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The perfect mix between small town & village

April 10 – 17, 2027
7 nights / 8 days

Limited to 7 guests
4,600€ 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 & Avignon as well as 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 10)
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 11)
guided small group city tour of Nimes, France and Roman historical places

We have a short drive to the city of Nimes. Our city tour will take us through the Roman era and by the time lunch comes around, 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 12)
Pont du Gard

Continuing our Roman explorations, today we will marvel one of the Roman’s best kept masterpieces, the Pont du Gard. Making our way to the different vantage points, you’ll get a sense of the sheer magnitude and incredible engineering feat leaving you to ponder how such an endeavor was possible. 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 13)
hilltop village of Gordes in Provence, France

From the Occitane region to the Luberon we go. En route we’ll stop in Avignon where we will be greeted by Julien who will lead us on a gourmet tour of Avignon. 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 at a nearby countryside bistro.

Lunch & Dinner included

Day 5 (Wednesday, April 14)
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 where 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 15)
amazing ochre orange-red of Roussillon region in France

It’s our hilltop village hopping day, starting with the ochre village Roussillon. We’ll start our exploring 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.  A bistro lunch at a winery followed by a beautiful stroll in a unique village known as Viel Oppede – find out why this village was abandoned.  Dinner this evening at a favorite countryside restaurant.

Lunch & Dinner included

Day 7 (Friday, April 16)
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. Farewell dinner together at nearby village.  

Lunch & Dinner included

Day 8 (Saturday April 17)
  • 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
  • Wine tasting 
  • Cooking lesson
  • Gourmet tour of Avignon
  • Abbaye de Senanque 

Places Visited

  • Uzès 
  • Nimes 
  • Avignon 
  • Gordes 
  • Isle sur la Sorgue 
  • Fontaine-de-Vaucluse 
  • Oppede-le-Vieux 
  • 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
""You are the sweetest and we enjoyed getting to know you. You are also a trooper – spending a week with a rowdy group like ours must not have been an easy task:). You did it, girl!" Tatiana "In addition to the email from Tatiana, I want to thank you for your kindness and sweetness and patience in making our honeymoon so very special.  You are a sheer delight." Miles "Tireless, warm, funny, delightful, lovely….I will run out of juice on my iPhone before I run out of adjective…"
""I have recently returned from the Provence Lavender Photography Tour with Emily Durand of Your Private Provence and Raina Stinson of Raina Stinson Photography.  I highly recommend this tour!  Simply put, Emily and Raina guided our small group on a remarkable journey of discovery.  We visited lavender fields, explored medieval villages, gazed at the moon and stars.  We feasted on fresh produce and French bread from the village markets as well as gourmet fare at restaurants with breathtaking vie…"
""We had a great trip with Emily and highly recommend her. Before we arrived, she had designed a lovely tour of Provence villages just for us. Attentive to our interests and needs, she crafted an adventure that was a highlight of a trip to France and Italy. In several days, she introduced us to the history of these hill towns, the beauty of the rural landscape, and the feel of markets, twisty streets, churches, and Van Gogh’s world. Though we saw a good deal, she also made time for little mat…"
""If you want the best tour of Provence, choose Emily as your guide.  My husband and I enjoyed this years Lavender and Cultural Tour so much that the day before it ended I signed up to bring my 2 daughters next year!  As a local Emily knows the history of the towns we visited as well as the best places to explore, eat and shop. She has a nice group of friends – chef Giuseppina cooked a delicious lunch and Raina took beautiful photos of my husband and I in the lavender fields. There were so many…"
"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, Canada I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my recent, small group "Poppy Madness Tour" with you. I loved every minu…"
"Emily, your planning from where, when and why to our overnight accommodations could not have been more perfect! The Provence region is a must see for anyone who is interested in history, breathless scenic views and amazing food and wine all of which you delivered to us on a silver platter.  You were an exquisite host.  I wish you many more successful years hosting future visitors to your part of France. Sallie Sullivan, North Carolina Our group of 8 women had such a dreamy tour with Emily a…"
""This summer my wife and I had the pleasure of being introduced to Provence by Emily Durand. It was truly amazing. Emily’s attentiveness and insights to the history and culture made Provence our favorite portion of a four-week eight-country trip. We had the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation taking in the ruggedly beautiful terrain and sampling the best food I have ever had. Thank you Emily we look forward to our next trip to Southern France with Your Private Provence." Peter & A…"
"REVIEW: My wife and I love to travel. One of our favorite ways to explore new areas includes finding the best local guides for one day tours of larger urban areas but mostly hiring driver guides for multi-day trips thru large regions of a country. We always wanted to explore Provence so finding that perfect drive/guide was essential. My search found Emily of Your Private Provence. Although I could write a short story on our trip with Emily I will try to keep it short. PLANNING: I always work…"
""Experiencing the lavender fields of Provence was just part of a fabulous week with Emily. From truffle hunting, olive oil tasting, wine tasting, visiting hilltop villages, to lovely breakfasts at an idyllic B&B, casual picnic lunches, and first class dining, Emily provided us with an off the beaten path adventure of a lifetime. Her knowledge of the history of the area made for an educational as well as rewarding and fun trip. She was well organized and such a delight to travel with in her…"
"The Truffles, Wine, and Provencal Cuisine tour was fantastic.  Emily has an in-depth knowledge of Provence, and it shows.  From the accommodations to the daily excursions, everything was top-notch and well-planned.  We had a very small group, only 3 of us and Emily; it felt like we were on a fun girl's trip.  She invited her son and husband to dine with us on several occasions, which made us feel like we were friends of the family.  The truffle tour was a unique, educational, and gourmet experi…"