No Tour Buses. No Crowds. Just 10 Hidden Spots in the South of France (Not On Every Instagram Feed)

Last updated on April 16th, 2025 at 11:11 am

Planning a vacation to France? Forget Nice and Cannes or the French Riviera, these little gems in the south of France have none of the crowds but all of the charm.

If you’ve ever dreamed of the south of France, but without the crowds and inflated prices, this one’s for you. Sure, Nice and Saint-Tropez have their place, but there’s a different kind of magic in some of these places that fly under the radar. The kind where you feel like you’ve stumbled into real life, not a tourist trap.

There are plenty of hidden spots in the south of France, you just have to know where to look. From a well-preserved Knights Templar stronghold with stone houses and fortifications, to a pink salt pan with barely another soul in sight. Some of these spots have Roman ruins with no rope barriers. Others have canals running through the center like a mini Venice. There’s history, wine, seafood, sunsets, and space to actually enjoy them.

You won’t find these little gems plastered all over Instagram, at least not yet. But that’s the beauty of it. These are the sorts of places that reward slow travel, curious minds, and good walking shoes. 

Goudargues

Goudargues is the kind of place you stumble on when you’re not in a rush, and then wonder why no one talks about it more. It’s in the Cèze Valley in the Gard, surrounded by vineyards and winding country roads. The real surprise? A canal runs right through the middle of the village, fed by natural springs that have been used since the 9th century. 

Benedictine monks built it, originally to irrigate their land and power a mill. These same waters now babble quietly beneath the shade of plane trees, while locals sip wine at cafés that spill onto the stone pavements. It’s peaceful without trying to be.

Before the monks, the Romans had already set up shop. Archaeological digs beneath the village school revealed parts of a Gallo-Roman villa. And if you walk just beyond the village, you’ll come across the remains of a chapel said to be built after William of Toulouse defeated the Saracens.

It’s not signposted, and you’d miss it if you didn’t know to look, but it’s one of those spots that makes you stop and feel the layers of time under your feet. 

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is like no other place in the South of France. Set right on the edge of the Camargue, it feels wild and weathered in the best possible way. The sea is on one side, salt flats and marshes on the other. You’ve got whitewashed buildings, wind-blown beaches, and flamingos wading in the shallows just minutes away.

Legend says the village was founded when three women who were followers of Mary Magdalene landed here by boat after fleeing persecution. One of them, Saint Sarah, is still honored every May by the Romani community, who flood into town for a pilgrimage that’s both deeply spiritual and full of life.

There’s something raw and rooted about this place. The Church of the Saintes Maries rises like a fortress above the town, built to protect locals from pirate raids. Step inside, and it really is like stepping into another time, with candle smoke clinging to the stone. Below, there’s a crypt dedicated to Saint Sarah, draped in colourful fabrics left by pilgrims. It’s the kind of place that gives you goosebumps without quite knowing why. 

And while the tourist shops and beach cafés are there if you want them, it’s the Camargue itself that pulls you in. Wild horses, black bulls, and skies that stretch forever. 

Sète

Sète isn’t trying to impress anyone, yet somehow, it always does. It sits between the Mediterranean and the Étang de Thau lagoon and is a working port town alive with character. Fishing boats unload their catch, and the canals running through town give it its nickname, the Venice of Languedoc. 

But you won’t find any gondolas here. Water jousting steals the show. Yes, men in white outfits on boats try to knock each other into the canal with lances. And it’s been going strong since the 17th century.

It’s also the birthplace of Georges Brassens, the iconic French singer-songwriter, and Paul Valéry, the poet and philosopher. There’s even a cemetery named after Valéry sitting on a cliff, with one of the most peaceful sea views in the country. 

Wander into the market in the morning, and you’ll find locals buying fresh oysters from the lagoon and tielle, which is a spicy octopus pie that’s far tastier than it sounds. 

Anduze

Anduze sits at the edge of the Cévennes, watching over where the mountains begin to rise. You could drive right through it if you weren’t paying attention, but you’d be missing out. The main square is framed by faded shutters and stone archways, with cafés serving strong coffee and even stronger local stories. 

It’s known for its pottery, mainly those Anduze vases you see in gardens all over France. But there’s more to this place than ceramics. A short walk from the center brings you to a 17th-century pagoda-style fountain. Built by a Protestant silk merchant who had it modelled after one he saw on a trip to the East.

The town’s roots run deep through both industry and faith. In the 17th century, Anduze was a stronghold of French Protestantism, and it paid the price when Louis XIV cracked down on the Huguenots. Many locals fled. Some stayed, defiant, and worshipped in secret. 

For something completely different, hop aboard the steam train that chugs through the Vallée des Gardons to Saint-Jean-du-Gard. The views are stunning, the pace is slow, and for a moment, you’re part of a different time. 

La Couvertoirade

La Couvertoirade feels like stepping straight into a medieval story, and as a history gal, I loved it. This fortified village in the Aveyron was once home to the Knights Templar; honestly, it feels like not much has changed. The thick stone walls still wrap around the town like a protective shell. 

Inside, you’ll find narrow cobbled lanes, stone houses with tiny windows, and the kind of stillness that makes you lower your voice without even thinking. What sets it apart is how untouched it feels. After the Templars, the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John took over in the 14th century, and much of what they built remains intact. 

Even the communal bread oven has been restored and occasionally fired up for village events. Look closely, and you’ll spot carved Templar crosses on door lintels and corner stones. They are easy to miss if you don’t know to look. There’s a quiet power to the place, especially if you visit early or off-season when you’ve got the ramparts almost to yourself. No gift shops blaring music, no queues. 

Gruissan

Gruissan is one of those places that catches you off guard. At first glance, it’s a sleepy seaside village near Narbonne, but give it a moment and you’ll realize it’s layered with character. The heart of the old town spirals out from the crumbling Barberousse Tower, a medieval ruin on a hill that once kept watch for pirates. 

Climb to the top and you’re rewarded with 360-degree views of the sea, salt flats, and vineyards rolling off in every direction. Below, the streets wind in tight circles. The village layout was designed for defence, making it one of the few remaining examples of a circulade village in France.

Then there’s the pink water. Yes, really. Just outside town, you’ll find sprawling salt pans that glow bubblegum-pink in the sun, thanks to tiny algae that thrive in high-salinity water. It feels surreal, like walking across a giant watercolour. In summer, you can spot workers harvesting the sea salt using centuries-old techniques. 

And if you head to the Plage des Chalets, you’ll find rows of wooden beach houses on stilts, immortalized in a cult French film (37°2 le matin). It’s one of the rare stretches of coast that still feels like it belongs to locals, not developers. 

Lérins Islands

The Lérins Islands are just a short boat ride from Cannes, but they feel a world apart. There are no flashy yachts or beach clubs, just sea, silence, and stories. There are two main islands: Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat. On the first, you’ll find pine forests, rocky coves, and the crumbling Fort Royal where the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned.

You can still peer into his cell, though no one really knows who he was. What’s striking is how quiet the island is. No cars, just the sound of cicadas and waves lapping against the rocks. The perfect place for a picnic.

Saint-Honorat, the smaller of the two, has been home to monks for over 1,600 years. It’s still an active monastery, with vineyards tended by the monks and a peaceful rhythm that hasn’t changed much in centuries. 

You can walk among ancient chapels, Romanesque ruins, and fortified towers, all within easy reach of each other. The wine they produce here is award-winning and you can buy a bottle at the island’s little shop. 

Gourdon

Gourdon sits high above the Loup Valley on a rocky outcrop, as if it’s guarding secrets. And in a way, it is. You wind your way up through narrow mountain roads and suddenly arrive in this tiny hilltop village that looks out across the Côte d’Azur all the way to the sea. On a clear day, you can see as far as Corsica. 

The view alone would be reason enough to come, but Gourdon offers more than a scenic lookout. Its streets are lined with stone houses, little ateliers, and shops selling handmade soaps and sweets, many of which haven’t changed in decades. 

The castle at the top, Château de Gourdon, dates back to the 9th century and was once a strategic stronghold during the Wars of Religion. While you can’t always go inside, the gardens and ramparts are worth exploring. There’s also a little church with ancient frescoes, almost hidden behind the main square. Unlike so many tourist villages, there’s a sense that life here moves at its own pace.

Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Tourrettes-sur-Loup sits between sea and mountains, often overshadowed by its glitzier neighbors, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Vence, and Grasse. Known for its violet cultivation, the village has a soft floral scent in the spring. The violets are turned into syrup, crystallized for sweets, and used in local perfume.

The main street winds through medieval stone buildings where you’ll find artists’ studios tucked behind ancient wooden doors, some of whom have been working there for generations.

In the Middle Ages, Tourrettes-sur-Loup was a fortified village, and remnants of those ramparts still frame the old center. There’s even an original arched gateway that once protected it from invaders. Now, you may well have seen photos of this, as I’ve seen it pop up on my Instagram feed. 

It’s also one of the rare villages in the region that hasn’t been overly restored. It feels authentic because it is. 

Sommières

Sommières is the kind of place you find by accident on the way to somewhere else, and then wonder why no one told you about it. Set along the Vidourle River in the Gard, it’s got Roman bones and medieval spirit. The Roman bridge is the big showpiece. It’s still standing, still in use, and still part of daily life. 

What makes it special is that people actually live and work in buildings that sit on top of the original Roman structure. You’re walking across history, quite literally. But Sommières really comes alive on market days. Saturdays are a sensory overload with stalls spilling over with olives, cheese, linen, and lavender, all beneath rows of worn stone arches.

Tuck into a local fougasse, grab a seat under the plane trees with a glass of Costières de Nîmes wine, and watch the world go by. Parts of the town still bear the scars of floods known as “vidourlades,” with old flood marks etched into the stone walls. The whole area is prone to flooding, and the latest flood in 2002 wiped out an entire supermarket.