côte d’Azur – and relatively hush from October to April. Time to think outside of the box in France mes amis.

Laruns
Laruns (pop. 1,419) is smack dab in the middle of Pyrénées National Park and extends all the way to Spain. Best of all, the town is only 40 km from Pau, the exquisite capital of the Béarn.

Where to stay: Pau Hotel List

Ax-les-Thermes
Ax-les-Thermes (pop. 1,426) is a platform to Andorra and pristine Pyrénées panoramas. The flagship of the town, however, is a thermal water supply. 130 km south of Toulouse.

Where to stay: Toulouse Hotel List

Albi
Albi (pop. 51,302) is a UNESCO World Heritage city of some heft. Some 75 km north-east of Toulouse, the prefecture of the Tarn department is full of vital landmarks, from the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum to the Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile.

Where to stay: Albi Hotel List

Uzès
A mere 25 km from Nîmes, Uzès (pop. 8,213) is a photogenic former Gallo-Roman town in Languedoc-Roussillon.

Where to stay: Uzès Hotel List

Rodez
Rodez (pop. 24,540) is a bastion of farmers’ markets and bellwether landmarks like the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rodez and Musée Denys-Puech.

Where to stay: Rodez Hotel List

Orange
Orange (pop. 30,025) may not be a bona fide secret but it has a low-profile in comparison to Avignon, some 30 km to the south. The UNESCO World Heritage city in the Vaucluse department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is a marvel, so give it a day or three of your holiday time.

Where to stay: Orange Hotel List

Gap
Mind the Gap. The handsome Hautes-Alpes department town (pop. 38,584) is on the fringe of Écrins National Park but suffers from a patent dearth of tourist love.

Where to stay: Gap Hotel List

Annot
Another Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur jewel, Annot (pop. 1,028) is a medieval town with epic vistas of mountain summits and dense woodlands. Just 100 km from gorgeous Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, and Mercantour National Park.

Where to stay: Annot Hotel List

Vence
James Baldwin, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, D. H. Lawrence and scores of other artists and writers have sought sanctuary and solace in Vence (pop. 19,247) over the years. It is well worth the short trip north of Antibes or Nice to find out why.

Where to stay: Vence Hotel List

Mougins
A smart alternative from Cannes or Grasse, bucolic Mougins (pop. 19,703) is home to old village charm, a Museum of Photography and a wonderful new Museum of Classical Art. Pefect views of the Côte d’Azur help too.

Where to stay: Mougins Hotel List