Classic Provence Highlights

Trip Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active holiday.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | You will spend multiple nights in one or more of the locations on this walking holiday

Grade & Terrain

This tour has an easy to moderate grading. The trails are a combination of dirt or wooded trails, gravel tracks and tarmac country roads. This tour is suitable for walkers with good physical fitness. There are some rolling hills and while in the Petite Luberon range some fairly significant elevation gains and losses.  It is also pertinent to note that the terrain in Provence is fairly rugged and quite rocky at times, you will need to be sure-footed in order to negotiate the terrain. Water refill points may not be readily available throughout the day of walking, so you should fill up at your overnight locations before setting off each day. 

Navigation

The tried and tested detailed routes notes and maps are easy to follow during your self-guided adventure and we also supply GPX tracks via our easy to use Macs Adventure Navigation App.

• 4 Nights accommodation in hand-picked hotels, B&B’s and chambres d’hotes
• 4 Breakfasts
• Luggage transfers
• Transfer from Roussillon to Apt
• Detailed information pack, route notes and IGN maps
• 24/7 telephone support from our UK office

• Travel insurance (required)
• Travel to & from Apt
• Lunches & Dinners
• Drinks and snacks
• Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
• Personal equipment

• Additional nights
• Taxi transfer from Apt to Avignon or Aix-en-Provence

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day of the week from the beginning of April to the end of October. The best time of year to walk in the Provence and the Luberon is the Spring and Autumn/Fall. In the spring the wild flowers will be blooming and in the Autumn/Fall it is quieter with lovely autumnal colours, whilst still being warm and sunny in the day time. Provence boasts over 300 days of sunshine per year. The summer months of July and August are very hot. We do not advise choosing this holiday during this time unless you are accustomed to intense heat. iI must be noted that if you choose to walk in July and August there may be fire restrictions set in place by local authorities, in which case you will need to find an alternate walk or not walk at all that day. Also please note that lavender is usually in bloom from mid-June to August.

Local Markets

Apt—Saturday

Bonnieux—Friday

Lacoste—Tuesday

Goult—Thursday

Roussillon—Thursday

These local markets are usually open in the mornings and finish around lunchtime (12-1pm)

Getting to the Start

Getting to and from Apt

There are a number of different options available in order to get to Apt. If you want to fly, the closest airport is Marselles-Provence Airport. From the airport you can take a bus/train to Apt, via either  Cavaillon or Aix-en-Provence. The journey takes anywhere between 2 and 3 hours, depending on your route. For more information on local bus/train timetables please visit Lignes Express Régionale or SNCF.

Alternately you can arrive by train into Avignon. It is possible to take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Gare du Nord - Paris, then take the TVG train to Avignon (approx 7 hrs),or fly into any of the Paris Airports and take a train south to Avignin from here (a journey of just over 3 hours). From the Avignon TGV Station you can take a bus (takes approx. 1H15) directly to Apt. Again you can check out times and schedules on the Lignes Express Régionale website.

Macs Adventure can also arrange private transfers to and from Apt to local airports/train stations. Please contact your Destination & Adventure Specialist for details.

Getting from the End

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.