Arrive in Avignon for your 3 nights stay in this beautiful old town. This historic city on the banks of the river Rhone just demands exploration.

This afternoon enjoy a personal guided tour of the fascinating Papal Palace and the famous bridge but also take time to stroll the colourful Place de L'Horloge, the old city walls and the hillside gardens of the Rocher des Doms with panoramic views of the surrounding area, the town and the river.

Avignon has a wide choice of good restaurants for dinner and our recommendations will be included in your Route book.

This morning a short drive by taxi to nearby Orange for your visit to the impressive Roman theatre. The visit is self guided with an andio guide which will lead you around the theatre to explain the history of this fascinating building.  Then visit also the interesting Orange Museum before lunch. We will recommend a good restaurant for lunch which you can enjoy at leisure before meeting your wine guide for the afternoon wine tour.

Your wine guide, Olivier Hickman will accompany you on guided visits to the vineyards and cellars of two top private wine domaines in Chateauneuf du Pape.  As you visit different remote vineyards belonging to the two domaines, Olivier will demonstrate how the unique characteristics of Châteauneuf “terroir” explain the fantastic the quality and reputation of its wines. Olivier will also explain how different winemaking methods can also influence the characteristics of the wines that you will taste as you visit the cellars. After your wine tour, you will return to your hotel in Avignon for an evening at leisure.

Your provencal cooking class this morning gives you the chance of some hands on experience of preparing some tasty provencal dishes.  The venue for your cooking class will be according to availability on your chosen holiday dates. Transport to the cooking class will be provided by taxi and the class will be followed by a relaxing lunch in the chef’s kitchen or restaurant.

After lunch your will be met by your wine guide, Olivier Hickman who will accompany you on guided visits to the vineyards and cellars of two leading private wine domaines in one of the Cotes du Rhone cru villages.

Olivier will help you appreciate the local winemaking culture which is based on the notion that quality wine “is made in the vineyard, not in the cellar” – a combination of the unique vineyard terroir and the passion and hard-work of the wine-grower (“vigneron”). As you visit stunning hill-side vineyards, Olivier (who cultivates and makes wine from his own vineyard) will explain how the vignerons works their vineyard to ensure only the best possible quality of grapes are grown and harvested.

As you visit the cellars, Olivier will delight in showing you the fantastic quality and value of wines from some of the other lesser known Rhône villages such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Rasteau.