Avignon: Home of the Popes

Private Tour: 9 hours

Pick-up at 8:00 a.m. at your hotel lobby

Highlights: Popes’ Palace and the Val de Benediction cloister

Price includes: Morning Coffee Break, Entrance Fees, Lunch, Wine Aperitif

 

Drive to the Popes' Palace in Avignon

The palace construction begun in 1335 and it is known to be the biggest Gothic Palace in all of Europe, equivalent in size to 4 Gothic cathedrals! You will be explore the Palace and visit the private apartments where Popes lived for over 70 years. After a stroll across the Palace gardens overlooking the city, walk down to the famous "Pont d’Avignon ", built in 1177, after a young shepherd named Bénezet who claimed to have heard Divine voices and made famous by the song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”.

Lunch

After a short drive to the Ile de la Barthelasse, you're off for a typical Provençal meal at a lovely restaurant from which you will enjoy a unique "one million dollar view" of the ramparts of Avignon and the Popes' Palace.

Walking tour in Villeneuve-lés-Avignon

Your guide will escort you on a walking tour through this charming fortified little town across the Rhone river, facing Avignon, which used to be the frontier between the Kingdom of France and the provençal Pope's possessions. Then on to one of the world’s largest Carthusian monastery - Monastery of the Val de Benediction and see its frescos and discover how monks lived in the Middle Ages. End of your walking tour with views of Fort St. Andre and its Italian abbey styled gardens. You will then be driven back to your hotel, and stop at the Place de l'Horloge for an evening "wine aperitif" before dinner.

 

Les Baux and Pont du Gard

Private Tour: 9 hours

Pick-up at 9:00 a.m. at your hotel lobby

Highlights: Pont du Gard, Saint Rémy de Provence, Glanum, les Baux de Provence

Price includes: Morning Coffee Break, Entrance Fees, Lunch, Wine Aperitif

Pont du Gard

You leave for the Pont du Gard. There you will be astonished by the largest aqueduct in the world built by the Roman times to supply running water to the city of Nimes and its surroundings. It is still in perfect condition and a marvel of engineering work that has survived nearly intact for 2000 years.

Drive to Saint Remy de Provence

Located at the foothills of the Alpilles mounts is Saint Remy with its charming streets and ancient fountains. Here you will visit the house where the famous diviner Nostradamus was born in 1503 and discover the ancient Roman site of Glanum, and walk amongst the ruins of the Forum, monuments and baths in a Gallo-Roman Necropolis that dates from 30 B.C

Lunch

After such an intense morning, you should be in good appetite and ready to have lunch in a unique open air terraced restaurant that we have selected for you, looking down at the Forum ruins, (near Glanum). There you will get a taste of dishes used in ancient Rome and which have left a landmark in the history of modern gastronomy!

Drive to Les Baux de Provence

The village of Baux de Provence, classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, is located at the very heart of the Alpilles, on a rocky plateau 268 meters high. It dominates exceptional and breathtaking panoramas. At the end of an easy and pleasant walk along various local Provençal artwork shops (shopping recommended!) the Citadel of le Baux at the end of the village unveils itself to you. Its surface covers more than 17 acres and allows the visitor to witness traces of the tumultuous past of the Baux de Provence: ruins of the medieval castle, siege machines, the cadastral chapel, the donjon, the Sarasin tower…In practice, the whole of the History of Provence told within a vast frame of rocks and stones!

At the end of this extraordinary day you’ll be back at your hotel just on time for dinner and a stop for a wine aperitif.

 

 

Chateauneuf du Pape, Senanque Abbey

Private Tour: 8 hours

Pick-up at 9:00 a.m. at your hotel lobby

Highlights: Senanque Abbey, Chateauneuf

Price includes: Entrance Fees, Lunch, Afternoon Coffee

Chateauneuf du Pape

Off on a magic day to the world famous village of Chateauneuf du Pape and the mediaeval abbey of Senanque. Located at abou 30 minutes from Avignon, you will visit Chateauneuf du Pape and walk along its narrow sinuous streets punctuated by beautiful fountains, a castle from the 14th. century, medieval chapels and, of course, tasting one of the best wines of France: Châteuneuf du Pape.
Vine cultivation, already known to the Gauls, was widely developed by the Romans. Monks were the first to clear the land and cultivate these vineyards and Bishops were instrumental in extending vine cultivation. Here you will have a 3 glass wine tasting session in a selected winery.

Lunch

Reservations at a well know gourmet restaurant with a unique panoramic view over the Rhône river valley!

Drive to Senanque Abbey

After lunch you will take a pleasant drive across lavender covered valleys and fields that will lead you to one of the jewels of Provence: the medieval abbey of Senanque.
Sitting at the bottom of a deep valley, Notre-Dame de Senanque remains one of the purest examples of early Cistercian architecture, still alive and still standing. The entire 12th Century building is open for visits: the abbey church, cloister, dormitory, chapterhouse and calefactory. Since returning in 1988, a community of Cistercian monks has lived and prayed here.
We'll end our day driving back to your hotel through fruits orchards and poppies fields.

 

Arles

Private Tour: 10 hours

Pick-up at 9:00 a.m. at your hotel lobby

Highlights: Arles, Saint Paul de Mausole Monastery

Price includes: Morning Coffee Break, Entrance Fees, Lunch, Wine Aperitif

Visit Arles

Your guide will unveil the charms of Arles, city of arts and history leaning on the south bank of the Rhône river, rich in important remains from Gallo-Roman times: the Roman Amphitheatre, the Arenas, the imperial baths of emperor Constantine who used to spend summer vacations there... All magnificent buildings which have defied time and are still nowadays are used to host cultural events and...corridas! Vincent Van Gogh came to Arles at the end of the 19th century and produced hundreds of drawings, sketches and paintings of the most suggestive sites of this beautiful city. Follow his footsteps in the small squares, the alleys, the still living cafes, restaurants and houses celebrated by the artist paintings.

Lunch

We mentioned corridas a little earlier... Anybody for a Spanish lunch?
We suggest a touch of exoticism at an Andaluz restaurant famous for its tapas bar and its unique gypsy atmosphere.

Drive to Saint Paul de Mausole monastery, Van Gogh's hospital.

The monastery was once a home for mentally ill patients. Van Gogh was admitted in May 1889, after having left Arles, hoping to find rest and cares to sooth his suffering. During his staying there, he painted over 150 canvasses in the area around St. Rémy and the Alpilles. The poppies, olive trees, wheat fields are still there to be seen, sometimes with the reproduction of Van Gogh's paintings next to them to compare… Visit of his bedroom (a remake), the cloister, and the gardens where the artist used to promenade.
Return to the hotel by 7 p.m.

 

A day in Camargue & Cruise on the Rhône River Canal

Private Tour: 10 hours

Pick-up at 8:30 a.m. at your hotel lobby

Highlights: Highlights: Camargue delta National Park, Saintes-Maries de la Mer, Aigues Mortes, Grau du Roi

Price includes: Morning Coffee Break, Entrance Fees, Lunch, Afternoon Break, Wine Aperitif

Visit the Camargue

Shortly past the city of Arles, you'll gradually notice a change in colors and shapes of the environment: the light of reflected marshes on the road will at times blare your eyesight. The vegetation becomes rare. The first ponds surrounded with flexible cat-tails will show up. You will want to stop, to make sure that those white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos are real...
This excursion consists of a drive across the Camargue delta National Park, with stops in the town of Sainte Marie de la Mer (mentioned in the best seller "the Da Vinci code"...), visit of the fortified village of Aigues Mortes and finally a 2 hours cruise on a barge down the Rhône river canals to le Grau du Roi.
At the town of Saintes Maries de la Mer you will see how its Andalusian originated gypsies made their unique rather peculiar dwellings: small one storey huts with thatched roofs.

Lunch

Lunch in a restaurant located in a quiet 16th. century building celebrating 30 years of existence and close to the square Saint Louis in Aigues Mortes. The common cuisine with its best regional products and the inventive mind of chef Jean-Marie Mercier match to the exacting standards of gastronomy of regional specialities, grilled fish, bouillabaisse (soup of fish), tellines (seafood), meticulous cooking.

Afternoon in Aigues Mortes

The excursion continues around the wall surrounding town of Aigues Mortes. In 1240, King Louis the 9th (Saint Louis) decided to build Aigues Mortes close to his kingdom in order to have direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. In 1248 he sailed for the 7th Crusade. Seven centuries later, the fortification still dominates the Camargue as one of the most well preserved medieval French buildings.

Cruise the Rhone (3 p.m.)

After a walk around the town alleys, and visit of the ramparts and the Tour Constance, you will board on the "Bateau St. Louis" for a two hours cruise along the canals all the way down to the Grau du Roi, stopping on the way at a local ranch where you will be shown how bulls are raised and trained. Of course you'll have made sure your camera batteries are charged and you have enough space in your memory cards…
You'll be taken back to your hotel by 6 p.m., a little tired perhaps, but happy to have discovered another face of beautiful Provence, and feel that you… have fallen in love with it!

Verdon Canyon and Aix en Provence

Private Tour: 12 hours

Pick-up at 9:00 a.m. at your hotel lobby

Highlights: Verdon Canyon, Mount St. Victoire, Aix en Provence

Price includes: Morning Coffee Break, Entrance Fees, Lunch, Wine Aperitif

 

Driving tour to the Verdon Canyon.

Don't forget to bring your camera to capture the gigantic cliffs of the splendid Verdon Canyon. The canyon offers a spectacular view of protected natural spaces, rich in fauna and flora, surrounded by dramatic panoramas!

Lunch

Reservation at a typical regional restaurant which uses the finest products. Tender locally raised lamb, Goat cheese from nearby La Palud, and Sun drenched Fruits and Vegetables from the Durance river valley are a few of the ingredients used by renowned Chef Thierry Leclerc.

Driving tour to Aix en Provence: on the footsteps of Cezanne.

Following a short panoramic photo stop to the Mount St. Victoire, painted under various degrees of shades and light by Paul Cezanne, you will be taken to Aix en Provence, the city where the famous painter was born. In Aix you can visit Cezanne's studio and take a stroll down the famous Cours Mirabeau, lined with centuries old plane-trees, cafes, restaurants, and enjoy some Provençal art and crafts shopping (ceramics, lavender soaps, perfumes…) in the Cours street market.
Your breathtaking day has come to an end and it's time to go back to your hotel.