This stunningly beautiful region in the South of France can be just as exciting in winter as during the busy hot summer months. Its mild temperatures and bright blue skies reveal a very different kind of charm in the low season and the places are less crowded and overrun. On this 6-day easy self-guided walking holiday in Provence, you will explore two of Provence’s most important mountain ranges: the Alpilles & the Luberon.
Your trip starts in medieval Avignon : you have a free day to enjoy the famous Pope’s Palace. For food & wine lovers, you have the choice to enjoy : a food tour, a wine tour in through the famous Chateauneuf du Pape vineyards, a cooking class (with supplement).
You move on to explore the Alpilles mountains and stay in the artsy town of St Remy and walk through landscapes made famous by the brush stoke of Vincent van Gogh. You continue onwards to Isle sur la Sorgue - also known as the Provencal Venice - with its year-round colorful Sunday morning market and walk to the breathtaking village of Gordes.
Your trip begins in the heart of Avignon.
A medieval town on the banks of the mighty Rhône River, Avignon conceals many treasures and numerous museums and churches. Meander through a labyrinth of cobbled streets and discover cafés and restaurants on large squares, shaded by plane trees.
Meals included : none
Night : Avignon
Today you have a free day in Avignon, with plenty to discover & explore !
. Don't miss the famous Pope’s palace and its the 12th century bridge
. Enjoy a morning gourmet tour through the streets of Avignon ( with supplement )
. Enjoy a half day or a full day wine tour in Chateauneuf du Pape with our wine specialist ( with supplement )
. Try out a cooking class with a local chef ( with supplement )
. See all details in the "option" section
Transfer to Saint Remy at the end of the day
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Saint Remy
You start from the picturesque town of Saint Rémy and head into the Alpilles hills then along the fabulously panoramic ridge-line. Along the way, take the time to visit the Saint-Paul de Mausole monastery where Van Gogh spent over a year creating over 150 paintings and some of his best work.
Walk :
. St Remy loop | 3h30 | 10 km - 7 miles | Elevation: +300m/-300m
. Longer option | 6h | 18 km -11 miles | Elevation: +550m/-550m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Saint Remy
Market on Wednesdays & Saturday morning in St Remy de Provence
Today’s scenic forest path hovers high above the valley giving you spectacular views of the hills to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Your walking path descends through the sculpted limestone “valley of hell” towards the perched village of Les Baux de Provence with its homes packed tightly and defiantly on top of the cragged rock, earning its listing as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Transfer to Isle sur la Sorgue at the end of your walk.
Walk : St Remy > Les baux | 4h | 12 km - 8 miles | Elevation: +270m/-270m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Isle
A short transfer takes you to Fontaine de Vaucluse and its mysterious spring. Following a 300-year-old wall built to ward off the plague which hit Marseille in 1720. You walk along paths carved into the bush and cedar forests to Gordes. Transfer back to Isle sur la Sorgue
Walk : Fontaine de Vaucluse > Gordes | 4h30 | 13 km - 8 miles | Elevation: +450m/-200m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Isle
Your tour ends in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue after breakfast. A veritable island of a village surrounded by the crystal clear waters of the Sorgue river, the town’s Sunday market is among the most colourful in Provence, while its canals are bordered by quaint cafés, restaurants, and antique shops. Lose yourself in the labyrinth of narrow streets and soak up the Provençal charm.
Meals included : breakfast
Market on Sunday morning (big one!) in Isle sur la Sorgue
