Provence le grand tour

Combine Provencal wine and olive oil with Roman and medieval heritage on this full-day trip from Avignon! Visit the pretty village of Les Baux de Provence, tour an AOC olive oil mill and sample Les Baux wines in a chateau near the Chaîne des Alpilles. In the afternoon, explore the Roman city of Nimes and tour its impressive amphitheater before visiting Uzès – a medieval stronghold. Finally, admire the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pont du Gard aqueduct and then return to Avignon.

Leave your central Avignon hotel by air-conditioned coach and head to Les Baux de Provence – a charming medieval town perched on a rocky hill high above the Provence countryside. After stopping for a walk around, continue by minivan to an olive oil mill, to see where Provence’s Appellation d'Origine Controlée (AOC) olive oils are made. Produced under strict governance that guarantees their quality and low acidity, the oils are known for their fruity flavor. Sample a selection of these prestigious olive oils after touring the mill.

Continue by minivan to the foot of the Chaîne des Alpilles mountain range to visit a famous wine estate. Organic and biodynamic wines account for nearly 85 percent of the region’s wine production, and you’ll taste several of these wines here. While exploring the vineyards, learn how Les Baux wines are defined by Provence’s multi-faceted soils.

After a break for lunch in Les Baux de Provence (own expense), meet your guide and head west to the Roman city of Nimes by minivan. A jewel of the Roman Empire, Nimes boasts a collection of intact monuments from the 4th century BC, all dotted around its pedestrianized town center. While listening to an audio guide, explore the beautifully preserved Roman amphitheater – used as a setting in the film Gladiator – and visit Maison Carrée, a temple dedicated to Emperor Augustus.

Next, visit the medieval market town of Uzès. The first duchy (settlement ruled by a duke or duchess) of France, this pretty little town has preserved its layout as a medieval stronghold. Enjoy some free time in Uzes to wander round the town. Pass architectural highlights like the Fenestrelle Tower, Place aux Herbes (the main square) and Uzès Cathedral. Then return to Avignon, stopping for a look at Pont du Gard – a UNESCO World Heritage listed-Roman aqueduct that once supplied water to Nimes. Your tour finishes back at your hotel.