France;
Provence Walking Tour
In 2010, Hidden Ireland Tours will operate a special hiking
trip to France, where our close friend and outstanding guide;
Stephan Renard will lead a very special vacation into hidden
Provence.
Provence Tour Map
7 Day Itinerary in brief
Day 1 - Fontaine de Vaucluse & Gordes
Stephan will meet you in Marseille. Travelling east into Provence,
we stop to visit the beautiful Fontaine de Vaucluse, en-route
to Gordes, in the heart of the Luberon. This will be our base
to explore the area for the next few days. Gordes is a typical
perched village, high on a hilltop, surrounded by small fields
and oak forests. Overnight Gordes.
Day 2 - Plateau des
Busans & Abbaye de Senanque
From Gordes, we begin a great day hiking to the plateau des
Busans via the Mill of Laure and on to the Abbaye de Senanque.
The abbey is of 12th century Romanesque structure and is still
home to a group of Cistercian monks. It is surrounded by fields
of lavender. Overnight Gordes.
Day 3 - Roussillon & Rustrelle
Today Stephan will take you to the next village, Roussillon,
a hilltop cluster of buildings in shades of deep rose and russet.
There will be time to wander and shop along the tiny streets,
famous for their boutiques and craftshops. After lunch in the
Place du Village, we will head to Rustrelle to begin a hike
into the amazing 'Colorado Ocher Canyon'. Overnight Gordes.
Day 4 - Buoux
A short transfer to begin our days hiking at Buoux. The landscape
here displays a split personality - arid and dry on one side
(Claparedes plateau) and green and fresh on the other ('Aiguebrun
Valley'). This hike is one of the best and most interesting
in the Haute Provence because of the landscape duality, and
also because of the divided religious history in the area.
Overnight Gordes.
Day 5 - Moustier-Sainte-Marie in the Verdon
Today we will head east to Moustier-Sainte-Marie in the Verdon,
the heart of the Haute Provence. On the way we will stop in
Forcalquier, famous for its huge village market and there will
be time for shopping and a stroll around the village. Then
on to Sainte-Croix Lake and our base for the next three nights
picturesque Moustier - a village hanging on the mountainside
between limestone pinnacles. We will hike the Chemins de Croix
to the top of the village for an amazing view of the lake and
village. Overnight Moustier.
Day 6 - Gorges du Verdon
This will be a day to discover the incredible Gorges du Verdon.
From Moustier we will drive la Route des Cretes to ?Point Sublime?
and hike between high plateau and gorge to the stunning Rancoumas
Belvedere. Overnight Moustier.
Day 7 - Plateau de Venasole
We will hike from the village on one of the old Roman roads
to the Plateau de Venasole, which encloses the lavender valley
of Valensol, the Durance River and the Sainte-Croix Lake. A
fabulous day! We can visit several pottery shops on the way
back to the hotel before preparing for a special farewell dinner.
Overnight Moustier.
Day 8 - Departure
Stephan will transfer you to the airport or train station in
Marseille.
Our trip in Provence can be tailored to suit special interests
and of course to blend walking of any grade and/or touring.
The tour can be run at a time of your choice for your group.
The price is based on a group of four to eight people. Please
call for prices for smaller and larger groups.
Cost
The price varies depending on the size of your group and your choice of accommodation.
Please
contact Binky for the details.
(Our price will include seven nights accommodation in small hotels or country
houses; breakfast and gourmet dinners daily, 4 gourmet picnic lunches daily (ie.
all
food included); all ground transportation, sightseeing; and full escort by Stephan
Renard)
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