The Best of Provence with French Affaires
September 21 to 28, 2012

Hosted by:
Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz, French Affaires

Best of Provence Trip Overview

Join Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz of French Affaires for a once-in-a-lifetime insider excursion to southern France. Provence is possibly the most beautiful and rewarding region in all of France. It is known for its picturesque villages, stunning countryside, flavorful cuisine, wonderful wines, colorful and fragrant gardens, and relaxed culture. On our itinerary: the delightful towns of St. Rémy, Les-Baux-de-Provence, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence; gourmet Provençal meals; wine tastings; private cooking class; shopping open-air markets; art tour with Provence artist Jill Steenhuis; the gardens of Château Val Joanis, and of course, enjoying the spectacular landscape and ambiance of Provence. Our hotel, the Château des Alpilles, is located just outside the charming town of St. Rémy for that winning ‘stay-in-the-French-countryside-with-the-town-nearby’ experience. Our group size is limited to 12 for a very special and intimate travel experience. An unforgettable personal and special immersion into the best of southern France.

The Best of Provence Trip Highlights

Six nights in a beautiful Provence château hotel
St. Rémy-de-Provence village & its famous Wednesday market
Medieval village of Les Baux-de-Provence
Van Gogh’s Asylum St. Paul de Mausole
Gardens of Château Val Joanis
Art Tour of Aix-en-Provence & environs with Artist Jill Steenhuis
Roman Aqueduct the Pont du Gard
Avignon’s Palace of the Popes
Provence Cuisine Cooking Class
Provence Olive Oil Tasting
Walking tour of the Provence Countryside

Day 1: Friday, September 21
Depart your home city and fly to Paris. Dinner en route.

Day 2: Saturday, September 22
Arrival in Paris, train to Avignon’s TGV station, transfer to the our hotel the Château des Alpilles
Morning arrival in Paris! Gather your bags and take your train to Avignon via the TGV high speed train. Your trip host, Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz, will meet our group mid-afternoon at the Avignon TGV station. Pre-arranged transport to the lovely Château des Alpilles hotel near St. Rémy-de-Provence, about 30 minutes from the train station. After checking in, we’ll take a leisurely walking tour of St. Rémy, one of the most this charming villages in southern France. Return to our hotel with time to explore the château’s lovely park and grounds before dinner. We’ll enjoy a welcome aperitif followed by our gourmet three-course dinner with wine in the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant. Turn in and get a good night’s sleep! (D)

The lovely Château des Alpilles jsut outside St. Rémy-de-Provence

Day 3: Sunday, September 23
Château & Village of Les Baux-de-Provence, Lunch at La Cabro d’Or, Van Gogh’s Asylum
After breakfast, we head to nearby Les Baux-de-Provence superbly situated at the top of its limestone cliff. This living village with its medieval château and fortress has breathtaking views of Provençal vineyards and olive orchards below. We’ll enjoy a guided tour of this picturesque town officially rated as one of the most beautiful villages in France. For lunch, we will gather at the Michelin-starred La Cabro d’Or at the foot of Les Baux for a seated lunch with wine on its lovely terrace (one of Elizabeth’s favorite places in all of France!). Then we will head to the former monastery and asylum of St. Paul-de-Mausole where the artist Van Gogh produced some of his best works. We will visit Van Gogh’s room, the chapel and also the gardens with their lavender and poppy fields. Not to miss are the reproductions of Van Gogh’s works that line the monastery’s garden paths. Return to our hotel late afternoon. Dinner on your own in St. Rémy—plenty of wonderful suggestions provided. (B, L)

Van Gogh's Asylum near St. Rémy

Day 4: Monday, September 24
Gardens of Château Val Joanis, Wine Tasting, Art Tour with Acclaimed Provençal Artist Jill Steenhuis
After breakfast, we will visit the extraordinary gardens of Château Val Joanis near the Luberon mountains of Provence. All manner of flowers, fruits and vegetables adorn these award-winning gardens set around a 16th century Provence estate. For lunch, we’ll enjoy a gourmet picnic on the grounds of Val Joanis accompanied by a wine tasting of their delicious wines. After lunch, we will be joined by Atlanta-native Jill Steenhuis, an acclaimed Impressionist artist who has been living in Provence for the past 30 years. She will take us on a special tour of the locales in and around Aix-en-Provence where the French painter Cézanne found his inspiration, including settings not open to the public. If time, we will visit Jill’s art studio outside Aix-en-Provence. Return to our hotel to change for dinner. We’ll be treated to a wonderful three course Provence repast with wine at Château des Alpilles. (B, L, D)

Artist Jill Steenhuis and her art

Day 5: Tuesday, September 25
Pont du Gard, Avignon & Its Palais des Papes, Cooking Class & Dinner
After breakfast, it is short drive to the breathtaking Pont du Gard, the 2000-year Roman aqueduct that is one of France’s most notable historic sites. We’ll tour the Pont and hear the history behind this ancient engineering and sculptural marvel, followed by plenty of time for memorable photos. We’ll have a lovely French lunch near the Pont and then head to Avignon for an afternoon tour of the magnificent Palais des Papes where the Roman popes lived in the 14th century when the“Vatican” resided in France. Our day will culminate in a hands-on cooking class in Avignon with a special local chef. We’ll prepare special southern French recipes using the freshest of market ingredients and then sit down to enjoy the fruits of our culinary labors with local wines. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Wednesday, September 26
St. Rémy’s Famous Wednesday Market & Gourmet Shops
After breakfast, we take a tour of one of the best open-air markets in all of Provence. The Wednesday market at St. Rémy is known far and wide for its colorful, lively shopping and cultural riches. Food items, market baskets, pottery, Provence souvenirs, antiques and more will tempt you as we browse the stalls of this large market. We will also be sure to take in several gourmet specialty shops for their unique artisanal products. Lunch on your own – St. Rémy cafés are great spots for a casual meal and fabulous people watching on market day. Rest of the afternoon free for shopping and sightseeing in and around St. Rémy. That evening, we’ll gather for wonderful Provence dinner with wine at our hotel. (B, D)

Day 7: Thursday, September 27
Olive Oil Tasting at the Moulin Castelas, Walking Tour of the Alpilles Countryside, Final Celebration Dinner
This morning, we’ll head to the award-winning Moulin Castelas for a tasting of their special French AOC olive oils. Owners Catherine and Jean-Benoit Hugues will share how their olive oils are made and why southern French olive oils are in a class all their own. If you have never tried the extraordinary olive oils from France, this is your chance! Casual, fun lunch at the nearby restaurant, the Bistrot du Paradou, well-loved by locals for delicious regional specialties accompanied by their local wine. After lunch, we’ll take a guided walk of the Alpilles countryside with its wonderful views and gorgeous Provence landscapes. Possible late afternoon shopping in St. Rémy to purchase those last Provence souvenirs! Return to our hotel to pack and dress for our farewell celebration dinner with wine at our hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Friday, September 28
Trip Departure
After breakfast, check out of our hotel. Pre-arranged transport to Avignon’s TGV station for the morning train to Paris.

‘Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next week, next year,
any day now, as soon as I can get on to a train…’
Elizabeth David
French Provincial Cooking

The Best of Provence Trip Host

Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz, French Affaires
A native Texan, Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz is a specialist in French and founder of French Affaires, a creative company celebrating French travel, culture, language, and l'art de vivre. She received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in French from Vanderbilt University and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She has lived, worked and traveled extensively in France since 1983. Her specialty is making France personal and special to everyone through her trips, classes and lectures. She still loves to teach the French language and is currently writing a travel book on France. www.frenchaffaires.com

Trip Registration & Cost:

For "The Best of Provence" registration form and further trip details, please email us at . Trip cost is $4150 per person double occupancy and includes our hotel, all breakfasts, most lunches and dinners with wine, cultural excursions, airport transfers, guides and transport. Single supplement additional. A deposit of $1000 is required to confirm the trip reservation. An additional $1000 deposit is due by April 1, 2012. The trip balance of $2150 is due by June 1, 2012. For those paying in full by Feb 3, 2012, please take $200 off the trip price. Please call us with questions at 214-232-5344 214-232-5344 . We'd be happy to discuss the trip details with you!