Cycling Tour in Provence

Along the coast, remnants have been found from some of the earliest known human settlements anywhere in Europe. Stone tools dating to over one million years BC were discovered in Grotte du Vallonnet, and later, pieces of Europe’s first fireplaces were uncovered near Nice.

Two ice ages led to dramatic sea level changes, which allowed for a remarkable discovery in 1985: Diver Henri Cosquer found a submarine cave just below the calanque (narrow, steep-walled inlet) at Morgiou near Marseille. The underwater entrance led into a cave above the sea level, the walls of which are adorned with drawings of bison, seals, auks, horses and human hands, all of which date to approximately 25,000 BC.

Before the Romans came at the end of the second century BC, the region saw the Ligures (from modern-day Liguria, over the border in Italy), Celts from Central Europe, and Etruscan traders. The Greeks landed their first traders from the island of Rhodes in the seventh century BC. They called their ancient town and its nearby river Rhodanousia, which would evolve into Rhône, as the main river through Provence is now known. The Greeks established their first permanent settlement around 600 BC and named it Massalia, atop modern-day Marseille.

Romans legions arrived answering a call for help from the citizens of Massalia who were struggling against the Ligures. They came three times to battle Ligures and Celts. After the third battle, they decided to establish permanent settlements in Provence. In 122 BC, they built Aquae Sextiae in present-day Aix-en-Provence and introduced amphitheaters, baths, temples and aqueducts to their other strongholds. Their first province beyond the Alps, they called it Provincia Romana, their provincia eventually leading to the name Provence.

The Middle Ages saw the arrival of Christianity, several Germanic invasions, and later the rise of the Counts of Provence as the region became a prize in complex rivalries among Catalan rulers of Barcelona, Kings of Burgundy, Angevin Kings (the House of Valois, which also ruled Naples), and German rulers of the Holy Roman Empire. The Counts ruled from Aix-en-Provence until 1481, when Provence became a province of the Kings of France.

During the French Revolution, and the exceptions of the big towns, the people of Provence were rural, conservative, and largely royalist. One now infamous exception was the Marquis de Sade of Lacoste in the Luberon, who was a deputy from the far left in the National Assembly.

Provence also produced the most memorable song of the time, now the French national anthem: La Marseillaise.

Napoleon restored power to the families of the old regime in Provence, and the nineteen century saw Provence prosper. Its ports at Marseille and Toulon connected it to the expanding French Empire in North Africa and the Orient, the latter particularly after the opening of the Suez Canal.

Between the World Wars, the Provençal were bitterly divided: Conservative in the countryside, more radical in the cities. Marseille saw widespread strikes and there were riots in Toulon. When France was divided into occupied and unoccupied zones following French defeat to Germany in June 1940, Provence lay in the unoccupied zone. Cooperation and passive resistance gradually gave way to active resistance, and after the end of the war, the region faced the enormous task of repair and reconstruction, particularly of its ports and railroads.

When new highways opened in the 1970s, Provence became a destination for mass tourism from all over Europe. The British in particular bought summer houses in the area. The arrival of the TGV high-speed trains shortened the trip from Paris to Marseille to less than four hours.

Despite having been a part of France now for over five hundred years, Provence yet retains its distinct cultural and linguistic flavors, particularly in the interior. With its idyllic Mediterranean climes and breathtaking natural and cultural backdrops, we welcome you to Provence. À bientôt! (See you soon!) 

TOUR DATES AND PRICES
Minimum of 8 participants, maximum of 14, with a maximum guide-to-guest ratio of 1 to 8

DATES (7 days)
June 6-12, 2020 | September 19-25, 2020  
For more info, other dates and availability please  contact us.

TOUR PRICE 
Per person in double occupancy from $3,890 to $4,290
(this tour will feature 4-star hotels, chateaux, chambres & tables d’hôtes. Tour price will vary depending on group size) 

Single Supplement: $690 

In addition, we pledge to donate more than 1% of your trip price to food literacy and environmental non profit organizations

• Discover two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: Natural Park of Luberon and Mont Ventoux (optional loop on day 5)
• Tastings of regional foods and visits to local wine and olive oil makers
• Savor the local traditional cuisine featuring fresh and seasonal ingredients and learn more about local recipes
• Enjoy some of the best wines of Provence such as Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvedre and more!
• Relax in unique, elegant 4-star hotels, chateaux and maisons & tables d’hôtes distinctively representing the local cultures and traditions
• Delve into history, traditions and culture in this unique area of south of France
• Exhilarating rides in some of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France 

Absorbed into France over five hundred years ago, Provence manages still, somehow, to hold fast to its pre-French roots. The cultural and linguistic flavors here are unlike other parts of the country.

We designed this 6-night tour to balance unforgettable riding with memorable cultural and culinary experiences. This is your vacation, your time in Provence, so let us know how you prefer to travel! 

• 6 nights of accommodation in 4-star hotels, chateaux, maisons and tables d’hôtes (traditional inns)
• 6 breakfasts and 2 lunches
• 5 dinners with a 3-course menu (for June departures at least one including black truffles)
• Exploration of Saint-Remy de Provence, Mazan, Vaucluse and other quaint Provençal villages
• Discover five of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France: Les Baux, Roussillon, Gordes, Venasque and Menerbes
• 1 visit and tasting to a winery and olive oil producer near St. Remy
• Exhilarating rides in the must-see places of Provence including two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: Natural Park of Luberon and Mont Ventoux (optional loop on day 5)
• 1 visit to a lavender farm and 1 guided visit to Van Gogh’s famous painting locations 
• 1 cooking demo in a maison et table d’hôtes 
• 1 wine tasting and visit to a local winemaker in Luberon area
• Bike rental (see more info here) and Garmin Touring Edge unit (if you have one, bring yours and we’ll upload the routes onto your unit)
• Comfortable transportation and assistance by 9-seat van for all travel on tour as cited in the itinerary
• Refreshments, snacks, fruits and other local delicacies during our rides
• 2 bilingual, professional Tour Leaders
• Group transfers from/to Avignon TGV train station
• Local taxes and gratuities for luggage porters and restaurant servers during tour

• 4 lunches and 1 dinner on your own  
• Alcoholic beverages at group dinners (including wine and spirits)
• Round-trip airfare and expenses to/from the tour
• Trip cancellation, baggage loss or travel delay insurance (this optional coverage is highly recommended and is not provided by Food.Stories.Travel.)
• Gratuities for your Tour Leader

Cristiano Bonino has led tours for North Americans all over Italy for more than thirteen years. Currently, he resides in the Boston area with his American wife. Cristiano likes to say that he has been “hybridizing” over the past three years in the U.S. He mixes the best of the both American and Italian cultures, which he loves, but never forgets his native roots in Turin.

Davide Marchegiano has designed and led tours all over Italy and Europe for the last sixteen years; he loves to teach Italian using games and songs, as well as to bring guests to meet his many friends across his country. Davide was born in Ivrea, in Piedmont and he loves hiking and everything with pedals and wheels: he’s been riding and racing bikes for 30 years.

Andrea Marchesini was born in Alassio in Liguria and for more than ten years has been working as a tour leader and trip designer leading groups of north Americans. He is committed to sustainability, authenticity, care for the environment, and a good clean and fair approach to life and tourism. He is eager not only to show you his Liguria, but also to learn with you through your own unique and multi-sensory experiences.

Your itinerary has been meticulously hand-designed by Food.Stories.Travel and its team. We created your adventure around some of our favorite flavors and unforgettable past experiences. Every establishment you visit has been personally vetted, tested and enjoyed.