Ars Viva/Music Celebrations International
Tour of Provence
The sensual delights of sights, smells, sounds and savory cuisine
Alan and Gayle Heatherington, Tour Hosts
July 12-23, 2008
Alan and Gayle with Christian Etienne
Senanque Abbey
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue café
Uzès
Pont du Gard
Aix-en-Provence fountain
Cours Mirabeau in Aix
Daily Itinerary
Saturday, July 12
Depart O’Hare on independently scheduled flights to Marseille.
Sunday, July 13
Arrive in Marseille for transfer to hotel in Mallemort, north of Marseille (on your own).
Check in to the atmospheric Provençal Hotel Moulin de Vernegues, a property dating from the 13th century and a member of the prestigious Chateau et Hotels de France. Alan and Gayle will be there to greet you. Enjoy a welcome dinner and free time to explore the grounds of this very special place (complete with a 9-hole golf course designed by Seve Balesteros)
Monday, July 14: Bastille Day in Avignon
Full buffet breakfast at your leisure each morning.
Motorcoach transfer to Avignon, where a Bastille Day celebration rivaling that of Paris offers a wide choice of activities and entertainment. Included will be a guided tour of the Palais des Papes, site of the Papal Court during much of the fourteenth century and residence of seven “official” popes plus three “anti-popes." We will savor a gourmet dinner at Christian Étienne, named for its brilliantly talented chef who has made frequent guest appearances at Chicago restaurants. The climax of our day will be one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in France along the banks of the Rhone River.
Tuesday, July 15: Senanque Abbey, Gordes, (Roussillon), Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
An enchanting excursion to the northeast of Provence. Travel first to the Abbaye de Sénanque, a characteristic Cistercian abbey in a remote site conducive to the contemplative life surrounded by beautiful lavender fields. Next visit Gordes, a spectacularly sited village whose buildings rise in sun-soaked tiers up rocky slopes. The Gordes Château houses the Victor Vasarely Foundation collection of paintings and decorative panels by this artist from Pécs in Southern Hungary. After time to enjoy lunch (on your own) in one of the many cafes in Gordes, we will take a scenic journey through the beautiful countryside near Mt. Ventoux, viewing fields of lavender, sunflowers and poppies, perhaps pausing at the perched village of Roussillon, and arriving at the irresistibly picturesque village of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. One of “the most beautiful country towns of Provence,” the village rests on the banks of the river Sorgue and is filled with shops, cafes and museum-like antique stores. Enjoy dinner in the charming riverside restaurant, le Café Fleurs, where the gifted young chef, Xavier Eyheraguibel, will prepare a sumptuous repast.
Wednesday, July 16: Uzès, Pont du Gard
We will travel across varied Provençal landscapes, stopping en route at the famous Louis Bernard vineyards at La Chartreuse de Bonpas, a medieval fortified convent located near Avignon on the Durance River. We will tour the chapel, stroll in the beautiful French-style gardens, and enjoy wine tasting in the ancient cellar before continuing to the tiny Duchy of Uzès on the edge of the Languedoc region. Uzès was the starting point for the Roman aqueduct of Nîmes and the seat of a diocese until the Revolution. The very powerful dukes of Uzès were First Dukes of France. The quaint town preserves its glorious heritage. Here we will tour the ancient castle and enjoy dinner in one of the delightful street cafes before moving on to the most famous and atmospheric part of the aqueduct: the Pont du Gard. Seeing this monumental structure in the light of the setting sun is one of the most indelible memories one can carry away from Provence.
Thursday, July 17: Aix-en-Provence
After breakfast and an introduction by Alan Heatherington to Mozart and his operas, enjoy a day of sightseeing in Aix-en-Provence (with a local guide). Visit Old Aix, with its mansions, pleasant squares and fountains. Enter the 13th century Cathédrale de St-Sauveur, noted for its 16th century walnut doors, 4th century Merovingian baptistry and Romanesque cloisters. Also tour the Cours Mirabeau, which is one of the most pleasant boulevards in all of France. Visit the Atelier de Cézanne, the preserved studio of Paul Cézanne, Aix’s most famous son. While dinner options on and near the Cours Mirabeau abound, we’ll head for Les Deux Garçons for an experience of a Parisian-style brasserie, home to such past luminaries as Cézanne, Zola, Churchill, Picasso, Piaf, and just about every musician who has ever visited Aix. To conclude this perfect day, enjoy a production of Mozart’s masterful opera, Così fan tutte, as part of the famed Aix-en-Provence Music Festival.
Moustiers-Ste-Marie
Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
Flamingos
L'Arlesienne
Roman Amphitheater in Arles
Bullfight in Arles
Shop in Les Baux
Friday, July 18: Moustiers-Ste-Marie
Today’s journey will take us across more lavender fields and past some remarkable Roman ruins along the way to the picturesque village of Moustiers-Ste-Marie, home to makers of some of the world’s finest porcelain. Once again the heartier souls will have a hiking option, this time to the top of the hill that towers over the town and the surrounding valley. Others will choose to visit the charming shops, stroll along the riverbanks and relax in one of the street cafés. Dinner tonight will be at the amazing culinary emporium, La Bastide de Moustiers, a 17th century country house lovingly restored by master chef Alain Ducasse who owns the property and supervises its kitchen. Ducasse is the only chef to have Michelin three-starred restaurants in three different countries. His flagship restaurant in Monaco, Louis XV, is among the most highly regarded restaurants in the world.
Saturday, July 19: Aigues-Mortes, Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
Excursion to the Camargue, an area south of Arles famed for its white horses, flamingoes and other exotic birds, and two unique cities. First visit Aigues-Mortes (“Place of the Dead Waters”), the perfectly preserved walled town established by Louis XI in the 13th century to consolidate his power, built according to a strict grid pattern and linked to the sea by an artificial canal. Enter the Tower of Constance and walk the city’s ramparts. Enjoy lunch on the square before continuing on to Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, a fishing village, built on an island in the heart of the Camargue, where the Petit Rhône joins the sea. Today it is a compact seaside resort town with numerous shops and a large, sandy beach. Visit the Saintes-Maries Church (Notre-Dame-de-la-mer) and enjoy some free time to explore the village or visit the beach. We will also stop along the way to visit an enchanting wildlife preserve where hundreds of beautiful flamingos are among the picturesque inhabitants. Dinner tonight will be a special three-course meal at our hotel.
Sunday, July 20: Arles
Today we will travel to Arles, an ancient town on the Rhône south of the point where the river divides into two arms — the Grand Rhône to the east and the Petit Rhône to the west. The painter van Gogh resided here in 1888-89; the famous "Bridge of Arles" in his picture no longer exists, nor the “Yellow House,” though the famous street café remains active. The beauty of the maidens of Arles was immortalized by Georges Bizet in his two-part concert suite "L'Arlésienne", from the music written in 1872 for the drama of the same name by Alphonse Daudet. We will visit the Théatre Antique, a Roman theater that was once a fortress. Its stones were later used for other buildings; its remaining columns are called the “two widows.” We continue to the Arènes, the Roman Amphitheater that is one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman Provence. Each arch is supported by Doric and Corinthian columns. In summer there are bullfighting contests in the 20,000-seat arena. The top tier provides a panoramic view of Arles. Also see the 12th century Église St-Trophime and its cloisters, known for their Romanesque sculptures. We will enjoy a late dinner in the Hôtel Jules César, an elegant dining room with superb Provençal cuisine.
Monday, July 21: Marseille
Full-day excursion to Marseille. A local guide will take you to the Centre de la Vieille Charité (Old Charity Cultural Center), a workinghouse and hospice that has been carefully restored. Its chapel is a masterpiece. Visit the Vieux-Port (Old Port), then continue to the historic Abbey of St-Victor. It was here that St. Victor is supposed to have met a martyr’s death at the very beginning of the 4th century, and where a fortified abbey was built in his memory around 420 AD. Near St-Victor are two places of special interest: the workshop where craftsmen produce the handcrafted Carbonel santons, and the oldest bakery in Provence. Some persons may wish to return to the port area while a few vigorous souls may wish to walk up to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica, which towers over the city. Dinner will be in Le Miramar, one of the many restaurants featuring such Mediterranean specialties as the elegantly refined bouillabaisse. According to Frommer’s, “savoring the delights of this fine restaurant will be one of the culinary highlights of your trip!” Positioned high above the sea, the dining room and terrace afford views that alone will be worth the visit. Christian Buffa, a veteran of Paul Bocuse’s revered Lyon establishment, has taken over as head chef.
Tuesday, July 22: St-Remy, Les Baux
Alas, we will have come to the final day of this magical sojourn in one of the most remarkable places in all of Europe. Our day will focus on the unique towns of Les Alpilles, including visits to the famous Castelas olive orchards and the village of St-Remy, where Vincent Van Gogh created 150 of his works. St-Remy was also the birthplace of Nostradamus in 1503. In 1921, St-Remy found new fame when archaeologists uncovered the fascinating Roman ruins of Glanum. The high point will be time to explore the craggy, mystical village of Les Baux, with its ruined castle and old houses that overlook the Val d’Enfer (Infernal Valley), once the haunt of witches and goblins according to legend. The streets and alleys of Les Baux are lined with shops that display all the products for which Provence is famous, from lavender-scented sachets to Santon figurines. Dinner tonight will be in one of the world’s greatest restaurants, Oustau de Beaumaniere, where chef Jean-André Charial presides over an astonishing kitchen and wanders among his guests on the terrace.