The Rhône Valley wines have a complex personnality, different from Burgandy, Bordeaux or Loire Valley wines. North of Avignon are produced amongst the best wines in the region such as Tavel for rosé wine and Chateauneuf du Pape for white and red. We will go through the vineyards to learn about the particulars of the local production and then to one or several cellars for a tasting. And as the old say goes : « we drink to forget but we taste to remember !»

What perfectly goes along with wine ? Chocolate of course ! Lucky us there is a chocolate house nearby where we can taste local chocolate specialities (chocolate-making classes available – please get in touch with me)

The Roman presence in Provence started in the first century BC and last for about 500 years. 2000 years later we can still appreciate how great this civilisation was and how amazing architects and engineers the Romans were. We will see an amphitheatre (« colosseum »), an antique theatre, an aqueduct and more :

• * Orange – great antique theatre with an amazing acoustics (entrance ticket not included)
• * Pont du Gard – Highest aqueduct ever built in Roman time
• * Nîmes – one of the major cities in Roman time. You will visit the very well-preserved amphitheatre and feel like a gladiator ! (entrance ticket not included)

Camargue is a marshy region in the delta of the Rhône river (From Arles down to the Mediterranean) which is sparsely populated. The region was once entirely wild, with free-roaming herds of bulls and white horses; such herds can still be found in the regional park. It is also a sanctuary for waterbirds such as egrets and pink flamingos. We will make as many photostops as you want so you can capture that wild life.

We will also visit the unusual church of Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, where the remains of Saint Sarah (gypsies patron saint) are preciously kept. From there to Aigues-Mortes (« Dead waters »), a middle-age town that used to be a port of crusaders that was later silted up.

With this tour we can combine different areas to see the best of Provence around Avignon :

1. The hill-top villages in the Luberon area (Gordes & Roussillon)
2. The not less famous stone village of Les Baux de Provence in the Alpilles mountains
3. A walk around a traditional market (food & handicraft)
4. A wine or olive oil tasting
5. The visit of the Pont du Gard, the famous 2000 years old roman aqueduct (a structure designed to carry water to the cities)

Marseille is a port on the Mediterranean and happens to be the 2nd largest city in France. We will start by the Old Port up to Notre Dame de la Garde, a unique basilica with a stunning viewpoint over the whole city. Then we will have a lunch break (not included) in a fish restaurant by the sea before going to Cassis.

Cassis is 30 minutes from Marseille and offers a very different atmosphere. Picturesque little village and fishing port, Cassis is the departure point for boat trips to visit the coves alongside the shore.

There is no better way of understanding the French food culture than strolling the streets of an open market. The atmosphere of an old town, the scents of the fresh produce and tapenade, the beautiful display of cheeses, cured meet, spices & herbs will soon make you salivate ! Then we will make a journey through some of the mouthwatering local wines & foods :

• Wine - vineyards or cellars to get a taste of the local terroirs and sample the local production.
• Nougat – a traditional delicacy mainly composed of almonds and honey. I will take you to a Nougat maker's house and we will see the people make it before sampling the fresh production (yummy!)
• Chocolate – little introduction to the origin of chocolate and how cocoa beans are transformed into a capital sin ! Followed by 2 or 3 chocolate samples. On site production.
• Candied fruits – this old Provencal way of preserving fruits into sugar has reached its perfection with the best local artisan. Visit of the house and tasting.
• Goat cheese – visit of a goat farm with the farmer and sampling of her production
• Olive oil – the base of the Provencal cuisine. Visit of a mill followed by an olive oil tasting.
• Truffle – the most hidden gift of mother nature. Truffle hunt and meal around the truffle.
• Tapenade – stop in a specialized tapenade shop to taste the different spreads.

The travel plan will depend on the season, the day of the week and your specific expectations.

There are so many jewels in Provence one can easily forget that golf is widely played in the region with a number of beautiful courses.

This tour can be arranged with non-golfers too ! While golfers enjoy a 9-hole at one of the courses listed below I will take the others to a local market. After a leisurely lunch we would stop at a couple of vineyards to sample the local wine before heading back to base.

Check out my selection of courses if you stay in the Avignon or Aix en Provence area :

• Saumane Provence country club
• Golf de Pont Royal (designed by seve Ballesteros !)
• Golf de Manville – Les Baux de Provence
• Golf de Servanes

Open in 2016 the Chauvet cave is the perfect replica of an original cave discovered in the late 1990's and now a World Heritage site.

Upon entering the cavern in the midst of stalagmites and stalactites, you will discover the world as it appeared to men and women 36 000 years ago.

The artworks reveal an interplay of light and shadows, bringing the walls to life and draperies from out of the darkness. The outstanding perspective techniques used by our ancestors make the hunting scenes come to life. Hundreds of animals of 15 different species appear engraved with flint, drawn with charcoal or ochre pigments.

The tour will take an hour and can be combined with other two exceptional sites for a day trip from Avignon : Orange & Chateauneuf du Pape.

The Jews have a heritage in Provence dating more than two millenia. In 49 BC when Julius Caesar took command in Gaul, he granted beneficial conditions to the Jews and exempted them from submission to foreign gods. Later in history the Jewish communities found a shelter in the Comtat Venaissin (Papal territory extending from Avignon to the Luberon & Vaucluse hills). The Popes indeed tolerated them while persecuted throughout Europe. Eventually the Jews were to settle in the 4 communities of Cavaillon, l'Isle/Sorgue, Carpentras & Avignon.

Depending on the day of the week & your personal interest I can organize tours around :

• A/ The synagogue in Cavaillon & the hilltop villages of the Luberon
• B/ The synagogue in Carpentras & the villages around the Ventoux mountain
• C/ A Kosher wine tasting & the Pont du Gard (2000 years old Roman aqueduct)