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Self-Guided Walking : Europe
France: Provence & St. Rémy
Easy to Moderate Terrain: 4-10 Miles Daily
The essential Provence unfolds at your feet on this self-guided itinerary where open ridge walks along the Alpilles and Lubéron mountain ranges provide sweeping views over the southern French landscape. The route takes you to picturesque hilltop villages—Gordes, Bonnieux—and through countryside straight out of Van Gogh’s paintings. In fact, you walk in his footsteps in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, stopping in the exact spots where he painted. Trails gently descend through olive and almond groves to quaint medieval villages like Lourmarin, a town shaded by ancient trees and full of colorful markets, fountains, and narrow cobbled lanes. Accommodations offer signature Provençal hospitality and style, as well as the true Mediterranean flavors of fresh local cuisine and fine wine. Each season offers different highlights: from cool nights and mild walking weather in the spring to street festivals in early summer to bountiful harvest markets in the fall, there’s always something new to enjoy in Provence.
Tour Highlights:
- Follow the ridgeline of the windswept Alpilles on a walk with awe-inspiring 360-degree views before stopping in the medieval village of Les Baux-de-Provence for lunch.
- Stay in charming local accommodations, like Hotel Sous les Figuieres, whose owner, affectionately known as “Kups,” is always happy to chat.
- Meet locals while browsing the stalls of open air markets in quaint towns like St. Rémy or Lourmarin.
- Gain a deeper appreciation for the work of Van Gogh as you follow in his footsteps on a path that takes you to where some of his most iconic paintings were created.
Tour Only
7 days, 6 nights
FROM $2,698 USD
per person, double occupancy
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OR Call to Book 800.234.6900
Why Walk With Us
- Choose from 18 handcrafted Self-Guided Walking itineraries for 2018
- Trust our expertise with 39 years in active travel.
- 24/7 support from a local representative.
- Generous inclusions: luggage transfers, all breakfasts, some lunches and dinners.
- Your departure is always guaranteed.
- Detailed maps and easy-to-follow route notes ensure that you’ll easily find your way.
- Past guests and referrals always save.
Itinerary & Accommodations
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Day 1
Arrival in Avignon & Transfer to St. Rémy
Transfer from Avignon to the classic southern French town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Before dinner, relax in the shade of fig trees with an apéritif of chilled pastis (the local anise-flavored liqueur).
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Day 2
Van Gogh loop
Enjoy a morning walk on the Van Gogh trail, a path punctuated with reproductions of the artist’s paintings, facing the very scenes that inspired them. Afterwards, climb slopes carpeted with aromatic herbs and wildflowers to the crest of the Alpilles Mountains, where you’ll enjoy far-reaching views and a picnic lunch. Back in Saint Rémy, spend a leisurely afternoon exploring the Roman ruins of Glanum or the former monastery where Van Gogh spent his final year.
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Day 3
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to Les Baux-de-Provence
Climb along a different path to the top of the windswept Alpilles. An undulating trail follows the ridge, affording awe-inspiring 360-degree views as you approach the medieval village of Les Baux de-Provence. After lunch, transfer to Gordes—one of France’s most beautiful villages.
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Day 4
Abbey de Sénanque loop
The paths around Gordes are lined with old stone walls, lone farmhouses, and bories—centuries-old round shepherd’s huts. Today’s walk leads to magnificent Sénanque Abbey, a 12th-century Cistercian site surrounded by lavender fields. After a picnic lunch, return to your hotel for a refreshing swim.
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Day 5
Goult or Lacoste to Bonnieux
Walk through the cherry orchards, vineyards, and truffle oak plantations of the Calavon Valley to the medieval village of Bonnieux. This afternoon, transfer to your boutique hotel in Lourmarin, renowned as one of France’s most beautiful villages for its maze of cobblestone streets and centuries-old buildings.
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Day 6
Lourmarin loop via Cadenet
Today’s walk follows paths scented with wild thyme and rosemary, ambling through picturesque, vine-laden countryside bathed in sunlight and backed by bare limestone outcroppings. Pause for lunch in sleepy Cadenet, savoring the village’s authentic Provençal atmosphere before returning to relax at your hotel.
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Day 7
Departure from Avignon
Transfer back to Avignon after breakfast.
Dates & Prices
This tour is available daily, on request, from April 1 through June 26 and September 1 through November 15, 2018. Please note that the tiered tour price is based on a guarantee of a specified number of guests—should your group decrease in size, we reserve the right to alter the per person price if necessary as reflected in the Tour Price table. Please also note that the tour price includes one arrival transfer from Avignon to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence on Day 1 of the tour and one departure transfer from Lourmarin to Avignon on Day 7 of the tour. If traveling in a group of two or more with separate arrival and/or departure times, additional charges will apply for multiple transfers.
All prices are per person, based on double occupancy.
Make it to market: If you time your trip properly, you can browse stalls of farm-fresh produce, deliciously cured meats, and ever-so-colorful printed fabrics at an outdoor market in towns like Saint Rémy, Gordes, or Lourmarin. It’s a delicious way to find lunch—and maybe a memento to enjoy once you return home. Download our full itinerary for more details on the weekly markets you can experience on this tour.
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