Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Escorted Provence Tour

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Voted #1 Guided, Small Group Provence Tour! Designed for BOTH Walkers and NON-Walkers alike! *Our Provence Tour itinerary below is the itinerary travelers experience on our 6 Day/5 Night – 2017 Provence Tours! Scroll to the bottom of the page to view one of our Provence photo galleries!

WINNER of LUX 2017 Tourism Awards for **BEST FRENCH TOURING COMPANY!** Read more… (opens in a new window)

Book a Provence Tour Today To Discover Why France Off the Beaten Path Tours Are Rate #1 For 23+ Years!

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary

– A Quick Look at the Provence Tour Itinerary Details – 6 Days/5 Nights –

Best Provence Guides • 3 Guided Provence Walks (designed for interested guests • Guided Cultural Options Daily for Non-Walkers • Walk Provence Lavender Route • Fun, Hands-On Provence Cooking Class • 2 Provence Markets – No Forced Shopping • Private Van Gogh Tour • Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wine Tasting • Private Artisan Chocolate-maker Tour • Tour Arles Roman Ruins, Carpentras, Avignon • Gourmet Michelin-Star Provence Meals • Lots of Flexibility • Stay in 1 Exceptional, Conde Nast Rated Boutique Hotel For Entire Tour (No Hotel Hopping) • True Small Groups – Maximum 14-16 Guests Per Tour

WALKERS & NON-WALKERS – Multiple Daily Options for BOTH walkers and non-walkers alike on our 6-Day/5 night Provence Tour!

Day 1 – Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Guided Tour:

Arrival Day – Provence Tour Begins

Meet and Greet by your Provence Tour guides at — We provide a complimentary 1:30 pm transfer from Marseille Airport and a complimentary 4 pm transfer from AVIGNON TGV Rail Station.
Your tour information package will include specific details on where your guides meet the group.
Transfer, as a group, to our Conde Nast recommended deluxe boutique hotel – Hotel Gounod in the heart of St. Remy-de-Provence. The hotel is owned and operated by our friends Karine and Heidi.
Hotel Gounod serves as our base for the entire tour — NO HOTEL HOPPING!
Check-in at the hotel for our 6 day/5 night tour.
Early evening – Enjoy a glass of regional Rosé wine before dinner. Tour guides provide an informal briefing of the week’s activities, and answer any questions you may have.
DINNER – Welcome cocktail hour and dinner at our favorite celebrity hide-a-way made famous by Cookbook Author Patricia Wells. Enjoy your 1st taste of Provence specialties prepared by one of our favorite chefs of the region accompanied by classified regional Provence wines.
Throughout this exclusive Best Provence Tour Itinerary – Southern France Tour, we select different regional classified wines to ensure guests try the fabulous wines of Provence, France. Many are NOT available outside of Provence!

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary

Day 2 – Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Guided TouR:

Les Alpilles & Villages of Baux de Provence Valley

BREAKFAST.
MORNING – We start our morning with a personalized, private tour and chocolate tasting with our local friend, a World Famous “Chocolatier” (chocolate-maker), at his Artisan Chocolate Workshop. Enjoy tasting some of his famous creations – our personal favorite? Lavender chocolate. Afterwards, we continue on to enjoy the morning perusing and shopping at the weekly market in the town that inspired some of Van Gogh’s most famous art work. Market day in town is a must for any stay in Provence. Your OTBP tour guides provide a guided tour and introduction to the market after which guests enjoy time to explore and shop at leisure.
LUNCH: Together at our favorite gourmet celebrity hide-a-way in the countryside. All guests (walkers and non-walkers) shuttle to lunch.
AFTERNOON – CHOOSE an OPTION: Select an option from below — All options are available to all tour guests, and are designed for interested guests.

CHOOSE AN AFTERNOON OPTION —

OPTION NO. 1 – Participate in a guided walk — “HIDDEN GEMS OF PROVENCE WALK!”– Walk through the countryside taking in the sites and smells that make Provence so mystical and magical and learn fun facts of local history that make St. Remy-de-Provence a true gem! Photo-ops all along the walk! Plus, it’s a great way to walk off those fabulous foodie calories!!! We walk through the vineyards of the producer who makes the wine we’ll drink one evening of the tour!
OPTION NO. 2 – Join your one of your tour guides, a Van Gogh Art and Provence history specialist, for a privately guided tour of St. Paul de Mausole Hospital to learn about Van Gogh’s presence in Provence. Afterwards, explore the Roman ruins of Glanum.
OPTION NO. 3 – Enjoy the Afternoon at leisure to explore more of this picturesque Provence gem of a town.

DINNER – Independently this evening – try one of our recommended St. Remy’s restaurants – ask for details – we have a complete list of wonderful options – some offering bonuses for our guests.

Walking Rating – WALK NO.1 –

WALKERS: The Guided walk – “Hidden Gems of Provence” walk is rated EASY (optional: designed for interested guests). Walking on vineyard and country trails through picturesque landscapes and French country architecture with a variety of beautiful village scenery, lavender, wild flower fields, and olive orchards in the background and along our walking trail. Ideal for those who walk for a morning or afternoon on a regular basis. Walk distance is 4 miles – approximately 1.5 hrs. depending on photo-op stops.

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary

DAY 3 – Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Guided Tour:

The Luberon & Hilltop Villages

BREAKFAST.

CHOOSE AN OPTION — All guests shuttle to Gordes village in the Luberon and then choose one of the options below. All options are available to all tour guests, and designed for all interested guests.

OPTION NO. 1 – “LUBERON VILLAGE TO VILLAGE WALK” – (optional – designed for interested guests) – Participate in a spectacular, guided, “Luberon Village to Village” walk. We’ll pass through historical villages, lavender fields, sunflowers fields, farms, vineyards, orchards, wooded areas, beautifully restored homes, and simple farm dwellings.
OPTION NO. 2 – Non-walkers shuttle from village to village for guided tours of 2 of the most beautiful, perched villages in the picturesque “Luberon” area of Provence made famous by Peter Mayle’s books A Year in Provence and A Good Year – Gordes and Roussillon villages. Time to visit a few of our secret lavender spots also.

GORDES is one of the most stunning of the hilltop villages of Provence.
LUNCH: A lighter fare, Gourmet French tasting picnic together amidst the vineyards of the Luberon Valley (for walkers and non-walkers).
ROUSSILLON is a colorful hilltop village harboring the tale of a mythical story that describes how the name of the village honors a redhead. This is the village of ochre – enjoy a short exploratory walk of the ochre quarries – another “must see” in Provence!
AFTERNOON – Photo-op stops on our return to the hotel in St. Remy-de-Provence – optional stop for winey tasting at a Celebrity Winery.
DINNER – A gourmet Michelin-Star dinner together prepared by another of our favorite Chefs, and our family friend Christian.

Walking Rating – WALK NO.2 –

WALKERS: The Guided walk – “Luberon Valley Village to Village” walk in the Luberon region of Provence is rated EASY to MODERATE (optional: designed for interested guests). Walking on vineyard and country trails through picturesque lansdcapes and French country architecture, lavender and sunflower fields with a variety of beautiful villages in the background. Ideal for those who walk for a morning or afternoon on a regular basis. Walk distance is 6 miles – approximately 2-2.5 hrs. depending on photo-op stops.

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary

“Thank you for organizing such a lovely trip! The restaurant selections were excellent. I truly enjoyed visiting all the different villages. Cooking with Marc and seeing his castle was top of my list. Also enjoyed the flexibility of having options each day. I never felt rushed or that I had to be with the group all of the time. I love Provence even more because of you. Your website is the BEST I have ever seen. You painted a great picture of what to expect, and you delivered everything as described. I wouldn’t change a thing, it was perfect! ” — Leslie Santarina, San Francisco, CA

DAY 4 – Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Guided Tour:

Mediterranean Coast – Terraced Wine Producing Village of Cassis

BREAKFAST.
MORNING – Departure for a full day in the picturesque Mediterranean coastal, terraced 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.
On arrival in Cassis your guides provide a guided tour of the village and market.
CULTURAL TOUR – For interested guests, join your cultural guide for a tour at one of the oldest and most famous artisan “perfumeries” in southern France.
Late Morning – Embark on a scenic 45-minute boat tour of the historical, Mediterranean “calanques” (Roman fjords).
LUNCH: A Gourmet, Michelin-star lunch together overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, prepared by one of our favorite chefs and local friend, and accompanied by classified Cassis wine.
AFTERNOON – Leisure Time in Cassis. Enjoy home-made ice-cream and leisure time in the village before our departure from Cassis.
DINNER – Independently this evening – try one of our recommended St. Remy-de-Provence recommendations – ask for details – we have a complete list of wonderful options – some offering bonuses for our guests.

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary

DAY 5 – Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Guided Tour:

Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wine & Cooking Class

BREAKFAST.
MORNING: Guided Visit of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and leisure time. In Provence, as well as in the entire country of France, it’s no secret that wine is a daily staple at meals. Today we’ll discover one of the best loved and famous wine producing areas of Provence.

CHOOSE AN OPTION: All guests shuttle to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, lunch and the winery. In the morning, guests choose one of the options below.

OPTION NO. 1 – “CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE AMIDST THE VINEYARDS WALK”. Guided walk of this spectacular wine producing area and village. The walk takes us to the historic site of the former summer residence of the Popes, and through the famous vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape — with its unique soil of rounded river stones and pebbles — and follows the Rhone river, which provides this papal land with a beautiful flora and fauna.
OPTION NO. 2 – Opt for a guided tour of either the town of Carpentras or Avignon. Afterwards, shuttle to Chateauneuf-du-Pape village to meet up with the walkers in the group for our wine tasting excursion and lunch at our 13th century wine cellar.

LATE MORNING – Guests (BOTH walkers and non-walkers) are invited to one of the most famous historical wine cellars of the region owned by our local French friends for a private wine tasting & introduction to the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines (both red and the RARE white)– we’ll be exclusive guests of their restored 13th Century Wine Cellar. French are very proud of their world-renowned reputation as the country of “savoir-faire” in wine-making. And our local friend enjoys opening his estate to welcome us!
LUNCH: THE ENTIRE GROUP — A fabulous, privately hosted Provence lunch together prepared by our Friend, a Michelin-Star Chef at our friend’s 13th century Chateauneuf-du-Pape estate.

EARLY EVENING – CHOOSE AN OPTION – (1) COOKING CLASS OR (2) CULTURAL VISIT – All Guests shuttle to cooking class early evening. Once arrived at cooking class, guests select their option – participate in our fun, hands-on cooking class with our Chef, a family friend, or participate in a guided cultural visit with your cultural guide.

OPTION #1 – COOKING CLASS – Cooking class takes place at the family home of our Chef’s estate in the beautiful Provence countryside. Our chef loves welcoming us at home for a fun, hands-on cooking experience unlike any other that one might experience in the region. During class, we learn about local Provence cuisine, put our hands to work chopping, slicing, and dicing, and are privy to learning the secrets of Provence recipes while preparing a 3 course dinner. And after we’ve finished, we’ll enjoy fabulous wines together in the garden along with a gourmet meal of the recipes prepared together in class. No Experience Necessary! The focus of this class is to have fun while learning about traditional Provence cuisine!
OPTION #2 – CULTURAL VISIT – For Guests opting out of the actual cooking portion of cooking class in order to participate in another guided cultural visit — Join your cultural guide for an insider tour of the Roman Ruins in Arles. Following the cultural visit and photo ops to/from the visit, non-cooking guests head over to our cooking class chef’s family home to join the rest of the group for a gourmet dinner of recipes fellow travelers prepared in class.

DINNER: THE ENTIRE GROUP — Dines as VIP guests at our celebrity Chef’s table to enjoy a farewell dinner of the recipes prepared in cooking class with regional wines from our Chef’s private cellar.

Walking Rating – WALK NO.3 –

WALKERS: The Guided – “CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE – Amidts the Vineyards Walk”- is rated EASY to MODERATE (optional: designed for interested guests). Sturdy walking shoes recommended. Walking on vineyard and country trails with occasional easy ascents and uneven terrain with large gravel stones and clay soil. The trail offers spectacular views of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyards – The walk is rated moderate-Ideal for those who walk on a regular basis. Walk distance is 6 miles – approximately 2-2.5 hrs. of walking depending on photo-op stops.

Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary

DAY 6 – Provence France Walking Tour Itinerary – Guided Tour:

Provence Tour Concludes

BREAKFAST.
Trip concludes — We provide a complimentary 9 AM drop-off arrival at Marseille Airport and a complimentary 12 pm (Noon) drop-off arrival at AVIGNON TGV Rail Station followed by drop-off at Avignon Centre rail station.
Earlier and later departures can be organized. Please contact us for details at Email: contact@traveloffthebeatenpath.com.
WALKERS – Van support is provided for walks to offer maximum flexibility to all guests. You decide how much walking you’d like to do, if participating in our walks. Walker rating = Easy to Moderate.
NON-WALKERS: Shuttle to/from all activities, excursions, meals and visits. NON-Walker rating = Easy.

2017 Provence Tour Price – US$3,498 per person instead of ~~US$3,898 per person~~ – 6 Days/5 Nights – double/twin occupancy – when booking BEFORE June 30, 2017 – Save US$400 per person!
**2017 Tours – This Week Only Bonus** – Book A September 2017 Provence Tour this week (June 18 – 25, 2017), and Also Get 1 FREE Additional Night at Hotel Gounod with Breakfast for 2 Included and Complimentary Roundtrip Transfers – Arrive a Day Early or Stay a Day After the Tour – We also include the roundtrip transfers for whichever you choose !
2018 Provence Tour Price – SAVE US$1,000 per person! US$3,298 per person instead of ~~US$4,298 per person~~ – 6 Days/ 5 Nights – double/twin occupancy – when booking BEFORE September 8, 2017!
**2018 Tours – This Week Only Bonus** – Book A 2018 Provence Tour Date anytime this week (June 21-28, 2017), and Also Get 1 FREE Additional Night at Hotel Gounod with Breakfast for 2 Included and Complimentary Roundtrip Transfers – Arrive a Day Early or Stay a Day After the Tour – We also include the roundtrip transfers for whichever you choose !

Complimentary Trip Insurance Included in Tour Prices! – Book a 2017 Tour BEFORE June 30, 2017 -OR- a 2018 Tour BEFORE September 8, 2017 and Trip insurance is included in the tour price to cover the cost of your tour – Making your tour deposit and balance payment 100% refundable!