The balloon lifts slowly, and the ground falls away. The voices from below grow quiet. And then Provence appears — not the Provence you’ve been moving through all week, but the whole of it at once: the geometric patchwork of vineyards, the ochre villages tucked into hillsides, the long purple stripes of lavender running to the horizon.
Hot air ballooning in Provence is a sunrise experience — flights launch in the early morning when the air is calm and the light is at its most extraordinary, drifting with the wind over the Luberon or the Alpilles before landing somewhere in the countryside and celebrating with a glass of Champagne.
Once your villa booking is confirmed, our concierge will be happy to arrange activities for you, or share contact details if you prefer to book yourself.
Flights typically launch at dawn, when thermal conditions are at their most stable and the landscape is at its most cinematic. Guests gather at the launch site as the balloon inflates — a spectacle in itself — before climbing into the basket for a flight that lasts approximately one hour in the air.
The pace is entirely the wind’s. Balloons don’t steer so much as drift, which means every flight is different and every view unrepeatable.
Landing is followed by the traditional Champagne toast, a ritual that dates to the earliest days of ballooning and feels entirely right at the end of a flight like this.
Balloon flights are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice — this is simply the nature of the experience, and operators handle changes with care. Dress in comfortable layers; mornings in Provence can be cool even in summer. Closed-toe shoes are recommended for landing. Children are typically welcome from age five or six depending on the operator, and the experience tends to be one of the highlights of any family trip.
Flights are available year-round, but the classic season runs from spring through early autumn, with July and early August offering the longest days and most reliable conditions.
Tucked between Gordes and Roussillon, Joucas is the Luberon village that rewards those who wander past the obvious — lavender fields, honey-stone lanes, and genuine serenity. […]
Tucked between Gordes and Roussillon, Joucas is the Luberon village that rewards those who wander past the obvious — lavender fields, honey-stone lanes, and genuine serenity. […]
Tucked between Gordes and Roussillon, Joucas is the Luberon village that rewards those who wander past the obvious — lavender fields, honey-stone lanes, and genuine serenity. […]
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Tucked between Gordes and Roussillon, Joucas is the Luberon village that rewards those who wander past the obvious — lavender fields, honey-stone lanes, and genuine serenity. […]
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- offering all comforts and amenities - pool, housekeeping, and chef services.
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Only Provence co-founder Lydia Dean writes about their experiences raising a family, building a business in Provence, and later combining the love of travel with giving back in "Jumping the Picket Fence”. In 2021, she published “Light Through the Cracks,” a continuation of her journey, much of which has been based in Provence. Both books are available Amazon, Amazon.uk, and Amazon.Fr.
