Tour Director - Becky Edwards

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The tour will start in Marseille on May 7 at 3 pm. You may choose to fly into either Paris CDG or Marseille. If you fly into Paris, you'll need to take the TGV fast train from Paris CDG to Marseille. We will offer transfers from both the Marseille TGV station and the Marseille Airport. The tour will end after breakfast on May 15th. You may book your departure flight to leave from the Marseille airport at any time. 

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Day 1 - Overnight in Marseille - D

After your overnight flight to France, you will be transferred to our hotel in the Old Town area of Marseille. We'll start our tour as we visit the town of Marseille with a local guide, learning of its history. In the evening we meet for dinner at local restaurant where we will enjoy our first true taste of France as we are introduced to the local food and wine of the region.

 

Day 2 - Overnight in Marseille - B, L

Today we'll get out on the water as we explore this beautiful coastline by boat. We'll visit some of the famous calanques of the area and have a chance to swim and relax. We'll have lunch as a group before returning to the hotel. The rest of the evening will be free to spend as you'd like. 

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Day 3 - Overnight in Marseille - B, L (food tour)

Today we'll spend the day in Aix-en-Provence. We'll begin by exploring the town while enjoying a food tour as we learn what makes the cuisine of Southern France unique. After our tour, we'll visit a few of the most interesting sites of the city, including the studio of the famous painter, Cezanne. Next you will have some free time to further explore on your own before we transfer back to Marseille.

 

Day 4 - Overnight at La Mas des Carassins, St Remy de Provence - B, D

Today we'll make our way to St Remy, making a stop in Arles. We'll walk through Arles visiting some of the ancient Roman sites and learn why this city, in particular, was a Roman city. We'll also visit some of sites made famous by Van Gogh, the hospital where he stayed and why he left Arles and moved to the asylum of St Paul in St Remy. Once in St Remy, we'll enjoy a visit to that asylum, St Paul de Mausole, followed by a short tour of the town before checking into our hotel. You'll have some time to relax and explore the grounds before enjoying dinner as a group.

 

Day 5 - Overnight at La Mas des Carassins, St Remy de Provence - B, L

Today it’s time to get to work as we join a local chef in a beautiful villa and learn to cook the Provençal way. After we cook and laugh with chef, we'll enjoy the fruits of our labor as we eat our creations and enjoy local wines. After lunch we will visit the town of Avignon, once the location of the Palace of the Popes. We'll enjoy a walking tour of the town and learn of its history. The evening will be free to spend as you'd like.

 

Day 6 - Overnight at La Mas des Carassins, St Remy de Provence - B, L

Today you visit one of the most famous wine regions in the world: Chateauneuf du Pape. We begin by visiting a 13th century cellar where during our tasting class we learn of the area’s AOC regulations, its history and how to taste and recognize the subtleties of the local wines. After a short walk through the village enjoying the view from the ruins of the ancient pope’s summer castle, we drive into the vineyards where we will be met by Eddie, a local winery owner. We will enjoy a typical Provençal country lunch prepared by Eddie himself as we sit under the trees among his vines enjoying a view of Mont Ventoux in the distance. It will be a day filled with good wine, good food and complete relaxation.

 

Day 7 - Overnight at La Mas des Carassins, St Remy de Provence - B, L

Today we'll visit some of the beautiful villages of the Luberon, an area made famous by author Peter Mayle and his book "A Year in Provence."  We'll start with a visit to a unique site, the Village of Bories, an open-air museum of 20 or so dry stone huts thought to date back to the 17th century. We'll stop at a local spot and enjoy a picnic lunch before heading to the beautiful towns of Gordes (named the most beautiful village in the world by "Travel and Leisure" magazine last year) and Roussilon, the red village due to the surrounding red clay. Next we'll take a short hike up to the old village of Oppede le Vieux where we'll enjoy the views. After a great day of exploring, we'll return to our hotel where you can spend the rest of the evening as you wish.

 

Day 8 - B, D

Today you live like a local as you hunt for treasures at a quintessential Provençal weekly market in St Remy De Provence. After we get our fill of shopping, we will visit a local goat farm, meet the farmers, hopefully cuddle with some babies and learn how they make the famous chévre fromage and, of course, get a chance to taste too. After our tasting we cross the Alpilles mountains to visit one of the most beautiful villages of France, Les Baux de Provence. After a short walking tour of the town there is free time to visit the castle ruins, shop or grab lunch at a local cafe and enjoy the view. This evening we will relax with a dinner at the hotel and, once again, enjoy the culinary creations of the chef.

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Day 9 - B

Today we must say good by to beautiful Provence as we transfer to the airport to board your flight home. You may choose to fly out of Marseille or take the TGV train from Avignon to Paris. 

 

Note: The itinerary is descriptive, not definitive and is subject to change. In particular our actual itinerary will depend on the ferry and flight schedules, which vary from year to year. There also may be modifications due to weather and availability of local activities and guides.