My 4-year-old daughter’s favourite activity on any holiday is spending time at a good playground. So whenever we travel, I always try to include some playground time in our itinerary. Before our campervan road trip through beautiful Provence in France, I couldn’t find much information about playgrounds in the area. That’s why I decided to share a list of our favourite ones here. If this helps even one other parent plan their trip, I’ll be happy.
Besides playgrounds, she also loved the campervan lifestyle in general and wandering through the small Provençal villages — even better with an ice cream in hand or on a bike. Below, I’m also sharing some of her favourite activities from our road trip. You can see our full itinerary here.
Briançon
The playground in Briançon is located right at the beautiful entrance to the old town, in Parc Chanoine Motte. It has two separate sections, one for younger children and one for older kids.
Lac de Serre-Ponçon
We stopped for lunch at a campsite near Savines-le-Lac. There was no playground, but it had one of the other activities my daughter loves; spending time on the beach throwing stones into the water. In summer, it’s also a perfect spot for swimming.
Apt
We were looking for a nice stop between Saignon and Roussillon and found a great playground next to the Plan d’Eau de la Riaille in Apt. It’s a lovely park area with plenty of shade. There is also space to walk around the small lake, and it’s a great spot for a picnic or a quick stop with kids to stretch their legs.
Rousillon
Below the village, near one of the parking areas, there is a lovely playground (location 271 D104). Beside exploring the village, another highlight for families is Sentier des Ocres. A scenic walking trail through ochre cliffs and colourful sand formations feels like a giant natural sand playground for kids. Parents, keep in mind that the red sand gets everywhere, but luckily, there is a water tap at the entrance for cleaning up afterwards.
Lacoste
This was one of our favourite playgrounds, with a beautiful view of the village while swinging and olive trees around. It’s located next to one of the parking areas and the bus stop called Place des Tilleuls. There is also a public toilet nearby, which is always a bonus when travelling with kids. Lacoste is also a very cute village for kids to explore.
Gordes
The playground is located right in the village centre, just across the square from Château de Gordes. It’s a lovely little playground in a very convenient location, making it easy to combine some playtime with exploring the village.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
A very nice playground in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is located in Parc Municipal Gautier. The outside gate to the playground was locked when we visited, so you need to enter through the park itself to access it. There are also public toilets nearby.
Avignon
In Avignon we visited the cute playground in Pétramale Garden. There is also supposed to be a playground in Jardin des Doms, but it was closed for renovations during our visit.
If your little one enjoys carousels, there is a beautiful traditional wooden horse carousel at Place de l’Horloge, right in the city centre.
Another lovely experience for kids is the free boat shuttle from the city centre across the Rhône River. It offers amazing views of the famous unfinished bridge, Pont Saint-Bénézet. On the other side of the river, there is a nice walking and cycling path. Gaja especially enjoyed riding her bike there.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
In the charming village famously associated with Vincent van Gogh, there is a very large and beautiful playground called Aire de jeu Square Joseph-Mauron, located next to the tourist office and a parking area at Pl. Jean Jaurès. It’s featuring climbing structures, swings, and slides, many of them designed as unusual carved wooden animals. There is plenty of space to run around, as well as a nice shaded setting.
Les Baux-de-Provence
Next to the village of Les Baux-de-Provence, an immersive art exhibition called Carrières des Lumières takes place inside a former limestone quarry. The current show featured The Little Prince, with projections covering the walls and floors all around you. The story is told in French, but our daughter still loved the music, colours, and moving images.
Aix-en-Provence
In the city centre, there is a playground next to Jardins du Pavillon Vendôme. Although quite small, it’s nicely shaded and located in a lovely park setting. There are also public toilets nearby and the beautiful Pavillon Vendôme.
For a rainy-day option outside the city, we also visited Urban Kids in Venelles. It’s a fun indoor playground for children, but it can get very crowded.
Gorges du Verdon
Below the famous bridge Pont du Galetas with beautiful panoramic views of Gorges du Verdon, we stopped at a beach area to cool off. Our daughter loved swimming and playing along the shore, making it a perfect break.
Fréjus
Next day we were at the seaside in Fréjus. Beach time is always fun for kids: playing in the sand, and just enjoying a relaxed day by the sea.
Nice
Our favourite playground in the city was on Promenade du Paillon. It’s a very large urban park with a fantastic playground offering many different activities for all ages, from climbing structures and slides to water play areas, making it especially fun on warm days.
Another great option is the playground on top of Colline du Château. Besides the playground, it also offers amazing panoramic views over the city and the sea, so it’s worth the climb or lift ride even just for the scenery.
Monaco
There are many small playgrounds scattered around the city, making it quite family-friendly despite its urban feel. We liked the playground on Place d’Armes and the one next to Larvotto Beach, but the best one was definitely on the roof of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. It is worth noting that this rooftop playground has no shade, so it can get very hot in summer, but the views over the sea and city are beautiful. The aquarium itself is also very interesting for kids and a great activity to combine with sightseeing.
Another highlight for children is the changing of the guard in front of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, and our daughter also enjoyed a walk through the Princess Grace Japanese Garden, with its small bridges, ponds, and winding paths.
Visited: September 2025
