Land Journey

Provence

All Departures Small Groups Averaging 22 Tauck Guests
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Year

Select the year you would like to travel.

Days
8
From (per Person)
£4,790
Journey Type
Land
Time of Year
Apr - Jun, Aug - Nov
Cities & Landmarks
Aix-en-Provence, Roussillon, St-Rémy, Gordes, Avignon
Pont du Gard

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Overview

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

 

SMALL GROUP DEPARTURES averaging no more than 22 Tauck guests. A small group size means a more personal travel experience highlighted by stays at chic smaller hotels in fabulous locations

 

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

  

Explore Château la Coste's outdoor sculpture park during your time in Aix

 

Go to a market in Avignon to select fresh ingredients for a chef-hosted cooking class

 

Visit the Roman ruins of Glanum

 

Learn the finer points of wine tasting with a local sommelier

 

Meet Vincent van Gogh through the eyes of a learned scholar

 

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Activity

4
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Designed for fit, vigorous travelers capable of easily walking three miles or more. Many days might include active pursuits such as hiking, bicycling or sea kayaking for one to three hours at a time. Guests should be capable of walking three or more miles over terrain including hills and rocky or uneven terrain.

Pace

3
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Often robust – may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.

View Full Itinerary

Along Europe's Scenic "Yellow Roads"

Combine a chef, a food expert, a sommelier, trips to local markets, a cooking class and a wine tasting in one of the world's great wine regions – and what follows is an in-depth portrait of Provence.

Food and art are passions in Southern France and key ingredients for the culturally curious. An idyllic walk down lanes that inspired Cézanne in Aix, contemporary art on the grounds of a classic Provençal château, an insider tour with a van Gogh art scholar in St. Rémy, a picnic in a lavender meadow, exploring the Roman ruins of Glanum, soft landscapes changing hues in the waning sun, and a farewell at a private, family-owned winery in Châteauneuf-du-Pape... and the palette of our Provence tours becomes richer still.

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A hands-on culinary experience with an Avignon chef

Day 6

Shop Avignon's markets with a local chef, and help prepare lunch in a hands-on cooking lesson

In the medieval walled town of Avignon, past and present meet in a parade of sensory delights. On a culinary experience you won't soon forget, you'll accompany our chef on a buying trip to a local market, where you can see, feel, smell, and taste farm-fresh produce, freshly baked baguettes, fragrant herbs and a host of seasonal specialties. After picking up your fresh ingredients, you'll then pick up some of the chef's treasured secrets in a hands-on cooking lesson, as you help prepare a traditional meal for lunch.

Wine pairing with a sommelier in Avignon

Day 6

In Avignon, a professional sommelier guides you through a tasting and pairing of Rhône wines

The popes who reigned over the Roman Catholic Church in Avignon during the 14th century enjoyed not only their formidable lodgings in the fortress-like Palais des Papes, but also the fruit of the vine; they are credited with cultivating the local wine industry widely recognized today by the appellation, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Today the life of this region still centers around growing, producing and enjoying wine – as you'll see for yourself when a professional sommelier guides you through a tasting and pairing of fine Rhône Valley wines that go perfectly with the unforgettable midday meal you helped prepare… truly an Avignon experience to remember!

In van Gogh's Provençal footsteps with an expert

Day 5

Explore Provençal sites where van Gogh lived and painted with scholar Mathilde Duvilliers

Picturesque Saint Rémy-de-Provence is forever entwined with the legacy of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, whose paintings have immortalized such local places as Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the asylum where he received treatment… and produced more than 150 works, including the legendary Starry Night. The van Gogh scholar Mathilde Duvilliers offers a look inside the artist's troubled mind, discussing the meanings and symbolism of his work and his letters on a tour of the asylum grounds. "I am in love with van Gogh for his talent and his sensitivity," says Mathilde. "I'll share my insights on his complicated life when we walk in his footsteps in Saint Rémy-de-Provence."

Auberge de Cassagne & Spa

Nights 5, 6 and 7

All the charm of a beautiful family home at the gate to Avignon

A former Provençal farmhouse built in 1850 on the estate belonging to Cassagne Castle, Auberge de Cassagne & Spa grew quickly from a small six-room hotel-restaurant in the 1960s to the lovely property you see today. Its restaurant was first awarded a Michelin star in 1985; it now holds five. Today, the outbuildings of the 1850 Cassagne Castle have been converted and incorporated into the farmhouse, with a beautiful park at its heart. Here, day after day, friendships and the art of small, everyday gestures are nurtured and practiced.

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Your Journey

Pricing & Availability

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About Booking This Tour

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Travel Documents

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into France. You are not required to obtain a visa for the short duration of this tour.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact a French consulate or embassy to determine what travel documentation is required.

Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

 

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

Deposit & Booking Information

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is £350.

Terms and Conditions:

For additional information pertaining to our Tauck Journeys, including Cancellation Information and Booking Conditions, click here to learn more.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready:

  • Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
  • Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
  • Traveler's Address(es)
  • Traveler's Phone Number(s)
  • Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
  • Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
  • Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
  • Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment is due to Tauck 90 days before departure for lands trips, and 120 days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Protect Your Travel Investment

Customer Protection: Our UK-based agents comply with the bonding requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority and provide full financial protection for the package holidays that we sell in the UK. For flight-based holidays, this is through the Air Travel Organiser's Licence (details of which are available from the UK-based agent with whom you book). When you buy a package holiday that doesn't include a flight, protection of your monies paid to our UK-based agent will be provided by way of a bond.

If You Have To Cancel

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is £200.

Terms and Conditions:

For additional information pertaining to our Tauck Journeys, including Cancellation Information and Booking Conditions, click here to learn more.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready:

  • Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
  • Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
  • Traveler's Address(es)
  • Traveler's Phone Number(s)
  • Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
  • Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
  • Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
  • Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment is due as specified on the invoice. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

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Air Information and Luggage Restrictions

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.


Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for mini coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing mini coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the mini coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the mini coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Certain activities on the tour will require a liability waiver signature before participation. This liability waiver will include an assumption of risk, release and indemnification by you.

While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

  
VACCINATIONS 

If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to France. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, please contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to obtain information about vaccinations that may be required for your journey. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also access CDC website by clicking here.

If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally, please contact a French embassy or consulate to determine what vaccinations may be required for you to visit.

 

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.


MOBILITY

To enjoy this tour, you should be in reasonably good health. Our journeys are active adventures that may include considerable walking on uneven terrain, involve stairs and steep inclines, touring at high elevations and visiting remote areas in newly developing ecotourism destinations, frequently in warm weather. It is important that you have sturdy, comfortable walking shoes that have already been broken-in for our walking excursions.

PLEASE NOTE:  We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

 

 

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list here.

Weather

The south of France has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Strong winds, known as the "mistral", can occur on the Côte d'Azur, Provence, particularly in the winter and spring. From April through October, average high temperatures in Provence range from 65 °F (18 °C) to 85 °F (29 °C) and the average low temperatures range from 55 °F (13 °C) to 75 °F (24 °C).

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you access by clicking here.

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site.

Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, the custom is to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket for men are acceptable dining attire. Avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, although a sports jacket is not required for men.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. Irons and ironing boards are available upon request. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to Provence:

  • Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
  • Optional: jacket and tie for men
  • Optional: casually elegant evening wear for ladies
  • Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
  • Swimwear
  • Gym wear
  • A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
  • Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
  • Insect repellent
  • Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
  • Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes or boots that you have already broken-in and a walking stick if you use one
  • Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
  • Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
  • Daypack for camera equipment
  • Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
  • Copies of travel documents that should be secured in your hotel safe while traveling

The Tauck Experience

Why Tauck?

Leave Your Worries At Home

One Upfront Price – No Hidden Costs

Tauck Directors – Simply The Best

Never Settle For Ordinary

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Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin

Discover The World

Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.

Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin

Discover The World

Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.

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