Region
in Basque Country, Carcassonne & Provence
Wine Tasting
Heritage & History
Countryside

This unique self-drive itinerary will have you cross the South of France from its Western coast in the Basque Country to beautiful Provence, with its cicadas and lavender fields.

Includes

12 nights in premium B&Bs that we personally selected for you
A rental car with automatic transmission & full insurance coverage, for 13 days
A «Table d’Hôtes» home-cooked dinner, with your Hosts and other travelers
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
Sheldon
We began planning this trip over a year before our departure date. We have done a lot of traveling but this trip was for our 25th wedding anniversary! Once we decided upon France …
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 4 080
Per traveler, including taxes,
based on double occupancy.

Your accommodations

Pictures of the specially selected accommodations

Step by step

Paris Provence Carcassonne Basque Country

The Basque Country : surf, gastronomy and Pyrenees foothills

  • Your trip starts in the Basque Country where you will stay for 5 nights in a comfortable house located 5 miles from the ocean, between Biarritz and Saint-Jean de Luz. From the Atlantic coastline, its waves and tanned surfers, to the rugged Pyrenees Mountains, from the peacefulness of the untouched villages to the lively nightlife in Saint Jean de Luz, the Basque Country will not disappoint.
  • 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 at a terrace watching surfers.
  • You will also follow a local guide in Biarritz. He will give you the keys 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.

 

Paris Provence Carcassonne Basque Country

Carcassonne's medieval cité & the Cathar country

  • Carcassonne and the Cathar country are the perfect stop over on the way to Provence. Carcassonne's medieval “Cité” will amaze you by its size and conservation.
  • Stay 2 nights in downtown Carcassonne lively “Bastide St Louis”, a short walk to the UNESCO Medieval city. Your lovely and international hosts have travelled the world and are happy to share many stories and tips with their guests.
  • In the Cathar country, walkers/hikers will be rewarded with breath taking 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.
  • We plan for you to follow a local guide and jump into the Cathar history in Carcassonne medieval Cité. 
  • On the 8th day, you will drive about 2hr30 along the Mediterranean Sea to get to Provence.

 

Paris Provence Carcassonne Basque Country

Provence, away from the beaten path

  • Your Bed & Breakfast for 5 nights lies just outside a lovely village on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. This "mas house" has belonged to your hostess’s family for 4 generations and is surrounded by olive and cherry trees. One night, your host Chris will cook a delicious table d’hôtes dinner you will enjoy with fellow travellers in a very convivial ambiance.
  • Mont Ventoux remains the most authentic part of Provence, with little villages such as Vaison la Romaine, Malaucène and Bedoin and dramatic landscapes like “les Dentelles de Montmirail”. One day, we will take you to a place you could not find on your own, lost in the mountains, at 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.
  • 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!
  • Speaking of gastronomy, let a local man who was born and raised in Avignon, take you on a walking tour to discover the Provençal food specialties - a great way to get acquainted with the local culture, from the Pompe à l’huile to the thyme chocolates.
  • If you are interested in history, don’t miss the Roman ruins in Arles, Orange and the Pont du Gard. We will also take you to smaller sites – less famous and much quieter. You may explore the salt marshes of the Camargue and visit the Alpilles region, where you will find beautiful Saint Remy de Provence.

 

Basque sheep and Provençal cicadas, Irrouléguy wine and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the Basque language and the old Provençal dialect . . .

you will experience a lot!

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. 

your guide in carcassonne

Carcassonne Guided Tour

Walk on the Cathars footsteps with a private guide in Carcassonne. Your guide will take you to the "citadelle" and introduce you to the medieval history in the south of France.

Food tasting Provence

Gourmet Experience in Provence

Let a passionate who was born and raised in Provence, take you to his best addresses in the old city to discover Provence food specialties. 

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. 

Let us craft your perfect Travel Plan

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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

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Explore the French regions

Brittany

Alsace

Lyon

Somme

Champagne

Verdun

Normandy

Provence

Dordogne

Loire Valley

Paris

Bordeaux

Our Travelers’ Reviews

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 …
Leslie
There are not enough superlatives for our experience with Emilie. Prompt correspondence and thorough questions led to the perfect vacation for my family. Her choice of hotels in Paris and Provence were exactly what I would have chosen on my own. Her tour guide recommendations were spot on. The fact that she arranged all of our transfers, train …
Carol & Bruce from the US
A perfect 2 weeks in Provence in the spring! My husband and I were delighted with the itinerary ‘FJFY’ put together for our 2-week self-drive road trip in Provence. During the planning stages Emilie and Laura asked insightful questions about our lifestyle and desires relating to travel. Communications were outstanding throughout the planning stage …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Naomi
From the US
In Villandry gardens in the Loire Valley
Ginger & Tom
from the US
At their B&B in the Loire Valley
Patty
from the US
In Villeneuve les Avignon, Provence
Harry & Caroline
From Australia
Wine & Cheese Tasting
Leslie & Bob
from the US
in Cassis Creeks near Marseille in Provence
Roy & Maureen
From Australia
In Biarritz Food Market, enjoying some white wine with oysters
Roberta & Terry
At their B&B near Aix-en-Provence
Cassandra and Justin
Cassandra & Justin
in Gordes, Provence
Joe & Beth
From the US
Truffle hunting in Provence
Ruth & Mary-Ann
From the US
In front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Linda
From Australia
Making Chou-Buns at Valerie's
Kelsey
from the US
With her hosts at the B&B in the Loire Valley