Provence Le Grand Tour

Avignon, France

Delve deep into rural France and discover Roman heritage among the rolling vineyards on this 10.5-hour tour of Provence from Avignon. Follow your guide on a tour of Orange and marvel at the Triumphal Arch and the Roman amphitheater. Travel out through the fertile vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and sample local wines during a tasting session. Admire the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pont du Gard — a Roman aqueduct. Visit the medieval village of Les Baux de Provence, perched high in the Alpilles mountains, and discover the Provençal villages of Gordes and Roussillon.

USD $138.00

Traveler Reviews

Review by:   hensue58,    June 2018
This tour was great even though unfortunately we were too late in the season for the lavender fields. The tour guide was fantastic and very thoughtful. Two people had cancelled so there were just four adults a toddler and a baby so it was a nice small group. The Pont du gard was really worth seeing as were the villages we saw. It was a long day, but well worth it. You could never see it as easy doing it on your own.

Review by:   Jean G,    March 2018
What a great day! We did see so much and visited so many towns. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the area. It was a long day and we were tired when we returned but well worth it. I had thought we would stop for a sit down lunch, but we were able to just grab something as we went along. He gave us suggestions where to pick up food. Well worth taking this tour. We visited Orange, Chateauneuf de Papa winery, Pont de Guard, Les Baux-de-Provence, beautiful and a must see, Gordes, and Roussilon. We did a lot of driving and walking but it was worth it!

Review by:   Dean T,    December 2017
There is a great deal packed into this tour!_br/_ Pisa was astounding and we had enough time to wander around for the obligatory photos._br/_ The other stops were too rushed, there was so much to see and explore and we only had time for a cursory glance!

Review by:   Maria S,    November 2017
I would fully recommend this tour to anyone thinking about taking it. My sister and I enjoyed learning about the area from our very knowledgeable,enthusiastic,and friendly guide Nicolas. The day was spent with laughter and fun. If I had to I couldnt pick a favorite stop. Each place had its own special charm. _br/_ This was our tour:_br/_ 10.5-hour tour of Provence from Avignon Visit the 1st-century Roman town of Orange with your guide Admire top attractions such as the Triumphal Arch and the Roman amphitheater Drive through the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region and visit the medieval village of Les Baux de Provence Sample local wines during a tasting session Marvel at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct Tour includes round-trip travel from your accommodation in Avignon.

Review by:   Eileen M,    November 2017
Guide was knowledgeable, helpful etc. Experiences were high quality. WIne-tasting was early in morning but would be better later in day. The mini-bus was too small for 8 passengers all day long. My recommendation is - do not book this tour if the bus is going to be full.

Review by:   Ashley M,    November 2017
This tour gave me a great feel for the Provence. It was a perfect small group and although we didn't all know each other, we had a great time together. The driver and tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the area and all it has to offer. It was a day I'll never forget and it enticed me to rent a car the following day to spend some more time in some of the neighboring small villages.

Review by:   Lorna A,    September 2017
Excellent tour - a long day but not too much walking. The stops offered a variety of historical periods and geographical differences. Melanie was a great guide her English was excellent and she was very knowledgeable about the history and geography of the area. There was sufficient time at each stop for taking photos and doing a bit of shopping. There isnt much time to enjoy a restaurant meal, so take some snacks along or grab some takeout food enroute.

Review by:   vickersfam1,    September 2017
We loved this tour. Our guide drove us to so many places that we would never have known about, and places that we wanted to see but never would have found if we had tried to drive ourselves. This was our first tour. It was such a good experience that we have signed up for several more tours in Spain

Review by:   Catherine L,    September 2017
This tour was well worth the time and expense. Our guide, Remy was both knowledgeable and delightful. Pont du Gard and the hill towns would have been hard to get to by public transportation. Even if you have a rental car, knowing the proper turnoffs would have been challenging if you are not familiar with the areas.

Review by:   svenella504,    September 2017
Excellent all day overview of Provence. Our guide, Anna, was very personable and knowledgeable. We saw many areas of Provence that we would have been unable to get to if not for the tour. My only complaint is that we spent too short a time at some sites and a lot of time with travel in the car. We would have liked more time at Pont du Gard and would personally have preferred to skip Les Baux, which is strictly touristic though very scenic. Would highly recommend for an overview tour though.

Review by:   Nancy B,    August 2017
What a fabulous day! Caroline was an excellent guide and shared a lot of information with us during this busy day. There were quite a few stops and, with the exception of Pont du Gard, we had enough time to see everything. I could have used 15 more minutes at Pont du Gard, but did have time to climb to the top of the overlook for an amazing view. This was a great way to get a good feel for the variety in Provence in just one day.

Review by:   Alyson W,    August 2017
We had a great time on this tour! As everyone else mentions, its a long day with a lot of stops, but they are all quite beautiful. Our one complaint was that we wish there was more time at Pont du Gard, which was one of the main reasons we wanted to take this tour. We would have gladly left out one or two of the small villages that we visited off of the itinerary in order to be able to go on a guided tour of Pont du Gard and/or go to the Pont du Gard museum. We did however get enough time at the amphitheater in Orange, which was great because that was quite amazing as well.

Review by:   Guenter S,    August 2017
The guide was knowledgable and friendly. Great sites, etc.

Review by:   tyon,    July 2017
Carolyn was awesome. Can't say enough great things about her as our guide. She is a knowledgeable, friendly and gracious. The day was long yet packed with beautiful, interesting and historical sites from the start until the end.

Review by:   kellsie.moore.pro,    July 2017
Fantastic! Remy was great and very knowledgeable. The wine tasting was fantastic! We never would have been able to see all these places on our own, let alone learn the cool stuff about it.I loved seeing the lavender fields and learning about Van Gogh. Thank you!

Review by:   Alissa B,    July 2017
This tour was absolutely fabulous! If you have limited time and don't want to rent a car- THIS is the way to see Provence. We were able to see all the highlights without trying to navigate the crazy roadways. The day was long but with plenty of driving breaks it didn't feel overwhelming. My only complaint is that we were forced to drive back to Avignon to drop off half day tour people which cut out our lunch option. We had to eat a sandwich in the car while picking up the new people in our group- awkward and not very relaxing!

Review by:   Lynne A,    June 2017
To begin the day we left Avignon and drove to Orange, near the the north edge of the region. Orange has many Roman ruins, including a requisite triumphal arch and the most well-preserved amphitheater in Europe. The size and acoustics were remarkable. Understandably, it is still a performance venue for both plays and music._br/_ After leaving Orange, we headed to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine regions. Before going to a small winery for a tasting we visited the namesake for the region, the Pope's new château. It was the Pope's summer residence. From the château you can see the Pope's Palace in Avignon._br/_ After sampling some very nice regional wines and a quick trip back to Avignon, we headed to our next destination, Pont du Gard, site of a section of a three-tiered Roman aqueduct that was originally 30 miles long. The engineering prowess required to build this marvel was jaw-dropping._br/_ From the aqueduct we headed into the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles to visit several scenic villages. The first was Les Baux-de-Provence, built on a rocky hillside that was once a quarry. From there we traveled to Roussillon the red city, which is built on a unique outcropping of red sandstone that was mined to make ocher pigments. Finally we drove through the beautiful countryside to the scenic village of Gordes. After a quick photo stop, we headed back to Avignon, bringing to an end a busy day filled with amazing sites.

Review by:   Anne S,    June 2017
The guide was very knowledgeable and allowed time for photos etc

Review by:   Sancho,    May 2017
Excellent value for money. Gives you a very good overview of Provence. Fredrick was quite proficient and knew the area well. He had a good knowledge of the wine industry. A good starting point before you explore places in detail. We were fortunate to have a very good group in the van. A tight fit for 8 persons but we managed well rotating seats. Good minivan vehicle. Long day but definitely did not feel tired as the stops are well spaced out. Take some water and snacks as you will need it, wear sensible shoes. The stops were typically 30 minutes at Orange, Roussillon, Gordes, Les Baux, Pont du Gard and an hour at the winery. The rest is driving around maybe 230 km.The operator should consider not starting with the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine tour as the first stop at 930 am. A bit early for most of us! Also dropping off passengers in the afternoon at Avignon and picking up somebody seems a waste of time. The mike had a lot of feedback.

Review by:   mariana.marinoff,    April 2017
Excelente choice of places. Wonderful ightseeing. The towns were awesome, the wine tastin great. I would only sugestivo that wholeday tours don,t go with half day tours. IT makes you go back to Avignon and waste time you colud use having lunch, something we did not hace time to do. But it was great!

Review by:   Roger B,    April 2017
This was a really good tour. The guide Julia was extremely helpful.

Review by:   Joy Z,    November 2016
My husband and I enjoyed this trip immensely. Our guide, Anna, was very knowledgeable and personable. Although this trip packs in a lot, it was everything we wanted to see and I never felt rushed. We had sufficient time at each stop. There really is nothing I would leave out. Had my husband and I tried to do this on our own, we never would have found all these places. Thank you, Viator! We will book with you again. - Joy Z.

Review by:   Glenn F,    October 2016
We saw so much and our tour guide was great, but think it is too much for one day. You really get only a short time visiting the various villages in Provence. All were facinating in their own way. My suggestion is have a two day tour instead of onn. Glenn

Review by:   CSR,    October 2016
The tour was great. We really enjoyed. Though it was a long day, our tour guide was very informative, friendly and accommodating. Given the short period of time we have, it was a great way to see Provence without having to drive ourselves.

Review by:   Lisa M,    October 2016
Whilst it was a long day and you got to see quite a bit of the countryside, the tour could have been so much more useful and enjoyable if there was some information provided on the towns we were visiting. It felt like we were just taken to a town, dropped,off to explode under own efforts before being shuffled onto the bus for the trip to the next town. Having said that, the driver was very pleasant and approachable.

Review by:   LISA W,    October 2016
Great day with lots of sightseeing

Review by:   ginareid2boys,    October 2016
Very informative and gave you a great overview of the area, while a lot was packed in within a tight schedule there was still time to explore towns. Our only complaint was we went back to Avignon central to drop people off and picked up another couple. That seemed to be a lot of extra driving and ate up a lot of our time.

Review by:   rob,    September 2016
julian was our guide and he was great. never could have seen as much without this tour. highly recommend tour

Review by:   Graham K,    September 2016
When in Provence you have to do Le Grand Tour! It's a lot of travelling in the bus which wasn't good for my arthritic hip and knee but these are places that have to be seen! Loved the tour, and tour guide Remi was very patient and very knowledgeable. Les Baux de Provence, Roussillion and Gordes were lovely but the old Roman amphitheatre in Oange and the Pont du Gard were particularly impressive

Review by:   fiona c,    September 2016
Marc was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable about wines in particular.

Review by:   monikagrzegorzek,    September 2016
Very good! Great sights, enjoyed it all the way!

Review by:   Sharon H,    September 2016
Provence Le Grand Tour was very well organized and very informative. A beautiful part of France that enhances the local wines, food and landmarks

Review by:   dkmaf340,    August 2016
Wonder tour seeing all the highlights of the region.

Review by:   Angela L,    August 2016
It was my first time to travel to the south of France. I have heard so much about the charm, beauty and magic of Provence and southern France. I went into this trip with lots of fantasies and images about this place. Needless to say, the Reality far exceeded my fantasies. From the moment our tour guide picked me up to the moment he dropped me off, the whole day was just mesmerizing. The town of Orange was a good starting point. I learned so much about wine from our visit to Chateauneuf du Pape, the hilltop villages were heartachingly beautiful and the Pont du Gard...I am lost for words. I was stunned into silence at my first sighting of it. Julienne our driver/tour guide was just perfect. His nice, friendly, easy going personality were a big positive factor for the tour. He was very informative and had lots of knowledge about the places and the whole region. We talked about wines, grapes, palaces, romans, rivers, mountains, french food, french people and culture, lavender, van gogh etc...All in all it was defintely a grand tour and I loved it and I was very happy that I booked it.

Review by:   Christine S,    August 2016
This is a reasonably comprehensive tour to a number of locations. It is a long day but if you have limited time is it an excellent tour. The wine tasting class was excellent and I am sure everyone attending left knowing a lot more about wine and how to tell a quality wine than they previously did. I wish I had taken a map so I could have tracked our travel as we were doing it.

Review by:   KC,    July 2016
This is a very comprehensive tour but includes a lot of driving around Provence. I found the return to Avignon to pick up different guests for the afternoon portion, denying us time for lunch, was contrary to the description on the website and added to the driving time.

Review by:   Michael V,    July 2016
This is a great tour of you want to take in winery, Roman ampitheatre and beautiful villages of Provence, all in one day. A long day, but very rewarding. Mark was an excellent tour guide.

Review by:   Forrest S,    July 2016
We had the good luck to have Phillippe Hendricks to be our tour guide. He knew the area well and provided historical information beyond our expectations. The area is beautiful and the Roman ruins were beyond our expectations.

Review by:   Bodhodoydeb M,    July 2016
Great trip! Just the right mix of information fun and travel. The first half is a bit easy with the wine tasting, but the second half is packed with sites and travels through a lovely labdscape._br/_ Good value for money and great variety !

Review by:   Bisola W,    July 2016
The tour packed in a lot and was great fun. Théâtre antique d'Orange was a highlight, as was the visit to Chateauneuf du Pape The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. I would definitely recommend this tour as an excellent way of seeing the delights of Provence!

Review by:   Katherine O,    June 2016
Because we had only 3 days in Avignon, we signed up for this tour. I had wanted to see all these places and had originally planned to rent a car and drive to them. I am very glad we took the tour instead. We could never have found, much less driven to, all these places by ourselves. Especially for this price. They are all beautiful. My friend said she could have done with one less, but which one? They were all amazing places I was so glad to see. The partner group, Provence tours arranged the tours by language, and our guide Violette was superbly informative and friendly while keeping us on track for the day. We had a nice Mercedes 8 passenger van that was a comfortable ride with air conditioning. Bring snacks and water. No time allowed for a sit down meal. We stopped for sandwiches at one point. It was a 12 hour day, but I would do it again.

Review by:   Anna H,    June 2016
Great! The time is just nice for all the destinations listed. Emmanuel is very informative too. Thank you so much!!

Review by:   velobuff,    June 2016
While we did go to many sites in Provence on the all day tour, the trip seemed rushed, especially in the afternoon when we barely had 30 minutes to walk from where we parked, get gelato, see the town for a few minutes, and then rush back. We were always behind and it was clear that it was our guide's first week on the job as we got lost a little. Lunch was confusing because the guide thought we brought lunch with us to eat in the van. Instead of this trip, I'd recommend splitting it up into 2 all-day trips so you actually remember where you went. With that said, some of the small towns have nothing in them except the main sites and then the same touristy shops, glace, and other shops that are in every other town so maybe that's why we only spent a few mins in the smaller towns.

Review by:   Michael S,    June 2016
This ended up being the high light of our 3 week trip.

Review by:   CuppyFox,    June 2016
This tour was totally worth it! Without a car it would have taken a week to see all the places we did in one day. I loved the wine-tasting at Chateauneuf-de-Pape, Pont du Gard, and the village of Rouissillon. Our guide Phillipe was great, he was knowledgable and kept the energy going!

Review by:   Alice Shiqing H,    June 2016
We skipped Notre Dame since this was so easy to access and before this trip, we had already being there twice. Cassis is a very lovely village. I would strongly recommend to go this place. The boat ride to Calanques was fabulous experience. This is the high light of this tour.

Review by:   Cynthia h,    June 2016
It was an interesting day and we visited some fantastic French villages. The guide Marc was very knowledgeable, on time and really was a lot of fun

Review by:   Cynthia h,    June 2016
It was an interesting day and we visited some fantastic French villages. The guide Marc was very knowledgeable, on time and really was a lot of fun

Review by:   SinGwanNatalie L,    June 2016
We love the ancient theatre of Orange and the wine tasting tour at Chateauneuf du Pape, but the stay in Gordes and Les Baux-de-Povence could be shorter and save some time for the Port du Gard.

Review by:   Walters2468,    May 2016
Very pleasant and informative guide. Excellent experience.

All Traveler Reviews...