Private Tour: Provence Day Trip in the Footsteps of Peter Mayle from Aix-en-Provence

After hotel pickup in Aix-en-Provence, your day tour starts with a drive through Parc Naturel Regional du Luberon, listed by UNESCO as part of the Biosphere Reserve network due to its diverse geological heritage. Your first stop is Lourmarin, a charming village where Mayle lived while he was writing his memoir. Enjoy some free time to explore at your leisure, perhaps visiting the 18th-century castle or the tomb of writer Albert Camus in the cemetery. There is also a market on Fridays.

Next, drive through the hilltop village of Bonnieux, passing by Pont Julien, a Roman bridge, and Lacoste, once home to the Marquis de Sade. On the way, get a look at the Provençal bastide where the TV movie of A Year in Provence was made, and admire lavender fields and cherry and olive trees, which are especially beautiful during the blooming season. Then it's on to Roussillon, a village known for its ocher deposits; you have free time to walk around on your own, perhaps visiting the market (on Thursdays) or wandering the ocher path, a 35-minute walk in an open-air ocher quarry, also known as the 'Provençal Colorado.'

Continue your tour to Gordes, a medieval village where you'll stop for a photo op and free time to see the church, cobbled streets, or castle. Enjoy lunch here independently (own expense) before heading to your last stop, Ménerbes, a village where Mayle stayed for a few months. Here you'll visit a historical private mansion and enjoy a wine tasting of local Luberon wines—red and rosé. Your tour ends as you return to Aix-en-Provence.