Provence is a region that embodies everything that we love about France; stunning landscapes, picturesque perched villages, colourful country markets, fields of lavender, ancient olive groves, cobblestone streets and squares filled with vibrant cafes serving delicious Mediterranean seafood and fresh local produce.
Two thousand years ago Provence was occupied by the Romans, who left behind an amazing proliferation of monuments and buildings – not to mention some of France’s first vineyards. Add to these the captivating history of the Papacy in Avignon, medieval abbeys and churches, and the stories of the Impressionist artists who lived and painted here, and Provence becomes a living history book.
It wasn’t just the scenery that attracted artists like Rénoir, Chagall, Cézanne and Picasso; it was the amazing light. Whether you’re gazing over the glittering Med or watching a dramatic sunset in the hills, the scenery in Provence feels like you are stepping straight into an Impressionist canvas.
In Provence , we stay in a beautiful private mas (stone farmhouse) in the heart or the Luberon or Alpilles region – a home away from home where you can relax in the environs of your own private property with lovely pool and gardens.
If you are a shopper, Provence is heaven – markets and boutiques offering an endless array of beautiful quality linens and pottery, furniture, homeware, clothes and jewelry… and of course, delectable locally produced food and wine!
Food is a central part of French life, and in Provence it is an all-consuming passion. Characterised by the ingredients of Mediterranean cooking – olive oil, wine, tomatoes and garlic – the region’s cuisine is guaranteed to be a highlight, whether that’s savouring a simple bowl of soupe au pistou, tasting the season’s first-press olive oil in St Remy, or indulging in a delicious of bouillabaisse in a bistro on the port at Cassis. With our specialised local knowledge we indulge in the most beautiful local restaurants in superb locations, and we also have a renowned private chef to provide all our breakfasts and some special dinners at the mas.
Provence is a part of France that is ripe to discover “hidden treasures”, and a place to create indelible memories, especially with a group of fun-loving and like-minded women!
This is a sample itinerary and can be customised for a private group.
Saturday – Depart for our beautiful farmhouse in Provence
Today we’ll meet at the Gare de Lyon in Paris, home of the famous Belle Epoque restaurant, “Le Train Bleu”, from where we will be taking the TGV fast train to Avignon. On arrival we’ll be met by our private bus and driver and transferred to our home for the week, a beautiful farmhouse in Provence. The farmhouse, or mas as it is known in Provence, is nestled peacefully in the countryside, surrounded by orchards and olive trees.
This afternoon after settling in we’ll gather for a drink and an introduction to our week, and then enjoy our first dinner at the mas, provided by our own private chef. He will be part of our family this week as he will be with us each morning to provide breakfast each day and several dinners – and his cuisine is wonderful!
Sunday – Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Fontaine de Vaucluse
Today starts with a delicious breakfast provided by our wonderful chef.
This morning we will drive to the picturesque village of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, where Sunday is market day – one of the most renowned in the region, offering a huge variety of local products – food, wine, beautiful linens, pottery, clothing and jewelry. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is also famous for its vast array of antique, bric-a-brac and homeware shops. It’s a treat to wander around the lovely little canal-lined streets, explore the boutiques and then enjoy lunch at your leisure at one of the many cafes by the water.
After a leisurely lunch we return to the mas for an afternoon relaxing by the pool!
This evening we’ll enjoy an al fresco dinner; weather permitting, most of our dinners will be in this gorgeous setting!
Monday – Avignon
After a leisurely breakfast we will spend a relaxing morning at the mas before departing for Avignon, the city of the Popes, where the Catholic Church had its headquarters for almost 100 years during the Middle Ages. During this time Avignon became a melting pot of religion, education, trade, crime & destitution… extreme wealth and extreme poverty. Avignon was and still is a spectacular walled city and we will take a walk through the ancient streets exploring its fascinating history before free time for shopping. We’ll sit in the beautiful tree-lined Place de l’Horloge for evening drinks and then stay in Avignon for dinner and to see the magnificent monuments of the city illuminated at night.
Tuesday – Gordes and Roussillon
Today we’ll visit two of the most breathtaking “perched” villages of the Luberon, Gordes and Roussillon. These ancient villages were built strategically so that the inhabitants were safe from the marauding hordes during the Dark Ages, and are now home to a beautiful array of boutiques, galleries and cafes… and stunning views across the Luberon Valley! Have you seen the film “A Good Year”? The square in Gordes was home to Fanny’s gorgeous restaurant.
The neighbouring village of Roussillon is famous for its ancient ochre quarries, exquisite ochre-toned buildings and art galleries that line the narrow cobblestone streets. You’ll have plenty of time to wander and discover the village before choosing an atmospheric restaurant for a light lunch, and then the rest of the afternoon by the pool and an al fresco dinner provided by our chef!
Wednesday – Saint Remy-de-Provence and Les Baux-de-Provence
St Remy is quintessentially Provencal… avenues of luscious plane trees line the ring road within which lies the ancient village, where we will discover beautiful winding cobblestone streets, exquisite little squares, chic boutiques, charming cafes and today, the fabulous Wednesday market! This is a wonderful market by any measure; but especially so due to its location scattered throughout the lovely streets of old St Remy. You will have plenty of time to wander and do some shopping, or you may choose to follow the “Van Gogh trail”, ending at the stunning 11th century monastery of St Paul de Mausole. Vincent Van Gogh came here in 1889, to be “confined” by his own wishes, and completed 143 oil paintings and more than 100 drawings in the space of 53 weeks. This time in Saint Rémy is considered a major period in the works of Van Gogh.
Afterwards we take a short detour to one of the most famous perched villages of the region, Les Baux-de-Provence where we will discover the wonderful Carrieres des Lumieres. This is an incredible experience; a spectacular sound and light show located in an ancient quarry, showcasing various artists. You can see current exhibitions at https://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/en/home
This evening we will drive to a wonderful little local restaurant for dinner.
Thursday – Cassis
Today is a gorgeous day spent in Cassis, a delightful village on the Mediterranean. A small but stunning little harbour, charming waterfront shops and restaurants, and colourful fishing vessels and leisure craft make this one of the most beautiful villages on the coast. While here, we can’t miss a boat cruise around the famous calanques, the beautiful limestone, turquoise water inlets dotted along the coast.
We’ll also be enjoying lunch at Chez Gilbert, a waterfront restaurant famous for its bouillabaisse. It is one of the select establishments to hold the Charter of Marseillaise Bouillabaisse, ensuring that this traditional dish is cooked and served to exacting standards. There are optional choices on the menu for those who do not eat seafood. After our long lunch we will enjoy a light dinner at the mas this evening.
Friday – Cote du Rhone Villages and Orange
Today a wine-focused day as we drive up to the famous Cotes du Rhone villages of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. We’ll do a bit of village hopping and tastings in Gigondas with our friends the Tourbillon family at Domaine Tourbillon, and in Chateauneuf-du-Pape at Chateau Mont Redon. We’ll enjoy a beautiful al fresco lunch at a spectacular winery at the foot of Mont Ventoux and make a stop in Orange to visit the magnificent Roman Theatre, which was built in 1 AD and still hosts concerts and theatre today!
This evening, a special farewell dinner by our private chef!
Saturday
Today we will say goodbye to Provence and return by train to Paris.
TOUR PRICE:
PRICES VARY ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF GROUP. THIS IS A SAMPLE ITINERARY AND CAN BE CUSTOMISED FOR PRIVATE GROUPS.
INCLUSIONS
- Accommodation for seven nights in our luxury mas in Provence, including breakfast each day
- Meals as per itinerary, including wine
- Evening aperitifs at the mas each evening
- First Class train fares Paris – Avignon – Paris
- Transport in private air-conditioned coach
- All entries, excursions and tastings
- Full time services of tour director Sue Heine
Our prices are in euros and payments will be converted to Australian dollars on days of payment, ie deposit and final payment.
TERMS & CONDITIONS:
- A deposit (to be specified) will secure your place on the tour. We will convert to the Australian dollar amount as per current exchange rate, at time of booking.
- Final payment balance (depending on your room choice and any supplement) will be due 90 days prior to the tour departure (to be converted to AUD and invoiced one week prior to due date).
We advise you to take out comprehensive private travel insurance as soon as possible after paying major deposits. We can offer a 10% discount on your insurance if you organize this through Toujours France.
The deposit is non-refundable as this amount is specifically for the deposit for the villa and these are the villa company’s Terms. However, we will of course refund this if we can replace you on the tour.
Once paid, the final payment is non-refundable.
In Provence we will be staying in a beautiful private mas (stone farmhouse) in one of the most beautiful parts of the region; a home away from home that we call our own for a week, relaxing in the environs of our own private property with lovely pool and gardens. We will enjoy local excursions and visits, but allow plenty of time to relax and enjoy our accommodation. A private chef can be provided (as in the sample itinerary above) for breakfasts and some dinners, while we also provide for al fresco meals on the terrace and out at beautiful local restaurants.