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The perfect mix between small town & village

April 11 – 18, 2026 
7 nights / 8 days

Limited to 7 guests
4,350€ EUROS per person based on double occupancy
850€ EUROS supplement for single occupancy
*Prices converted to USD three months prior to tour date

Enjoy the first three nights in the charming town of Uzès from where we will adventure along the Roman roads in the Occitane region. Then we move into the Luberon Region after passing through Avignon for a few tales from the Popes. Lodging is a mix of small town boutique and luxury countryside B&B.

Pont Julien, an historic Roman bridge on Provencal tour of Roman roads

Tour Notes

The Luberon B&B is situated within walking distance to the village Gordes. During free time (relaxing time at the B&B) you have the possibility to walk to the village for more exploring or for those magical evening strolls.

Physical ability should be at least moderate to enjoy this tour (2-hour city tour in Nimes and the hilltop villages).

Flowers for you:  By the end of April, the famous poppies splash the countryside with their vibrant red.  A glorious time for flower lovers.  

Itinerary

NOTE: This is a working itinerary; the final itinerary will be posted and provided to guests closer to the tour date.

Day 1 (Saturday, April 11)
Avignon gardens

Pick-up around 10:30 at the Avignon TGV train station (or at your Avignon hotel should you arrive the day before). We kick off the week of slow travel and inspiration with a garden & abbey tour. From here we have views of the Popes Palace, the legendary Pont d’Avignon and the 14th century ramparts seen from across the Rhone River. From this fiefdom owned by the kings we’ll move into the charming town Uzès where the Duchy will greet us. Free time to explore the cobblestone lanes and boutique shop before we meet up for dinner. Lodging is in the center of Uzès at a lovely boutique hotel.

Picnic Lunch & Dinner included

Day 2 (Sunday, April 12)
guided small group city tour of Nimes, France and Roman historical places

We have a short drive to the city of Nimes. Our city guide will take us through the Roman era and by the time lunch time comes, we’ll be imagining we are in togas and cheering on the Emperor (or not). A gourmet Sunday lunch in courtyard resembling a Roman villa and then on to the first public gardens created in France for a poetic stroll. This evening is yours to relax and dine at your leisure in Uzès.

Gourmet Sunday lunch included

Day 3 (Monday, April 13)
walking on the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct in Provence, France

Continuing our Roman explorations, today we will marvel at the top of the Pont du Gard. Our guide will lead us through the water canal at the top from where the views amaze and the height makes you really ponder how such an endeavor was possible to build. Lunch at small village bistro and then free time until we meet up for our evening cooking lesson with dinner to follow.

Bistro lunch & cooking lesson (dinner)

Day 4 (Tuesday, April 14)
hilltop village of Gordes in Provence, France

From the Occitane region to the Luberon we go. En route we’ll stop in Avignon because Saint Benezet and the Popes have a few stories to tell. Lunch at the gourmet market known as Les Halles and then on to the village Gordes to settle in to our B&B. Free time to either relax or take a short walk into the village Gordes for exploring the cobblestone lanes and vista corners. Dinner this evening is catered to us at the B&B by a local chef.

Lunch & Dinner included

Day 5 (Wednesday, April 15)
macaroons at Provencal market

It’s market day in Saint-Remy-de-Provence. You have free time to stroll the market and pick up snacks for our picnic lunch in the countryside Van Gogh painted. After lunch we’ll plunge into Van Gogh’s world around Saint Remy when he stayed for a year at the private asylum. On our way back to the B&B we’ll stop at a winery nestled into the side of the Alpilles mountains for a tour and tasting. Dinner this evening in the beautiful village Gordes.  

Picnic lunch (with your market goodies) & Dinner included

Day 6 (Thursday, April 16)
amazing ochre orange-red of Roussillon region in France

It’s our hilltop village hopping day, starting with the ochre village Roussillon. You may be wanting to get your morning steps in by walking the beautiful ochre trail next to the village. The village has plenty of anecdotes from the legends of why the earth is red to the stories behind the ochre industry, a major economy until the beginning of the 20th century.  Two more villages each with their unique stories: Lacoste and Oppede-le-Vieux. Lunch will be at village bistro and dinner this evening at a favorite countryside restaurant.

Lunch & Dinner included

Day 7 (Friday, April 17)
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a beautiful village to visit

Magical morning walk along the Sorgue River at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and then down river to the town, L’Isle Sur la Sorgue. Legends and a rich industrial heritage linked to the river here. After a casual lunch in town, we visit one of Provence’s most well known icons; the Abbaye de Senanque. Just before dinner, a sommelier comes to our B&B for an olive oil workshop. Alfresco dinner to follow casually at the B&B with a champagne toast to our magical week in Provence.

Lunch & Dinner included

Day 8 (Saturday April 18)
  • Depart from B&B around 10 am for Avignon train departures
    • Other drop-off points can be arranged 
  • Choose to stay one more night at the B&B for a relaxing last day in paradise. (Payment for extra night directly with B&B…to be reserved very early on).

Activities & Sites Included

  • Abbaye Saint André
  • Pont du Gard
  • Provencal market in Saint Remy
  • Van Gogh asylum in Saint Remy
  • Olive oil tasting workshop
  • Wine tasting 
  • Cooking lesson
  • 2-hour guided city tour of Nimes
  • Abbaye de Senanque 

Places Visited

  • Uzès 
  • Nimes 
  • Avignon 
  • Gordes 
  • Isle sur la Sorgue 
  • Fontaine-de-Vaucluse 
  • Oppede-le-Vieux 
  • Lacoste
  • Roussillon 
  • Saint Remy

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.

Vincent Van Gogh

(Photo: Gordes sunset by Emily Durand)

Includes

  • All transportation in Emily’s comfortable Mercedes van – pick-up & drop-off at Avignon TGV train station
  • 3 nights lodging boutique hotel in Uzès & 4 nights lodging at luxury B&B near Gordes 
  • All breakfasts 
  • All lunches 
    • 1 lunch is picnic style with a combination of your market goodies and those that your guide will pick up as well. 
  • All dinners (a variety from fine dining, local cuisine, private chefs, and unique atmospheres)

Does Not Include

  • Transportation to/from Avignon 
  • Before and/or after dinner drinks (wine is included during the meals)
five star review
"It was such a pleasure to be with you again.  Thank you for your excellent service and guidance through all of our fun events.  Looking forward to another tour in the future. Jen & Janet, Canada Thank you for the wonderful poppy tours and the Camargue!  Once again, it was a vacation to remember with all the wondeful food, sights, culture and wine. Jake & Deb, CanadaI wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my recent, small group "Poppy Madness Tour" with you. I loved every minu…"
"Our travel group of 6 seniors spent 5 days with Emily in Provence. We hopped villages in Luberon, viewed chalk cliffs in Cassis, spent time in alpilles region and Arles and St Remy. Emily is prompt and very helpful in mapping our itinerary, making sure we have different experiences in sights and meals while there. She is punctual, professional , personable and patient with in depth knowledge of the sights and history of places we visited, always with good sense of humor. An excellent driver too…"
""From the moment we met, Emily made us feel at home in Provence! Her careful selection of wine tastings and restaurants were exactly what we were looking for.  Thank you, Emily, for making our 10-year anniversary trip exactly what we wanted it to be."Michael & Lauren, San Diego, CA"
""For my first time in Provence I decided to hire a guide. It’s not something I normally do but I didn’t want to be bothered with driving and trying to find my way on my own. I didn’t want to waste precious time because I had so little there.We had several conversations via email in advance of my visit about what my interests are and what I wanted to get out of my time with her. Emily showed me some wonderful places for photos and a little off the beaten path Abbey that was a lovely way to e…"
"What a treasure it was  to partake in Emily’s Spring Poppy Tour. Out of the 7 of us traveling together, 5 were painters and two were not however there was something for everyone. Emily took our interests and custom designed the itinerary to meet our needs. Besides painting in breathtaking settings, some of the highlights were meeting the lovely local people and enjoying immersive experiences such as cooking in local homes,  learning about wines, and olive trees , even creating our own olive oil…"
""A traveler is always faced with this secret dilemma…..once you have experienced the perfect tour, in the perfect place, arranged  by the perfect host, do you tell the world or do you try and keep it a secret just a while longer?Such is my dilemma having just returned from that 'perfect' week in Provence. I have decided to be magnanimous and share.  After all, the world needs as much 'perfect' as it can find right now.Emily’s Private Provence could just as easily be named Emily’s Perfec…"
"Emily's Lavender and Photography Tour is, as stated, a private, and I would say INTIMATE, experience in Provence.  From the first evening in L'Isle sur la Sorgue everything about the tour is carefully crafted to create a sense that one has become "at home" in Provence.  The accommodations at the converted stone farmhouse are comfortable and well appointed, creating an intimacy that speaks of "part of the family."  In addition to breathtaking venues for photography, each day provided a creative…"
""We had the trip of a lifetime with Emily! She was friendly, fun, very knowledgeable, bilingual and a very safe driver. She took us to some of the most picturesque places in Provence and even accompanied me to the doctor’s office for an emergency, AND was my translator with the doctor! She went above and beyond! Her kindness and expertise were 5 stars. We did not want to rent a car because we didn’t know the roads and having her in the driver’s seat in her beautiful van made the journey stress-…"
""Provence is just magical! Emily weaves history, culture, nature, and gastronomy throughout the week. All the little things add up to an amazing experience that is not possible with a large tour company. It is like traveling with a friend. Provence is a feast for the senses!"Anne Benik, Colorado"This was our third tour with Emily and it won’t be our last.The itinerary takes you off the beaten path as well as to the must see places. You will be amazed at all you learn! We didn’t know…"
""We recently returned from France and wish to leave a few comments on our experience.At the top of my bucket list is a visit to Provence France. My husband and I are not world travelers and were somewhat hesitant about this trip, we were anxious about almost everything, the language, the travel and the fact that we were in a foreign country. Despite all these concerns we bite the bullet and decided to go for it. We booked a package with My Private Provence.Much to our surprise and delig…"