2011 Best Adventures in Provence Active, Gourmet Tour Itinerary - 6 Days/5 Nights
Provence Tour Summary • Tour Price Includes • Provence Tour FAQ • Provence Hotel • PROVENCE TOUR BROCHURE (Adobe pdf)
Award winning Off the Beaten Path, LLC Voted BEST Tour Company for Active, Small Group Tour Travel in France for Discerning Travelers by Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes Traveler, CNN Traveller, The New York Times and Travel & Leisure; Inspiring Itineraries, Exceptional Quality and Excellent Value! Come experience small group travel at its' finest!
Off the Beaten Path's Small Group Provence, France Tours Feature:
- Professional Off the Beaten Path, LLC Tour Guide(s) - history, culinary and wine specialists
- 5 Nights, luxurious hotel accommodations at Les Ateliers de l'Image (NO Hotel Hopping)
- 10 Meals: 5 buffet breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 gourmet and bistro style dinners
- All restaurants and bistros on this tour are Michelin-star and/or have been featured/recommended by top "foodie" magazines. We dine in both gourmet restaurants and our favorite hide-a-ways cherished by the locals.
- Regional wines and cocktails included at all meals
- A personalized photo album of your tour in Provence.
- 2 fun culinary (cooking) classes with 2 different Master Chefs (1 in a castle in Aix-en-Provence countryside and 1 in a professional kitchen in Les Baux de Provence)
- Day along the Mediterranean sea coast: wine growing village of Cassis and the Calanques (fjords)
- Optional Walk No.1 - Guided "Village to Village" walk (optional: designed for interested guests. Walk rated moderate, sturdy walking shoes recommended. Non-walkers: leisure time in St. Remy to visit museums, shop or pursue independent interests)
- Optional Walk No.2 - Guided walk of the Calanques of Cassis (optional: designed for interested guests. Walk rated moderate to challenging, sturdy walking shoes recommended. Non-walkers: calanques viewing by boat is available)
- Optional Walk No.3 - Guided walk through the vineyards of Provence. Walk concludes with wine tasting (For interested guests. Walk rated easy, comfortable shoes recommended. Non-walkers: leisure/shopping/museum time in St. Remy de Provence town or can opt to wait for group at winery)
- Cultural discovery of the colorful, Luberon (Vaucluse) perched villages of Roussillon and Gordes
- Visit & shop at our favorite Provence "Savonnerie" (Artisan Soap Maker's Workshop) where 18th century methods are still employed
- Daily options for non-walkers
- Shopping at the most prestigious Provence, art, artisan, crafts and regional products market in Saint Remy-de-Provence
- Leisure time to pursue independent interestes and visit historic monuments, explore art galleries and shop in St. Remy
- Cheese and wine tasting throughout the trip
- This exclusive Tour is limited to 8-14 guests per Tour date. Small Groups, Couples, solo travelers, friends traveling together all welcome to join.
Click the following link to download the detailed 2011 PROVENCE TOUR BROCHURE (Adobe pdf).
EMAIL or CALL 1-877-846-2831 to speak with a tour specialist.
Day-by-Day Itinerary for Off the Beaten Path, LLC's Provence Tour
DAY 1: Group Pick-Up at Avignon TGV Rail Station, Hotel Check-in in Saint Remy-de-Provence, Dinner Together - D
Meet and Greet by your tour guide(s) at AVIGNON TGV Rail Station at scheduled group pick-up time and location inside the TGV station. The group pick-up time is at 4:00 PM. Transfer, as a group, to your luxury historical hotel, L'Hotel: Les Ateliers de l'Image, in the heart of the Gallo-Roman village town of St. Remy-de-Provence.
Dinner: Our first evening of Provence cuisine together prepared by one of our favorite celebrity, Michelin-star Chefs.
DAY 2: Fun Culinary Class Demonstration with friend and Master Chef Marc at his Aix-en-Provence Bastide, Luberon (Vaucluse) Villages: Cultural Visit in the "Golden Stone" Village of Gordes, Visit in the Artist Village of Roussillon, Explore the Colorful Ochre Park, Dinner Independently - B, L
Buffet Breakfast. Fun cooking class and demonstration with our friend and master chef Marc in his antique bastide in the heart of Aix-en-Provence countryside. Marc's specialty is historical Provencal recipes and the importance they played in daily life throughout the centuries and during changing economic times in the south of France.
Lunch: Savouring these fabulous recipes prepared in cooking class accompanied by regional wines. (Photo right: Making Marc's famous apricot tarte)
Afternoon in the picturesque "Luberon" area of Provence made famous by Peter Mayle's books A Year in Provence and A Good Year.
Visit and shop in the artist village of Roussillon, the canto of color in It is a mythical story of a lover, a murder and the suicide of the faithful bereft that describes how the name of the village honors a redhead. The romance colors the very ground and reddish walls of the buildings that lines its winding streets. Known as the village of ochre, this unique mineral creates a substance formerly used as a dying agent. A meandering walk of the preserved ochre quarry reveals the handiwork of nature amidst the collapsing excavations of man. The residents of Roussillon are predominately artists and artisans. This has led to many shops being authentic and individual in character. Explore the colorful Ochre Park at leisure.
Our next visit takes us to Gordes, one of the most stunning of the perched villages of Provence. The village appears like an Atlantis surrounded by fields instead of ocean. To one side looms the massif of Mount Ventoux, the Olympus of Provence, to the other, the pastoral whale-back of Mount Luberon.The breadth and height of this region balance in utter serenity in Gordes. The viewpoint of our initial stop perches us dizzyingly at a canyon's edge across from which the village could be mistaken for a masonery version of an anthill. The village's private houses, chateau and imposing church form a kind of medieval cliff-dwelling community. Arriving to the village center, we are afforded a stroll of the cobbled lanes where dry stone walls serrate the magical vistas of the sunny land at our feet. After a leisurely visit in the village, the day's casual pilgrimage again must faithfully conclude.
Late afternoon return to St. Remy-de-Provence.
Dinner: Independently in St. Remy de Provence. The town offers a large selection of dining opportunities (82 restaurants, cafes and bistrots from which to choose) from simplistic to sophisticated cuisine. A wonderful selection of cafes, bistros and restaurants is located just outside the front door of the hotel.
DAY 3: Morning Choose Your Option: (1) Provence "Village to Village" Walk near Eygalieres or (2) Explore museums and sites in St. Remy, Early Evening hands-on Cooking Class followed by dinner of recipes prepared in Class - B, L, D
Buffet Breakfast.
CHOOSE YOUR OPTION.
Option No. 1. Morning walk "village to village". This morning we depart for a spectacular "village to village" walk in one of Provence's most beautiful walking areas : Les Alpilles valley area full of olive orchards and vineyards. Our walk offers fabulous photographic opportunities of traditional Provencal scenery and flowers. Enjoy a visit in our destination village at the conclusion of our walk.
Option No. 2. Many options available for non-walkers:
Option No. 1: Explore and shop in St. Remy or
Option No. 2: Visit at the archeological site of Glanum or
Option No. 3: Explore the sites painted by Van Gogh and museums in town.
Lunch : For walkers - a picnic lunch together along our walking trail. For non-walkers - lunch in St. Remy.
Afternoon at Leisure upon return to the hotel.
Evening and Dinner: This evening embark on a culinary adventure with a fun, hands-on cooking class at an 18th century Domaine (farmhouse) surrounded by a pine forest, vineyards and olive trees in countryside near Les Baux de Provence. Following class, cocktails and a gourmet dinner of the recipes prepared together in class with regional wines.
DAY 4: Shopping at the St. Remy-de-Provence Artisan, Art, Crafts and Local Products Market, Afternoon: Choose Your Option: (1) - Leisure Afternoon in St. Remy or (2) - Guided Walk of the Vineyards of Provence followed by wine tasting - B
Buffet Breakfast. Spend the morning perusing and shopping at the local art, artisan, crafts and local products market in St. Remy-de-Provence, the town that inspired some of Van Gogh's most famous art work.
Afternoon. CHOOSE YOUR OPTION:
Option No.1: Leisure time in historic St. Remy de Provence to pursue independent interests and shop OR
Option No.2: Join your guide for a walk through the vineyards of Provence. This scenic walk takes us through the most beautiful regional vineyards, and is the perfect back drop for photo opportunities of traditional Provencal scenery and to learn more about Provence grape varieties, harvest and vinification practices of this region. Wine tasting concludes our walk (Non-walkers can also opt to wait for the group at the winery). Return to the hotel in Saint Remy afterwards.
Dinner: Independently in St. Remy de Provence.
DAY 5: Along the Mediterranean Coast: Choose Your Option: (1) - Walk of the "Calanques" between Cassis and Marseille or (2) - View the Calanques by Boat, Afternoon: Explore Cassis Wine Growing Village, Cultural Visit at Artisan Savonnerie (Provence Soap Maker), Michelin Star Gourmet Dinner - B, D
Buffet Breakfast. Departure to the picturesque Mediterranean coastal, wine producing village of Cassis, France which dates back to 500 BC, is surrounded by vineyards, and bordered by the Mediterranean sea, colorful cliffs and beach. Stroll through this art deco style village pedestrian streets for photo ops of the cobblestone streets, colorful port and beautiful vineyard covered coastline. Shop and try a local cafe at the port.
Morning. CHOOSE YOUR OPTION:
Option No.1: Participate in a spectacular Mediterranean coastal walk of the historic, 10,000 year old calanques (also known as fjords) (designed for interested guests). The colorful Mediterranean port in Cassis will serve as the starting point for our calanques walk.
Option No.2: Guests not participating in the walk will be dropped off directly in Cassis wine producing village where they will be able to embark independently on a scenic boat tour of the Calanques, shop at the village specialty boutiques or market, explore the historic streets or simply enjoy a local cafe and people watch by the colorful port.
On our return from Cassis, we'll stop for a cultural visit and time to shop at our favorite Artisan "Savonnerie" (Provence Soap Maker's Workshop) where 18th century methods are still employed. Our soap maker is one of the few remaining artisans in southern France still producing authentic Provencal soaps using traditional methods, and has been voted best artisan soap maker in France. This is a fabulous opportunity to watch the artisans at work, and witness how the soaps are still hand made.
Dinner: Together at our favorite Michelin-star gourmet restaurant of the region. The perfect setting to celebrate a wonderful time together in Provence.
DAY 6: Tour Conclusion - B
Buffet Breakfast. Trip concludes today with a 9 AM arrival to Avignon TGV Rail Station. Earlier and later departures can be organized. Please contact us for details.
Click the following link to download the detailed PROVENCE TOUR BROCHURE (Adobe pdf).
(B) = Breakfast Included, (L) = Lunch Included, (D) = Dinner Included
Provence Tour Guest Testimonials
"Loved Cassis and having the option to go on the walk or take the boat out to see the calanques, cooking classes were each so different, and the overall travel experience was very comfortable. I loved that we didn't do touristy things! And, I really liked having a great American guide who, since she lives in France, really knows so much about the country, people and daily life. Thank you for a wonderful trip!" Diane Santarsiero, Monkton, MD (Provence Tour)
"The walks were exceptional. Our guide's knowledge was outstanding, lots of options each day and the restaurants were also wonderful! Loved the group we created. Thanks for a great time!" Charleen Siemens, Vancouver, Canada (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)