Best of Provence in Three Days Tour

Provence deserves more than a day, and this is the three-day version done right: based in Avignon with two nights and breakfasts, the Pope’s Palace and a welcome dinner on arrival, the region’s greatest hits — Roussillon, Gordes, Pont du Gard, Les Baux — in one full guided day, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s cellars before the train home. A few hours from Paris, a different France entirely.

The Facts

Day One — Avignon

The morning TGV from Paris puts you in Avignon early afternoon, where your driver meets the train and transfers you to your hotel in the old city. The afternoon is yours — and the admissions in your pocket are the Palais des Papes, the fortress-palace where seven popes ruled Christendom in the 1300s, and the Pont d’Avignon of the song. A three-course welcome dinner in Avignon closes the day.

Day Two — Provence in a Day

Breakfast at the hotel, then an 8:30 a.m. start from the Avignon Tourist Office with a small group — eight guests maximum — for the day that gives this trip its name: the red-and-gold ochre cliffs of Roussillon; Gordes, the dry-stone village stacked on its hilltop and ranked among France’s most beautiful; the spring at Fontaine de Vaucluse; Saint-Rémy-de-Provence of Van Gogh’s year; the Pont du Gard, Rome’s three-tiered aqueduct still standing across the Gardon; and the citadel of Les Baux. All admissions included, back to Avignon around 7:00 p.m., dinner at a local restaurant included (drinks on you).

Day Three — Châteauneuf-du-Pape

A 9:00 a.m. departure for the vineyards the popes planted: a half-day in Châteauneuf-du-Pape with guided tastings at two wineries, learning why these galets-covered slopes make the Rhône’s most celebrated reds. You’re back in Avignon in time for the afternoon train — in Paris by evening, three days fuller.

Why This Trip

• One unpacking: two nights in the same Avignon hotel, breakfast included, with the region day-tripped around you
• The Day 2 circuit covers in one guided day what independent travelers spend three fighting parking for
• Dinners on Days 1 and 2, every listed admission, and both wine tastings included — the price is the price
• Prefer a Cardinal’s palace? The five-star La Mirande upgrade is available on request

The Honest Notes

• Rail is not included — we’re happy to book it, but wait until we confirm your tour times before buying your own
• Lavender blooms for viewing in June and July only — the villages and the Pont du Gard are magnificent in every month
• Solo travelers: a single supplement applies
• Day 2 is a full 8:30-to-7:00 day with hilltop villages — comfortable shoes and sun protection in summer
• This trip runs on a 14-day cancellation schedule (see The Facts) — firmer than our day tours, because hotels are involved

Frequently Asked Questions

When should we go for the lavender?

June and July — the itinerary includes lavender viewing in those months. Outside bloom season the same days run on the villages, the Roman sites, and the wine, and lose surprisingly little.

Which hotel do we stay in?

A 4-star hotel in Avignon, confirmed at booking — with an available upgrade to the five-star La Mirande, a former Cardinal’s palace beside the Pope’s own.

How do we get to Avignon?

TGV from Paris — about 2 hours 40 minutes. Rail isn’t included in the price, but we book it for most guests; if you’d rather arrange your own, wait until we confirm the exact tour times.

Can the trip be customized or extended?

Completely — we build tailor-made Provence itineraries, from extra nights to Aix, the Luberon, or the coast. Tell us what you have in mind: 424-386-5222.

How does booking work?

Select your desired arrival date in Avignon as Day One in the calendar above — we take it from there, including your rail if you’d like it.

Reserve Your Three Days in Provence

Book in the calendar above, or call or text 424-386-5222 to plan the trip — standard, upgraded, or fully custom. Provence has been converting visitors for two thousand years; three days is how it starts.