Itinerary
- Day 1
Marseille
You'll arrive at Marseille International Airport and pick up your rental car before heading to your 4-star hotel to settle in. This afternoon, take time to explore Marseille at your own pace. The Le Panier district is worth a walk through with its colorful streets and local feel, and Fort Saint Jean offers nice views over the harbor. The MuCEM museum is striking architecture if you want to check it out. Tonight, you'll have a welcome dinner at a local restaurant to kick things off.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner at the restaurant)
Included Activities
- Welcome dinner at the restaurant
Optional Activities
- Explore Le Panier district
- Visit Fort Saint Jean
- Visit Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM)
Landmarks/POIs Marseille International Airport Le Panier Fort Saint Jean Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM) - Day 2
Marseille
After breakfast, you'll head to Pointe Rouge in Marseille to board a guided boat cruise with a local skipper. The boat takes you out to Calanques National Park where limestone coves line the coast and are only reachable by water. You'll get time for swimming in clear waters and taking in the coastline. This shared tour runs about 3 hours total, so plan accordingly for lunch afterward.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cruise in the Calanques with a local skipper (shared tour, activity duration: 3 hours)
Landmarks/POIs Pointe Rouge Calanques National Park - Day 3
Marseille
You'll drive through the Bandol and Cassis wine regions along the Mediterranean coast today. Several traditional wineries are on the agenda, each with terraced vineyards and tastings of local wines like Cassis white wines, Bandol rosé, and reds. Cap Canaille offers great views from above, and you'll have free time for lunch in the fishing village of Cassis. This shared tour takes about 5 to 7 hours, so it's a full day but manageable.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Wine tour in Cassis and Bandol with tastings (shared tour, activity duration: 5-7 hours)
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Cassis
Landmarks/POIs Bandol wine region Cassis wine region Cap Canaille Cassis - Day 4
Marseille to Aix-en-Provence
It's about 30 minutes to Aix-en-Provence, the former capital of Provence. You'll join a private 2-hour guided walking tour with a local guide who knows the city's history and hidden corners. The tour covers narrow streets, the thousand fountains around town, the Cathedral, Hotel de Ville, Cours Mirabeau, and Roman remains. Your guide can show you secret spots locals prefer. Later, you'll have a welcome dinner at a favorite downtown restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in downtown favorite restaurant)
Included Activities
- Walking guided tour of Aix-en-Provence with qualified guide (private tour, activity duration: 2 hours)
- Dinner at downtown restaurant
Landmarks/POIs Cathedral of Aix-en-Provence Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) Cours Mirabeau - Day 5
Aix-en-Provence
Today you're exploring the Luberon region at your own pace, about 1 hour from Aix. Gordes sits on a hilltop with a fortified castle and church, offering valley views from its cobbled streets. Roussillon is another stop, located where the world's largest ochre deposits sit. Its narrow streets and squares show off striking colors from centuries of ochre mining. You'll head back to Aix-en-Provence for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Gordes village
- Visit Roussillon village
Landmarks/POIs Luberon Gordes Roussillon - Day 6
Aix-en-Provence to Châteauneuf-du-Pape
You're driving to Avignon, the medieval city where Pope Clement V lived in the 14th century. Free time lets you explore on your own, and if interested, you can visit Le Palais des Papes and the famous St-Bénézet medieval bridge (both UNESCO sites). Later you'll head north to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, famous for wines that developed during the papal era. At a family-run vineyard, an expert guide leads a tasting of their red and white Châteauneuf wines. This is a shared activity.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Wine tasting tour in Châteauneuf-du-Pape at a familial vineyard (shared activity)
Optional Activities
- Visit Le Palais des Papes (non-included)
- Visit St-Bénézet medieval bridge (non-included)
Landmarks/POIs Avignon Le Palais des Papes St-Bénézet bridge Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Day 7
Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Aix-en-Provence
You're heading to Fontvieille for a 2.5-hour cooking class with a professional chef focused on olive oil techniques. Afterward, the Alpilles natural park is yours to explore at your own pace, with untamed landscapes and traditional Provençal character. Scrubland, pine, and oak forests cover the mountains. Les Baux de Provence sits on a rocky plateau and is worth a visit, and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence inspired painter Vincent van Gogh's work. Return to Aix-en-Provence by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cooking class based on olive oil use with a chef in Fontvieille (shared activity, activity duration: 2h30)
Optional Activities
- Explore Alpilles natural park
- Visit Les Baux de Provence
- Visit Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Landmarks/POIs Fontvieille Alpilles natural park Les Baux de Provence Saint-Rémy-de-Provence - Day 8
Aix-en-Provence to Marseille
You'll transfer to either Marseille International Airport or the TGV train station in Aix-en-Provence to return your rental car and head home. This wraps up your Southern France tour.
Landmarks/POIs Marseille International Airport Aix-en-Provence TGV Station
