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Biking, Food & Wine in Provence

Photo of Stacey
Hosted By
Stacey

Details

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CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DEPOSIT AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT (https://www.adventurepeople.net/biking-food-wine-in-provence/)

$250 Non-Refundable deposit required to reserve your spot. Balance due by July 13, 2015. Please be aware this trip is cross posted and expected to fill up. AS ALWAYS, YOUR RSVP IS NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD YOUR SPOT. YOU MUST SUBMIT A DEPOSIT WHEN YOU RSVP OR YOU WILL BE MOVED TO THE WAIT LIST.

Trip Length: 7 nights/ 8 days
Dates: Sun, Oct 11-Sun, Oct 18 (please allow for travel time)
Cost: $2250 (No Single Supplement Available)
Trip Difficulty: All Ability Levels (http://www.adventurepeople.net/ability-levels/)
Group Size: 12-16 people

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France is considered to be one of the best biking countries in the world. Provence, in the south of France, offers a landscape with long stretches of fertile river valley, farmland, and orchards, with nearby hills for those wanting a bit of a challenge. It is arguably the most irresistible region in France, with a great variety of terrain, some of the most beautiful villages in the world and stunning scenery at every turn. The sensual inducements of Provence include sunshine, food, and wine. The area is abundant with olives, cheese, truffles, and an amazing variety of fruits and vegetables, and the wines are world famous. Every meal is a culinary experience in France and this is especially true on this adventure. In addition to the gourmet kitchen we’ll have available to us in our private villa, we have a few fun food experiences planned. Spend unforgettable days riding across the Rhône river valley, and try a variety of wines, including the Rhone red varietels of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DEPOSIT AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT (https://www.adventurepeople.net/biking-food-wine-in-provence/)

$250 Non-Refundable deposit required to reserve your spot. Balance due by July 13, 2015. Please be aware this trip is cross posted and expected to fill up. AS ALWAYS, YOUR RSVP IS NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD YOUR SPOT. YOU MUST SUBMIT A DEPOSIT WHEN YOU RSVP OR YOU WILL BE MOVED TO THE WAIT LIST.

Highlights Include:

  • Biking in the Luberon and Mount Ventoux areas
  • Visit four UNESCO Wold Heritage Sites
  • Explore quaint, hillside villages
  • Taste wine in ancient vineyards
  • Take a cooking lesson from a world renowned chef
  • Get your adrenaline rush on a swinging jump over the National Park of Calanque
  • View the dramatic landscape of Provence by train
  • Meet local farmers and learn about what ingredients are in season and how to cook with them

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Day 1: Marseille/ Lacoste (D)
Upon arrival in Marseille, you’ll be picked up at the airport and transported to our private villa for the week, located just outside of Lacoste. Our drive, which is just over an hour, will have us traveling through the French countryside of Provence, arguably the most irresistible region in France.

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Our villa is located on a postcard perfect property with incredible views and beautiful gardens. Nestling in the middle of a six acre estate planted with fruit trees, vines, lavenders, almond trees, olive trees, and evergreen oaks, this three-story villa is comfortably settled near the overflowing swimming pool where you can bask in the sunshine and enjoy the view into the Luberon Valley.

There are no planned activities on this day, so you are free to relax or expore the nearby village of Lacoste, which still reflects its ancient origins with its paved streets, battlements, medieval castle and old century houses.

Dinner this evening will be prepared by French chef, Martine, at the villa.

Travel time from Marseille to Lacoste: Approximately 1 hour 16 minutes
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

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Day 2: Apt/ Saignon/ Bonnieux (B, D)
Today, we’ll head to the nearby town of Apt in the Luberon Valley where we’ll get outfitted with our bikes for the day. We’ll start our journey riding to the nearby village of Saignon. The village is perched at the top of a hill behind a large rock which dominates the valley. Our ride will take us up switchbacks for approximately 3.9km (2.4mi) on a rural road road with very little traffic for about 20 minutes. Once we reach Saignon, there is a short 15 minute hike up to the rock of Saignon where you’ll be rewarded with a fabulous panoramic view of the plains and the Luberon mountain range. We’ll spend a couple of hours here and have lunch in the village center. Saignon is a peaceful little village that you can explore by foot. The main attraction here is the Roman church Notre Dame de Pitie, which is a 12th century church located just opposite of the town hall.

After lunch, our ride will take us downhill, after a short climb, to the nearby village of Bonnieux. Bonnieux is one of the most impressive Luberon villages with its quiet narrow streets and arcaded passages running down to the bottom of the valley. The view from Bonnieux is wonderful, out across the valley floor with its patchwork of orchards and vineyards, towards the equally picturesque perched village of Lacoste across the Vaucluse plateau.

There is much to discover and enjoy in the winding streets that meander quietly through the village. Ascend the long staircase called Rue des Penitents which climbs up the hill to the top of town and explore the narrow passages that lead off to the side and wind around the hill. At the top of the long staircase is the 12th century village church, which has far reaching views in all directions.

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From Bonnieux, we’ll ride another easy 4.5km (2.8mi) downhill to Pont Julien, the famous Roman bridge named after the family of Julius Cesar. The three-arch stone bridge over the Calavon River dates back to 3BC. Originally, It was built on the Via Domitia, an important Roman road which connected Italy to the Roman territories in France. It was used for car traffic until 2005, when a replacement bridge was built to preserve it from wear and tear, which amounts to some 2000 year of uninterrupted use. The cycling trail and the Grande Randonee hiking trail still takes the ancient route.

After taking a few photos at the bridge, we’ll ride back to Apt and return our bikes and then head back to the villa where you’ll have some free time to relax before dinner.

Travel time from Lacoste to Apt: Approximtely 22 minutes
Bike ride from Apt to Saignon: 3.9km, mostly uphill, moderate, 20 min
Bike ride from Saignon to Bonnieux: 13.8km, mostly downill after short climb, easy, 53 min
Bike ride from Bonnieux to Pont Julien: 4.5km, downhill, easy, 11 min
Bike ride from Pont Julien to Apt: 9km, downhill, easy, 11 min
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

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Day 3: Aix-en-Provence (B, L, D)

This morning, we’ll drive to Aix-en-Provence for a gourmet walking tour. Our hosts, Jennifer and Mathilde, will show you what’s in season, how to choose ingredients and how to cook with them. We well meet local farmers selling different varieties of produce, such as strawberries or old-fashioned tomatoes, all harvested that morning. We will taste goat’s cheese, honey, olives, fresh baguette, French pastries, and plenty of other suprises, all while experiencing the gorgeous smells coming from cooked food merchants, such as spit-roasted organic chicken and steaming paella. Jennifer will also guide you to the best restaurants and historical food shops, and share plenty of knowledge about regional food habits and how the French entertain. And for a real treat, we will rub shoulders with the locals at an authentic coffee roastery. You will come away having experienced the happy atmosphere of a market day in Provence, along with all its tastes and smells, as well as a real insider’s visit of this astonishingly beautiful town.

A visit to Aix-en-Provence would not be complete without a visit to Atelier Paul Cezanne’s Studio. Nestled on the Lauves hill in Aix en Provence, Cezanne’s studio saw the creation of dozens of masterpieces, today found in the world’s best museums, such as the famous “Grandes Baigneuses” or the many “Sainte Victoire.” A studio almost all intact, the private life of the “father of modern art” still dwells there the the mysteries of his creativity hang in the air. We’ll have a tour of the studio in the afternoon, before returning to the villa.

Dinner this evening will be prepared with the local ingredients purchased at the market.

Travel time from Lacoste to Aix-en-Provence: Approximately 1 hour
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

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Day 4: Bonnieux/ Malaucene (B, L)

This morning, we’ll drive to Bonnieux where we will have the once in a lifetime experience of a private cooking lesson with a French master chef with 2 stars in the Michelin Guide. We’ll visit the culinary retreat of Chef Eduoard Loubet where we will go wild herb picking and visit the vegetable garden with the chef followed by a three course gourmet lunch and wine tasting in the restaurant’s cellar.

After lunch, we’ll have several options to choose from depending on how the group is feeling. We can return to the villa and relax for the rest of the afternoon and take a dip in the pool; go hiking in the Cedar Forest of Lacoste, considered to be one of Europe’s most beautiful; or head to Mont Ventoux for a bike ride or drive between Mont Ventoux and The Dentelles, which is also part of the Tour de France leg!

Dinner this evening will be in a restaurant in the town of Joucas.

Travel time from Lacoste to Bonnieux: Approximately 13 minutes
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

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Day 5: Avignon/ Chateauneuf-du-Pape (B)

Avignon was the capital of the Catholic Church during the early Middle Ages and for centuries a major artistic centre. It is an ancient city, full of history, life, art, music, and activity and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our adventure today starts here when we visit the star attraction of Avignon, the Palais des Papes. A vast castle of significant historic, religious, and architectural importance, it is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe.

After a tour of Palais des Papes, enjoy lunch and some shopping time before we start our biking journey to Chateaneuf-du-Pape. This 19km (11.8mi) ride on mostly flat, paved terrain is an easy ride, rich in perfumes and colors, with incredible scenery of the hillsides of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyards.

Upon arrival in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, we’ll explore the ruins of the medieval castle that sits at the top of the village and dominates the landscape to the south. It was built in the 14th century for Pope John XXII, the second of the poes who resided in Avignon. Then, we’ll do some wine tasting in one of the world’s most famous wine regions. The red wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape offer a wide array of aromas and flavors are rich and round, sumptuous and opulent — is virtually unmatched by most of the wines of the world. Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyards are farmed organically or biodynamically, and the region’s abundant sunshine and frequent wind (called le mistral) practically preclude the need for treating the fields with herbicides or pesticides. The wines themselves are equally pure, their flavors rarely masked by aging in new oak.

Dinner this evening will be in a restaurant in the town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Travel time from Lacoste to Avignon: Approximately 50 minutes
Bike ride from Avignon to Chateauneuf-du-Pape: 19km, mostly flat, easy, 1 hour
Travel time from Chateauneuf-du-Pape to Lacoste: Approximately 54 minutes
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

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Day 6: Orange/ Vers-Pont-du-Gard/ Aries (B, D)

Today, we’ll explore three different UNESCO World Heritage Sites, starting with the Roman Amphitheater & Museum of Orange, an anicent Roman theatre built between 10 and 25 AD. It is one of the best preserved of all the great Roman theatres. It owes its fame in particular to its magnificent stage wall, amazingly well-preserved and unique in the Western world. A venue for shows in Roman times, it continues in this role today, to the delight of music lovers around the world.

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A bit further down the road is the Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct). It was built shortly before the Christian era to allow the aqueduct of Nimes (almost 50 km long) to cross the Gard river. The Roman architects and hydraulic engineers who designed this bridge, which stands almost 50 m high and is on three levels – the longest measuring 275 m, created a technical as well as an artistic masterpiece.

Lastly, the Aries Amphitheatre is a Roman amphitheatre in the town of Aries. This two-tiered Roman amphitheatre is probably the most prominent tourist attraction in the city of Aries, which thrived in Roman times. Built in 90 AD, the amphitheatre was capable of seating over 20,000 spectators, and was built to provide entertainment in the form of chariot races and bloody hand-to-hand battles. Today, it draws large crowds for bullfighting during the Feria d’Aries as well as plays and concerts in the summer.

Dinner will be prepared this evening at the villa in our gourmet kitchen.

Travel time from Lacoste to Orange: Approximately 51 minutes
Travel time from Orange to Vers-Pont-du-Gard: Approximately 26 minutes
Travel time from Vers-Pont-du-Gard to Aries: Approximately 37 minutes
Travel time from Vers-Pont-du-Gard to Lacoste: Approximately 1 hour 8 minutes
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

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Day 7: Miramas/ National Park of Calanque (B, D)

This morning, after breakfast, the group will have the option of doing some self exploration by train or getting their adrenaline rush on a swinging jump over the National Park of Calanque.

The Blue Coast train is the very best way to see the dramatic landscape west and north of Marseille, with its rugged hills and tiny villages snuggled in deep limestone calanques. The rugged terrain here forces the road to loop sharply inland. The railway line, on the other hand, hugs the coast closely, often with a steep drop down to the sea, as it passes through 23 tunnels and 18 spectacular viaducts representing a stupendous feat of engineering. With this French rail ticket, there are 15 stops you can explore between Miramas and Marseille.

For those looking for a bit more excitement, the big swinging jump over the National Park of Calanque is a big thrill. It’s like a giant outdoor swing that enables you to fly out over the top of the calanques. From the famous cave fo the Goudes or Michel’s Cave, you will have an incredible panoramic view of the national park.

The group will meet back in Miramas in the late afternoon before heading back to the villa for our last group dinner, prepared by French chef, Martine.

Optional Activity: Calanque Swinging Jump $60/ person
Travel time from Lacoste to Gare de Miramas: Approximately 57 minutes
Travel time from Miramas to Claanque de Callelongue: Approximately 1 hour 8 minutes
Overnight at Domaine du Valin

Day 8: Marseille/ Lacoste (B)
Today is departure day and the end of our adventure. After breakfast, we will travel back to Marseille for your departure home.

Travel time from Lacoste to Marseille: Approximately 1 hour 16 minutes

What’s Included?

All transfers listed in the itinerary
7 Nights in our own Private French Villa
Bike Rentals
All meals indicated in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L= Lunch, D=Dinner)
1/2 Day Market Walking Tour
Cooking Lesson and lunch w/ Chef Edouard Loubet
Visit to Paul Cezanne’s Studio
Tour of the Palais des Papes
The Roman Amphitheater & Museum of Orange
The Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)
The Aries Amphitheatres.

What’s Not Included?

Roundtrip international airfare to Marseille
Accommodations before and after Lacoste
Beverages & Meals not specified
Optional Activities and pre- and post-tour extensions
Train tickets
Tips for your guide, chef, & drivers
Personal Expenses
Travel Insurance
Airport taxes and excess baggage fees

Cancellation Guidelines

Days Prior to Departure Cancellation Fee (Does not include reservation fee)

91+ days 100% refund, minus the reservation fee (see the section on “Deposits & Payments (http://www.adventurepeople.net/travel-club-terms-conditions/)” for details)
90 to 61 days 30% of total tour cost
60 to 46 days 50% of total tour cost
45 to 30 days 75% of total tour cost
29 to 0 days 100% of total tour cost

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DEPOSIT AND RESERVE YOUR SPOT (https://www.adventurepeople.net/biking-food-wine-in-provence/)

$250 Non-Refundable deposit required to reserve your spot. Balance due by July 13, 2015. Please be aware this trip is cross posted and expected to fill up. AS ALWAYS, YOUR RSVP IS NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD YOUR SPOT. YOU MUST SUBMIT A DEPOSIT WHEN YOU RSVP OR YOU WILL BE MOVED TO THE WAIT LIST.

By signing up for this trip, you agree to the Terms and Conditions (http://www.adventurepeople.net/travel-club-terms-conditions/).

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