Provence France Small Group Tours
The 2021 Best of Provence France Small Group Tour is designed to encapsulate all that is great about Provence . The group trip lasts 6 days and is full of unforgettable experiences. From historical monuments, to world class art galleries and from wine tasting to gourmet meals, the tour is a sensory and visual delight. The tour runs in Spring, Early Summer (lavender) and Autumn.
Expect days filled with sunshine, as you travel through iconic countryside filled with sweeping fields of vines. Enjoy cities replete with beauty and historic buildings, bubbling fountains and cafe terraces overflowing with the joy of life in a part of the world the locals call “un coin de paradis” – a corner of paradise.
Wine and Cultural Package Tour
The Provence, France, trip includes visits to: Aix en Provence, Arles, Luberon hill villages, Saint Remy and Les Alpilles, and Cassis and Les Calanques, as well as numerous Provence wine tastings and vineyard tours. In each city a walking tour precedes visits to the main sights. Click on any of the tours above and then the photos tab to give yourself a real flavour of the places we visit.
Our scheduled wine tastings are at some of the best known vineyards in Provence. Yet our chosen wineries are also small producers who offer intimate tasting experiences. Domaine Paternel is renowned as one of the best producers of white wine in Provence. It’s wines feature on restaurant wine lists throughout France. Domaine de La Citadelle has long been a reference for the finest Luberon wines.
Gourmet Provence France Tour
At the end of every day we will return to the village of Lourmarin. Clients can relax by the pool of the hotel, or indulge in a spa treatment. For those still keen to explore the village has plentiful art galleries, shops, and cafes. It’s a delightful place to spend time. Every evening clients can choose a new restaurant or opt to return to a favourite from earlier in the week. Total flexibility is our aim.
Provence France Travel Itinerary
You can view a detailed itinerary for the Best of Provence France Small Group Tour by clicking on the tours above. The following is only a quick summary. Guests arrive in Lourmarin on Sunday and check into their hotel. Usually there is a brocante or artisan market to enjoy. Lourmarin is a busy bustling village so there is plenty to explore.
On Sunday evening groups have a meal together and tour leader Jamie Ivey explains the plan for the week.
Typically we visit Aix en Provence on Monday, the Luberon Hill Villages on Tuesday, Saint Remy de Provence (market day) and Arles on Wednesday, and the sparkling Mediterranean port town of Cassis on Thursday. Departure is on Friday, and Lourmarin market is perfect for any last minute gift shopping.
The best south of France vacation is only a click away
The 6 days/5 nights are a wonderful, unforgettable introduction to all things Provencal. You’ll taste sumptuous local dishes such as bouillabaisse (the golden fish soup of Marseille) and soak up Roman and medieval monuments. And being Provence there will always be time to simply relax in a cafe and watch the world go by. Provence Small Group Tours is committed to offering the best tours on the market. If you can find a comparable tour cheaper with another Provence Tour Operator, let us know and we will match the price.
Small Group Tour Leader, Provence, France.
Jamie Ivey leads all our tours. He is the author of the Moon Guide to Provence and 4 other books about Provence: a trilogy on Provencal wine and a book about training his dog to find truffles. He started working with group tours of Provence five years ago. To begin with he offered wine tastings. This quickly developed into a trip planning business for companies such as Olney tours. His company Provence Guru is now regarded as one of the leading escorted tour operators in Provence. Provence Guru prides itself on offer the best value Provence France Small Group Tour on the market.
Luberon Small Group Tour
The Luberon is one of the most picturesque parts of Provence. It is divided into the southern and northern Luberon. The northern Luberon is famed for its hill villages, and offers spectacular views. The southern Luberon is no less beautiful but the countryside has a gentler air. The distinction typically made between the two regions is that the southern Luberon is better for year round living – the villages are more alive, whereas the Northern Luberon is more of a holiday destination. Our Provence, France, Small Group Tour is based in the southern Luberon village of Lourmarin. The village is ideal for access to the coast and all major Provencal sights. We are the only Provence package tour operator to be based in the village.
Best Provence France Tour Itinerary
Sunday – Arrival
Pick up by taxi or minibus (depending on numbers) at an agreed time from either Aix en Provence TGV or Marseille Marignane airport. You will be transferred to your accommodation in a 4 star hotel in the gorgeous Luberon village of Lourmarin. The journey is an easy hour’s drive through picturesque countryside.
Upon arrival a small hamper of luxurious Provencal goodies awaits in your bedroom. Any free time can be used to explore the village. On Sundays from Easter to the end of September there is usually an artisan market or brocante market. The group will gather for a drink’s reception around 6.30pm and a gourmet welcome dinner.
Monday: Aix en Provence
A highlight of the tour is our visit to Aix en Provence. Known as the Paris of the south, an enjoyable day can easily be spent people watching from the cafe terraces and indulging in a little retail therapy. Tour leader Jamie Ivey will share his love of the city in a brief orientation tour. The group will lunch together in a typical Aix restaurant, loved by the locals, but off the beaten tourist track. Group members can then choose between the main sights including, the Hotel Caumont Art Center; Cezanne’s atelier and the viewpoint from which he painted Mont Sainte Victoire; and the Musee Granet, a world-class painting and sculpture museum.
Returning to Lourmarin tour members can choose from any of numerous village restaurants in which to eat. Our touring ethos is that members should be free to spend as much or as little time together as they wish. Gregarious couples who enjoy company can choose to eat with the group. More private couples can take the opportunity for some time apart from the group.
Tuesday: Luberon Villages
The locals call the Luberon a corner of paradise. It’s not hard to understand why: – there are countless picturesque villages; numerous vineyards producing sumptuous wines; olive groves that stretch for miles; cherry orchards which produce snow storms of blossom in Spring and rolling mountains stretching away towards the Alps.
Our village visits include: Roussillon, famed for its red soil. Local legend has it that a jilted lover threw herself from a cliff and her blood stained the soil for miles around; and Gordes, which for decades has been an ultra-chic retreat for wealthy Parisian families and French celebrities.
For lunch we will stop for at Domaine de La Citadelle outside Menerbes and enjoy a buffet lunch and wine tasting. The vineyard has a famous corkscrew museum which we will also visit.
In the evening for supper guests can choose from among the numerous village restaurants.
Wednesday: Saint Remy and Arles
It’s market day in beautiful Saint Remy de Provence. We will spend the morning wandering amid the colorful stands of the traders and enjoying the charm of this picturesque Provencal town. We will lunch in a restaurant hidden in the Les Alpilles’s countryside.In the afternoon it’s history time in neighbouring Arles. Arles boasts the best collection of Roman sights in Provence – a Roman Arena, a Roman Theatre, Roman baths, and even a Roman Graveyard. For those of a more artistic disposition Arles is also where Van Gogh completed many of his most famous paintings, as well as being the home to an exciting new modern art foundation – Luma Arles.
In the evening for supper guests can choose from among the numerous village restaurants.
Thursday: Cassis
We will head for the glittering Mediterranean and the charming port of Cassis. On our way into the port we will stop for a wine tasting at Domaine Paternel to taste the region’s famed white. Arriving harbour side we will explore the port and enjoy lunch together. Enthusiasts of seafood should not miss the opportunity to try Provence’s famed Bouillabaisse fish soup. In the afternoon we will take a boat tour out into Les Calanques – renowned as almost the last untouched stretch of the French Mediterranean coast, these rocky coves are accessible only by boat or on foot. The Calanques are a world famous wildlife reserve and a national treasure.
In the evening for supper guests can choose from among the numerous village restaurants.
In the event of bad weather our trip to Cassis will be substituted by the following:
First stop is L’Isle sur La Sorgue, a gorgeous market town nicknamed the Venice of Provence thanks to the canal system on which it sits. Waterwheels and charming antique shops make for a memorable visit.
Next up is Avignon and one of the sights of Provence – the Palais des Papes. Built in under 40 years this gothic monolith inspires awe and reverence. Adding a touch of humour to the visit we advise our groups to read Alphonse Daudet’s short story – The Pope’s Donkey, before the visit. It gives a wonderful insight into the world of the Avignon Popes.
Friday: Lourmarin
On Friday our home village of Lourmarin hosts one of the largest and best Provencal markets. It’s the perfect opportunity to do something last minute shopping before heading home.
