Provence is surely one of France's most fabled regions. Flanked by the Alps to the north, Italy to the east, and the Mediterranean to the south, Provence is known for the incredible diversity that exists within its borders, its rich human and natural history, and its sights,
sounds, tastes, smells, and utter charm. On this trip we will introduce you to all the fascination that Provence has to offer: the ancient
settlement of Avignon, the tiny perched villages of the Luberon, the craggy limestone of the Alpilles, and Mont Ventoux, an inspiration for Van Gogh (and us!). We will combine scenic hikes with visits to village markets, stays at French inns, a little culture, and a chance to sample all the fantastic tastes of the south of France. Maximum group size: 12
April 20 to April 28, 2025 |
$4995.00 - Available |
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June 01 to June 09, 2025 |
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September 21 to September 29, 2025 |
$4995.00 - Available |
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October 12 to October 20, 2025 |
$4995.00 - Available |
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This trip is designed for women who want to combine hiking off the beaten track in the Provence countryside, with exploring local culture, visits to some of their unique and different villages, and savoring fresh cuisine. There is significant elevation gain on several days and paths can be rocky at times. Participants can usually opt out of the day and spend the day on their own. In order to do all of the hikes listed here, women should be in good physical condition and able to hike for three to five hours a day. Being able to keep a fast pace is not necessary; there will be time for photography, admiring views, and savoring amazing picnic lunches. Rating: 1 2[3] 4 5
While this is primarily a hiking trip, there will also be ample time to explore local culture, visit some of the unique and different villages, sip wine, and savor fresh cuisine.
We'll be staying at 3 star hotels in Avignon, Saint Remy de Provence, and Vaison la Romaine. In Buoux we'll stay in a country inn (see the itinerary for the specific hotels).
Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.
Every aspect of the trip was excellent. Both guides were knowledgeable and extremely responsive to our needs. I felt well-prepared and supported for the physical demands of the trip. The food was remarkably good.
The people. We had a great group of women and the guides were just the best!
All the lovely women primarily, second our guides who were very helpful and reassuring and well organized. And of course Provance! Beautiful scenery, adventurous hiking and exceptional food.
I love France and enjoy travling with AGC.
The guides were first rate. Very attentive and motivating, and always looking out for our safety, enjoyment, and culinary needs. The group was very diverse, but extremely congenial.
Our guides, Kaitlyn and Delphine were friendly, informative and a pleasure to be around. The itinerary was great. I love when the hikes go through the old towns, its charming.
This trip was overall excellent. The hikes were lovely and varied. The guides Delphine and Kaitlyn were great. The group of women were interesting and seemed to get on well with one another. Food was overall really wonderful. The rating of "excellent minus" is how I would describe this trip, due to the varying grades of accommodations [2 were excellent, the other 2 only good or fair with some issues, but all in good locations]. I highly recommend this trip due to the good mix of nature and culture!
Hiking Provence with a local guide made my trip far more enjoyable, scenic and educational than a traditional map and guide book road trip! I’m an avid hiker back home.
Landscape/Vistas, people, food, wine.
The guides were tremendous, the lodgings were unique, the hikes were great and the food fabulous!
This was one of the best trips I have taken with AGC (this was my 5th AGC trip). The hikes, the scenery, the guides, the food, the change in locations and terrain made this a truly remarkable experience.
The guides, Delphine and Brenda were AMAZING! They made the trip extraordinary and really went above and beyond to take care of their very detail and were so kind and patient. I would love to do another trip with them. The group of women on the trip were amazing as well, I really enjoyed spending time with everyone.
Provence ... our guides ... the food ... our group ... accomodations ..
Fabulous group of women. Two experienced, knowledgeable and respectful guides. Top-notch French cuisine. Balance of hiking in forested areas and walking rural routes.
The people made the trip! Such a nice group including our wonderful guides. For me, staying 3 nights per place, even we had to shuttle to a hike, would have made it more enjoyable.
The trip was so well planned, down to the tiniest detail. Janie & Delphine executed the plans well. There was never a time when I felt they couldnt handle what was coming next. From the lunch set up, to the hiking routes, to the shuttle arrangements, the trip was one of the best I've ever been on. The made everyone feel welcome, and an important part of the group!
amazing traveling companions, stellar guides, delicious food and wine! The hiking wasn't bad, either! ;)
The women who participated in the trip and the delicious meals.
What made this trip special for me was the location, the guides, food. The weather was great and the fact that it was done in the fall or shoulder season was a smart move. The variety of hikes, the ability to have a rest day in the middle of the week was nice. Both Delphine and Janie worked well together.
I loved the small old villages with cobblestone streets, the backroads and trails, the pleasure of a picnic with fresh cheese, sausage and a glass of wine in the shade overlooking the countryside, and waking up each day knowing something beautiful was ahead.
Excellent guides, well done logistics, and group of fellow travelers. I appreciated having Delphine as a French guide. She was lovely, genuine, and knew Provence like the back of her hand. I never even saw her consult a map! I also appreciated that we were all in the same general age range and the same general level of conditioning.
good food and company, excellent guides
This trip exceeded my expectations! Between the hikes, the scenery, the food, the hotels, the wine, the guides, the ladies....it was AMAZING! I would consider doing this trip a second time because it was that special. Highlight for me was climbing to the top of Mt. Ventoux.
Returning to international travel after such a long time due to the pandemic was so invigorating. The south of France is a beautiful location and the weather was perfect.
Beautiful scenery, nice women companions and great food.
This was a terrific group of women with two great guides. The variety of experiences, the beauty of Provence, and the wonderful food and wine made the trip special.
My personal highlight was that I completed all the hikes. I was very nervous about failing. I liked the combination of city hikes and country hikes, learning some history, seeing the small villages. After attending the Carrieres de Lumieres I was really happy about it. The show was spectacular. The views were outstanding, the food was great, the guides were remarkable.
Hiking in the countryside and through the old villages, learning about the wildflowers and history. The hike on Mt Ventoux was memorable in a challenging, good way.
This trip was magical. Bernadette is an amazing guide, and she helped me to fall in love with Provence!!! The hikes were great, the food was great.
It was everything I expected and more. If I could have picked a kind of trip and where, this would be it. What made it even better was the wonderful local guide, Marian and all the woman that ended up coming. It was one of the best experiences of my life.
I loved meeting all these women and sharing our challenges and delights everyday. The places we stayed at were spectacular and the daily picnics and evening meals were so good!
I enjoyed the size of group, the guides were very good, the hiking was just right and the views and food were wonderful.
having never done a similar trip and having never travelled to europe my expectations were open however i can say the trip exceeded all of my expectations - first and foremost the AGC coordinator Kim was wonderful and our local guiede Bernadette was amazing they made the trip - I felt like all of my needs were taken into consideration even before i knew what they were - the accomodations were wonderful the day to day agendas perfect i truly feel like i experienced the "real" local not just the tourist view
The guides were great! The history, picturesque scenery and the food were amazing.
Hiking, countryside, skilled guides
Highlights included variety of hikes and areas visited.
I loved the majority of the hikes, the food was amazing, the guides were supportive on the hikes and prepared the most amazing picnic lunches! I had a few accomodations that were not so great. First stay in hotel in Avignon - the room felt like a maid's quarters -- stark, hole in the ceiling, just not very pleasant. Loved my room in St. Remy and if I had stayed the last night in Avignon, the second room I had was very nice. The room in Auberge (the one in the canyon) - had ants crawling all over the table and bathroom sink and smelled like a sewer. I had two nights in that room. It was tolerable - but not pleasant. I loved the location and the hikes from there.
Overall, the trip was wonderful. The highlights for me were the hiking, the scenery, the food and experiencing the local culture. On a personal note it was a gift to have 11 days where I was virtually unplugged from work and technology.
Our French Guide Bernadette made the trip informative, fun, exciting, laid back, all the great adjectives you can attach to a trip to learn an area and culture to include topography, history, food, wine, friendship. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet the other wonderful, fun, woman on this trip. I loved that we all hiked and talked and shared and laughed! I cannot say enough good things about Bernadette. She is a treasure.
I didn't see any questions below or opportunity to comment on our French guide, Bernadette. She was fabulous and it was her attention to detail and quality that really made the trip so fantastic. I have traveled with many groups and she is one of the best guides I've had the pleasure of meeting and learning from.
Hiking and seeing Provence with a French guide; spending time at a vineyard with the original French owner and, of course, the food and wine.
Great interaction with other women, beautiful location, hiking, great cuisine
The group dynamic was super. The local guide - Bernadette- was very competent and had great ability to solve problems. She had great interpersonal skills. She shared enough to make the trip interesting while keeping it professional. Both guides worked well together and both were very approachable.
Many highlights but I will name a few: the guides were knowledgeable and accommodating the choice of locations to hike and visit were exceptional every day had its own surprises, many arranged by the guides and some were truly unexpected.
So hard to pinpoint highlights. The hikes were great, showing us a side of Provence different from the popular lavender-and-sunflowers image! All that limestone, cliffs, mountains! Incredible! The food was fantastic. I thought, okay, it won't be like Italy where I ate all the pasta, gelato, and wine I could fine--but it was even better in some ways. But bottom line--the guides made the trip. Deb is great and it was so good to meet her and travel with her. But Bernadette is on another plane--she was absolutely spectacular and MADE the trip. I believe all 12 of us participants had nothing but respect, admiration, and affection for her. What a fantastic guide.
It was a fantastic trip. The hiking locations and lodging were perfect and the two guides (Deb and Bernadette) were amazing. They were great at keeping us moving from place to place and giving us time for photos and wildflower viewings. I loved the time in the villages and Fort Buoux was such an interesting place. Bernadette's knowledge of history and habitat made the trip.
countryside, hikes, guides, food, wine -- everything!
Both guides were great. Bernadette was absolutely marvelous in sharing her love of both the culture and natural beauty of Provence.
The guides were wonderful, informative, helpful, caring. The other travelers were supportive and friendly. The points and sites on the trip gave me a feeling that that I was gaining a broad education and history of the Provence area.