A Guide to Saignon: A Stunning Hilltop Village in Provence
Guest Post by Heather Drudge and Ash Adams
Photography by: Heather Drudge
saignon
A Stunning Hilltop Village in Provence
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Is Saignon Worth Visiting?
Whether or Not You Should Add Saignon to Your Provence Itinerary
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When is the Best Time to Visit Saignon?
Saignon in Early June
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how much time to see saignon
A Half Day in Saignon or Using Saignon as a Base
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Things to do in saignon
Enjoy the Beauty and Catch a Sunset in Saignon
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day trips from Saignon
Where to Explore Nearby If You Use Saignon as a Base
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Where to stay in saignon
An Artist’s Studio Airbnb in Saignon
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How to get to saignon
Taking the train from Paris and/or renting a car
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Hi, we’re Heather and Ash
Two curious, creatively-driven friends with a shared love for travel, storytelling, and using photography to capture the beauty we’re lucky enough to encounter.
Heather is a web designer and social media strategist living on Prince Edward Island, Canada’s tiniest province. A multi-passionate creative and avid traveler, she’s also an amateur photographer drawn to light, texture, and the beauty found in both iconic scenes and simple, everyday moments. Whether it’s the worn bricks of the Colosseum or a hand-scrawled message on a city wall, she’s always chasing what lingers beneath the surface.
Ash is a full time photographer based in Whitby, Ontario. After successfully transitioning her passion into a career, her business has grown into a visual love letter to the vast experience of being a woman. Photographing them during their milestone moments from starting a business to starting a family. She has a deep appreciation for finding magic in mundane moments, and an incurable case of wanderlust. Give her a plane ticket, a camera, and an excuse to overpack, and she’s on her way.
When we travel together, you’ll find us wandering for hours, cameras in hand, soaking in the scenery and every little detail along the way. We’re endlessly inspired by the stories tucked into the corners of the world, and grateful for every single one we get to carry home with us.
saignon
Saignon is a small commune in the Luberon region of Provence. It sits on a hilltop just outside of Apt. It’s a very small village with only a bakery and cafe, a couple of restaurants and small shops. Less than 1,000 people reside in Saignon.
The main square is very small and picturesque with a fountain in the middle and ivy covered buildings surrounding it – the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon coffee and a book on a quiet, sunny day.
is saignon worht visiting?
Saignon is a small and sleepy village but its beauty makes it worth a visit if you are in the Provence region. There is plenty of parking at the entrance to the town, a small square with idyllic cobblestones, a beautiful fountain and ivy growing up over all of the colorful facades.
If you are looking for a quieter day during your Provence adventures, this is a wonderful stop to make. If you’re photographers like us, this is a must in our opinion!
Photography by: Heather Drudge
Photography by: Heather Drudge
Photography by: Heather Drudge
Photography by: Heather Drudge
When is the Best Time to Visit Saignon?
We visited Saignon in early June. The temperature was perfect and the region was still relatively quiet ahead of the busier summer tourism season. The lavender blooms later in June, so we didn’t get to see it at its peak. If you’d like to experience lavender season in Provence, late June to early July would be best!
how much time to see saignon
Because Saignon is so petite, you really don’t need more than half a day to experience it. If you are looking for a peaceful place to stay in this part of Provence, it is an excellent option as there are plenty of day trips you can take from here. Apt is just below (a short 5 minute drive to the outskirts) with plenty to see and explore right nearby.
Photography by: Heather Drudge
Photography by: Ash Adams
Things to do in saignon
Saignon itself is very small with only a handful of restaurants, so be sure to make reservations in advance for dinner especially.
This is a tiny village with very little to do but its incredible beauty makes it worth a visit. There is a weekly market on Thursday mornings to enjoy.
Climbing up the ruins of the commune at the highest point of the hilltop town to watch the sunset is an absolute must. This was easily a top highlight of our entire trip to the region. Take some snacks and a bottle of wine to enjoy while you take in the incredible view!
day trips from saignon
Saignon is a great base for exploring the Luberon region of Provence. It’s close in proximity to the larger town of Apt, and driving distance to all of the famous villages in the region. From Saignon, you can easily access:
where to stay in saignon
We absolutely loved our Airbnb in Saignon. It’s an artist’s studio. The space is incredibly well designed and thoughtfully decorated.
The studio upstairs is definitely the highlight of the space with an incredible view of the sunset and the starlings swooping low over the rooftops each evening. Definitely make sure to enjoy this space in the evening.
The kitchen was well equipped for cooking and the window seat in there makes a perfect spot for morning coffee and overlooks the little square outside.
With two queen size beds, 2-4 people can sleep comfortably. All of the bedding was hotel quality (sheets, duvets etc.) – by far the most comfortable place we stayed during our time in Provence.
If you are looking for a beautiful & peaceful place to stay, this is definitely it.
How to get to saignon
We came to Provence from Paris via Lyon and Avignon. We did this first stretch of the journey by train and then rented a car in Avignon to make our way around Provence!
If you are intending to visit smaller villages and rural areas, this is definitely the way to go. You won’t need your car while in Saignon but will be grateful to have it for day trips and getting groceries/supplies for your stay.
Connect with Heather & ash
Follow Heather on Instagram: @heather.drudge / Follow Ash on Instagram: @flash.adams
Discover Heather’s website: heatherdrudge.com / Discover Ash’s website: flashadamsphoto.com
Planning for Provence
If you are planning a larger trip through the Provencal region of France, you can find all of the details of how to spend your time in our Provence Travel Guide (Luberon).
STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE
Need help planning the rest of your trip?
If you’re exploring more of France, you can find all of our guides in the France section of our website.
FOLLOW ALONG
For all of our live travel content and BTS, be sure to follow us on social media. You’ll get to see what our life looks like as expats in Paris and get to virtually come along with us whenever we are exploring somewhere new.
Heading to Provence and looking to discover the most beautiful villages in the region? Discover the most charming and breathtaking villages to visit during your Provence travels in this curated list.