Region
in Basque Country, Carcassonne & Provence
France Wine Tasting Tours
Villages & Markets Tours
Art & Museums Tours

From the rugged Atlantic coast to the azur-colored Mediterranean Sea – experience the diversity of the South of France.  

Includes

15 nights in premium B&Bs that we personally selected for you
A rental car with automatic transmission & full insurance coverage, for 16 days
The assurance that you can contact us at any time, for any reason, while you're in France
A guidebook made for you and all road maps with recommended itineraries, activities & visits
FJFY App all your trip, contacts, GPS destinations, weather… in your smartphone
5.0
Martha
Emilie did a fantastic job of planning our 13 day trip from Avignon to Bordeaux, with time spent in Provence, Cathar Country, Basque Country, and Bordeaux. Emilie is an excellent & …
Duration
16 days
Price
US$ 4 760
Per traveler, including taxes,
based on double occupancy.

Your accommodations

Pictures of the specially selected accommodations

Step by step

Paris Carcassonne Basque Country South Provence Central Provence

In the heart of the Basque Country

  • Start your trip with 5 nights in a gorgeous Basque Country villa. The B&B is located 3 miles from the beach but in a very quiet landscaped garden.
  • From here, you will discover the seaside from Saint Jean de Luz to Biarritz and also go to the Spanish Basque area, which is about a 1hr drive.
  • As an introduction to the region, you will enjoy following a local guide in Biarritz. He will give you the keys to his city and to the Basque culture, so you will understand more about the Basque language and the traditions and festivals such as Pelote or Basque Force. This tour ends at the covered market, where you will taste some Basque specialties: cheese, ham, wines, jams and much more.
  • We will craft your days so you get a feel of everything the Basque culture has to offer, and there is a lot: taste the local Bayonne ham after strolling a valley and discovering the traditional and still alive mountain pig farming, get acquainted with the Basque weaving tradition, try to make your own Basque cake or stroll one of the many farmers markets.
  • Several “most beautiful villages of France” will be on your scenic drives – and you may see some locals playing the Basque Pelote game at the town’s fronton. Nature and outdoors lovers will enjoy endless walks and hikes in the Pyrenees foothills, occasional walkers will relax on the walks along the beaches and enjoy a coffee on a terrace watching surfers.
 
Paris Carcassonne Basque Country South Provence Central Provence

The Cathar country

  • Carcassonne and the Cathar country are the perfect stop on the way to Provence. Carcassonne's medieval “Cité” will amaze you by its size and conservation.
  • Stay for 3 nights downtown Carcassonne lively “Bastide St Louis”, a short walk to the UNESCO Medieval city. Your lovely and international hosts are happy to share many stories and tips with their guests.
  • In the Cathar country, walkers/hikers will be rewarded with breathtaking landscapes and fortresses such as Quéribus or Perpeytuse. History lovers will be intrigued by the Cathar history. Wine lovers may be surprised by the quality of the “Minervois” wines which have improved a lot in the past 10 years. They are now on the wine lists of some of the most famous restaurants in the world.
  • On the 9th day, you will drive about 2hr30 along the Mediterranean Sea to get to Provence.
Paris Carcassonne Basque Country South Provence Central Provence

Magnificent Provence

  • You will reside in a comfortable and quiet B&B for 5 nights on Avignon's island. This place is nestled in a nice garden where you will enjoy relaxing by the pool, and it is only a 15 minute walk to the heart of Avignon's old city. Your hosts know the region very well and they will be happy to give you some advice if you'd like.
  • So many things to see in less than an hour's drive from your B&B: beautiful Avignon, also referred to as “the City of Popes”, where you can visit the Palace of the Popes, the well-preserved ramparts and the famous “Avignon Bridge”.
  • Enjoy hilltop villages on market day, walking in the footsteps of famous painters such as Cézanne or Picasso. We will also tell you about some hidden jewels - off the beaten track villages where you will stroll around charming streets or have a drink at a provençal café with locals. We can also recommend a farmer’s market and wine cellar for each day of the week!
  • One day, we will take you to a place you could not find on your own, lost in Provence mountains, to a very private wine estate. Here, you will take a tour of the winery, then enjoy a wine tasting followed by a nice picnic in the vineyards. A very romantic time.

 

Paris Carcassonne Basque Country South Provence Central Provence

Southern Provence

  • End your trip with 3 nights in the heights of Aix-en-Provence, still inside the town of Aix, but in a very quiet setting surrounded by water. You will be comfortably settled in a typical “mill house”, surrounded by a lush garden with a swimming pool.
  • From the B&B, you explore the landscapes which inspired so many painters including Cezanne. 
  • Spend about 2hrs looking for truffles in the Luberon hills with a lovely couple, then taste several appetizers made of truffles with a glass of Champagne (or more, whose counting?). 

 

The perfect trip to enjoy the sweet life in Southern France!

Activities included

A Private Guide to Biarritz

A Private Guide to introduce you to the Basque culture

Follow a local guide in Biarritz, by the Ocean. He will give you the keys to his city and to the Basque culture. You will end this tour at the covered market, tasting some Basque produces: cheese, hams and wines. 

A Wine Tasting and picnic in a very special estate in Provence

Wine Tasting & Picnic in a very private Estate

Explore a very private wine estate, lost in the hills of Provence. You will enjoy a tour of the estate followed by a wine tasting, then have a picnic lunch in the vineyards. A very special place you would not find on your own. 

truffles france

Truffle Hunt & Tasting

Spend about 2hrs looking for truffles in the Luberon hills with a lovely couple, then taste several appetizers made of truffle with a glass of Champagne. 

Customize this tour

We are glad to customize this itinerary to include additionnal night stays, extra activities or any specific request you have.

YOUR Guide Book

100% customized to your itinerary, it is the perfect tool before, during & after your trip.

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Elliot
You gave me so many good suggestions that honestly, I just walked everywhere you recommended, with something breathtaking around every corner. The guidebook was great and the suggestion to make an effort to try French was a solid one. I did much better once I got comfortable trying. I will recommend your service to anyone I know thinking at coming …
Robert
I can't say enough about how much we loved working with Emily and Laura. I am a wine geek and they put together a full day private tour of Burgundy (with a fantastic guide) and a half day visit and basket lunch at a wonderful winery in Provence. In addition there was a private half day walking tour of Paris and a private tour of the Palais des …
Steve
Emilie, set up an outstanding itinerary that met all our desired needs, created a wonderful schedule with built in flexibility to handle planned and unplanned changes. Her suggestion for special sites to see and foods to sample were right on and an enhancement from the normal tourist recommendations. The attention to detail was greatly appreciated …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Ann & Jim
From the US
In Amboise castle by the Loire river
Bob & Naomi
From the US
In Monet's gardens in Giverny, Normandy
Beverley & John
from Canada
In front of the Louvre pyramid in Paris
Susan & Gary
From the US
At the summit of the famous Mont Ventoux in Provence (famous as a mythical step of the Tour de France)
Bridget & Tyler
from the US
In Monet's house kitchen in Giverny
Ginger & Tom
from the US
At their B&B in the Loire Valley
Ginger & Tom
from the US
On the Eiffel Tower
Nancy, Don, Jane & Ron
from Canada
In Honfleur, Normandy
Myrna & Duncan
from Canada
In Eze gardens on the Riviera
Jan & Ray
From Australia
In Mont Saint Michel
Nancy & Paul
from Canada
On the French Riviera
Yvette & David
from the US
on the French Riviera, near Nice