The Provence tour

Spectacular Gordes

Provence, deriving is name from the Roman Provincia Gallia, is the region between the Côte d’Azur and the Rhone delta, stretching inland to the foothills of the Alps in the East and to the plateau of the Ardèche in the West.It has been said that Provence is more a state of mind than a distinct geographical area — the olive trees, fields of lavender and sunflowers, and the sunshine give a mediterranean feeling.

“My girlfriend and I recently took part in the Tour de Provence (Villages du Luberon) in June and we loved it! We found that there was a nice balance between cycling, eating and the cultural/local aspect.”
Frank, England

The landscape is wonderfully varied, from the rugged hinterland with terraced vineyards, to the mini-mountain range of the Alpilles near Arles, to the flat marshes of the Camargue where the Rhone flows to the sea. And everywhere there is the evidence of the area’s Roman past, with some of the best preserved examples of Roman building anywhere.

Swooping down from a hilltop village along a quiet country road

The unique quality of the light in Provence has attracted artists for the last two centuries, notably Van Gogh and Gauguin who lived in Arles and Cézanne who immortalised the area with his many studies of Mont Ste-Victoire.

The cuisine of the region is as distinctive as the light, with emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, seafood and the herbs de provence — rosemary, thyme, lavender — which grow wild on the hillsides. Wines there are too, for example roses from Bandol and Mont Ventoux, and reds from Nimes in the west, but above all, grands crus like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas in the Rhone Valley above Avignon.

Enjoying another great meal

We have two exciting tours in Provence.

The Roman Heritage tour follows in the traces of the civilisation that gave the region its name. You will discover hidden treasures in Arles, Orange, Nîmes, Uzès, at the Pont du Gard and in Avignon, and taste liquid treasure in the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The landscapes shift from the green fruit-growing pastures of the Rhone valley to the dry garrigue of the inland hills to the pan-flat expanses of marshland that make up the Camargue National Park.

The Villages of the Luberon tour takes in the Provence made famous in Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence , with its lavender farms and olive groves, visiting charming villages with bustling markets overlooked by apricot-coloured houses with pastel blue shutters. Menerbes, Gordes, Roussillon with its ochre cliffs, Vaison-la-Romaine dominated by the Roman bridge - each of these will entrance you, as will the earthly delights of the wineries of Gigondas and Beaumes-de-Venise.

The terrain here can be challenging for cyclists because of the topography, although none of the hills are too daunting, and anybody of reasonable fitness will be able to manage the routes comfortably.

The Roman Heritage tour

The Villages of the Luberon tour

Overview of our tours

The Provence tour

2008 Tour Dates

Fitness Levels

Tour Highlights

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