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This holiday can be taken at any time between the months of April to October although our advice would be to plan a holiday in the Spring, early Summer or Autumn when the climate is ideal for touring. The itinerary has been planned as a first night of Thursday and a final night of Friday but the day by day itinerary may change according to your choice of holiday dates. |
Your Accommodation click >>Accommodation
Visits & excursions click >>Excursions
To Book this holiday click >>How to Book.
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| You will be staying in the heart of the Luberon in the village of Saignon at the delightful auberge in the village centre. Arrive in time for an aperitif at the hotel. |
Explore two of the delightful perched villages for which this area is famous - Lacoste, with the ruined Chateau of the Marquis de Sade and Bonnieux with its beautiful vistas of the Luberon valley. From here continue north of the village and drive the panoramic road up to the Cedar Forest whose magnificent trees line the ridge of the Petit Luberon mountains. A 2hr 30 minute walk from here takes you through the heart of the Cedar Forest to views over the wide open Durance valley beyond. |
All the colours and scents of Provence at the lively weekly market in the town of Apt - a wonderful colourful display of herbs, soaps, wines, honey, pottery, fruit and vegetables. Lunch today at the delightful Auberge de la Loube famous for its magnificent platter of provencal hors d'oevres and its pretty setting in the valley of Buoux. Enjoy a 2 hour 30 minute walk through the peaceful valley and spectacular cliffs of the Aigbrun.
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Visit the stunning village of Gordes, one of the 'plus beaux villages de France' and from there a fascinating walk into hills beyond and through the garrigue to the tranquil valley of the Abbaye de Senanque flanked by lavender fields. A visit to the Abbaye is included before continuing your walk to return to Gordes. Total walking time today around 3 hours. |
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This morning visit the stunning village of Roussillon with its unique multi-coloured ochre cliffs. Lunch at one of the many cafes in Roussillon and explore the shops of the local artisans. This afternoon discover the hidden ochre valleys on a 2 hour walk through pine covered slopes and vineyards near the village with an optional visit to the Conservatoire des Ochres (where the walk begins) for a fascinating introduction to the use of ochre as a decorative material.
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A choice of different walk lengths today. Either a 4 hour 30 minute walk taking you into the heart of the stunning mountain scenery of the Vaucluse walking in hidden gorges and below the stunning cliffs of the Falaise de Lioux. Or a 3 hour walk from the village of St. Saturnin into the hills above the village. Take a picnic lunch and relax in this peaceful countryside scented with wild thyme. |
A spectacular drive today, a delightful country market and two delightful strolls. The route takes you out of the Luberon valley into the Vaucluse hills into the lavender producing area near the town of Sault where it is market day this morning. A delightful 1 hour 30 minute stroll here following the 'Lavender Route' then continue your drive for the ascent of Mont Ventoux. The drive gently climbs through oak and pine forest to the bare limestone summit where the views from the top are unsurpassed. Lunch either at a cafe or restaurant in Sault or a picnic en route to the summit or stop at the ski chalet of Chalet Reynard. From the summit descend to the ski village of Mont Serein and follow the 2 hour botanical trail which introduces you to the flora of this protected area. |
A pretty drive through the Luberon mountains to the beautiful village of Lourmarin in the South Luberon. A guided visit of the Chateau and then plenty of time to explore the beautiful village of honey coloured stone. Then a short drive to visit the vineyard of Val Joanis where vines have been grown since Roman times. Taste the fruity reds and spend time relaxing in the pretty gardens. Return to the Luberon valley via the picturesque road over the western end of the Grand Luberon and enjoy a 1 hour 30 minute walk through the forest with panoramic views en route. |
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| Today visit the village made famous by Peter Mayle in his book 'A Year in Provence'. Menerbes stands proud on the south side of the valley. A short distance away, the ruined village of Oppède le Vieux nestles against the mountainside. From here a delightful 1 hour 30 minute stroll leads you through the quiet country lanes and vineyards around. Visit the olive oil mill nearby. |
Departure this morning after breakfast. |
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| Recommended visits and excursions are planned into your holiday itinerary to ensure that you make the most of your stay in the area. Please note that whilst we do our best to ensure that pre-planned visits are possible on the specific days indicated, variations in opening times and guided visits can sometimes require a slight |
alteration to the day by day itinerary. Please note also that some of the guided visits may be in French. Where this is the case, we do our best to ensure that an English explanation is also available. |
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The holiday described has been planned with hotel accommodation in the Auberge du Presbytère, a delightful hotel set in a restored presbytery in the centre of the perched village of Saignon overlooking the Luberon valley. The comfortable rooms are charmingly decorated and the restaurant serves an excellent 4 course dinner.
Accommodation is in a twin or double room with private facilities. The final choice of hotel for your holiday is however determined by availability according to your holiday dates. If we cannot secure accommodation in the Auberge du Presbytère we will advise you immediately and suggest an alternative, and advise any supplement which may be required. There are many charming hotels in the area all of which we have visited personally and have selected for the comfort of their rooms, their friendly and welcoming ambience and of course for their excellent provencal food. |
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| Dinner on most evenings, and lunch in a countryside restaurant, are included in the price of your holiday as detailed in the itinerary. The hotels and restaurants we have chosen all offer the best of provencal food so you can be sure to enjoy a delicious three or four course meal every evening. Where lunch is taken at a restaurant or café of your choice, we have planned your itinerary with suggested lunchtime locations |
offering a choice of cafes and restaurants to ensure you can sample all the delights of the local cuisine. On some days you may choose to have a lunchtime picnic choosing from the superb range of produce in the local markets. The dinners and lunch included in the holiday price are detailed on the Itinerary. |
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| You could choose to extend your Self Drive and Walk holiday to include nights in either Aix-en-Provence or Avignon. Your stay will be based in a centrally located personally selected hotel of charm on a bed and breakfast basis so that you can explore at your own pace the delights of these beautiful Provencal cities. |
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We will supply you with a city map, suggested places to visit and recommended restaurants for dinner. Just ask us for a quotation according to the number of nights you wish to stay. For more information about these two lovely old cities and the other delightful towns of our area of Provence click >>Cities. |
