A late season Provence walking holiday or a Provence cycling tour
As the summer begins to fade and the months creep scarily closer to Christmas the rhythm of Provençal life changes. In September, the tourist crowds start to thin out, the children go back to school and normal life resumes. Coming to Provence at this time is a privilege, you have the time to meander, the space to explore and the late summer sun to soak up.
September is a busy time in the wine producing villages with the grape harvest. The fruits of a year’s labour are hand picked and scrutinized to ensure the top-quality wine that this region is so famous for. The harvest is an integral part of local life. The vineyards are buzzing with activity and despite the hard, manual labour, the ambiance is festive. In October, once the grapes have been picked off the vines, the leaves are left to turn from green to yellow, to burnt orange and deep reds. Enjoy a Provence walking holiday through the vineyards in Chateauneuf du Pape and admire the rich and warm colours of autumn.
With the changing of the leaves, attention is then turned to the 2nd most famous produce of Provence after wine: the olive. The olives are picked when still green, then left to mature to red, purple and black. The olives used to make oil are not harvested until early December after the first frost to take any bitterness away from the taste. Mid to late October is a great time for a cycling holiday in Provence, through the silvery grey of the olive groves blanketing the plains.
For a winter Provence walking holiday, the Mont Ventoux culminates at 1912m above sea level and dominates over the region. In the summer months, cyclists set themselves the challenge of climbing this famous mountain, an important stage of the Tour de France. It is also a popular tourist spot for those seeking respite from the summer heat (it’s about 8 to 10 degrees cooler at the top!). In the autumn, the views from the summit are quite stunning with colourful autumnal vineyards, the blue of the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the snow-capped peaks of the Alps to the north. During the winter months, if the snowfall is heavy enough, the Mont Serein resort provides fun for all the family with ski slopes and sledging.
There are many Provencal villages that live all year round. In the Lubéron, Isle sur la Sorgue is the largest and liveliest town with its Sunday market and antique shops open all year. You can base a Provence walking holiday or Provence cycling tour around Isle and have a choice of accommodation and restaurants to choose from, even out of season.
In the Alpilles, you can stay in St Rémy de Provence, an upmarket Provençal town that was home to Vincent Van Gogh during the last few years of his life. You can walk the Van Gogh trail and admire his work or visit Glanum, the impressive archaeological site. There are many Provence cycling tours to be done from and around St Rémy.
Finally, in the Dentelles you can stay in Vaison la Romaine, a medieval town famous for its roman ruins dotted about the town centre. There is a wonderful year-round outdoor market on a Tuesday and it is from here that you can head up to the Mont Ventoux for some winter fun.
Provence in the late season is all about slow tourism, taking the time to explore, enjoying coffee or wine on a café terrace in the warm sun and being a part of local life.
Will we be seeing you in Provence next winter?
