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11 Days An Insiders Provence Tour Package Duration: 11 Days / 10 Nights Priced From: $9,895 pp dbl. occ. Dates: Jun  Meet the local people of Provence who keep the region's charm alive, from Loulou, the local farmer who cooks a wonderfully fresh rustic lunch on his farm, to the chef of Hotel La Mirande, keen to share his passion for French cuisine. Combine visits to the lesser-known areas of the region on a journey that offers a taste of la vraie Provence. With Tour Director Anthony Bay
Tour Itinerary Days 1-2 USA or Canada/Marseille, France/Avignon After an overnight flight to Marseille, you are taken to your hotel in Avignon. In the evening, gather for welcome drinks and an al fresco dinner on a terrace restaurant under the looming Palace of the Popes. (day 2: D) Hotel La Mirande Day 3 Avignon/St. Rémy/Les Baux  Discover Avignon, a vibrant town dominated by the Papal Palace where the popes reigned supreme during their schism with Rome. After a rustic lunch with Provençal local Loulou at his family farm, visit the medieval chapel and cloisters of the asylum into which Van Gogh voluntarily admitted himself. Continue to the ruined medieval citadel of Les Baux de Provence and the Cathedral of Images, where you see enlarged color photographs depicting the life and masterpieces of Van Gogh projected onto the walls of a huge cave. Hotel La Mirande B L Day 4 Roman Provence In the first century AD, the mighty Pont du Gard aqueduct carried millions of gallons of water each day over the River Gardon. Visit this wonder of the ancient world as well as the Roman amphitheater and third-century cathedral, whose cloisters are the most elegant and richly carved in Provence. Stop for coffee on the terrace of the café in Arles that was the setting for Van Gogh's Café at Night. Dine tonight in your hotel's rustic kitchen, where the resident chef prepares the meal in front of you, offering culinary tips gleaned from a lifetime of preparing fine cuisine. Hotel La Mirande B D Day 5 Avignon/the Lubéron/Mane The rolling hills and verdant landscapes of the Lubéron are dotted with churches and rural communities. See the great 12th-century Cistercian Abbey of Sénanque, isolated in a deep ravine and surrounded by beautiful lavender fields. Continue to Gordes, a village with cobbled lanes and sweeping views over the surrounding countryside. Pause for lunch in the small main square before continuing to an open-air museum of the bories, typical stone huts that once served as refuges for shepherds. Le Couvent des Minimes B L D Day 6 Mane/Fourqualcier Spend the morning relaxing in your hotel and this afternoon, visit an old distillery in Forqualquier that produces Provence's signature apéritif, pastis. After a tour and tasting, enjoy lunch outdoors in the country. This evening, drive to the local French National Observatory to privately admire the bright night stars. Le Couvent des Minimes B L D Day 7 Mane/Moustiers Ste. Marie/ Gorges du Verdon/Lorgues Witness the process of blending perfumes, lotions, creams and soaps during a private factory tour of L'Occitane. Afterward, continue to Moustiers Ste. Marie, where you visit one of the city's faïence (tin-glazed) potteries, a tradition that began in the 17th century. Drive above and along the scenic Gorges of Verdon for breathtaking views of the river that flows thousands of feet below. Check in to your hotel, set deep in the heart of its own extensive vineyards. Château de Berne B D Day 8 The Var The small villages of the Var exude the beguiling charm of rural authenticity. Stop at the 17th-century castle of Entrecasteaux, the medieval abbey of Thoronet and Tourtour, the "village in the sky." Along the way, join a local basket weaver and his wife, a potter, for lunch. This evening, taste the wines from the hotel's estate. Afterward, meet an expatriate American painter and writer for dinner in his studio. Château de Berne B L D Day 9 Lorgues/Aix en Provence/ Arles/Le Sambuc Drive through the vineyards of Côtes de Provence, stopping for a private tasting at Château Lichine that claims to make the best rosé in the world. Continue toward the base of the great Montagne Ste. Victoire, inspiration for artist Paul Cézanne who obsessively painted it. In Aix en Provence, visit Cézanne's atelier (studio), left almost exactly as it was when he died. Stroll past the honey-colored buildings of the city that has charmed visitors for centuries. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in a lovely setting. La Cabro d'Or B L D Day 10 The Camargue The sprawling Camargue delta region is one of the wildest and yet most celebrated natural reserves in France, where the sky and the land blend into each other. Fringed by the sea, it is known for its white horses, rice production, bullfighting and flamingo-filled marshes. Enjoy the landscape on a drive that takes you along winding trails, where you spot wildlife and observe local cowboys on their white stallions. Tonight, gather for farewell cocktails. La Cabro d'Or B L Day 11 Marseille/USA or Canada Drive to Marseille for your homebound B B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner Save time, money and stress! For reservations: Fill out the vacation planner to be contacted by our France vacation specialist. Contact: Travelwizard.com Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252 6/10 |
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