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GRAND TOUR OF LES ALPILLES

Highlights

Beautiful Provence landscapes with olive groves in the Alpilles Regional Park. Get off-the-beaten-track on this extended tour whilst still passing through beautiful villages.

Destinations

France

Budget

From $250 per person

All highlights

Our Grand Tour of Les Alpilles includes full days in the wonderful historic towns of Arles and Avignon before undertaking a trail around the best part of this beautiful regional Park in southern Provence . The walking is moderate in grade sometimes traversing a patchwork of olives groves and vines, whilst at other times making its way through wild, craggy hills bordered by sheer limestone cliffs. You’ll explore several beautiful villages in this stunning part of Provence, including St Remy de Provence in southern France , celebrated as the place where Van Gogh created 150 of his famous paintings. Here you can also explore the Gallo-Roman site of Glanum as well walking onto the Caume Plateau for excellent views. In addition you’ll spend time in the beautiful historic village of Baux de Provence perched atop a jagged ridge and crowned by its castle ruins. Your self-guided walking holiday starts by visiting Arles where you can visit its famous Roman arena and amphiteatre, whilst the walking holiday finishes in Avignon, which includes such famous sites as the Palais des Papes and the Pont d’Avignon. In between there are plenty of other villages and sites of interest, including Daudet’s windmill at Fontvieille, the olive mills of Maussane-les-Alpilles, the cathedral of images in Baux-les-Provence, and the wonderful Provence market in Eygalieres. Holiday Profile . 9 night/10 days: 6 days independent walking moving between guest houses. Every day of week subject to availability during March, April, May, June , September & October . Walking Profile & Grade .

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive in Arles. .

Day 2: Arles

Explore Arles and its Roman treasures including its Roman Arena and its theatre. Take in the atmosphere of this lively Provence town surrounded by city walls on the banks of the Rhone River. There are numerous museums to visit. It was Van Gogh's home for a year when he produced about 300 of his celebrated paintings. Transfer to Fontvieille at the end of day 2. Stay in a beautiful 3 star hotel. Fontvieille is a picturesque village with its ancient houses built from local stone. Fontvieille is the village where Alphonse Daudet wrote his famous "Lettres de Mon Moulin".. .

Day 3: Fontvieille to Baux de Provence

Your walk starts by climbing the small hill to visit the "Moulin de Daudet" and from where there is a superb view of the Alpilles and the "Chateau de Montauban" where Daudet lived from time to time. Walk through a landscape of limestone, olives, pine trees and oaks before climbing to the perched village of Les Baux de Provence: its homes packed tightly on top of the hill and listed as one of the prettiest villages in France.. Overnight: Baux de Provence, Walk: 13km, +350m . .

Day 4: Circular Tour from Les Baux de Provence

Explore Baux de Provence with it 22 architectural treasures classified as "Historic Monuments" (including the church, chateau, town hall, hospital, chapels, houses, doorways etc). This car-free village has plenty of ancient houses that have been carefully restored, beautiful Renaissance facades and several magnificent "hotels particuliers". Above are the ruins of the Citadelle which crown the hill. Visit the chateau ruins, cost about 8 euros. One of the must-see sites close to the village is the Carrieres de Lumieres, where artistic works are projected on enormous quarry walls. Currently (2019) Van Gogh's works are being shown.. You also have the option of a walk onto the hills behind les-Baux-de-Provence. After passing through neat olive groves and vines climb slowly in a wild and rugged valley cut off from the surrounding plains. Reach the ridgeline with great views. Return to

Day 5: Baux de Provence to Aureille

Pass over the Majan Hills with great 360 degree views before reaching the pretty village of Maussane in the heart of the most important olive producing area in France. Visit the famous 17th century Cornille mill where you can taste one of Provence's best olive oils. Afterwards, you have the option of going via the unique site of les Caisses de Jean Jean, a dry limestone grassy plateau encircled by cliffs. At the end of the plateau are the remains of a pre-historic settlement. Great views before descending. Afterwards a beautiful walk alongside the irrigation canal of the Baux Valley as it cuts across the hillside with views towards the higher hills. End the day at a beautiful guest house in the quiet village of Aureille.. Overnight: Aureille, Walk: 20km, +300m . .

Day 6: Aureille to Eygalieres

A beautiful walk leads you past the rugged hills of les Opies and the highest summits in the Alpilles. A steady climb takes you up to a look-out tower at 337m with superb views across much of Les Alpilles. Descend gently through scrub with more great vistas to reach the Grande Randonnee GR6. Follow it to return to a pretty valley planted with vines and surrounded by the fin-like rock cliffs of Les Calans hills. A last climb permits you to get further panoramic views before descending to the historic village of Eygalieres.. Overnight: Eygalieres, Walk: 14km, +350m . .

Day 7: Eygalieres to St Remy de Provence

Eygalieres is less busy than St Remy de Provence but has loads of Provence charm. There is a wonderful Provence market on Fridays. Climb to the remains of its old citadel for great views of the Alpilles hills. An easier walk through a patchwork of olives and vines brings you to St Remy de Provence, one of the most famous villages of Provence and celebrated for being the adopted home of Van Gogh. Visit its pretty squares, fountains, Medieval buildings and cobblestone streets enclosed by the remains of its 14th century walls. On the way you can also explore the remains of the Roman town of Glanum. 14km, +60m. Overnight: St Remy de Provence, Walk: 14km, +60m . .

Day 8: Circular tour from St Remy de Provence

Spend the day visiting St Remy de Provence and/or do an optional walk.. Among the possible visits in St Remy is the Saint-Paul de Mausole monastery where Van Gogh created 150 paintings in a year. Vincent Van Gogh had been living in Arles during 1888-89. In May 1889 he was voluntarily confined in the Asylum of Saint Paul de Mausole where in a productive year he painted two of his most notable works: Starry Night and Self-Portrait . Saint Remy de Provence is also home to the historic remains of Glanum which was founded in the 3rd century BC, before control passed to the Romans under Julius Cesar. Two important monuments are visible next to the site: l'Arc de Triomphe and the Mausolee des Antiques.. You have the choice of doing a walk around St Remy, climbing onto the Plateau de la Caume for wonderful views. The far end of the plateau arguably provides the finest views in the whole of the

Day 9: Avignon

Short transfer to Avignon one of the prettiest cities in Provence, which includes famous sites such as the Palais des Papes and the Pont d'Avignon. Avignon is famous as the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century. The palace they built, 'Le Palais des Papes,' or the Palace of popes, is the world's largest Gothic edifice. The Ramparts themselves were erected to keep the plague and invaders out during the Middle Ages, when Avignon belonged to the papacy and not the French crown. Avignon is also famous for the Saint Benezet bridge which spans part of the Rhone River and is known the world over due to a nursery rhyme.. Overnight: Avignon . .

Day 10: Departure

Holiday ends after breakfast. Option to book extra nights in Avignon. . .

Prices

Price per person	2 pers	4 pers	6 pers	8 pers
Price per adult	$250	$180	$160	$150
Price per kid	$130	$90	$80	$80

Services

Included:

Transfers between Arles and the start of the first day's walk and after the last day's walk to Avignon
9 nights' accommodation
All breakfasts and 3 evening meals
Full walking notes and maps
Transport of luggage between guest houses

Excluded:

Travel to Arles and from Avignon in France
Lunches and 6 evening meals in restaurant
Additional transfers to those described above
Any excursions or entrance fees
Travel insurance

Optional:

Extra Nights
City Breaks
Tailor-made holidays

Receive a free quote from your local travel agency within 48 hours by e-mail. No obligation to purchase.

Pauline Mathieu

travel expert: France & Scotland

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