We noticed that you are based in the United States - click here to visit our USA website. US 

Last chance availability on popular trips: Browse here

 

Classic Provence in Style

7 Days & 6 Nights 4.5 Read 4 reviews
  • Relax in handpicked boutique hotels
  • Perched villages, vineyards, orchards and lavender fields
  • Walk in the heart of the Provence
  • “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”, Gordes and Roussillon
  • Indulge in gourmet food and local wines
Stay in hand-picked and refined accommodation in stunning locations, experience gourmet dining at a Michelin star restaurant and follow trails through classic Provence landscapes. Boasting over 300 days a year of sunshine, the natural light of Provence has inspired many artists including Cézanne and Van Gogh. It is also certain to inspire you as you enjoy this walk from inn to inn through timeless Provence. Discover the French ritual of a local market, indulge in this region’s fabled food and wine, and explore sun-drenched vineyards and ancient olive groves.

What To Expect

Classic Provence walking from village to village, exploring the picturesque Luberon. Hand-picked boutique, 4* and 5* hotels, fine food and wine, and a carefully planned itinerary make this a wonderful choice for walking in Provence.

Trip Type:

In Style | After a day of exciting adventures and soaking up unbeatable scenery, retreat to stylish accommodations and unwind with fine food and wine. This trip type is for those who like sophisticated places to stay and are looking for active routes but still want the holiday to feel special.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Accessible by Rail

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 12 Years

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 reasonable physical fitness.

There are some rolling hills and, while in the Petit 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. Walking poles might be useful, particularly for the descents.

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

Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple and you cannot get lost.

You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Accommodation Information

On this tour you will stay in charming, characterful and hand-picked 4* and 5* hotels. These lodgings are truly special places and one of the highlights of this tour.

Alternate Accommodation

We will always try to accommodate you at the hotels and guesthouses listed. However, our In Style tours take you to unique properties, which often have a limited number of rooms. If those listed are unavailable, alternative accommodation of the same or better standard than those described will be provided where possible (in some cases, these alternatives may be in a different town) If no alternatives are available, it might be necessary to consider different dates. 

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you. Please note that a single room supplement is payable. A solo supplement is not available as it is it cost-prohibitive. Therefore, unless you are willing to pay substantially more to do this tour by yourself, it is not available to solo walkers.

Meals

A continental or buffet breakfast is included each morning. Lunch is not included. On most days you will be walking through small villages with cafes, restaurants and a shop or two, so you will be able to buy lunch en route. However on some of the walking days it will be essential to take a packed lunch as there are no cafes or restaurants en route.

2 Dinners are included on nights 2 and 4 at your hotel. On the nights when dinner is not included you will be able to try some excellent local cuisine in nearby local restaurants (recommendations will be in your information pack) or you can dine at your accommodation if they have a restaurant. Dinner on day 2 is at a Michelin star restaurant on the premises of your hotel.

Included
  • 6 Nights accommodation in hand-picked boutique, 4* and 5* hotels
  • 6 Breakfasts
  • 2 Dinners on Nights 2 & 4
  • Luggage transfers
  • Transfer on Day 1 to Bonnieux
  • Transfer on Day 5 to L'Isle sur la Sorgue
  • Detailed information pack, route notes and IGN maps
  • 24/7 telephone support from our UK office
Excluded
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Travel to Apt
  • Travel from L'Isle sur la Sorgue
  • Lunches & 4 Dinners
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
  • Personal equipment
Extras
  • Additional nights
  • Private transfers

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. It 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

Isle sur Sorgue - Thursday and Sunday

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

Getting to the Start

There are a number of different options available in order to get to Apt. If you want to fly, the closest airport is Marseille-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. 7hrs), or fly into any of the Paris Airports and take a train south to Avignon 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

From L’Isle Sur la Sorgue you can take a train to Avignon TGV Station (every hour and a 33-minute ride) and from here take a train to Paris (approx. 3.5hrs), and fly out of any of the Paris Airports. You can also take a local bus to Avignon. There are a few bus companies that operate this service, such as Lignes Express Régional. For more information on trains, you can visit the SNCF website.

There are buses from L'Isle Sur La Sorgue to Marseille airport; information and tinetables can be found here https://zou.maregionsud.fr/ 

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

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.

General Information

The distances and descents / ascents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necesssary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/ cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

How far in advance do I need to book?
How fit do I need to be?
How do the baggage transfers work?
What equipment do I need?
What happens if I cant walk a stage?

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Bonnieux and overnight Day 2 Free day or Petit Luberon “Forêt des Cèdres” loop walk 7.5 miles / 12 km Day 3 Walk to Gordes via Joucas 7.5 miles / 12 km Day 4 Free Day or Gordes Loop 6 miles / 9 km Day 5 Walk to Fontaine de Vaucluse via the Abbey de Sénanque 10 miles / 16 km Day 6 Free day in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue 1.8 miles / 3 km Day 7 Onward Travel

Blog Articles

You May Also Like

  • In Style
    Type In Style
    7 Days 6 Nights
    Chianti In Style
    Walk Tuscan wine trails through timeless landscapes, staying in special accommodation.
    Highlights
    • Stay in exceptional hotels and walk in Chianti
    • Wine tasting and Michelin star dinner
    • Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
    Grade
    Comfort
    From £2,295.00
  • In Style
    Type In Style
    8 Days 7 Nights
    Cornwall In Style
    See the best of Cornwall's Coast In Style and dine at the Rick Stein iconic seafood restaurants.
    Highlights
    • Colourful Cornish fishing villages
    • Stand at the tip of dramatic Trevose Head
    • Charlestown Harbour of TV Drama Poldark's Fame
    Grade
    Comfort
    From £2,495.00
  • In Style
    Type In Style
    8 Days 7 Nights
    Walking in Burgundy in Style
    Explore the best of Burgundy on foot, staying in beautiful accommodation throughout
    Highlights
    • Stay in 4* hotels, guesthouses and Châteaux
    • Explore the medieval cities of Dijon and Beaune
    • Immerse yourself in Burgundy's wine culture
    Grade
    Comfort
    From £1,800.00

The Macs Adventure Way

  • Tried & Tested Adventures Tried & Tested Adventures
  • Freedom Freedom
  • Book With Confidence Book With Confidence
  • Expertise Expertise
  • Positive Impact Positive Impact
Built with our knowledge and expertise, to suit you.
  • Knowledgeable and helpful friendly specialist adventure planners
  • Wide variety of trips to suit all interests and experience levels
  • Start on any date that suits you
  • Choose your ideal trip length and difficulty
  • Range of accommodation options
  • Choice of trip styles
Authentic adventure travel experiences on your own terms.
  • Choose your own travel companions
  • Walk, cycle and explore at your own pace
  • Make your own decisions
  • Choose your own path
  • Indulge your passions
Feel secure in making the right choice for your precious adventure time.
  • 18,000+ unbiased trip & service reviews
  • Feefo Platinum Award 2023
  • As featured in the Guardian, National Geographic Traveller, and more
  • Founder owned & operated since 2003
  • Passionate team members based in the US, the UK & Europe
  • 100% Financial Protection
You can be confident that every detail of your holiday has been expertly planned.
  • Meticulously planned adventures
  • Quality, hand-picked accommodation
  • Seamless and reliable arrangements
  • Comprehensive trip information & insider tips
  • Detailed maps, route notes and mobile GPS app
  • Helpful 24/7 support should you need it
Travel the right way, and make a positive impact.
  • Travel responsibly
  • Explore off the beaten track
  • Support locally owned businesses
  • Engage with local communities
  • Minimise your impact
  • Maximise the benefit of your travel
  • Challenge yourself & grow
Currency:
£ - GBP - Pound
Country/Region name:
UKUK