Day 1

You should arrive at the airport to take your flight to Nice, or you can travel by Eurostar and TGV from London St. Pancras or Ebbsfleet to Aix-en-Provence, changing at Lille. On arrival a coach will meet you and take you to your hotel, either the three-star superior Hotel Escale Oceania, Novotel or Kyriad, in Aix en Provence, where you stay for five nights on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2

Aix-en-Provence is a stunningly beautiful city. Originally a spa town founded by the Romans, today it has a labyrinth of tiny alleyways and squares, in which there are countless fountains giving cooling relief from the midday sun. Indeed Aix is known as the ‘City of a Thousand Fountains’. The ring of boulevards and squares which encircle Aix follow the lines of the ancient ramparts, with the area in between a veritable maze of the most typically French streets you will find anywhere. From the tree-lined boulevards and elegant 17th and 18th century buildings with sculptured doors and wrought-iron balconies, to the tiny alleyways where if you stretch your arms you can touch both sides, this is provincial France at its best.
The incomparable Paul Cezanne was the city’s favourite son and he painted 300 paintings here and in the surrounding area. His workshop is preserved exactly how it was when he died in 1906 – complete with hat, coat, wineglass and easel! This morning you have a short walking tour of the city after which you may explore as you wish.

Day 3

After breakfast you leave Aix and head for the nearby coast and the delta of the great River Rhone, known as the Camargue, now designated a National Park and an area of outstanding natural beauty. We have all seen images of this unique habitat together with its wild horses, the origin of which is unknown, jet black bulls and pink flamingoes. They all still exist and with careful management in recent years have extended their area of habitation.
Around lunchtime you arrive in Arles, the Pearl of Provence. Although not very large in size, in Roman times it was the capital of Gaul, Britain and Spain! Obviously a city of such stature had an array of public buildings to match. The arena held 24,000 spectators, yet it could be emptied of people in just five minutes! A fantastic open air theatre with such perfect acoustics which, before the invention of the laser, modern man could not replicate, and the forum which has been incorporated into a medieval church. The preservation has been remarkable and so this afternoon you have a short walking tour of this superb city. That very disturbed and yet great genius of an artist, Van Gogh lived here for two years, and, inspired by the provençal countryside, worked non-stop producing 200 paintings and 100 drawings including such famous works as Sunflowers, Café de Nuit, The Red Vines and The Sower. After some free time you then return to your hotel.

Day 4

This morning after breakfast you head inland to the stunning scenery of the Luberon mountains. It was here that Peter Mayle found inspiration for his book,
‘A Year in Provence’. First of all you cross the fertile plains adorned with olive, peach and cherry groves, changing to rich vineyards on the lower slopes. Then, as the seasons change, row upon row of fragrant lavender gives way to mimosa, pine trees and herb undergrowth, giving the unmistakable aroma which is one of Provence’s hallmarks. Once famous as the haunt of highwaymen, with the castle of the Marquis de Sade, the Luberon is now a much prized nature reserve. The twisting roads lead to tiny villages fortified since medieval times, where warm breezes blow through the narrow streets and alleys, unchanged for centuries. These remote villages are a delight and you have some time to explore them. It always seems incredible that such oases like this exist in this crowded continent of ours.

Day 5

Avignon is one of the most historical cities in Europe. Who can think of Avignon without immediately recalling their first French lessons and that familiar melody ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon. . .’  Yes, the bridge exists but people actually danced under it! Avignon’s destiny changed early in the fourteenth century with the exile of the Pope’s court here from Rome, bringing with it a century of prosperity. Vast wealth poured in to build churches, convents, elegant townhouses, and, most of all the incredible Papal Palace. You have time to visit this imposing building which, from the outside resembles a citadel, rising from living rock flanked by turrets over 150 feet high. The interior is striking with fantastic frescoes decorating the ceiling and huge tapestries hanging on the walls. The private apartments are a must too.
Alternatively you are free to explore some of the other attractions. There is the Petit Palais museum which houses an excellent collection of over 1,000 paintings, mainly from the Italian Renaissance period, including works by Botticelli and Carpaccio, or you may wish to take a stroll on the famous bridge or amble around the delightful old town. You also visit the Pont du Gard, an amazing Roman aqueduct and one of the wonders of the ancient world. No amount of fame can diminish the first sight of this 2,000 year old structure which the Romans themselves considered to be the best testimony to their greatness and indeed, it was the highest bridge they ever built. The statistics are staggering: 900 feet long and 160 feet high. Some of the stones are 6 feet thick and the whole structure has no mortar to hold it together and, just to put things in perspective, this is a greater span than the river Thames in London. The situation is lovely, with undulating hills covered with cypress and pine trees giving that wonderful Mediterranean aroma to the warm and sparklingly clean air. You then return to your hotel in Aix.

Day 6

Today you drive to the airport or railway station, at the appropriate time, to return home.