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L'EXPÉRIENCE DE PROVENCE

SEPTEMBER 20th ~ 27th, 2025

SAMPLE ITINERARY

While there will be variations on this theme, and the actual days’ itineraries may shift around a bit, this should provide a sense of the experience you may expect to enjoy in this picturesque region of the world. Our speakers/guests will join us in the late afternoons/early evening during L’heure de L’apéro at homebase. Meals that are included in the fee are indicated by ( ). We will be sharing more information with those who are interested.

September 20th, Saturday/DAY ONE ~ WELCOME TO PROVENCE!

Our drivers will meet all guests at the Marseille Provence Airport and/or Avignon TGV station and travel to our “homebase” for the week, where we’ll enjoy a light lunch and settle in. We’ll take a brief walkabout to get everyone a bit acclimated. Later we’ll gather for a welcome drink and step out to one of the area's charming, local bistros. Expect a day to relax and acclimate to get ready for…(L, D)

September 21st, Sunday/DAY TWO ~ ST. RÉMY DISCOVERY DAY

After breakfast and gentle morning yoga we’ll head into town for a food and history tour with our private guide, Phillipe, followed by lunch at a local café. In the afternoon, we’ll visit Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the clinic where Van Gogh lived for a year and painted 150 works including such famous ones as The Starry Night and Irises. Phillipe, also a Van Gogh scholar, will guide us through this experience. Dinner can be in St. Rémy, perhaps at local favorite “Bar Tabac des Alpilles” together, or on your own. (L)

September 22nd, Monday/DAY THREE ~ TOUR THE MAGNIFICENT LUBERON NATURAL PARK

With a guide, we’ll discover the Luberon Natural Park, the UNESCO-protected countryside known for fields of lavender, olive groves, vineyards, and enchanting, “perched” medieval villages. We’ll visit some of these villages, including Roussillon, Gordes (dubbed “France’s Interior Saint Tropez”), and Lacoste. We’ll break for lunch at a casual café and return in the late afternoon for free time before L’heure de l’apéro with a guest speaker, followed by dinner at home prepared by a private chef. (D)

September 23rd, Tuesday/DAY FOUR ~ TOUR ARTSY ARLES

The morning will begin with breakfast followed by a gentle morning yoga session. Then we’ll head out with a guide to explore Arles on foot - a gem of a small city where we will experience the UNESCO Roman Amphitheater, one of the best preserved Roman monuments in Europe, which dates to the first century AD.  We’ll also visit sites where Van Gogh painted, stroll along the Rhône River, enjoy a bit of free time to explore on your own and pause for lunch. We might sip wine on the terrace of Hotel Pinus, the legendary hotel frequented by Picasso and the region’s most famous troubadours. Back at the house we’ll enjoy L’heure de L'apéro with a speaker/guest followed by dinner prepared and served by our private chef. (D)

September 24th, Wednesday/DAY FIVE ~ MARKET DAY AND COOKING CLASS

After breakfast we'll visit St. Rémy’s celebrated outdoor market, where we’ll meet up with our local culinary instructor, Gilles Conchy of Provence Gourmet, for a full day class on Provençal cuisine, including shopping for ingredients, tasting local wine, and a cooking class at a nearby Provençal home. Then we’ll enjoy our meal in the warm, Provençal sunshine. Guests are on their own for dinner. (L)

September 25th, Thursday/DAY SIX ~ ENJOY EXQUISITE EYGALIÈRES

Breakfast at home followed by shopping at the outdoor market in this tiny, elegant village. It’s one of the best markets in the region with farm-fresh foods, artisanal gifts, Provençal fabrics, straw hats, leather bags and so much more. We’ll gather for lunch at Chez Paulette, a superb farm-to-table restaurant, and we’ll stroll up the hill to a magnificent, panoramic viewpoint overlooking les Alpilles (“baby Alps”). We’ll return to homebase for some free time before L’heure de L’apéro with a guest speaker. (L)

September 26th, Friday/DAY SEVEN ~ VISIT LES BAUX, FAREWELL DINNER

Breakfast and gentle morning yoga at the house, then guests are free to explore on their own, perhaps do last-minute shopping and relax over lunch in town. In the afternoon we’ll visit the famous Medieval hilltop town of Les Baux, classified as “one of the most beautiful villages in France.” We’ll walk up the hill into the village, visit the château ruins and view an extraordinary, immersive, art-and-music performance, “Les Carrières des Lumières” inside a former quarry. Later, we’ll celebrate our week together with a Farewell Dinner at a lively, Michelin-recognized hotspot! (D)

September 27th, Saturday/DAY EIGHT ~ AU REVOIR PROVENCE!

After breakfast, our drivers will take guests to the Marseille Provence Airport, or the TGV station in Avignon, for flights back to the U.S., or wherever your adventure takes you next!