Cooking Vacations in Provence: A Gastronomic Holiday in Aix

Order of activities is subject to change based on your tour’s start day. 

• Private transfer from Aix TGV station to Aix city center.
• Check in to your hotel.
• Meet your guide at your hotel and enjoy a private 3-hour private walking tour of Aix. Learn about this fabulous city, the ‘city of a thousand fountains,’ including its history (it was once the capital of Provence), its importance in the art world (it was the birthplace of Paul Cézanne), and its culture as a town known for its vibrant outdoor markets, its stylish pedestrian streets and plazas, and its Provençal lifestyle.
• Time to relax after your tour, and enjoy dinner on your own.
• Overnight.

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• This morning meet your chef in the center of Aix for a shared trip to the weekly open air market and sample regional products such as olives, calissons, cheese, and fruit. Then it is off to her cooking atelier, where you will enjoy a cooking class followed by lunch (drinks included).
• In the afternoon, time to explore Aix on your own.
• Dinner on your own and overnight.

• Breakfast.
• Today enjoy a shared (max 8 people) morning wine tour in the Cezanne countryside. You will enjoy stunning views before going on to learn lots about the provencal wines, grape varieties, and terroir… and of course tasting them! The Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire vineyards are located East from the city of Aix-en-Provence, at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire Mountain which was a source of inspiration for the famous painter Cézanne from 1880 to 1883. Sample the tasty, full-bodied red wines and subtle and elegant rosés. Wine–tastings included in 2 wine properties of the appellation.
• Enjoy a gastronomic dinner tonight (drinks not included, paid locally based on your selections).
• Overnight.

• Breakfast.
• Meet your driver and transfer for your cooking lesson in Avignon. Meet your English-speaking Chef at the covered market LES HALLES to discover the local products of Avignon. You will choose the ingredients you need for your Provencal lunch! Walk with him to his atelier, where you will prepare and cook the meal with the Chef.
• Then, start your guided walking tour of Avignon and get ready to see the best sites in the city! Climb to the top of the fortified medieval city walls to reach the “Rocher des Doms” garden and gaze upon the city as it stretches out along the Rhône River. Discover the historical past of Avignon where the papacy was established in the early 14th century.
• Next, visit the Papal Palace for a guided tour (entrance ticket included). Explore the largest gothic-style palace in Europe and begin to imagine the luxurious way of life enjoyed there in the medieval period. Enjoy interesting stories and anecdotes from your local guide as you go.
• After the Popes’ Palace you’ll walk through the cobbled streets of Avignon to the Place de l’Horloge where you will uncover the secrets of its painted windows. See the town hall topped with its clock tower, and the theatre.
• Transfer back to the hotel in Aix. Dinner on your own.

It is also possible to substitute today’s shared tour with a private excursion to Sormiou, including a bouillabaisse lunch. Please inquire for pricing. 

• Breakfast.
• Meet your English-speaking guide in the center of Aix for a shared full-day tour (max 8 people). Your first stop of the day is to Saint Rémy de Provence. Enjoy some free time in this picturesque town. (If you are there on a Wednesday, you can also visit the weekly market.)
• Next, your guide will take you for a photo stop at the Roman monuments and Van Gogh’s hospital where the painter was interned from 1889 to 1890. You can purchase a ticket to see a recreation of Van Gogh’s bedroom in Saint-Paul de Mausole (ticket not included).
• Leaving Saint Remy de Provence behind, it’s time to continue on to the exceptional village of Les Baux de Provence. This village has remained true to its medieval past. Walk through its narrow streets, explore the shops and see the imposing ruins of its castle. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the exceptional scenery that amazes all the visitors. Possibility to attend the show at Les Carrières de Lumières, an old quarry that has been turned into a unique immersive museum (ticket not included).
• Continue your tour of Provence with a visit to Arles where you will walk in the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh! Follow your guide on a tour of the city and discover the places where he created his most famous paintings dating back to 1888-1889.
• Arles is also famous worldwide for its architectural heritage: the Roman amphitheatre and theatre, and the magnificent Romanesque Saint Trophime church (entrance fees not included, paid on the spot if you wish to enter). On Saturdays the market is on in Arles – so you may have free time to explore its colorful stalls!
• You will return to Aix-en-Provence around 5:30 pm with a true appreciation of the sites of Saint Remy de Provence, Les Baux de Provence and Arles.
• Dinner on your own and overnight.

• Breakfast, and checkout from the hotel.
• For lunch, enjoy a cheese and wine pairing within walking distance of the hotel – a quintessential Provencal experience!
• Transfer to Aix TGV station in the afternoon.