Sip and Savor Provence Tour June 6 to June 15, 2024

Welcome to Provence!  After settling into our Hotel, the Hôtel de l’Horloge, our 4-star boutique property in Avignon, we will gather for a welcome toast with your fellow Provence Dreamers.

We’ll take a short stroll to one of Avignon’s gastronomic restaurants where we will enjoy a multi-course gourmet welcome dinner in a beautiful, historic setting just steps from our hotel will be the perfect ending to our 1st day.

After dinner, if you are not too tired, you may want to stroll around the town for a sunset view (the sun sets very late here during the summer!) of the magnificent Popes Palace before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s rest.

Dinner

After Breakfast at the hotel, we will we will head off the beaten path with bikes to explore the nearby île de la Barthelasse. The views of  the Popes Palace and the Pont d’Avignon are fabulous from our vantage point, just across the Rhone river. Our ride on the quiet road around the island will lead us through orchards and farms to the Manguin Distillery. During our visit here, we’ll learn how this artisanal distillery has been creating amazing fruited brandies and other delicious spirits via traditional methods for over 60 years. (Those who prefer not to e-bike can meet us at the distillery via alternative transportation).

After we return to Avignon, you’ll have time for lunch on your own. Choose from one of Avignon’s many restaurants with tables outside in the Provence sunshine, or pop in to Les Halles, the amazing covered market where you can wind your way through a mind boggling array of fresh produce, seafood, meats and other local specialties. A few of the the stands even have tables nearby, where you can relax and enjoy your finds for a casual lunch. If you are an oyster lover, the variety here can’t be beat.  Buy a bottle of local rose wine to wash it down with for a perfect Provencal market experience.

The rest of the day is yours to explore the sights, sounds and tastes of Avignon. From the Pope’s Palace to some great shopping, there is plenty to see and do. If you are looking for some local craft beer, Mike can point you to some great local beer bars and likely will meet you there for happy hour! Dinner is on your own this evening.  Avignon is a foodie’s city, so check the app and/or ask our hotel concierge for suggestions.

Breakfast

This morning you have your choice of sleeping in or joining a local artist for a Travel Journal Sketchbook Workshop. Discover a different way to experience the places you visit and record your memories during our private 3-hour sketchbook workshop. The travel sketchbook is the art of capturing the story of what we see and experience, wherever we are. Learn to look and to really see what you have in front of you so that you will be able to transcribe it into your personal souvenir travel journal using drawing and watercolor techniques.  Journals and other art supplies are included and no experience is necessary!

After we’ve all channeled our inner artist and our masterpieces are complete, we will check out of our hotel and head to Chateau Pesquié for a tour, tasting and picnic lunch overlooking the grounds of this beautiful wine estate. (Tables and Chairs will be available)

From here, it’s time to move into our home for the next week. Staying in our own private chateau gives new meaning to the expression “a person’s home is their castle”. Once we are settled in, we will take a short tour of the chateau and grounds and enjoy a welcome toast with one of the many delicious wines made with grapes from the vineyards surrounding the property. Tonight we will certainly feel like royalty when we are treated to a welcome-to-the-chateau wine-paired dinner created for us by our own amazing private chef!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, after breakfast in the Château, we will head off to one of the best markets in Provence and maybe even in France! The Sunday market at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, “The Venice of Provence”, has it all – a food market, “brocante”(flea market) and antique market all in one- so you can buy everything from artisanal cheese to colorful tablecloths with Provençal prints to an antique chaise lounge! Stroll along the streets lined with vendors and flower-filled riverside cafés. Check out the waterwheels, do some great people watching and take a peek into the local church. Taste your way along the vendors sampling tapenade, olive oil and cheese!

Once you’ve shopped up an appetite, we’ll meet for lunch at one of our favorite hidden gems, Jardin du Quay, for a magnificent meal that captures the spirit of Provence.  Their seasonal menu, which changes daily, is served  in the heart of a lovely, tranquil garden, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the market. 

Full and content, we will head back to our chateau to relax.  Enjoy a dip in the pool,  sneak off for a well deserved afternoon nap or learn to play pétanque, the French game of boules, with Mike. This evening, you are invited to join us for “Ruth and Mike’s Favorite Provence Vacation Dinner”: a casual picnic al fresco, weather permitting, of  local meats, cheeses, bread, fruits and vegetables, fresh from the market and of course, accompanied by local wines.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we”ll we head off to the far end of Provence to where this region meets the Languedoc region. Here we will visit the amazing Carmague– a flat, salty, sandy, marshy terrain where black bulls and white horses roam free. The Carmague is like nowhere else in France, or should I say, there is nowhere in France quite like the Carmague. The gorgeous pink-purple lakes that are actually part of the largest salt pan in the Mediterranean is our first destination. We will board a “petit train” which will take us on a journey to the heart of Le Salin d’Aigues-Mortes – the Aigues-Mortes saltworks. We will see how the ubiquitous Carmague salt is mined. As we travel past the colorful waters along the route, and climb to the top of “camelle” (salt hill) we will have a breathtaking view of our next stop, the medieval walled village of Aigues-Mortes, rising up out of the purple and pink waterscape.

Aigues-Mortes dates back to 1240. Its ancient fortifications, its town walls, are said to be among the best preserved of their type in the country. Inside the walled town you will find restaurants, museums, markets, shops and art exhibits. There will be free time to explore here and for lunch on your own. If you are motivated to work off lunch, you might consider a walk around on the ramparts surrounding the town.

Dinner tonight will be on your own. Restaurant suggestions will be in your app and we are happy to arrange taxis for you.  Reservations are suggested if you are planning on going out.  If you’d rather relax at the chateau, we will have some quiches (supplied by our chef) as well as some light picnic supplies available.

Breakfast

Today is yours to spend as you please. Relax poolside with a good book and a glass of wine,  join in on a pétanque match or perhaps a run through the vineyards to work off some of last nights dinner? E-bikes may be reserved in advance by those who want to explore the local surroundings.  A short bike ride away (or a little bit longer by foot), the local sunflower fields are worth a visit. Picnic makings and quiche are available in the chateau kitchen for a light lunch at your leisure.  Today is informal and relaxed.  It is your vacation do as little or as much as you choose!

This evening, those who are feeling inspired will join in on a cooking class with our private chef, the rest of the group are free to relax until dinner is served!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning is all about YOU!

Sleep late, it’s vacation!  We’ll have the morning free to swim, sleep, take a hike through the vineyards or maybe a few games of billiards in the billiard room?  Brunch will be available later this morning (coffee, tea and croissants will be put out for early risers) so we can fuel up for a big day dedicated to the wines of Châteauneuf du Pape.

This afternoon is all about Châteauneuf du Pape!

Visiting a vineyard in of one of Châteauneuf’s many wine estates is a must for any visitor. But since we are not just “any visitors”, our vineyard visit will be to the iconic parcels of the Domaine le Prieuré des Papes and we will be guided by the winery’s technical director.   Here, he will explain the winery’s philosophy and the different terroirs. Then we are off to visit their different production sites to learn about the wine making process.  Once we are all “experts”, we will test our new skills during a blending workshop and try to re-create our own version of the winery’s red “Vieilles Vignes” cuvée. Each person will have three samples in total to create their own cuvée.  After all of our hard work as winemakers, we will taste our way through a number of delicious wines from the Chateau.

When our day in the winery winds down, we will head back to our Chateau to clean up and get dressed for what is going to be a one-of-a-kind dining experience, created specifically for Bon Beer Voyage, thanks to our Belgian connection! Now it is time for us to make the transition from wine makers/tourists to epicurean experts as we head to the Michelin-starred restaurant: La Mère Germaine, where we will be treated to a Multi-Course Wine vs Beer Paired Michelin Dinner!.  This is a concept that we came up with Ruth met the chef, Christophe Hardiquest, during a visit with the local tourism board and learned that before he had the Michelin star in Provence, he had a 2 star Michelin restaurant in Brussels!  Of course we immediately made the beer connection and knew that this was fate and happily, the chef agreed.

Breakfast/Brunch, Dinner

The morning after our Michelin meal and pairings, we thought you might want to take advantage of the opportunity to sleep in and enjoy another late morning brunch.

Just before noon, we’ll depart for our fist excursion of the day, a visit to the charming village of Séguret, classified as one of the plus beaux villages (most beautiful villages) in France.  We’ll have some time to explore the cobblestone lanes, check out the views and stroll through history in this lovely medieval town with some awesome photo ops 🙂

Then we are off to visit the Chateau du Barroux, where  we will tour the whiskey distillery located within the rooms of the chateau, home to Fanny and Jean Baptiste and their family.  Here, they are producing a unique local whisky using a very special type of still from 1928 which was restored by Jean Baptiste. The whisky is made with einkorn, a regional cereal, that adds a special note to the spirit.  After touring the distillery, (and a tasting!) we will have a chance to enjoy some of the amazing views from the rest of the chateau.

Next, we will visit a truly unique winemaker and experience some guided tastings in a whole new fashion. Demoiselles Suzette is a small, award-winning winery owned by Richard Orange, an incredibly passionate winemaker, who gives his all to his wines. After a short visit to the cellars with Richard, we will be treated to a magnificent view over the vineyards while, with the help of a wine educator, we will learn about wine through different tasting games.  Our sensory tasting experience will help us learn to analyze, understand and talk about wine with the vocabulary of connoisseurs, while having fun.  While the sun sets in the background, we’ll feast on a smorgasbord of fresh local products- goat cheese and other cheeses from a nearby farm, charcuterie boards, vegetable pies, breads, tapenades and more- all pairing fabulously with our wine.  To experience this all in such a magical setting is a Provence Dream come true.

Breakfast/Brunch, Dinner

Breakfast is served at the chateau before we are off to visit the spectacular UNESCO Heritage site:  The Pont du Gard. This ancient Roman aqueduct bridge was built in the first century AD. It is estimated that it took the work of a thousand men 5 years to build the Pont du Gard, which stands as the principal piece in a 50 km-long aqueduct. A tribute to the Roman empire’s greatness, it was built to supply water to the area and to the town of Nîmes. Our guided visit will take us to the top of the bridge as well as the museum which will allow us to discover the construction, functions and use of this engineering marvel over time.  You’ll have time to enjoy a picnic lunch with this aqueduct as your backdrop!

Next we are off to charming medieval Uzes-yet another of the plus beaux villages that we are fortunate enough to visit on this tour!  Located in the Gard department, Uzes is just across the Rhône River from Provence. On the lovely Place aux Herbes you can enjoy a drink under the shade of a parasol or the lovely plane trees at one of the many outdoor cafes. Wandering about the town you will find some nice shops and galleries, the Duke’s castle- which is still sometimes inhabited by the latest Duchal family, and a beautiful Romanesque bell tower- The Tour Fenestrelle.

Tonight we’ll feast at the chateau with a wine-paired meal created for us by our own amazing private chef as a Farwell Dinner.

Breakfast, Dinner

All good things must come to an end… this morning we must say adieu… (unless you are staying for  back to back tours!)

After breakfast, a group transfer to the Avignon TGV will be provided for those heading out by train. Feel free to ask us for assistance reserving local taxis or private transfers to the airport or your next destination.

Breakfast