Luberon (Provence, France) Example Page

The Luberon Experience

Award-winning small group tour in the most beautiful area of Provence!

2026 dates:  May 2 – 9; May 16 – 23; September 19 – 26; September 26 – October 3 (Women’s Week)
2027 dates: 

Contact us with questions or to book this trip!

We launched The Luberon Experience, our signature tour, in 2006. Since that time, over 850 people have joined us for this special week in Provence– and many have returned for a second and even a third time on this trip or other Luberon trips such as Return to the Luberon and The Luberon Christmas Experience. We were thrilled when The Luberon Experience was recognized by National Geographic Traveler magazine as one of their top 50 Tours of a Lifetime.

The Luberon is the most beautiful area in Provence, stretching 34 miles on either side of a small, rocky mountain range, an hour or so north of the Mediterranean Sea. This is the area Peter Mayle described in his best-selling book, “A Year in Provence” and was featured in the 2006 movie “A Good Year.”

Our base for The Luberon Experience is the ancient, perched village of Bonnieux (seen above) with sweeping views across the valley. Our family lived in this village during our six-month stay in the Luberon 20 years ago, and Bonnieux is now our second home. We have an apartment in the village and are there several months a year. Our friends always give our groups a warm welcome. Because of our relationships in the area and the size of our groups, our trips include many unique experiences that wouldn’t be possible on your own or with another tour.

With a population of 1400, Bonnieux is an ideal base to enjoy village life in Provence. It’s small enough to be intimate, but large enough to offer important services, interesting shopping, and a variety of eating places. Our 12-room, family-owned hotel is located right in the village with a beautiful garden and swimming pool. By the end of the week Bonnieux will feel like home to you too.

The Luberon offers varied experiences for a week-long stay: a rich history dating back to prehistoric and Roman times; incredible landscapes of mountains and farmland; hilltop stone villages; the ruins of old castles; delightful outdoor markets; and outstanding cuisine and wine.

Important Information

Location: Bonnieux (7 nights)

Meeting and drop-off: Avignon TGV station. Meeting at 2 pm on the first day; drop off by 9:15 am on the last day.

Physical requirements: This trip involves a good amount of daily walking. To fully enjoy the experience, you need to plan to walk at least 2 miles in the course of a day, sometimes on hills and on uneven surfaces like cobblestones.

Leaders:  Kathy Wood and Christian Linke

Price: $4,000 USD per person, double occupancy; $4,500 USD single occupancy of a double room

What our Travelers Say

We had an incredibly well-organized small group tour… a stunningly beautiful place to stay in Bonnieux… including great dining opportunities. We highly recommend this tour! (Roy from Delaware)

Fantastic trip with a fantastic group of women touring the Luberon and beyond. Kathy our owner/host, is delightful plus Christian our co-host guide was so congenial and helpful in every way possible. I want to return!! (Diane from Washington)

We are not “group tour” people but discovered that a small group of like-minded people enhanced our visit. We stayed in a beautiful hotel and did day trips exploring unique parts of Provence. Several of our friends recommended European Experiences and we are looking forward to another trip with them! (Jim from Tennessee)

See more reviews here

Typical Itinerary and Other Resources

Itinerary

Each day begins with a bountiful breakfast buffet and conversation around our family-style dining table as we enjoy the view across the valley.

Day One:

  • Meeting at the Avignon TGV station and travel to Bonnieux.
  • Check-in at our intimate, family-owned, village hotel.
  • Introductory walk in the village.
  • Apéritif and dinner at our hotel; introductions and overview of the week.

Day Two:

  • Morning at the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue market, one of the most famous in France.
  • Picnic lunch of market purchases in the garden of the hotel.
  • Exploration of the oldest area of the village, including a private visit to our friend Michele’s historic house.
  • Dinner in the village.

Day Three:

  • Walking tour of the nearby village of Goult, including a coffee break at the village café.
  • Lunch at a well-known eating place near Bonnieux.
  • Visit to a peaceful 14th century abbey with amazing views.
  • Walk through the historic village of Lacoste, once home of the Marquis de Sade, and now the unique European campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design.
  • Dinner on your own in the village.

Day Four:

  • Visit to the famous hilltop village of Gordes on market day.
  • Drive through the countryside to a scenic spot for a picnic.
  • Private visit to a prestigious family-owned winery outside Bonnieux, hosted by the owner and winemaker, ending with a wine tasting.
  • Apéritif at Kathy’s apartment, followed by dinner in the village.

Day Five:

A day trip to Les Alpilles, another beautiful mountain region, including:

  • Visit to a family-owned olive mill to learn about olives trees and oil production, including tastings of different oils and other delicious products.
  • The Carrières des Lumières, an immersive art and music show in vast old limestone quarries.
  • Lunch in a welcoming restaurant in the village of Maussane
  • An inspirational visit to St. Paul de Mausole, the peaceful sanitarium where Van Gogh spent a year and painted many of his most famous works.
  • Dinner on your own back in Bonnieux.

Day Six:

  • A scenic drive to the hilltop village of Saignon and exploration of this ancient village.
  • Learning all about lavender at a family-owned lavender distillery in the nearby hills.
  • A special lunch at our friend Janice’s home.
  • After lunch, a drive to the top of the Petit Luberon mountain for more amazing views, with an option for a three-mile walk in the cedar forest on the top of the mountain.
  • Dinner in the village.

Day Seven:

  • Free morning in Bonnieux on market day, with options for renting e-bikes, going on a walk, or enjoying the village.
  • In the afternoon, a visit to the colorful village of Roussillon, including lunch on your own.
  • A stop at the Pont Julien, a Roman bridge below Bonnieux dating to 3 B.C.
  • Return to Bonnieux on a narrow farm road, passing large estates, vineyards, and simple farmhouses.
  • Farewell dinner at our hotel, sharing our favorite experiences of the week.

Day Eight:

  • After breakfast at our hotel, return to the Avignon TGV station to say our goodbyes.
Contact us with questions or to book this trip!