Country Walks in Provence -
Avignon, Vaison-la-Romaine, St. Rémy de Provence
Return to 'Country Walks in Provence' Trip Page
Detailed Itinerary, 8 days
Day 01: AVIGNON
Transfer day from Avignon TGV station to our hotel in Avignon.
We will hopefully have time to visit the town, and, mainly, the papal palace.
At approx. 6:30 pm, we will meet for our briefing, followed by our welcome dinner.
Hotel in Avignon
Day 02: AVIGNON - CARPENTRAS - VAISON-LA-ROMAINE
After a delicious breakfast with freshly baked bread, we will drive to Carpentras for one of the more important provençal markets. We will have enough time to explore the market, before transferring to Vaison-la-Romaine.
The Roman town of Vaison is one of the most beautiful. With its amphitheatre and old town perched high above the valley floor, this is one of the finest architectural wonders of Provence.
We will explore the town in the afternoon, and have the possibility of a guided tour. There are several sightseeing options to choose from, and we will send out the list ahead of time to let you decide what you would like to see in case you want to do a guided visit.
Day 03: DENTELLES DE MONTMIRAIL
After breakfast, a quick van transfer brings us to the Dentelles de Montmirail, a giant, limestone fin that juts above the local vineyards.
After our hike around the Dentelles, we will visit Edmond and Yves Gras in Gigondas on their vineyard, Santa Duc. His wines have been mentioned as one of the top 100 wines in the world. Their family-run winery produces a full-bodied and strong Gigondas. The day is capped with wine tasting, some time to relax and another delicious provençal dinner at our hotel in Vaison-la-Romaine.
Day 04: GORGES DE LA NESQUE
Today will be one of our longer days, hiking the Gorges de la Nesque, starting from Sault.
We will spend the night in a hotel in the Beaumes-de-Venise area.
Day 05: MONT VENTOUX
A quick visit to the Bédoin market to purchase ingredients for our picnic today, before we drive to Mont Ventoux or the 'windy one' for our hike of the day. The 2,000 meter peak (6'562 ft) dominates the landscape. We spend the day traversing the north side, admiring the views of oak forests and occasional mountain goats, which saunter by. We will go wine-tasting in Beaumes-de-Venise, and our night will be spent again in our hotel in the Beaumes-de-Venise area.
Day 06: ST REMY DE PROVENCE
Today we have time for a leisurely breakfast and a visit of the Beaumes-de-Venise market or some free time. We then transfer to St. Remy de Provence for lunch and the afternoon. We will have ample time to explore the town, go for a guided visit, and to follow in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh, who stayed at the cloister of Saint Paul de Mausole for more than a year. It was here that he painted some of his most famous paintings.
Day 07: BAUX DE PROVENCE
An early morning start to Baux de Provence, one of the most beautiful hikes in the area, and not too strenuous. The afternoon is free for exploring, purchasing souvenirs, relaxing at our hotel. Our farewell dinner will be either in our hotel, or some of the many good restaurants in town.
Day 08: DEPARTURE DAY
Today is departure day, and depending on individual travel plans, we will bring everybody back to the TGV station or airport of Avignon.
