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Holidays & Walks
Graded in order of walking
difficulty
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Treks
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The Secrets of Provence This holiday provides the best overall view of all that makes Provence what it is… For E650 per person in our Gite
and E750 in our B and B in Valreas, explore the Drome Provencal, this unspoilt corner of Provence famous for its wine, lavender, fruit, truffles, herbs and olives. Half-day walks are combined with a chance to find out more about the ingredients that make Provence so special. Includes tours, bed, breakfast, some picnic lunches and
2 evening meals. |
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| 2012 DATES (Saturday PM to Saturday AM - 7 nights accommodation and 6 days of activities)
31 March -
6 April; 28 April –
5 May; 26 May to
2 June; 16 to 23 June; 14
to 21 July; 1 to 8 Sept; 6 to 13 Oct;
Other dates available on request (minimum of 4).Please contact us for a revised price for a self guided holiday. TRANSFERS from Avignon regional airport and Avignon TGV Station is by prior arrangement. If you are using Marseille airport there is a regular direct rail link to Avignon.
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In the NE corner of Provence you will find a truly unspoilt rural area still thriving on its vineyards, olives, lavender, fruit and truffles. Called the Enclave des Papes, it is a mix of tiny medieval villages and bustling market towns, like Nyons, Valreas and Vaison la Romaine, each providing their own history and character. With our expert local guide find out about the history, fables, culture, and characters. Understand the use of the plants and herbs of the region. Visit a truffle farm, olive mill and grower, silk museum, lavender distillery, and above all, enjoy regional walks that combine the sights, scents and tastes of the area.
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Accommodation and meals: Our comfortable self-contained Provencal styled Gite in Vinsobres is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and lavender fields, and provides privacy for 4 adults, each with their own bathroom facilities, plus a full size kitchen, large lounge with satellite TV, DVD, books and games. The large private swimming pool amongst the beautiful garden setting is refreshing and relaxing at anytime, but especially after the days’ activities! A ‘welcome basket’, continental breakfast and some evening meals are provided. Larger groups will enjoy the delightful guesthouse in Valreas, run by an Anglo-French couple, Mike and Chantal. Bedrooms have ensuites, and there is a comfortable lounge with TV. It is only 5 minutes walk into the town for that evening drink, or the local weekly market. Their pool is set in a lovely garden, and meals are taken on the terrace. Chantal is an expert Provencal cook, so look forward to some very appetizing meals with wine included.
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Our gite in Vinsobres |
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Itinerary OVERVIEW We can also help with accommodation if you wish to extend your stay. |
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Day 1 Saturday. Meet your hosts at our Gite or guesthouse in time for tea at 5pm. After a welcoming drink there is plenty of time to settle in before your evening meal.
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| Day 2 Sunday. This morning we begin around 9am for a walk on the Dentelles de Montmirail, home to the famous Gigondas wine. Our walk starts from a Col at the base of the Dentelles, circling to a lovely viewpoint over the Massif with a view to the ‘giant of Provence’, Mont Ventoux at 1900m. Throughout this holiday the famous Mont Ventoux is ever present. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, it has unique plants and ecosytem. Ferocious winds have scoured the summit area leaving stark white limestone scree
or rock fields. But also an intimidating area when the Mistral
wind blows, often up to 100km per hour. We
then descend to Gigondas at 1pm for a special wine tasting and
gourmet food tasting lunch. 6 wines are offered along with
appropriate gourmet mini dishes. All under the shade of the
magnificent plain trees in the village square.
Before driving back
home we stop at the very attractive fortified provencal village of Seguret. Seguret's name is derived from the latin 'securitas', or secure. The area around the fountain is a must for artists. Distance 6km/3hrs with stops.
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Day 3 Monday. Today we begin in Nyons, the capital of olive growing for this region and our walk follows a signposted trail for 4kms through some of the most famous groves. Many of these trees are over 400yrs old. A local family run olive producer then explains to us the subtle differences in quality and taste of olive oil. We return to the guesthouse for our picnic lunch in the garden, with time a rest before driving the short distance to Richerenches - a fascinating village steeped in history, particularly its links to both the Papal presence in Avignon and the Knights Templar. Here we also meet Francoise, a local herb expert, for an insight into the many uses of Provencal herbs. Distance 5kms/7hrs with stops.
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| Day 4 Tuesday. Beginning slightly later this morning you will be transferred to Vaison la Romaine for a visit to the large local market in the morning. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the medieval hilltop part of the town and then the famous Roman remains, the amphitheatre, museum, Cathedral and Roman bridge, the sole survivor of 13 bridges destroyed in the floods of 1992. There are many excellent cafes or restaurants for you to purchase lunch, along with a variety of shopping outlets. The Tourist Office in the town centre has a useful resources centre and the entrance to the Roman ruins is next door. At 4pm we will collect you at the car park near the Tourist Centre and return you to your accommodation.
Vaison la Romaine medieval town with Mont
Ventoux behind. |
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Market day
in Vaison..a whole street given over to food stalls
alone ! Just the place to buy provencal souvenirs. |
| Day 5 Wednesday. Today a 30 minute transfer takes us to a totally different part of Provence, the Gorge de St May, with its rugged cliffs, dramatic gorges and a plateau covered in lavender and thyme. The superb cliffs are also home to a colony of European Vultures. These dramatic birds with a 3-metre wingspan soar and swoop directly in front of our 'ringside' cliff top seats. This and the outstanding views of the surrounding mountains, make this a very popular morning. Our picnic lunch table is also set on the plateau among the lavender fields. After lunch we return to Nyons for a stroll through the town, including visits to the local family run olive mill and lavender and herb distillery, with presentations by their English speaking guides. Distance 5kms/3.5hrs with stops.
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Our
region is blessed with some of the best red wines at
very reasonable prices. The multitude of local wineries
ensure a variety of tastes and mirror the pride that these
small growers have in their product.Try the Vinsobres ,Cairanne
and Vasqueras for a start!! |
| Day 6 Thursday. A delightful morning walk leads up from the valley onto the picturesque Vinsobres lavender plateau. This walk provides good views over the region, with Mont Ventoux ever present in the background. After a shady picnic of local cheeses, salads, meats, pate, fruit and wine, we drive to Grignon for a visit to the chateau and the village. Then we meet a local 4th generation truffle farmer and his dog. He explains the truffle history, prior to you embarking on a truffle hunt. His truffles and truffle oil is available for purchase. Distance 6kms/5hrs with stops.
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Our
farmer with his labrador 'truffle sniffer'..
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One of our
groups accompanying the farmer through the truffle oak wood
in search of the 'black gold'.At the end of the afternoon
the dog has a biscuit and we have the opportunity to
taste some
of the fine truffles..We
end the day back at the guesthouse in time for a relax
before dinner. Dinner by the way is a very social event with
Mike and Chantal eating with the guests. As Mike is an ex
London policeman and Chantal a local girl whose father was
the town Doctor, there are plenty of good stories and
anecdotes flying around !! |
| Day 7 Friday. Today’s walk climbs up through a forested botanical walk to the summit of Garde Grosse Mountain, at 950m, with superb views of the region, Mt Ventoux, Nyons, and the hill country and distant views of the Alps. After the picnic lunch we descend via a small road back to the vehicle. We then drive to the beautiful hill village of Buisson to meet a double organic local wine producer and sample his family wines. He uses a unique method of powdered horn and the moon's influence to grow his grapes and produce his wine. Suitably inibriated you are then driven back to your accommodation for a good rest by the pool, before tonight enjoying aperitifs and a special farewell meal with your hosts, plus plenty of wine. Distance 4kms/3hrs with stops. Our region is blessed with some of the best red, rose and some white wines at very reasonable prices. The multitude of local wineries ensure a variety of tastes and mirror the pride that these small growers have in their product. Try the Vinsobres, Cairanne and Vaqueras Village wines for a start! Day 8 Saturday. This morning we bid farewell by 9am. If applicable transfers to Avignon or Nime airports, or Avignon TGV Station are arranged.
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| Throughout the holiday
the famous Mont Ventoux is ever present.The 'Giant of Provence',
at 1900 metres , is now a UNESCO world heritage site. It has
unique plants and ecosytem .Ferocious winds have scoured the
summit area leaving stark white limestone scree or rock
fields.An intimidating area when the Mistral wind blows..often
up to 100km per hour.. This
view is in early Spring with a mantle of snow covering the top
600m. |
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| For bookings or enquiries phone us on 0033 475 276 829 or mobile 0033 678 554 023 Email: Francetrek@aol.com www.Francetrek.com |
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