Can I extend to Monaco or Cannes?

Yes — both are easy day trips or overnight additions from Nice. We'll build them in seamlessly.

What affects the price?

Starting price is based on double occupancy during shoulder season. Peak summer, hotel upgrades, and add-ons affect the final quote.

What is your cancellation policy?

A 20% deposit secures your booking. Full refund if cancelled more than 60 days out. We strongly recommend travel insurance.

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Fill in a short form. A travel specialist replies within one business day with a personalised proposal. No obligation.

8-Day Private Package Journey

Provence & the Côte d'Azur

Lavender, rosé & the sun-drenched south of France

Available as Private Semi-Private Self-Guided

From €3,190 per person 8 days / 7 nights

View Itinerary

Tour Overview

8 days across France.

Eight days in the south of France, moving from the lavender-scented hilltop villages and vineyards of Provence to the sun-bleached glamour of the Côte d'Azur. This is the France of long rosé lunches, ancient abbeys, artist studios, and a coastline that has been seducing travelers since the Impressionists first set up their easels. Every day balances culture with indulgence — there's always a museum worth seeing, a market worth wandering, and a terrace worth lingering on.

Detailed Itinerary

Your journey, day by day.

Every day is designed with breathing room. Sleep in, take a detour, linger at lunch — the itinerary flexes around you, not the other way around.

Day 1

Arrival in Avignon

Through the gates of the papal city.

Arrive at Marseille Provence Airport or Avignon TGV station, where your private driver meets you and takes you to your hotel inside Avignon's medieval walls. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore — the ramparts, the Pont d'Avignon, and the narrow streets that open into unexpected squares with fountain-cooled terraces. In the evening, a welcome dinner at a Provençal restaurant in the shadow of the Palace of the Popes — lamb from the Alpilles, vegetables from the morning market, and a carafe of Côtes du Rhône.

Private airport or TGV station transfer
Welcome dinner in the shadow of the Palace of the Popes

4–5★ hotel, Avignon old town

Day 2

Avignon & the Pont du Gard

Popes, painters, and Roman aqueducts.

Morning guided tour of the Palace of the Popes — the seat of the Catholic Church for nearly a century, and still the largest Gothic palace in Europe. Your guide makes the frescoed chapels and papal intrigues feel alive. Continue with a walk through Avignon's old town: the Petit Palais museum, the market at Les Halles, and the collection of small galleries tucked into Renaissance courtyards. After lunch on your own, drive to the Pont du Gard — the Roman aqueduct that has stood for two thousand years above the Gardon river. Walk along the top tier, then descend to the riverbank for a swim or simply to admire the engineering from below. Return to Avignon for a free evening.

Palace of the Popes guided tour
Pont du Gard — three tiers of Roman engineering
Les Halles market in Avignon

Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Avignon old town

Day 3

The Luberon: Gordes, Sénanque & Roussillon

The hilltop villages that define Provence.

A full day in the Luberon — the string of perched villages that drew Peter Mayle, artists, and dreamers to this corner of France. Begin at Gordes, glowing gold on its cliff, with a morning coffee overlooking the valley. Visit the nearby Abbey of Sénanque, where Cistercian monks still tend the lavender fields that have been photographed more than almost any landscape in Provence. Drive through the ochre-red village of Roussillon, then to Bonnieux for a long lunch on a terrace above the Luberon valley — grilled fish, local cheese, and the domaine's own rosé. Afternoon, visit a family-run olive oil mill where the press has been turning since the 18th century. Return to Avignon as the light turns golden.

Gordes — Provence's most iconic hilltop village
Sénanque Abbey and the lavender fields
Roussillon ochre cliffs and Bonnieux terrace lunch
Family-run olive oil mill visit

Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Avignon old town

Day 4

Châteauneuf-du-Pape & Aix-en-Provence

Grand cru Rhône wines and Cézanne's light.

Morning begins with a drive through the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape — the papal wine that has been considered among the finest in France since the 14th century. Private tasting at an estate where the winemaker walks you through the galets roulés — the smooth stones that radiate heat and give the wines their depth. Continue south to Aix-en-Provence, the cultured capital of Provence. Walking tour through the old town: the Cours Mirabeau shaded by plane trees, the fountains, and Cézanne's studio on the hill above — preserved exactly as he left it, with the same view of Mont Sainte-Victoire he painted sixty times. Free evening in Aix — the restaurant scene is excellent and we'll have a curated list ready.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape private estate tasting
Aix-en-Provence walking tour — Cours Mirabeau
Cézanne's studio with Mont Sainte-Victoire views

Meals: Breakfast 4★ boutique hotel, Aix-en-Provence

Day 5

Aix-en-Provence to Nice

From lavender fields to the azure coast.

A leisurely morning in Aix — the market at Place Richelme is one of the best in Provence, and the calisson confectionery shops are worth a visit. Late morning, your driver takes you east along the coast to Nice. The drive passes through the Var countryside and along the Corniche roads with views of the Mediterranean that explain why the English aristocracy invented the Riviera holiday. Arrive in Nice by early afternoon and check into your seafront hotel on the Promenade des Anglais. After settling in, walk through the old town — Vieux Nice, with its Baroque churches, flower market, and gelato shops tucked into narrow alleys. Evening free — we recommend dinner on the Cours Saleya, where the restaurants open onto the square and the atmosphere is pure south of France.

Aix-en-Provence morning market
Scenic Corniche coastal drive to Nice
Promenade des Anglais seafront arrival
Vieux Nice old town and Cours Saleya

Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Nice Promenade des Anglais

Day 6

Nice, Matisse & the Hilltop Villages

Art, light, and the villages that time forgot.

Morning visit to the Matisse Museum — housed in a 17th-century Genoese villa surrounded by olive trees, with the collection that shows how the Riviera light changed his art forever. Continue to the Chagall Museum, where seventeen monumental canvases fill the purpose-built galleries. After the museums, drive up into the hills above Nice to the medieval villages of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Èze. Saint-Paul is a walled village where Picasso, Matisse, and Chagall all lived and worked — the Maeght Foundation alone is worth the trip. Èze sits on a rocky peak with vertiginous views of Cap Ferrat and the coast below. Lunch in the village, then a visit to a local parfumerie in nearby Grasse — the world capital of perfume. Return to Nice for a free evening.

Matisse and Chagall museums in Nice
Saint-Paul-de-Vence medieval village and Maeght Foundation
Èze hilltop panorama over Cap Ferrat
Grasse parfumerie visit

Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Nice Promenade des Anglais

Day 7

Saint-Tropez & the Riviera Farewell

Harbour glamour, Pampelonne Beach, and a sunset to remember.

A day on the most famous stretch of coast in the world. Morning drive along the coast to Saint-Tropez — the fishing village that Brigitte Bardot turned into a byword for Riviera glamour, but that still has a working harbour, a Provençal market, and narrow streets that feel genuinely lived-in. Walk the harbour, browse the Tuesday or Saturday market, then drive to Pampelonne Beach — the long stretch of white sand backed by beach clubs where the rosé flows from noon until the sun goes down. Lunch at a beach club with your feet in the sand. Afternoon, return to Nice via the coastal road. In the evening, a farewell dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Baie des Anges — seafood, Bellet wine, and a sky that turns every shade of pink before it goes dark.

Saint-Tropez harbour and Provençal market
Pampelonne Beach lunch at a seaside club
Farewell rooftop dinner over the Baie des Anges

Meals: Breakfast 4–5★ hotel, Nice Promenade des Anglais

Day 8

Departure

À bientôt, la France.

A final Riviera breakfast with the Mediterranean just beyond your window. Your private driver transfers you to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport for your departure. If time allows, a morning walk along the Promenade des Anglais or through the flower market at Cours Saleya one last time. Your travel specialist remains on call until you're home.

Private airport transfer from Nice
Optional final promenade walk

Meals: Breakfast

Where You'll Stay

Hand-picked hotels, every night.

We choose properties for character, location, and the kind of service that makes you feel looked after — not just checked in. Every hotel can be swapped for an alternative if you prefer.

Avignon

3 nights

4–5★ hotel

Old town (intra-muros)

Inside the medieval walls, near the Palace of the Popes

Aix-en-Provence

1 night

4★ boutique hotel

Centre-ville

Near the Cours Mirabeau and daily market

Nice

3 nights

4–5★ hotel

Promenade des Anglais

Seafront location, walking distance to Vieux Nice

Hotels shown are indicative of the standard we book. Upon request, we will provide a detailed itinerary with specific hotel options tailored to your preferences and budget.

What's in the Price

Included

7 nights in 4–5★ hotels (double occupancy)
Daily breakfast at each hotel
2 signature dinners (welcome Provençal, farewell rooftop)
2 curated lunches (Luberon terrace, Riviera beach club)
Private airport transfers
All transfers in air-conditioned private vehicles
Private expert guides in Avignon, Aix, and Nice
Palace of the Popes and Pont du Gard entries
Châteauneuf-du-Pape private wine tasting
Matisse and Chagall museum entries
Olive oil mill and parfumerie visits
24/7 travel specialist support
All entrance fees and museum tickets
Hamilton & Chase digital travel booklet

Not Included

International flights to Marseille / from Nice
Travel insurance (required — we can arrange coverage)
Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
Personal expenses (shopping, additional drinks, spa treatments)
Gratuities for guides and drivers (optional but appreciated)
City tax (collected directly by hotels, typically €2–5 per person per night)

Good to Know

This itinerary is a starting point — every detail can be adjusted to your preferences.
Hotels are confirmed at booking. Upgrades and alternatives are always available.
All guides and experiences are exclusively for your party.
Comfortable walking shoes recommended — hilltop villages have steep, uneven streets.
Flexible booking: adjust or postpone dates up to 60 days before departure at no charge.

Make It Yours

Optional add-ons & upgrades.

Every trip is different. These extras can be woven into your itinerary — just let your travel specialist know what catches your eye.

Monaco & Monte Carlo day trip

Prince's Palace, the Casino, and lunch overlooking the harbour

From €180 pp

Cannes and the Lérins Islands

La Croisette, then a boat to the car-free islands for a swim

From €200 pp

Cooking class in Provence

Half-day Provençal cooking with a local chef at a countryside mas

From €140 pp

Professional photo session

1-hour portrait session on the Riviera with a local photographer

From €350

"The Luberon villages were breathtaking, and Nice felt like a completely different world — both perfect. The wine tastings, the beach club in Saint-Tropez, and that rooftop farewell dinner are things we'll talk about for years."

Jennifer & Paul K.

Chicago, IL · Provence & the Côte d'Azur, July 2025

Common Questions

Questions about this trip.

Can I change the hotels?

Absolutely. We'll adjust the itinerary and pricing for any property you prefer.

When is the best time for this tour?

May through September for beach weather. June–August for lavender in bloom. April and October are lovely and less crowded.

Private Package Journey

Provence & the Côte d'Azur

8 days / 7 nights

From €3,190

per person

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