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The perfect mix between small town & village

April 19 – 26, 2025 
7 nights / 8 days

Limited to 7 guests
4,200€ 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 19)
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 20)
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 21)
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 22)
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 23)
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 24)
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 25)
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 26)
  • 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 very special holiday for me. I just adored every moment and Emily made it so very special.Emily, thank you for being so accommodating with my challenging itinerary. Thank for being so knowledgeable and adding a layer of history and local insight that no guidebook could deliver. And finally, thank you for being so warm and engaging. It really felt like I was traveling with a dear friend. I could never have imagined it could be so good."Jane from Australia "
""What a beautiful day with Emily and Your Private Provence wine tour. Having been to the region before, two friends and I were interested in a deeper dive into what made this region so well suited for wine. She really listened to our interests and designed a really fun, insightful and rich day. We honestly expected a driver to just drop us off at several wineries and got so much more. Loved the cultural and geological history, the insights of a local to life in Provence, and a diverse sampling…"
""Emily’s Your Private Provence will transport you to captivating villages filled with fascinating history and charm, to a culture that is rich with heritage, and to a land where you will feel warmth and beauty. Emily will ensure all your needs are met and her attention to detail will ensure you have a trip that will create memories to last a lifetime.The customization of our trip was tailored to meet our specific areas of interest and the opportunities for exploring areas off the beaten pat…"
"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…"
""Christmas has come and gone. New Year’s too. Today is the Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas. Many of us will start to de-Christmas our homes or already have. But we learned from Emily that the Christmas season in Provence starts Dec 4 and lasts until Feb 2. Emily shared her passion for Provence with us, its customs, traditions and stories. She even had little quizzes for us so we wouldn’t forget or get them all mixed up! LOL She planned every detail to perfection to make sure we had the best…"
""What an amazing trip! I booked a space on a small group tour with Emily and Your Private Provence at the last minute and wasn’t sure what to expect. It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime.Emily created an outstanding itinerary, with just the right combination of interesting activities balanced with time for relaxation. The accommodations were quite unique and very comfortable. Your Private Provence allowed me to experience the region in a way I would never have been able to arrange on…"
"We had an amazing girls trip in Provence! Emily created a magical itinerary with activities such as market days and private cooking lessons, hikes, wine tasting and seaside lunches. There was enough downtime that the days didn't feel rushed or overscheduled. The accommodations were lovely, the restaurants were top notch, and we felt safe the entire time. She helped us feel comfortable with the culture and language and helped us practice our French if we wanted. She explained a lot of local cust…"
""Emily, thank you for giving us a wonderful day touring poppy fields. Over the years, I have admired paintings of fields of poppy flowers and you made my dream come true. It was a picture perfect day. Thank you for finding my fields of dreams!"Mary Adam, Michigan"
""What wonderful memories were made with four high school friends in Provence, thanks to our guide extraordinaire, Emily!She planned and executed every detail, taking into consideration our personal requests, with flexibility that is impossible with a large tour group.  Our last night, while we were touring the Calanques in Cassis, Emily even prepared an alfresco poolside dinner for us.   Many thanks and high recommendations to Emily, OUR Private Provence!Emily, you allowed us to have e…"
""We had a wonderful time exploring Provence with Emily as our guide! With her intimate knowledge of the region, Emily was able to weave into the itinerary places of interest for which we had made special requests, and was able to suggest good alternatives when necessary.Emily’s deep knowledge of Provence came through best as she led us through several little villages — the little nuggets of information she shared along the way certainly helped us appreciate much better the history of the pl…"