Luberon Small-Group Day Trip from Avignon
Description
Fall under the spell of the gentle landscapes of the Luberon valley, where green hills and steep cliffs are lined with vineyards and olive groves. Explore 4 charming villages, 3 of which are officially listed as some of the most beautiful of all France. Each town is unique and beautiful in its own way: Fontaine de Vaucluse with its river spring, Gordes with its incredible location on a hillside, Roussillon with its ochre cliffs and painted houses, Ménerbes with its stunning views of the Luberon valley. All of our day tours are limited to 8 participants and are operated by Veronica or Nicolas, the two company's founders and owners. They guarantee personal service, careful attention to detail and a friendly atmosphere aboard.
Tour Options
Itinerary
After a 45-minute drive from Avignon, your tour guide will first stop in the charming little town of Fontaine de Vaucluse, nestled along the shores of the river Sorgue at the end of a narrow lush green valley. You'll have here some free time to discover on your own its impressive spring, where water flows out from a mysterious chasm. While taking a walk along the shaded pedestrian roads of the village, prepare to be amazed by the emerald green colour of the water and the peaceful atmosphere of this unique place. An ancient watermill still producing traditional paper can be visited in the town, as well as a lovely Romanesque church dating back in the 11th century. After you've visited Fontaine, your guide will meet you again at the meeting point and take you to the next destination.
On the way to the old town of Gordes, a photo stop at Gordes' famous overlook is planned. Here you'll have the chance to admire one of the most incredible panoramas of the Luberon valley, where vineyards and olive groves stretch out as far as the eye can see, surrounded by gentle green mountains. Minutes later, your driver will drop you off by the town's castle from where you can easily explore the cobbled streets of this world-known hilltop town and admire stunning views of the Luberon landscapes. Plenty of shopping opportunities are available here, as well as small cafés and icecream shops. Meet your tour guide again at the meeting point and head to another wonderful village.
At around 1 pm your tour guide will drop you in the village of Roussillon, where you'll have a longer time to spend than in the other towns. This allows everyone to have lunch in one of the cafés or snack bars and to explore the colourful streets of Roussillon, where every house is painted a different shade of ochre. If you opt for a quick lunch on the go, you'll also have enough time to walk the beautiful Ochre Trail (entrance fee not included - 3.50€/adult), a developed pathway through the ombre coloured cliffs of a former ochre mine.
Meet your guide back after lunch and continue your journey through the Luberon valley. Discover another hill-top town, Ménerbes, listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France. Enjoy a relaxing walk on the peaceful streets of this fortified village, that inspired the British author Peter Mayle to write the successful novel «One year in Provence». Afterwards, your guide will drive you back to Avignon, where you'll arrive between 5 and 5.30 pm.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- The tour guide may have to speak multiple languages during the same tour.
- In case you plan to get to the meeting point by car, please contact us in advance so that we can suggest a parking lot and a more convenient meeting place.
- Not recommended for travelers with mobility problems
Reviews(137)
This is a great tour which allows you to visit a few lovely medieval villages in the Luberon valley, as well as a fascinating natural spring. Our guide Nico was informative and helpful. My husband and I had a wonderful day and highly recommend this tour.
Can I give this six stars?!? The places we visited were all charming, although I have to say what made this tour extra special was our tour guide, Veronica. She is absolutely delightful! I learned so much about the French culture during our drives between locations. Veronica is very friendly and refreshingly open about life in France. If you are curious, I encourage you to research how the counting system works--your mind will be blown when you get to 80!
Ah ah, what a funny and flattering review! Thank you for much, you have made my day… All the best to you
Great tour. Veronica was very personable and gave us the perfect amount of information about each village combined with a perfect amount of time to explore independently (full day tour). Highly recommend !
My mom and I had a fantastic time on the Orange Tour—easily one of the best tours we’ve ever taken! We had plenty of time to explore each charming village, and Nicolas made the journey engaging with interesting stories and local insights. A perfect day trip from Avignon. Thank you, Nicolas, for a wonderful experience! María Josefina from Argentina.
We had such a great day touring Fontaine -des-Vocluse, Gordes, Rousillon and Ménerbes with Veronica. Each village has its own charm and character, our favorite moments were walking along the river in Fontaine, the viewpoint into Gordes, hiking the Ocre trail in Rousillon, and wondering through beautiful streets of the tiny village of Menebres. Awesome experience with a great guide, highly recommend!
Our day in the Luberon was wonderful. We saw four villages, each with its own character and attractions, so the tour was extremely well curated. Nicholas was a knowledgeable and informative guide and managed each stop well by giving us maps and instructions and a time to meet back up at the van. We had just the right amount of time at each stop so we were never hurried. I highly recommend this day tour.
The Luberon valley is incredibly picturesque. It takes your breath away. Our guide Terry explained each village and what highlights we'd see. We'd definitely recommend this day trip from Avignon
Our experience exploring the hill towns of the Luberon was absolutely outstanding, thanks to our Provans tour. Everything was thoughtfully organized, allowing us to fully enjoy the charm and beauty of each village without feeling rushed.
We had an absolutely fantastic day with Provans yesterday on a family trip we won’t forget! Our guide, Nicolas, was truly exceptional, warm, knowledgeable, and incredibly welcoming from the very start. He made a special effort to engage our children (ages 7 and 10), who were experiencing their first organised excursion, and helped them feel comfortable and included throughout the day. The itinerary was simply stunning. From the beautiful valley springs of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse to the breathtaking hilltop village of Gordes with its incredible views, every stop felt special. We were also amazed by the vibrant ochre landscapes of Roussillon and loved discovering the quieter charm of Ménerbes. Travelling through acres of apple and cherry orchards, as well as picturesque vineyards, we were treated to the stunning scenery of the beautiful Luberon Valley truly unforgettable. Everything was perfectly organised, relaxed, and enjoyable from start to finish. We couldn’t recommend Nicolas and Provans highly enough.
This was a great tour - plenty of time at each stop and just enough information during the driving portions!
