The Charming Villages of Provence

We'll meet at 9:00 am at a cafe near the Gare de Lyon train station. A Girls' Guide representative will meet you there and escort you to your first-class train seats. The train leaves at approximately 10:30 am. You'll have a lovely, 3-hour ride through the French countryside to Avignon.

If you're arriving by plane today, there's a train station at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport (CDG). There are direct trains from CDG to Avignon, leaving almost every hour. We'll make sure you get the right one!

In Avignon, our driver will pick you up at the train station. It's a 30-minute drive to the 4-star La Régalido Villa and Spa hotel in Fontvieille, our home for the week. Check in, unpack, and relax. Upon arrival, we can help you make optional jet-lag-curing spa appointments.

We'll have a welcome drink at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner at the hotel, where your trip leader, Nancy, will review the plans for the week.

If you're traveling across an ocean to get to France, consider arriving in Paris a day early. Our concierge will happily help you with an extra night at the hotel.  

Today, we're headed to Uzès, the gorgeous walled town with a circular town square. We’ll participate in a Provençal cooking workshop followed by lunch. Spend free time after lunch strolling and shopping in this stunning town.

Before we return to the hotel, we’ll visit the famous Pont du Gard, the ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built over 2,000 years ago.

You’ll have free time to relax at the hotel before dinner at the colorful Le Patio in Fontvieille.

We’ll rise earlier today to experience the early morning at the beautiful market in St. Remy. The market sells freshly picked produce, espadrilles, provencal fabrics, olives, and other goodies, perfect gifts to take home. Don’t worry. You’ll also have time to duck into the lovely boutiques that line every street.

After the market, we’ll have an Italian lunch at Da Pepe in St. Remy to change things up a bit.

Then, we’ll visit the monastery of La Mausole de St. Paul. It's the hospital where Van Gogh stayed after the "ear incident" and where he created some of his most famous paintings. You’ll visit his room and, if we're lucky, see irises, which he captured in several of his paintings, still in bloom behind the building. 

In the late afternoon, we’ll learn how to play Petanque in St. Remy. Petanque is the Provençal version of Boule, a game played outside with metal balls. You get better the more rosé you drink!

Dinner will be at the wonderful L’Ail ou la Cuisse in St. Remy. Save room for dessert. The chef here specializes in spectacular French pastries.

After breakfast, we're off to an olive oil mill to learn how the unctuous local oil is made. A tasting is in order.

Then, we’ll lunch at Bistro du Paradou in Le Paradou, a tiny medieval village.

This afternoon, we'll attend an interactive show at Carriere des Lumieres, followed by a stroll in the famous town of Les Baux. This is the first location that started the interactive, music, and light show museum craze that has traveled across the globe.

After a full day, dinner is yours to enjoy as you please tonight. There are loads of places within walking distance of our hotel.

Today, after breakfast, we’ll drive and meet up with our truffle-hunting companions. Here, on a typical Provençal farm, you’ll learn everything about growing and hunting truffles with trained dogs. Luckily, the truffle guides are funny and produce superb products. After the hunt, you’ll enjoy a tasting of the less intense summer truffle outside at the family pool. It's served with bubbly, of course!

Afterward, we’ll have time to explore Lourmarin (one of Peter Mayle’s favorites) and its wonderful shops. Grab a bite or a dessert if the truffle tasting didn’t fill you up. This charming village is where the famous French writer Albert Camus once lived and worked.

We’ll move on to the über famous small city of Aix-en-Provence for a guided tour focusing on Cezanne. You’ll get to visit his atelier. It looks as if he’s just walked out for lunch.

Dinner tonight is back in our village at Le Bel Oustau in Fontvieille.

We're off to the city of Arles today. It's famous for its Roman amphitheater. It is also another stop on the trail of Van Gogh.

You’ll have free time here to visit the market. We’re having lunch at the Brasserie La Malarte. Then, we’ll take a guided tour of the city with Heather from Lost in Arles, focusing on Van Gogh.

Tonight, we're having a magnificent farewell dinner and wine tasting at Château Estoublon.

Breakfast, photo sharing & departure. You’ll be dropped off at the TGV station for your trip back up to Paris. The train will arrive in Paris at 12:00 pm so make sure your flight home or to your next destination is after 4:00 pm. 

Should you want to fly back from Marseille we can help arrange this option (at an additional cost) for you. 

Au revoir France!