Provence Wine Tour

Your private chauffeur and luxury Mercedes will collect you in Nice this morning. Just a short 20 minute drive to your first private wine tour and tasting at the captivating Château de Bellet. It was built around the stunning family Chapel, which draws much-deserved attention to itself, with its elegant white stone from La Turbie. Its beauty and location alone, continuing to attract royalty and celebrities as it has done for many years. This is before even mentioning their truly spectacular wines. After a private tour of the beautiful grounds, vines and installations, you will sample and savor the sumptuous wines. read more

After a relaxing breakfast looking out to the immaculate olive tree-lined vineyards, you will visit the onsite winery. Taste their finest, including reds and whites, as well as the renowned rosé, shortly followed by another few sips at nearby Domaine Rabiega. Here you will experience some of the best examples of Provençal reds, real finesse in a bottle. Your VIP visit will include a stroll around the stunning grounds, a more homely experience in contrast to the opulent Chateaux, which is precisely what Swedish owner Yves Tanchou aimed to achieve – the true Provençal experience. read more

A change of air today, as you will drive a little over an hour west to charmingly beautiful Aix en Provence. You will be totally immersed in the Provence way of life in the hands of your dynamic host and chef, Gilles. Your Provence Gourmet Day experience will start in the market where you will love selecting the best seasonal ingredients for today’s menu. En route to Gille’s fabulous 12-acre property, he will introduce you to his favorite local Château and cheese farm, picking up some essentials for your feast. Once back at the estate and having toured the beautiful home, gardens and “Garigue”, you will set to work to prepare your own typical family cooked lunch, with Gille’s guidance, of course. Then sit back and enjoy your efforts in style with your gregarious host. read more

Today is a sightseeing and photography day, so don’t forget the camera! In addition to the spectacular countryside and vineyards that you can appreciate right across Provence, the dreamy Luberon region homes the dramatic “perched” hill-top villages and breathtakingly beautiful Gordes is top of the “must-see” list. Striking to admire from a distance and as equally fascinating to explore from within, with its meandering cobblestoned alleyways brimming with cafés and art galleries as well as the dramatic castle and church that dominate the views. Then on to Notre-Dame de Senanque Abbey, still a Cistercian monastery, dating from 1148, you can, however, visit the grounds, and it is here that the quintessential lavender photo is taken. read more

Incredibly despite the vast quantities of olive trees found, especially in this part of the country, France is not one of the seven countries responsible for 90% of the world’s olive oil production. This is not to say the quality is lesser, in fact, quite the contrary. Connoisseurs describe the Provençal olive oils in the same way they do fine wine, these olive oils are more a luxury product these days, with Spanish and Italian being used for everyday consumption. This morning you will have the opportunity to decide for yourself at Moulin de Calanquet. A family-run estate, now in its fifth generation, produces a fabulous range of oils. It is then just a 20-minute drive to the glorious Château Romanin, applying biodynamic viticultural practices and boasting an optimum microclimate, as you will discover for yourself the finished products are fantastic examples of what can be achieved organically and show great finesse. read more

This morning enjoy a little stroll around the tiny hamlet of Les Baux de Provence and then on to Avignon. Here you will have a private guided walking tour taking in the best of this fascinating, heritage-rich city. Highlights include Popes Place, the city gardens, and medieval city walls, finishing with a glass of wine looking out to the Pont d’Avignon. A delightful lunch on the very charming terrace at La Mirande is up next and you can look forward to such tantalizing treats as “Cream of small pumpkin, flavored with citronella and marinated mullet” or “Caramelized sweetbreads with quetsch plum sauce”. read more

Today will be very much a sightseeing day, so after a leisurely breakfast, your chauffeur will drive you a short 25 minutes to nearby Arles. UNESCO listed in1981 it has some remarkable Roman monuments including the amphitheater, baths, and remains of the Roman circus. However it wasn’t just the Romans who left their mark here, the Renaissance period was very fruitful here and many of the stunning public buildings of today were erected in that time. Arles was also an inspiration for Vincent Van Gogh to whom there are many tributes around the city. Lunch will follow at La Chassagnette, a fascinating concept having its own kitchen garden just a few meters away from the kitchen door, where most of the vegetables and fruits are organically grown and picked at optimum ripeness moments before being served. Head Chef Armand Arnal has no set menu and his daily creations are inspired by the day’s harvest, truly inspirational. read more

After a last breakfast at your supremely romantic hotel, carry on to your next port of call (Marseille or Nice airport). Bon voyage!read more