Provence & the French Riviera are famous the world over, but they still have a lot of secrets, ready to be discovered if you are willing to get away from the beaten paths.
This trip was such an awesome cultural adventure and we can not say enough about Emilie and France Just for You. This service was outstanding, well planned according to our …
This trip was such an awesome cultural adventure and we can not say enough about Emilie and France Just for You. This service was outstanding, well planned according to our interests and the B&B's were all wonderful. Each B&B was different but all fantastic in their own way. The suggestions Emilie made all worked amazingly well and so did the preplanned tours, parking instructions, car rental and our museum passes. This was one of the best travel experiences for us, with the least amount of things going wrong. Actually, nothing went wrong. It is sort of like an 'all inclusive' with a really, really large resort, that we just walked in and out of without ever having to worry about a thing. Every single detail was accounted for by Emilie and her experience really showed. Imagine, a huge trip such as this and it all went well? I tend to be extremely fussy and vocal if things are not right but in this case, absolutely no complaints about France Just for You and Emilie's well thought out, planned French adventure.
#1 - A cozy B&B house in the heights of NiceA welcoming house in a hilltop village
#1 - A cozy B&B house in the heights of Nice ...with spacious rooms equipped with AC
#1 - A cozy B&B house in the heights of NiceEnjoy the sea view from your room and the breakfast terrace
#2 - A quiet mill house in Aix en ProvenceA traditional mill house in a quiet district in Aix en Provence
#2 - A quiet mill house in Aix en ProvenceRefresh at night in a large and comfortable room...
#2 - A quiet mill house in Aix en Provence...or by the swimming pool, in the lush garden
#2 - A quiet mill house in Aix en ProvenceFeel at home and enjoy Provence sweet life
#3 - A cozy house in the heart of the Old AvignonStay 300 yards to the Palace of the Popes
#3 - A cozy house in the heart of the Old AvignonRelax in a comfortable room
#3 - A cozy house in the heart of the Old AvignonAt night you can walk to all restaurants then rest in a cool garden
Step by step
Arrival in the French Riviera
We recommend that our travelers fly into Nice International Airport to save time and energy. You will pick up the rental car at Nice airport.
To avoid the crowds during your 10 days in the south of France, you will stay in beautiful family-run B&Bs away from the city center.
In a small hilltop village just 8 miles from Nice, we have selected a lovely B&B located at the top of the town, so you will enjoy a beautiful sea view from your room and from the breakfast terrace. You will be within walking distance of several restaurants and will feel at ease to explore the region.
The Cote d’Azur is a marvel of fabulous 19th century villas and sapphire water coves. Wander through the narrow alleyways of the old city of Nice and visit the many famous art museums. Go shopping and enjoy views of the Mediterranean in seaside restaurants from Monte Carlo to Antibes. We will tell you all of our secrets about the best places to visit in the Riviera.
The French Riviera Hinterland
In the Rivierahinterland, you will have the opportunity to discover some of the most beautiful handicrafts in France, particularly ceramics, sculpture and paintings. You might be tempted to step into a glassblower's shoes and make your own “chef d’oeuvre”.For art lovers, the many art museums of Nice and its surroundings will amaze you, with masterpieces by Chagall, Matisse and Picasso.
Making your own fragance at a famous perfume house is a lot of fun. You will learn the basics of perfume making and then choose between hundreds of ingredients to create your own Eau de Parfum. This is a wonderful and unique souvenir of your stay in the French Riviera to bring home with you.
Southern Provence - around Aix en Provence
Stay 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 may explore the landscapes which inspired so many painters, including Paul Cezanne.
Wander around picturesque villages such as Ansouis and Lourmarin on the slopes of the Luberon hills and get a feel for the peaceful atmosphere of these places. Visit Aix-en-Provence and its many museums.
Tour the salt marshes of the Camargue and visit the Alpilles region, where you will find beautiful Saint Remy de Provence. We will tell you where to buy the best olive oil!
Central Provence - around Avignon
On the 7th day, you will drive North to central Provence. Stay in a beautifully restored stone house in the old walls of Avignon, a 3-minute walk from the Palace of the Popes. Avignon is a perfect base camp to explore central and northern Provence.
We recommend dedicating a day to discovering the quaint villages of the Luberon, riding an electric bike. You will have several biking itinerary options, from easy to challenging. All of them will take you to explore hidden hamlets, vineyard chapels, wineries, road-trails through the olive groves and evergreen oaks. A great day, exploring at your own pace.
And while we're on the subject of Provençal gastronomy, we have planned a truffle hunt in a very secret place. You will work with the hunter and his dog in the Provence hills. After that, you will savor several truffle appetizers to get acquainted with this highly-valued mushroom.
On your last day, you can return the car at the most convenient place depending on your next destination.
You will be immersed in the culture of the South-East of France.
Activities included
Riviera Perfume Workshop
In one of the most famous perfume houses, be introduced to the perfume making technics and make your own fragrance - which you will keep as a great souvenir!
E-Biking Day in Provence
Spend a day in the Luberon gorgeous landscapes driving an electric bike. Several itinerary options for you to enjoy biking at your own pace.
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.
My husband and I have just returned from an amazing 16 day trip in France organized thoughtfully and beautifully by Emilie of France Just for You. As the other reviewers have stated, all interactions with Emilie have been prompt, professional and thorough. Although we have organized European travel on our own in the past, concerned that we might be …
My husband and I have just returned from an amazing 16 day trip in France organized thoughtfully and beautifully by Emilie of France Just for You. As the other reviewers have stated, all interactions with Emilie have been prompt, professional and thorough. Although we have organized European travel on our own in the past, concerned that we might be limited by the language barrier (as we do not speak French), I stumbled across Emilie's website when planning for our France vacation. We couldn't have been more pleased with all aspects of her organization, planning, attention to our personal requests and responsiveness. She created an amazing trip for us. Our itinerary (the 400 page personalized book others have mentioned) was chock full of amazing suggestions for experiences tailored just for us. I especially appreciated that Emilie made many great suggestions organized for each day, but it wasn't too structured so we remained in charge of our own time. Emilie additionally organized several tours (in Normandy, Paris and a vineyard in the Loire Valley), as well as a cooking class and a day of biking. We stayed in a French chateau, a wonderful boutique hotel in Paris and the most amazing b and b's! All of the professionals with whom we interacted in France were welcoming, friendly and kind. Emilie's planning allowed us the opportunity to interact with people in a manner that I do not believe we would have experienced otherwise or if we had tried to plan this vacation on our own. The holiday was more special because of these interactions with b and b owners and the other professionals. In the end, we felt as if we left France enriched by the amazing experiences that were personalized and also having made new friends. This would not have been otherwise possible without Emilie's efforts. She takes great care and it's obvious she pays great detail to each trip. At the end of our vacation, I found myself searching to see the other locations where Emilie plans trips as we will surely use her services again and highly recommend for the most wonderful vacation.
Kris & Kristina
Thank you so much Emilie for all your hard work on our anniversary trip to St. Emilion and the Loire Valley! We had such a great time and everything you planned for us was just perfect. Having traveled to Paris and Nice many times, this was our first time exploring the countryside and we had a blast. We cannot thank you enough for everything! Kris …
Thank you so much Emilie for all your hard work on our anniversary trip to St. Emilion and the Loire Valley! We had such a great time and everything you planned for us was just perfect. Having traveled to Paris and Nice many times, this was our first time exploring the countryside and we had a blast. We cannot thank you enough for everything! Kris and Kristina
Liz & Bruce
We definitely experienced a new way of traveling : out-of-the-way places, local markets and quaint little restaurants. We met a lot of French people and other travelers and always had a great time ! We had already gone to France twice in the past, but thanks to Emily and Guilaume we rediscovered this fabulous country in a whole new way. We are …
We definitely experienced a new way of traveling : out-of-the-way places, local markets and quaint little restaurants. We met a lot of French people and other travelers and always had a great time !
We had already gone to France twice in the past, but thanks to Emily and Guilaume we rediscovered this fabulous country in a whole new way.
We are looking forward to visiting Dordogne very soon…definitely with France Just For You.
