Private airport or TGV transfer

Met on arrival at Marseilles Airport or Avignon TGV station and transferred to Avignon by private vehicle.

Check-in at Hotel La Mirande

Six nights at one of Provence's most celebrated five-star hotels, in the heart of Avignon's walled city, minutes from the Palais des Papes.

Welcome chef's table dinner

Guests sit around a great wooden table in the hotel's 19th-century kitchen, where the chef prepares the evening meal on an antique wood-fired stove. The menu is chosen each morning according to the day's market produce — an intimate and entirely Provençal beginning to the journey.

Gigondas vineyard visit

Morning in the vineyards of Gigondas, where the guide explores the influence of terroir on the wines, followed by a cellar tasting at a leading producer.

Wine-tasting lunch

Lunch at an excellent local restaurant or estate, with wine.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape — estate visits and tastings

Afternoon in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, touring the scenic vineyards and cellars of one or two leading estates. The guide explains how the famously diverse terroir — from round galets roulés to clay and limestone — and the blend of up to 18 permitted grape varieties define one of France's greatest appellations.

Gigondas and Vacqueyras appellations

Gigondas produces powerful Grenache-led reds and rosés; Vacqueyras is led by Grenache and Mourvèdre, producing reds that age exceptionally well for five to seven years or more.

Beaumes de Venise

A brief stop to discover this appellation, known both for its rich Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and its excellent red wines.

Lunch at leisure

Light lunch en route.

Gordes

A designated 'Most Beautiful Village in France', Gordes perches dramatically on the edge of a plateau rising to the Vaucluse mountains. Its grey-stone houses spiral around a rocky outcrop; the cobbled streets are lined with galleries, restaurants, and a magnificent Renaissance château.

Tavel — vineyards and estate visit

Tavel is France's most famous rosé-only appellation, producing structured, Grenache-based wines by the saignée method. Unlike most rosés, the best Tavels age well. A visit to the vineyards and cellars of a premier estate such as Domaine Maby, with tastings of both Tavel and Lirac wines.

Lunch at leisure

Time to relax and eat well in or around Tavel.

Lirac estate visit

An afternoon visit to a Lirac estate — an appellation producing excellent reds, whites, and rosés from Grenache and Mourvèdre blends.

Pont du Gard

One of the best-preserved Roman aqueducts in the world, rising to 48 metres across three tiers of arches. A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most extraordinary engineering achievements of antiquity.

Morning at leisure in Avignon

Time to explore the walled city — the Palais des Papes, the Pont d'Avignon, the morning markets, and the excellent local food shops — at your own pace.

Les Baux de Provence

A remarkable hilltop village of ancient stone rising from the limestone plateau. The surrounding appellation produces exceptional Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre blends, with over 85% of production farmed organically or biodynamically.

Carrières de Lumières

Extraordinary former limestone quarries — carved by hand since Roman times — that now host spectacular immersive art and music exhibitions projected across the stone walls and ceilings.

Estate tasting — Les Baux de Provence AOC

A tasting at a nearby estate in this AOC, promoted to Appellation status in 1995 and working toward becoming France's first officially organic appellation.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate visits

Tastings at two to three estates, combining preferred producers with guide recommendations. An unhurried opportunity to go deeper into this extraordinary appellation — exploring different terroirs, producers, and vintages.

Farewell lunch with wine

A celebratory lunch with wine, marking the final full day of the journey.

Breakfast and check-out

Final breakfast at Hotel La Mirande. Onward travel is independent — private transfers can be arranged on request.