Riviera Experiences
Provence — Lavender, Villages & the Luberon
From €663 per vehicle (up to 3 passengers, E-Class). Full day, 8–9 hours. The Provence that Americans picture when they book the Côte d'Azur — and that most of them never actually see, because it's 2 hours from the coast. With a private driver, it's the day that makes the whole trip worth it.
Book This ExperienceThe Provence That Earns the Postcard
Gordes perched on white rock. The Abbaye de Sénanque surrounded by lavender fields — Cistercian monks, still there, 12th century. Roussillon built entirely from orange and red ochre. These are the places on the posters, the images that made people want to come to France in the first place. Most visitors never reach them because the Riviera coast keeps getting in the way. One full day with a private driver, a Provençal lunch, and a route designed around what actually matters — that's this tour.
What You'll Experience
Gordes — Most Beautiful Village in France
Gordes holds the official designation of 'Les Plus Beaux Villages de France' — and it earns it. Perched on a vertical cliff of white Luberon limestone, the medieval village looks as if it grew from the rock. The château at the summit dates from the 12th century. The view from the esplanade takes in the entire Luberon valley.
Abbaye de Sénanque — Lavender & Cistercians
Founded in 1148, the Abbaye de Sénanque is one of the three great Cistercian abbeys of Provence — and it still operates. Cistercian monks live and work here. The lavender fields that surround it bloom in late June through August. This is the image of Provence. In person, it is more extraordinary than any photograph suggests.
Village des Bories — Stone Huts in Time
Three kilometres from Gordes: a village of dry-stone bories — circular corbelled huts built without mortar — occupied continuously from the Bronze Age through the 19th century. The last inhabitant left in 1920. The site is UNESCO-recognised. It takes one hour and changes your sense of what is old.
Roussillon — A Village Built from Ochre
Roussillon sits on one of the largest ochre deposits in the world. The buildings are orange, red, and yellow — not painted, built from the rock beneath them. The Sentier des Ocres is a 35-minute walking trail through the quarries: surreal colours, red rock formations, pine trees. Nothing else looks like this.
Provençal Lunch — On Your Driver's Recommendation
Lunch at a local restaurant in Provence — a terrace, a menu of regional dishes, no tourist markup. Your driver knows which places have been here for thirty years and which opened last month. The recommendation is genuine, not commission-based.
Option: Provençal Market — Saturday Apt, Sunday L'Isle-sur-Sorgue
Timing your visit around a market adds a completely different dimension. Apt on Saturday: one of the finest outdoor markets in Provence — food, clothing, antiques, local artisans. L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on Sunday: the antiques capital of France outside Paris, 300 dealers on the riverbank.
"The day that makes the whole trip worth it."
Why This Day Requires a Driver
Gordes Has No Bus Service Worth Taking
Gordes, Sénanque, Roussillon — none of these are connected by practical public transport. The only way to do all three in one day, with time in each, is a private vehicle. A rental car means driving mountain roads for 8 hours. Your driver does that; you look at the landscape.
2 Hours Each Way — Designed Into the Day
The Luberon is 90 minutes from Cannes. A full day allows time for the drive, the villages, lunch, and the return. Trying to rush it in half a day means choosing between the lavender and the ochre. We don't recommend choosing.
From €663 — The Full Provence Day
From €663 for up to 3 passengers — a full 8–9 hour day, door to door from your hotel or port in Cannes. All waiting time at each village included. Lunch is not included in the base price but we handle the reservation.
What Our Clients Say
“We'd been to Cannes twice before and never made it to Gordes. This time we committed to a full day. Sénanque in July — the lavender was extraordinary. Worth every minute of the 2-hour drive.”
Elizabeth M.
San Francisco, USA
“The driver found us a restaurant in a village with no signage where 20 locals were eating. That meal alone was worth the day. The ochre at Roussillon was the background of every photo we took that week.”
James W.
New York, USA
“The Village des Bories was a complete surprise — I'd never heard of it. Stone huts occupied for 4,000 years. The driver suggested it as a 45-minute addition. It turned out to be one of the most memorable things I've seen in France.”
Patricia K.
Chicago, USA
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the lavender in bloom at Sénanque?+
The lavender fields around the Abbaye de Sénanque are typically in full bloom from late June through mid-August, peaking in early July. The fields are still visually extraordinary outside the bloom season — the rows of dried stalks against the stone abbey are equally striking. If your visit falls in July, the bloom is extraordinary.
Is this tour only suitable for summer?+
No — Provence is compelling year-round. Spring (April–May) brings wildflowers and cooler temperatures. Autumn brings harvest, golden light, and truffle season. Winter is quiet and photographic. The lavender bloom is specifically July, but every season has something extraordinary to offer.
Can we visit the Abbaye de Sénanque inside?+
The abbey church is open to visitors for guided tours at set times (check current schedule). The Cistercian monks still live and work here, so access is appropriately managed. Your driver will confirm the current visiting schedule when you book.
Is the Ochre Trail at Roussillon physically demanding?+
There are two circuits — the short trail (30–35 minutes) is manageable for most. The longer trail (50 minutes) involves some elevation. Both are unpaved and red dust is present — we suggest wearing shoes you don't mind marking. Strollers are not practical on the trail.
The Day You'll Talk About When You Get Home
Book your full-day Provence experience. Gordes, Sénanque, the ochre, the lavender, a long lunch. The Provence you came for.