Provencal Food & Wine in Aix-en-Provence & the Luberon with a Chef

Arrive in Marseille and transfer to Aix-en-Provence, where you’ll settle into your hotel in the heart of the city.

Founded by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago, Aix-en-Provence has long been one of Provence’s cultural and intellectual centers. Its elegant boulevards, graceful 17th- and 18th-century architecture, and shaded squares reflect the city’s evolution from Roman settlement to aristocratic Provençal capital. Today, the city retains an unmistakably French rhythm, where historic façades, lively cafés, fountains, and markets create an atmosphere that feels both timeless and thoroughly lived-in.

This evening, gather for a welcome dinner featuring seasonal Provençal cuisine and regional wines—an inviting introduction to the flavors, traditions, and convivial spirit of the region.

Premier will provide you with the recommended arrival window for the group. Please consult with us in advance of purchasing your flight.

Spend the morning as Aix comes to life on market day. Stalls fill the streets with seasonal produce, cheeses, olives, flowers, herbs, and Provençal specialties—offering a vibrant glimpse into the traditions of daily life that remain central to the region’s culture.

Continue with a guided exploration of Aix’s historic center, where grand 17th- and 18th-century hôtels particuliers, intimate squares, fountains, and the lively Cours Mirabeau reveal the city’s former importance as a seat of Provençal aristocracy and commerce. Along the way, discover the cultural legacy of Paul Cézanne, the Aixois painter whose revolutionary vision transformed the way artists saw landscape and helped lay the foundations for modern art. The surrounding Montagne Sainte-Victoire, which he painted repeatedly, became one of the defining subjects of his work and remains inseparable from the identity of Aix.

Enjoy lunch with the group at a favorite local bistro, savoring the flavors of Provence in the city where many of its culinary traditions remain part of everyday life.

The balance of the day is at leisure to explore, shop, visit a museum or simply settle into the relaxed rhythm of Aix-en-Provence.

Depart Aix and journey into the Luberon, where the landscape shifts to vineyards, olive groves, orchards, and hilltop villages.

Stop in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a charming riverside town whose canals and waterwheels reflect the importance of the Sorgue River to its history and prosperity. Once home to thriving textile, paper, and milling industries powered by the river, the town today is equally celebrated for its antique dealers, galleries, and lively markets. Enjoy time to explore with your guide, discovering the boutiques, waterside lanes, and Provençal character that have made L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue one of the region’s most distinctive small towns. Take time at leisure for lunch.

Continue into the Luberon and arrive at your private Provençal villa, your home for the heart of the journey. More than simply a place to stay, the villa provides an intimate and authentic way to experience Provence—settling into a private home within the landscape rather than simply passing through it. Surrounded by the region’s vineyards, olive groves, and hilltop villages, you’ll have the opportunity to slow down and experience the relaxed rhythm of Provençal life.

Over the coming evenings, the villa also becomes your private culinary setting. Work alongside your Expert Host Chef as much—or as little—as you wish, joining in the kitchen, learning techniques and recipes, sharing conversation over a glass of wine, or simply watching as the evening’s dinner comes together. This informal interaction offers a rare opportunity to go beyond the traditional guest experience and share the pleasures of cooking, dining, and conviviality with your Expert Host.

Travel north to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one of the Rhône Valley’s most celebrated appellations, where centuries of history are intertwined with the vineyards.

The village takes its name from the “new castle” built for the Avignon popes in the 14th century, when the papacy brought wealth, influence, and a renewed appreciation for the surrounding vineyards. The distinctive galets roulés—large rounded stones scattered across the vineyards—help retain heat during the day and release it at night, contributing to the character of the wines that have made this landscape famous.

Visit a selection of carefully chosen estates for guided tastings, gaining insight into the appellation’s traditions, terroir, grape varieties, and modern approach to winemaking. Along the way, discover how generations of vignerons have shaped a wine culture that remains deeply connected to the landscape.

Midday, enjoy a relaxed winery lunch paired with estate wines, allowing the pleasures of the table and the vineyard to come together in true Provençal fashion.

Return to your private villa in the late afternoon, where the relaxed setting invites you to unwind, join your Expert Host in the kitchen, or simply enjoy the Provençal evening before dinner.

Spend the morning in Gordes, one of Provence’s most iconic hilltop villages, dramatically perched above the Calavon Valley. Built from the local limestone and shaped by centuries of Provençal life, Gordes is a remarkable example of how architecture and landscape evolved together. Immerse yourselves in the market and experience life like a local. Wander its winding streets and terraces, taking in sweeping views across olive groves, vineyards, cypress trees, and the Luberon’s distinctive limestone hills.

Explore the atmospheric Caves Saint-Firmin, a network of historic troglodyte spaces carved into the rock beneath the village. These subterranean chambers offer a glimpse into the practical life of earlier generations, when caves were used for storage, production, and shelter—a fascinating contrast to the sunlit village above.

Continue to the nearby Abbaye de Sénanque, a 12th-century Cistercian monastery tucked into a secluded valley. With its austere Romanesque architecture and enduring monastic traditions, Sénanque offers a glimpse into the spiritual heritage that helped shape medieval Provence. The abbey’s lavender-framed setting has become one of the region’s most recognizable images, yet its quiet architecture and sense of place remain the true experience.

Return to the villa for an afternoon at leisure, with time to relax into the landscape or spend time alongside your Expert Host as preparations begin for the evening’s dinner.

Travel to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a town where layers of Provençal history, Roman heritage, and artistic inspiration come together.

Begin with the weekly market, when the town’s streets and squares fill with local producers and artisans. Wander among seasonal fruits and vegetables, fragrant herbs, cheeses, olives, charcuterie, textiles, and regional specialties, experiencing a tradition that remains an important part of everyday Provençal life.

Continue to Saint-Paul de Mausole, the former monastery and psychiatric hospital where Vincent van Gogh lived and worked in 1889–1890. During this intensely productive period, he created some of his most celebrated paintings, drawing inspiration from the surrounding olive groves, cypress trees, fields, and the Alpilles landscape. Standing within the setting that inspired these works offers a particularly personal connection to one of the defining artists of the modern era.

There will also be time to explore Saint-Rémy at leisure, from its elegant squares and boutiques to its cafés and quiet lanes. Return to the villa and enjoy the unhurried rhythm of your Provençal home, with another opportunity to join your Expert Host in the kitchen before dinner.

Depart for Avignon, one of the great historic cities of southern France and a place whose story reaches far beyond Provence. During the 14th century, Avignon became the seat of the papacy, transforming the city into a powerful center of European religion, politics, art, and culture.

Explore the historic center on foot, enclosed by remarkably preserved medieval ramparts. Narrow lanes, elegant squares, churches, and historic residences lead to the imposing Palais des Papes, one of the largest and most important Gothic buildings in Europe. Once the residence of the popes of Avignon, the palace will provide you during your visit a fascinating glimpse into the extraordinary power and wealth of the medieval Church and the international importance of the city during this period.

Continue through the historic heart of Avignon, taking in the architectural layers that remain from its medieval past. Enjoy time at leisure afterward to explore the city at your own pace, perhaps discovering its boutiques, cafés, galleries, or the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet spanning the Rhône.

Return to the villa for time to relax and prepare for your final evening in Provence.

Set out into the Luberon to discover Bonnieux and Ménerbes, two of Provence’s most evocative hilltop villages, where centuries-old stone architecture remains closely intertwined with the surrounding landscape.

In Bonnieux, wander through the village’s atmospheric streets and terraces, where views stretch across vineyards, orchards, and the Calavon Valley. The village’s elevated position reflects the strategic importance of these hilltop communities for generations, while its stone houses, churches, and narrow lanes reveal the enduring character of rural Provence.

Continue to Ménerbes, a village long associated with artists, writers, and those drawn to the distinctive light and landscape of the Luberon. Explore its quiet streets and panoramic viewpoints while discovering the rhythms of village life that continue beneath its timeless appearance.

Enjoy lunch at leisure, perhaps lingering over a final Provençal meal or simply savoring the beauty of the Luberon at your own pace.

Return to the villa for time to relax and prepare for your final evening in Provence. As the sun begins to soften over the Luberon, gather for a special farewell dinner in Gordes, where an elegant Provençal setting provides the perfect backdrop to celebrate the friendships, flavors, landscapes, and experiences shared throughout your journey.

Bid farewell to Provence as you transfer to Marseille Airport for your return journey. Depart with memories of the region’s extraordinary landscapes, Provençal cuisine and wines, historic villages, and the many flavors and experiences shared along the way.

Explore the world through food, wine, culture, and unforgettable moments. Join us in Provence!

Premier will provide you with a window for the departure transfer to the airport. Please contact us before booking your flights.