Seven days, Six nights
The Luberon, St. Remy, Uzes
Day One – Arrival in Joucas; Hotel Hostellerie le Phebus
Our trip begins at the stylish yet casual Provencal farmhouse, Hostellerie le Phebus. The views from your private terrace or the shaded pool offer a calm panorama of the entire Luberon region. At 6:30 PM, we will meet for a welcome cocktail and dinner where you will meet your fellow travelers and hear more about your trip. Tonight, we enjoy our first "taste" of Provence at the hands of our master-chef, Xavier Mathieu, poolside at the farmhouse. He and his staff bring Provencal traditions, such as “gigot”, slow roasted lamb shanks, to a new level of sophistication.
Day Two – Goult, Roussillon; Hotel Hostellerie le Phebus
Our walk today winds through scented pine forests and secluded vineyards to the village of Goult. At a visit to the “caves” of the Domaine de Verriere we often cross paths with locals, for whom the Domaine is a favorite place to fill their 52-liter jugs with this year’s latest vintage. We will sample some of the light whites and roses before continuing on to Goult and the Café de la Poste for lunch.
Bustling bistros are always a great way to enjoy a Provencal meal. The plates are simple yet intricate at the same time and the “plat du jour” is always a welcome surprise. Eggplant flan with a tomato coulis and delectable omelets stuffed with cheese and mushrooms, accompanied by a fresh salad, make a wonderful meal.
After lunch we head to Roussillon and a visit to the local ochre quarries. This is a totally unique landscape, more reminiscent of the American southwest than France. All surfaces glow with rich burnt oranges and reds and a walk through theses gardened quarries is truly memorable. Enjoy the intriguing alleyways of Roussillon at your leisure before heading back to our Hostellerie where you will have time for a dip in the pool or a relaxing hour with a book on the terrace before enjoying a pastis in the garden and another fine dinner.
Day Three – St. Remy de Provence; Hotel Les Ateliers de l’Images
This morning, our private coach takes us across the Durance River to the trailhead at the eastern edge of the rugged Alpilles chain of hills. We walk along an isolated path surrounded by boulders and scrub oak with the bulk of Mont Ventoux often in view to the northeast. Eventually, we drop down into the bustling village of St. Remy de Provence. With its decor of boulevards shaded by plane trees, fountains splashing in the square and charming old town alleyways, St. Remy symbolizes the heart of Provence. A jambon (French ham) and Camembert sandwich on a crusty baguette or steak hache with a plate of twice-cooked “frites” awaits for lunch. This afternoon, we have arranged for a private guide to give us a historical tour of Glanum, once a thriving Roman village and now a fascinating archeological treasure.
Our hotel, Les Ateliers de L’image, is located directly in the ancient city center of St. Remy and is an ideal base from which to explore its winding, shop-lined streets. Our hosts, Antoine and Natale, have transformed an old cinema on five acres of prime land into an oasis complete with gardens, waterfalls and two pools!
Xavier and his wife Martine nearby at the modern, art deco and fun Restaurant Xa, operate dinner. They love to spend time at their fashionable home in Marseilles, so fresh anchovies in a basil sauce and seafood gratin with saffron are often choices on the menu.
Day Four – St. Remy de Provence; Hotel Les Ateliers de l’Images
This morning we discover on our own the eerie landscape and ruins of Les Baux des Alpilles. Eight hundred years ago, this was the fortress of the lords of Provence who fought the House of Barcelona for control of Provence. By the time any bus-borne tourists arrive we will be blissfully walking in the surrounding pine forests on our way to lunch with our friends David and Nito at their perfectly restored Provencal farm house. Nito Carpita, the owner and principal instructor of the Seasons of Provence Cooking School, has trained in France at the Le Notre and Alain Ducasse professional schools and is certified by the International Association of Culinary Professionals, so one can only imagine the treat this meal will be.
After a dip in the pool or a game of “boules”, choose between a short walk or van ride directly back to town and any last minute shopping for special chocolates or olive oil. Dinner tonight is a “panache”, a unique tasting menu of both modern and traditional French specialties, maybe some salmon mousse alongside eggplants stuffed with lamb and cheese.
Day Five – St. Remy to Colias and Uzes: Hotel Chateau Marie d’Agoult
We say good-bye to St. Remy and head by private coach to the Gard river area and its lovely vineyards and orchards to begin our walk to Colias. This is a lovely, gentle landscape with small medieval villages dotting surrounding hills. We have an elegant lunch today consisting perhaps of duck with fresh herbs, in the garden of an exquisite "auberge" in the village of Colias before continuing on to the Roman Aqueduct known as the Pont du Gard. One of the wonders of ancient times, this aqueduct dates from the 1st century B.C., and once carried water 60 kms from Uzes to Nimes.
The Hotel Marie D'Agoult is a resplendently renovated 18th century chateau, and our home for our final two nights. A special treat awaits us at a nearby café for dinner as we mingle with the locals once more and share hearty plates of simply prepared grilled fare.
Day Six – Uzes; Chateau Hotel Marie d’Agoult
The ruined towers of medieval Uzes serve as our beacon this morning as we slowly approach this bustling village. Lush trees and wide arcades comfortably shade the streets and squares of Uzes. Within the maze of streets and alleys, every type of artisan and vendor can be found. Uzes is the perfect spot to relax with a cafe au lait or perhaps a refreshing glass of chilled rose. For lunch we will sample the traditional “gallette”, a wheat crepe filled with ham, cheese and egg or mushrooms, and chocolate and bananas or sweet cream for dessert.
Afterwards, we follow a path down from the city’s park to the meandering Alzon River whose clear waters were so prized by the Romans that they built the entire aqueduct system of the Pont du Gard in order to bring these waters to Uzes. Believe it or not, our final meal together is a Moroccan feast in a private garden nearby. France has always embraced many cultures and chicken with lemon and cous cous will happily evidence this.
Day Seven – Departure from Avignon
This morning, we transfer by private coach to Avignon for our departure. Avignon has excellent road and rail connections. Should you need to make train reservations or rent a car for your further journey, your guides will gladly assist you.
We Look Forward To Seeing You In Joucas!
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