Highlights
Walk Through Painted Provencal Landscapes
Interesting Hiking in the Alpilles
Stay in Beautiful Avignon and Arles
The vineyards and olive groves
Retracing the life and brush strokes of Van Gogh
The cafes and restaurants of Saint Remy de Provence
The perched medieval village of Les Baux de Provence
The cafes and restaurants of Saint Remy de Provence
The perched medieval village of Les Baux de Provence
Itinerary
Follow in the footsteps of a master on "Walking In Van Gogh's Provence," a self-guided walking tour ideal for those with a passion for art, history, and leisurely exploration. Over seven days, journey from Avignon to Chapelle Saint Gabriel, passing through iconic Provencal landscapes immortalized by Van Gogh—think sun-baked fields, cypress-lined paths, and timeless villages. The route winds through Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux, and Arles, revealing settings depicted in masterpieces like ‘Starry Night.’ Easy walking trails and comfortable hotels make this tour well-suited for seniors and experienced travelers. The tour’s unique selling point: a rare opportunity to literally walk through the living canvases of Van Gogh, connecting art and place in a deeply personal way.
day 1Arrival Avignon
Make your own way to Avignon. If you are taking the train from Paris, it's very likely that you're already following in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh (he made his way from Paris to the south of France by train). At the time, Avignon was a key railway hub. Van Gogh's journey from Paris to Arles in February 1888 marked a turning point in his career, as his time in Provence was one of the most productive periods of his life.
Hopefully you will have time to explore the medieval bastion of religion and power politics that Avignon is. Try to visit the Palais des Papes, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe, with the interactive 'histopad tour'. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. There is also the famous 'pont' in Avignon, sung about by generations of French children. Its narrow design was in order so that no more than one or two riders abreast could cross the River Rhone at a time and could be controlled. The city is also filled with interesting cobbled streets, churches, gardens and of course plenty of restaurants to choose from.
day 2Saint Remy Discovery Walk - 1 hour 30 minutes
day 3Circular Walk - 10 km/6.2 miles 3h +250m/-250m or 18 km/11 miles 6h
day 4Saint Rémy - Maussane - 13 km/ 8 miles, 4 h
day 5Maussane Circular Walk via Les Baux-de-Provence - 11.5 km/ 7 miles, 4.25
day 6Les Baux de Provence-Chapelle Saint Gabriel-Arles, 16 km/10 miles, 5.5 h +100m/-350m
day 7Arrangements end after breakfast
What's Included
Customer Reviews
I really enjoyed this trip. It provided the right blend of organisation and flexibility to suit my preferences. All of the hotels were excellent and everyone was friendly and helpful. When I needed support, the response was swift. The walking instructions were usually clear and the downloaded GPX files allowed me to double-check when I was unsure. For me the estimated times were more than enough for breaks and photos. I would happily use them for any other walking holidays. Thanks!
We enjoyed our trip very much. Most of the trip notes and gps tracks were very helpful. However, there was one track on day 5 that instructed us to walk on the active fairway in a golf course! We looked at the map and determined there was a road that ran parallel to the track but not on the golf course. One of our group actually walked the golf course as indicated and ended up getting yelled at by golfers trying to play! This track needs to be reviewed. The hotels were all quiet, convenient to town and comfortable. We particularly enjoyed the days in St. Rémy.
A very worthwhile trip for this art ignoramus to gain an insight into the life and works of Vincent.
The walking instructions were very exact and the latest a taxi ever came was 3 minutes late. The other two were dead on time. The St-Remy accomodations was wonderful. The others were okay.
Good to Know
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