Amazing hands-on Provencal experiences from delectable wine tastings to epicurean discoveries, savory entrees al fresco, a luminous palette of warm colors that spark the imagination, the mysteries of Starry Night, the Provencal passion for food, art and wine... all part of what you'll experience with Tauck.
Combine a chef, a food expert, a sommelier, trips to local markets, a cooking class and a wine tasting in one of the world's great wine regions - and what follows is a mouth-watering portrait of Provence. Food and art are passions in Southern France and key ingredients for the culturally curious. Paint in idyllic walks down lanes that inspired Cezanne in Aix, contemporary art on the grounds of a classic Provencal chateau, an insider tour with a van Gogh art scholar in St. Remy, a picnic in a lavender meadow, exploring the Roman ruins of Glanum, soft landscapes changing hues in the waning sun, and a farewell at a private, family-owned winery in Chateauneuf-du-Pape... and the palette of our Provence tours becomes richer still.
Combine a chef, a food expert, a sommelier, trips to local markets, a cooking class and a wine tasting in one of the world's great wine regions - and what follows is a mouth-watering portrait of Provence. Food and art are passions in Southern France and key ingredients for the culturally curious. Paint in idyllic walks down lanes that inspired Cezanne in Aix, contemporary art on the grounds of a classic Provencal chateau, an insider tour with a van Gogh art scholar in St. Remy, a picnic in a lavender meadow, exploring the Roman ruins of Glanum, soft landscapes changing hues in the waning sun, and a farewell at a private, family-owned winery in Chateauneuf-du-Pape... and the palette of our Provence tours becomes richer still.
Traveling Well Includes:
Call (303) 504-0400 for more information or to book today! Mention code 18852167
- Tour Operator
- Tauck Tours
- Offer
- Offer valid through 12/31/2024
- Duration
- 8 Days
| Day | Destination | Description |
| Day 1 | Aix-en-Provence | Arrive in Aix-en-Provence Tour begins: 3:00 PM, Grand Hotel Roi Rene Aix-en-Provence Centre - MGallery, Aix-en-Provence. A transfer is included from Marseille Provence Airport to Grand Hotel Roi Rene Aix-en-Provence Centre - MGallery in Aix-en-Provence. As it has done for millions of wayfarers before you, the old port of Marseille welcomes you to the south of France. Your travels through Provence begin; to the locals, Aix-en-Provence is simply Aix. Strolling its boulevards with a local guide, you're taking in the same views that inspired Cezanne... Gauguin... van Gogh... Zola... no doubt ready to create your own impressions of this charming old university town with the world. Aix's grandest boulevard, the Cours Mirabeau, dates back to the 17th century; lined with plane trees, elaborate fountains and opulent mansions, it invites a leisurely bike ride, a brisk walk, or perhaps a visit to one of the cafes. Join us tonight for cocktails and dinner at the hotel. Lodging:Grand Hotel ROI Rene Aix-en-Provence Centre-MGallery Meals: D |
| Day 2 | Aix-en-Provence | Cezanne, Chateau La Coste & more in Aix Follow the footsteps of post-Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne through his hometown, Aix-en-Provence, today. See the landscapes he painted, the fields where local residents became his subjects, the views of Mont Sainte-Victoire that so inspired him, and the studio where he worked. Garner a few handy phrases en francais from your Tauck Director as you explore. Head just north of Aix to Chateau La Coste, a classic Provencal chateau, vineyard and estate whose heart - a 17th-century Venetian-style villa - is surrounded by olive groves, hilltops covered by oaks and almond trees, and hundreds of acres of lovingly tended vines. Discover works by some of Europe's greatest living artists on a walk through the chateau's expanding sculpture gardens. The remainder of the day is free to explore Aix as you wish. Lodging:Grand Hotel ROI Rene Aix-en-Provence Centre-MGallery Meals: B, L |
| Day 3 | Gordes | A Feast for the Senses in Gordes This morning, discover Luberon, part of France's Golden Triangle and indulge in a visual feast of fairy tale villages, meadows and moorlands that surround this magnificent region. Head off to Gordes late this morning for a stroll through the town's arcaded medieval lanes before stopping by a market to pick up the makings of a traditional picnic lunch - perhaps a baguette, fruits and meats, cheese, olives and, naturellement, wine... whatever tempts your palate! Rich with color, chalk and red ochre cliffs, cedar forests and river-hewn gorges surround. Enjoy your picnic lunch in a Provencal meadow, then continue to your hotel in Gordes, overlooking the lovely village and the valley beyond. Dine this evening at the hotel, which sports a restaurant by a Michelin Star chef. Lodging:Hotel La Bastide de Gordes Meals: B, L, D |
| Day 4 | Gordes | An Abbey, Menerbes & Roussillon Enjoy a morning hike to the medieval Abbaye de Senanque; founded in the 12th century, it is still tended by a small community of Cistercian monks. Next, visit Menerbes, which author Peter Mayle made world-famous in A Year in Provence; enjoy a delicious lunch of typical French fare, then follow it with an easy hike through the quarries of Roussillon, where the deep ochre used in the town's architecture harmoniously blends into the warmth of the natural surroundings. Return to your hotel in Gordes, where the evening is yours to spend as you wish. Lodging:Hotel La Bastide de Gordes Meals: B, L |
| Day 5 | St-Remy-de-Provence | Vaucluse and Van Gogh's Asylum Deep beneath the hills of Provence, the most powerful spring in France bursts forth at nearly 20,000 gallons per second to feed the Sorgue River, emerging in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, once the home of the Italian poet, Petrarch. Visit St-Remy-de-Provence, home to the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, where legendary Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh went to heal and hide out... and where he created over 150 works, including Starry Night. After time to explore and enjoy lunch on your own in St-Remy, you'll glimpse inside the artist's troubled mind as van Gogh scholar Mathilde Duvilliers shares insights on his complicated life, and reads from his letters, while you walk in his footsteps at the asylum and its grounds. The ancients roamed here too; explore the ruins of the Roman city of Glanum, one of the largest and oldest archaeological sites in France. Arrive late afternoon at Auberge de Cassagne & Spa in Le Pontet-Avignon for a three-night stay. In addition to its lovely gardens, the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, where you'll enjoy dinner tonight, is a real treat! Lodging:Auberge de Cassagne & Spa Meals: B, D |
| Day 6 | Avignon | A Taste of Medieval Avignon On market day in Avignon, partake in the process of bringing great Provencal food from the market to the plate. Join a chef on a buying trip to an Avignon market - smelling, tasting, and feeling your way through the fresh produce, breads, meats and cheeses. Learn the chef's kitchen secrets firsthand as you help prepare a traditional meal in a hands-on cooking lesson. And after a professional sommelier guides you through a tasting of fine Rhone wines, it's time to eat... drink... and be very merry. You'll have free time this afternoon to spend as you wish. A bicycle ride? A walk? A long afternoon drink in a cafe? Tonight is yours to explore and dine on your own in Avignon; our shuttle can take you back from town to the hotel. Lodging:Auberge de Cassagne & Spa Meals: B, L |
| Day 7 | Avignon | Pont du Gard, Avignon & Chateauneuf-du-Pape A three-level, 2,000-year-old aqueduct spanning the River Gardon, the Pont du Gard stands as testimony to the Romans' amazing engineering skills and love of baths. Learn more about it as you walk the pont - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - and visit its new museum. Enjoy lunch on your own in Avignon and then take some free time to explore this history-rich town as you wish. This evening, travel to nearby Chateauneuf-du-Pape - one of the country's premier wine-growing regions - for a Tauck Exclusive at a private, family-owned winery. Celebrate the flavors of Provence with cocktails, canapes and local wine, followed by a spectacular dinner of Provencal specialties... a perfect finis to a marvelous Provencal journey! Lodging:Auberge de Cassagne & Spa Meals: B, L, D |
| Day 8 | Avignon | Journey home Tour ends: Avignon. The warm, inviting colors... sun-kissed meadows... those amazing Provencal flavors... intangible sensory imagery that linger not only on the return to Marseille and on your flight home... but far beyond... A transfer is included from Auberge de Cassagne & Spa to Marseille Provence Airport; allow three hours for check-in... au revoir! Lodging: Meals: B |
- Dates/Pricing
- Disclaimer
- * All prices are per person in U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy.
Itinerary Changes - Although not expected, Tauck reserves the right to alter the sequence of ports or omit or substitute scheduled ports or attractions at any time without prior notice.
