Provence Active Culinary Walking Tour

"Provence is made for cooking," raves writer Luke Barr in Travel + Leisure. With us, you'll walk in the very forests, fields and orchards that nurture each produit du terroir. Sample wine where the grapes are grown. And expand your culinary repertoire alongside our charming local friends. Provence was made for this.

Itinerary

Days 1-2 There's no better place to kick off your trip than at La Bonne Etape, our delightful 17th-century accommodations Join chef Jany Gleize for a private cooking class before sitting down to a dinner at his Michelin-starred restaurant Wander through the Monday market at Forcalquier, backdropped by a 12th-century cathedral Peruse the vendors' colorful bounty while sampling local specialties such as cured olives and goat cheese wrapped in oak leaves from nearby Banon The perched villages of Gordes and Roussillon are yours to discover en route to our elegant home in Joucas.

Days 3-4 Voyage further into the Luberon Valley—the land of honey, lavender and cherries immortalized in Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence Explore Bonnieux with a local guide, perhaps climbing the 12th-century church tower for views of the valley below Hike past typical Provençal farms and orchards, cypress groves, olive trees and vineyards of the Côtes du Luberon  Superb Michelin-starred cuisine awaits at Le Phébus   Lose yourself in the wild windswept Alpilles Poised above mysterious caves and eroded limestone, medieval Les Baux is a joy to explore.

Days 5-6 Walk through pine woodland and along limestone hills, where goats graze on wild rosemary, thyme and sage—herbes de Provence that give the local chèvre its unique flavor  Alongside a local art scholar, gaze at the very same landscape painted by van Gogh over a century ago  A Provençal chef reveals how to create regional cuisine using figs, cherries, tomatoes, artichokes and herbs fresh from the garden and the farmers' market.