Aix-en-Provence

Nature & Adventure

Get the full South of France experience with this half-day, small-group wine tour to two wineries in the Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire wine region.  This half-day tour from Aix-en-Provence to the Sainte-Victoire mountain wine-producing area will begin with a trip through the stunning landscape. A majestic mountain and lush vineyards serve as the perfect backdrop to the experience.  A wine region that extends over more than 47,000 acres, the Côtes de Provence AOC is the majority producer of Provence wines. Once you have reached the Côtes de Provence wine region, visit and taste local wines in two carefully selected, family-owned wineries.  Go on a fascinating journey through the history of each estate, with a focus on the wine-making process. After a visit to the technical installations to better understand how the wines are made, you'll then taste the excellent wines. 

Drive through the valley of the Durance River and discover the Plateau of Valensole specializing in the cultivation of lavandin, where small roads wind through the fields of flowers. Many stops will be included by the fields in bloom. Stop at a farmer/ producer's place with lavender and lavandin essential oils, olive oil and lavender honey. Stop in the perched village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, so famous for its earthen ware workshops (free time for visit and lunch not included). In the afternoon, continue to the breathtaking opening of the Grand Canyon of the River Verdon. Stop in the lavender fields for a photo. Have free time in the picturesque village of Sainte Croix du Verdon settled by Sainte Croix Lake (possibility of swimming or sunbathing) before going back to Aix-en-Provence.

Visit the most beautiful medieval hilltop villages in the southern Luberon. Discover the charms of Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Roussillon, and Gordes on a 6-hour tour. Stop in Lourmarin for some free time, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful villages in France, and noted for its Renaissance castle.Take a photo in Bonnieux, a picture-perfect Provençal village that features a 12th-century church surrounded by ancient cedars. Continue to Roussillon via the Roman-era Pont Julien. Roussillon, perched atop an ochre-colored cliff, is a favorite of painters, and a magical place where combinations of oxides give the ochre an infinite variety of colors. Gordes offers an extraordinary vision of a stone village erected on a massive rock. Its fortress castle and church dominate the houses of the village, which were built with stones taken from the rock on which they sit.

Explore the charming Cassis and its seaside port on this full-day guided tour. Enjoy a boat ride, awe-inspiring scenery, a visit to a local winery to taste Provence rosé, red, and white wines, and more. Meet your guide in Aix-en-Provence to journey to the seaside port of Cassis. Discover this inviting portside village and the Calanques, listed by UNESCO as a world heritage national park. Follow your guide on a walking tour of the village, stroll through the narrow streets of Cassis, and browse the small shops and stores that sell local Provence goods. The tour continues with a panoramic boat ride to the Calanques, located near Cassis. From the small port, reach the Calanques National Park that stretches from Marseille to Cassis, and admire the beautiful coves of the steep rocky coast. After the boat ride, enjoy some free time for exploring Cassis and have lunch (own expense). No tour to Cassis is complete without a drive along the Route des Crêtes. As you leave Cassis, head up towards the highest sea cliff in Europe, Cap Canaille. Your guide will stop in one of the many areas for taking in the views over the village and the surrounding Mediterranean Sea. After the drive to Cap Canaille, enjoy a wine tasting session in the Côtes de Provence – Sainte Victoire. This terroir is ideal for the production of elegant rosé wines and robust and generous red wines. Take in the gorgeous view with the Montagne Sainte Victoire in the back and limestone plateaus, often planted with olive trees. Learn about the winery and its winemaking process. Depending on the winery visited, continue your tasting with reds or whites. After the wine tasting session, you will be dropped off in the city center of Aix-en-Provence.

Travel from Aix-en-Provence to Luberon valley on a full-day tour of the area's charming and unique villages. First make your way to L'Isle sur la Sorgue, and wander through the open-air provencal market, and along the canals, taking time to stop in the various antique shops. Then enjoy lunch on your own in the exceptional hilltop village of Gordes. Afterward (from mid-June to mid-July only) stop for photos of the blooming lavender fields at Senanque Abbey. Continue to the colorful village of Roussillon and its ochre cliffs. Stop for a photo in Bonnieux and on the way admire the Pont Julien, a Roman bridge. Make your way back through the picturesque and winding Combe of Lourmarin. Stop in Lourmarin, one of the most beautiful villages in France, famous for its Renaissance castle. Here you can enjoy some free time before returning to Aix-en-Provence.

The tour starts and finishes at the shop in Aix-en-Provence where you will be set up with a Scott Electric mountain bike and helmet. The first few kilometres to get to the mountain are on paved roads and then the route follows different off-road trails. There are various viewpoints to stop at and appreciate the magnificence of the mountain, take videos, photos and have a snack. An E-Bike is a great way to explore the trails and makes the mountain accessible to people of all ages and riding capabilities. The electric mountain bike makes it easy to ride up steep hills and you'll be able to ride areas that you never thought possible. Each route is chosen depending on the skill level of the group.

Spend the day among the purple-blue sea of the lavender fields of Provence, which bloom stunning shades of lilac and mauve from June through August. Start your day in the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence, fondly known as the “city of art and water.” Located approximately 19 miles (30 kilometers) from Marseille, Aix dates back to Roman times and has a wide promenade called the “Cours Mirabeau” that is lined with plane trees. Discover the cafés that were once frequented by Cezanne, Camus, and Zola. Go to one of the numerous markets that take place in the city center every day, and admire the shimmering palette of fragrances and colors. After some free time for lunch on your own, continue along the picturesque roads lined with golden wheat and blue lavender fields. Your driver will stop for plenty of photo opportunties en route to Valensole, with free time to explore this traditional Provencal village on arrival. They will also give useful information about the uses of lavender essential oil, and the lavender crop in Provence in general.

Depart from Aix-en-Provence and drive along the scenic, countryside roads passing the colorful lavender fields on the Plateau of Valensole. Enjoy plenty of stops to take photos and soak up the breathtaking sights and scents of the 'Blue Gold of Provence'.  Later, stop at a farmer/producer's place and learn everything about the cultivation, distillation, and the properties of pure lavender and lavadin (a hybrid plant). Finally, take the opportunity to purchase the essential oil, olive oil, lavender honey directly from them.

Depart from Aix-en-Provence, drive along the scenic roads winding across the fields of flowers. Arrive on the wide Plateau of Valensole with its 800 square meters plateau, it specializes in the cultivation of lavandin, a hybrid lavender plant as well as cereals. It's nicknamed 'The Granary of the Region.' You will have many photo stops by the lavender fields in bloom and enjoy the breathtaking sights and scents. Stop at a farmer/ producer's place and learn everything about the cultivation, distillation and the properties of pure lavender and lavandin.  Have an opportunity to purchase pure lavender and lavandin essential oils, olive oil and lavender honey directly from them.

Enjoy a scenic full-day tour of the picturesque Verdon Canyon, departing from Aix-en-Provence by air-conditioned minibus. Meet your guide at the Tourist Information Center of Aix, and set off on a lovely drive through the dramatic splendor of the Grand Canyon du Verdon. Stop en route at Manosque for a guided tour of the L' Occitane factory, famous for its cosmetics using local flowers and plants. Cross the Valensole plateau, which is especially spectacular when the lavender fields are in full bloom (mid June to mid July). Head to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, famous for its earthenware workshops, and enjoy some free time for lunch on your own. Continue to the Verdon Gorges of the Verdon River for breathtaking views of the lake of Sainte-Croix. Stop for some free time on the beach before driving back to Aix-en-Provence via the enchanting village of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon.