Avignon Visit & The Luberon Shared Day Trip from Marseille

Meet your English speaking local guide

In the morning, we will come and pick you up at our centrally located meeting point in Marseille. Meet your guide who will go over the itinerary and program of the day with you. Then, board your comfortable premium A/C vehicle and depart for your full day private tour.

Reach the town of Avignon

Leaving Marseille on this full day tour, drive along the Rhône river and enter Avignon, the majestic city of the Popes. Upon arrival, visit Avignon with your guide to discover all the famous landmarks that this town has to offer on a walking tour.

Climbing up to the top of the fortified medieval city walls, discover Avignon stretching in all its beauty along the Rhône river. Discover the rich historical past of Avignon where the papacy established itself in the early 14th century.

Visit of the Pope's Palace

Begin your day tour from Marseille with Avignon & the visit of the Palace & Gardens of the Popes. The City of Avignon and Avignon Tourism board now invite visitors to experience a unique discovery of the largest Gothic Palace in the world.

Your entrance ticket includes the brand new Histopad that uses augmented reality and 3-D technology that will enhance your experience. Visit and discover 9 of the major rooms of the monument in their original splendor of the 14th century thanks to the Histopad. Original floors, ceilings, furnishings are all revealed as you take a leap back in time.

Of course all the detailed explanations can be done in your chosen language and the most important artistic features are commented with detailed explanations especially in the Chamber of the Stag and the Saint Martial and Saint John Chapels. The Histopad is also ideal if you are traveling with children as families are invited on a Treasure Hunt that takes place throughout the visit.

Saint-Bénezet Bridge

Visit Saint-Benezét bridge, famous for the children’s song “Sur le Pont d'Avignon''. Built during the 12th century over the Rhône River, it was destroyed by the River several times before being rebuilt and later abandoned in the 17th century.

The bridge was of importance especially during the middle ages as it linked Avignon with its outskirts, where most of the Cardinals had built their residences. The town of Avignon at the time had the reputation of being filthy and it was described by the Poet Petrarch as being one of the "stinkiest cities on earth" thus chasing the Cardinals out of town.

Your tour guide will certainly take some time to evoke the Papal history of this stunning provencal town. After the visit, enjoy some free time for personal discovery. It will be possible to have lunch in the town of Avignon or you can also ask your guide to get away from it all and have lunch in a local hilltop village such as Gordes.

Gordes and Senanque Abbey

After lunch, it will be time to head out to the village of Gordes, classified as one of the most beautiful villages of France. Facing the Luberon mountain range, the village is composed of small paved streets, known as calades, where it feels so nice to get lost in.

To mostly appreciate this unique village, magic operates in spring and autumn as summer is very crowded by a number of visitors. After some time in the village, your Provence day excursion will take you to the Cistercien abbey of Sénanque for a photo stop. In July, the Abbey is surrounded by magnificent Lavender fields.

Roussillon & The Ochre Trail

Your tour from Aix en Provence continues with the visit of some of the most beautiful villages of the Luberon region. The villages of Lourmarin and Roussillon are next on your program. Roussillon is a typical hilltop village located just above a rock formation called the “Provencal Colorado“. Here, you will have some time for personal discovery that will allow you to stroll down the village or walk along the “ochre path", a 30 minute walk.

The Ochre Trail

Discover one of the main highlights of the village of Roussillon, the Ochre Trail, an easy walking trail that takes place in what used to be an Ochre Quarry. Extracted during the 18th century the mining has now stopped but the location is quite stunning. The natural Ochre pigments mixed with the sand of the cliffs constitute a mineral landscape made up of Iron Oxide that creates colors ranging from bright yellow to violet.

Lourmarin Village

Lourmarin village is yet another famous Provence village and is known to be an artist’s village. Located in a gorgeous setting that is surrounded by olive and almond trees, the village has attracted numerous artists and writers such Henri Bosco and Albert Camus.

Again, enjoy some time in the village where options include the visit of its ancient castle. The village was the source of inspiration for Peter Mayle's book “A year in Provence”. After the visit, your small group tour of the Luberon Provence Region will come to an end as we return to Marseille.