FRANCE – La Vie en Provence

Guests meet on a Monday at Avignon TGV from where you drive to your beautifully restored mas surrounded by lavendar and olives.
Apéritifs, including French Champagne and hors d’oeuvres is followed by Dîner d’Accueil by Marieke.
Each evening guests are introduced to wines + champagnes rarely seen outside of France from small exclusive houses, mostly regional.

The morning hands-on cooking class segues into lunch al fresco. The afternoon is spent in the glorious medieval city of Avignon with its gothic cathedral, the Palais des Papes, 13th-century ramparts and elegant shops.
Tonight’s dinner is a regional degustation in a fine dining restaurant.

Today’s excursion is Market Day at Uzès, a charming medieval city in the Languedoc-Rousillon region – self-proclaimed first duchy of France, and host to one of the most colourful markets in the south of France.
After lunch stroll through the town of St Quentin la Poterie, the epicentre of pottery revivified by many ceramic studios whose artists come from far and near.
Later, visit the Pont du Gard that fascinates visitors with its elegance and majesty.
Dîner en famille will be prepared by a visiting chef.

Today is a day for special wines + vineyards. Of the many hundreds, I have chosen two special properties for your delectation.
Early this morning depart in the direction of Mt Ventoux, to visit Chêne Bleu, the exceptional wine biodynamic estate owned by Nicole and Xavier Rolet, to enjoy a private VIP Tour/tasting/lunch with matched wines.
Later continue to Domaine Solitude, a classic Domaine, owned by the Lançon family that dates back to 1535.
Dinner this evening in a local extremely charming restaurant.

After settling into your restored renaissance house/hotel in the adorable town and capital of antiques, L’isle sur la Sorgue, travel to the hill town of Bonnieux, to lunch with Edouard Loubet who was France’s youngest chef to receive 2 Michelin stars at ‘Bastide de Capelongue’ and his cuisine involves strong, clean flavours, and extraordinary originality.
After lunch, browse the streets and boutiques of Lourmarin, possibly the chicest village of the region. Supper at home tonight

Today is market day in Arles, with the lively Saturday morning market where the heady aromas of Arabic spices will assail you and we shop for the next Class.
Lunch at Armand Arnal’s Chassagnette in the Camargu: a stunning restaurant in terms of its innovative décor and ambience set in a rural outdoor setting where the menu elevates the fresh offerings of his garden and the bounty of the nearby Mediterranean sea.

After breakfast drive to Oppède-le-vieux, to walk the tiny atmospheric medieval village. Continue to Ménerbes, a beautiful, medieval village, exquisitely poised over the Luberon valley’s sea of cherry orchards and vineyards.  Picasso brought his mistress Dora Maar a house. There is a wonderful garden to visit before lunch.
After lunch return to the domain for this afternoon’s class with Marieke seguing into another convivial dinner. The theme will be le grand aioli accompanied by the legendary Domaine Tempier wines from Bandols,

After an early breakfast depart for Aix-en-Provence where you will have a couple of free hours to wander the farmer’s market. Later, visit one of the most thrilling domaines of South France, Château la Coste – a visionary and special place where art, architecture and land came together. Artists and architects as famous as Tadao Ando, Frank Gehry, Alexander Calder were given the freedom to create something that would live there. After the walking tour, a wine tasting and a simple market lunch. En route home visit a wonderful garden before dinner with another of the regions’ famous chefs with a Michelin star.

A day in and around the very pretty town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and the neighbouring antique site of Glanum, that was a Greek city, eventually covered by a Roman city.
After a light bistro lunch return to wander the attractive boutiques of L’isle sur la Sorgue before a grand farewell banquet.

Farewells and Au Revoirs to new friends.
Departure after breakfast. Guests are driven to Avignon TGV for the train back to Paris.

SUGGESTED TOUR EXTENSION: Paris