Provence Tour 2026
The Experience of a Lifetime!
May 26th-june 1ST (sold out)
June 9th-15th 2026 (Sold Out)
September 22nd-28th 2026
Day 1: Aix-en-Provence to Lourmarin
Our tour begins in Aix-en-Provence, ancient capital of Provence that will charm you with its elegant fountains, colorful outdoor markets and vibrant cafes. Famously, Aix is the birthplace of the painter Paul Cezanne, whose early paintings of the nearby Mont Ste-Victoire encapsulate his passion for the Provencal landscape. Aix embodies Provence as a joyful place, and the provencal people are legendary for their l’art de vivre (the art of living). We invite you to come along with us, and experience the joy for yourself!
We start with a walking tour of the Old Town area of Aix. We will enjoy several open air markets and a peek at the St. Sauveur cathedral before meandering toward the Cour Mirabeau, one of the loveliest boulevards in all of France! We’ll pass by the cafe where Cezanne would often sip pastis with his pals, and then continue further down the boulevard for a stop at one of the best purveyors of calissons in Aix (a local sweet delicacy). As we conclude our walking tour, we will say goodbye to Aix with our first taste of the Provencal lifestyle under our belts, with many more to come!
Next, we head north by van to the village of Lourmarin, less than an hour’s drive from Aix and our home away from home for the next few days. On the way to Lourmarin we will stop for lunch at a winery and enjoy some incredible art installations.
Upon arrival at our hotel in Lourmarin, you’ll have a chance to relax by the pool before our bike fitting and safety talk. We’ll plan a short ride through the countryside so you can become acquainted with your bike. For those interested, we will also have the option of a longer ride before dinner. Later, we will take a short stroll from our hotel to a traditional Provencal restaurant in the center of town. Bon appetit!
We encourage you to take your time, let go, explore and savor your experience.
Included: Breakfast, dinner together
Hotel: Hotel Bastide
Day 2: The perched villages of the Luberon
Today we will pedal up a beautiful winding road through a canyon to the perched medieval villages of Bonnieux and LaCoste. Enjoy expansive views of rolling hills from the summit of Bonnieux before coasting down into the valley, where you’ll pedal through vineyards, olive groves, and fruit orchards. We’ll slowly pedal up to the yellow sandstone village of Lacoste, where we’ll explore the town on foot before enjoying lunch at a lovely cafe perched at the edge of the village with commanding views of the valley. Lacoste has a somewhat colorful past as its most famous resident, the Marquis de Sade, resided in his castle there for many years.
After lunch, you’ll have the option of a longer bike ride, or returning to the hotel where you can relax by the pool or book a massage at the spa. As we roll back into Loumarin, we will stop at a renowned ice cream shop to celebrate our ride!
In the evening, we will walk into town where our friend Gina will be preparing a special meal just for our group. We met Gina during a scouting trip and she invited us into her charming little restaurant in a quiet village square. We were impressed by her cuisine, enthusiasm, and spirit of joie de vivre!
Included: Breakfast, dinner together
Hotel: Hotel Bastide
https://www.hotelbastide.com/en
Route essentials: 24 miles, elevation gain 2785 ft, estimated time 3-4 hours-downhill for half the distance.
Day 3: Choose your adventure day!
This is our choice (choix) day, with options for walking, cycling, or just relaxing. It’s a day to follow your folly.
Choix 1-Stay at the hotel and relax by the pool. Tuck into a cafe in Lourmarin for lunch and people watching. Remember that in France, you are encouraged to linger for as long as you wish at a cafe. Take a stroll around the town and maybe visit the chateau. Book a massage.
Choix 2-Ride from Lourmarin to nearby villages~
Be a flâneur for the day and explore local villages by bike and make your own adventure. Talk with your guides about several rides available from your hotel with varying distances and destinations.
Choix 3-Van to the beautiful hilltop village of Roussillon. Walk the town, enjoy some souvenir shopping and a bite to eat. Let the ochre colors and incredible setting relax you before heading to a nearby vineyard for wine tasting.
Choix 4-Van to the town of Sault to begin a ride up the “Giant of Provence”-Mont Ventoux! The most fabled of all the climbs in the Tour de France, this ride will thrill you with its lunar landscapes and incredible views. We will plan to stop for lunch and take our time to make this a once in a lifetime experience.
Included: Breakfast. Dinner on your own.
Hotel: Hotel Bastide
Day 4: Lourmarin to St-Remy-de-Provence.
This morning we bid au revoir to the Vaucluse and head west toward St-Remy de Provence, a vibrant village and art colony at the foothills of the craggy Alpilles mountains. We’ll head out together as a group today and coast downhill to the village of Lauris, where we’ll join a gravel road that follows the Durance river. We’ll spend a good bit of our day today pedaling along the Durance, so make sure to bring your flipflops if you’d like to dip your feet in the water!
After crossing the Durance river, we’ll plan a stop at the Abbaye de Silvacaine. You’ll enjoy the harmonious Romanesque architecture of this Cistertian monastery, founded in the twelfth century. After visiting the Abbaye, our bike route will follow a totally traffic-free greenway (voie verte) that meanders for approximately 10 km along the Durance river. We will stop for a riverside picnic and a chance to go rock collecting or bird watching after lunch.
Our journey will end today in the village of Mallemort, a great stop for ice cream, where you’ll have the option to take a shuttle to our hotel. For those of you wanting a longer bike ride, one of your guides will escort you on a steady uphill climb through the heart of the Alpilles mountains to St-Remy.
Included: Breakfast, ticket to abbaye visit, dinner together~
Hotel: L’Auberge de Saint-Remy
https://www.aubergesaintremy.com/en/
Total distance: 24 km (15 miles) Lourmarin to la Roque d’Antheron 14 km approx; La Roque d’Antheron to Malemort 10 km approx (downhill out of Lourmarin, then route is flat along the river)
Day 5: St-Remy to the Pont-du-Gard.
This morning, after breakfast, we’ll shuttle everyone by van to the ancient Roman city of Arles, and home to one of the best markets in France! We’ll enjoy the sites and sounds of the market and each gather supplies for our riverside picnic. After supplying ourselves, we will continue on to the Pont du Gard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will load up in canoes and paddle down the Gardon river and float under the Pont du Gard, a remarkably preserved Roman aqueduct that stretches across the river. We will have a market picnic on the shore with views of the Pont. Make sure to bring your bathing suit!
Included: Breakfast, picnic, canoe rental, dinner on your own.
Hotel: L’Auberge de Saint-Remy
https://www.aubergesaintremy.com/en/
Let's Explore!
Let's Explore!
Day 6: St-Remy to Les Baux loop ride
This morning, we’ll visit the medieval fortress town of Les Baux. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful village perched on the cliffs of the Alpilles (little Alps). You’ll have the option today of going by van or bike to Les Baux. Due to its strategic position, Les Baux was a medieval powerhouse, and the Lords of Les Baux commanded all of Provence for generations.
We’ll take a leisurely morning stroll through the village of Les Baux and tour its medieval chateau, ancient cobblestone streets, and artisan shops. After exploring the village, we’ll gather for lunch together and sample local wines and the renowned olive oil of this region. No tour of Les Baux is complete without visiting the cavernous limestone quarry, Les Carrieres de Les Baux. We’ll plan on walking down the hill or pedaling to the quarry after lunch.
Inside the cool spacious caves of the quarry you’ll enjoy an immersive exhibition dedicated to Pablo Picasso. Larger than life images of the master artist’s paintings are cast on the ceilings, floors, and walls of the cave, accompanied by a musical composition created for this experience.
You’ll have the option of returning to the hotel after your visit to Les Baux, or continuing on for a longer ride to explore the Alpilles mountains.
Tonight we’ll walk to a special restaurant for our final dinner , a moment to celebrate our adventure together in Provence!
Included: Breakfast, admission to Les Carrieres, final dinner together.
Hotel: L’Auberge de Saint-Remy
https://www.aubergesaintremy.com/en/
Total distance: 22 km: (St-Remy to Les Baux 10.4 km; Les Baux to St-Remy 10.9 km
Day 7: We’ll have a final breakfast together and reminisce over our adventure in Provence with Let’s Explore! We will assist you with your train connections, or suggest other places of interest to explore in the nearby area. Hopefully, we’ll see you again on upcoming tours in France. Bon voyage!
