Duration
6 days / 5 nights
Group size
4-12 people
Availability
All year round
Guide
All languages
Description
Follow in the footsteps of four great painters who found light, inspiration and genius in the South of France. From Van Gogh’s starry nights in Arles to Cézanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire, from Matisse’s luminous chapel in Vence to Dufy’s joyful colors of the Riviera, this 6-day tour is a true journey through art history and timeless landscapes.
Highlights
- Valensole lavender fields
- Sénanque Abbey
- Roussillon and the Ochre Trail
- Essential oil tasting
- Soap-making workshop
- Hilltop village of Gordes
Itinerary
Day 1 – In Van Gogh's footsteps in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
“I believe the whole future of new art lies in the South of France,” Van Gogh wrote to his brother. With this thought in mind, meet in Avignon and depart for Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a small Provençal town nestled in the Alpilles.
First visit: the Saint-Paul de Mausole monastery, where Van Gogh spent a year in care. You will discover a faithful reconstruction of his room and the gardens that inspired several of his most moving works. Outside, the Provençal countryside still reflects the artist’s brushstrokes, with olive groves, cypresses and lavender fields.
Then stroll through the charming streets of Saint-Rémy, with free time to explore local boutiques or enjoy a coffee on a sunny square. On the way back, stop at the Roman ruins of Glanum. Return and overnight in Avignon.
Day 2 – Arles: Van Gogh's colors & Roman heritage
After breakfast, departure for Arles, Van Gogh’s adopted city and a UNESCO World Heritage site. A guided walking tour takes you through the historic center, starting at the Place du Forum with the famous Café Van Gogh, immortalized in Café Terrace at Night.
Continue to the Arles Amphitheatre, one of the best-preserved Roman arenas, and the Ancient Theatre, witnesses to the city’s classical grandeur. Nearby, the banks of the Rhône, where Van Gogh painted Starry Night Over the Rhône.
Free time for lunch, then the option to visit the Saturday market or the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles, dedicated to his artistic legacy. Return to Avignon in the evening and overnight stay.
Day 3 – Cézanne's Aix-en-Provence
Departure for Aix-en-Provence, the elegant hometown of Paul Cézanne. The guided tour begins at the Atelier Cézanne, preserved just as the artist left it, with easels, still-life objects and unfinished canvases. Stroll along the Cours Mirabeau, shaded by plane trees and lined with fountains, to see landmarks of Cézanne’s life: his birthplace, the drawing school where he studied, and his favorite cafés.
In the afternoon, visit the Jas de Bouffan, the Cézanne family estate, where he painted murals and studied the changing light in the gardens. Free time in Aix for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4 – Cézanne's landscapes: Mont Sainte-Victoire
A day devoted to Cézanne’s obsessive landscapes. Departure for the Bibémus ochre quarries, where he worked in solitude, and discovery of the rock formations featured in his cubist works.
Continue through vineyards and villages at the foot of Mont Sainte-Victoire, with stops at panoramic viewpoints where the mountain rises against the Provençal sky — the view Cézanne painted more than 80 times.
A short countryside walk to stand in the artist’s very footsteps, followed by an open-air picnic before returning to Aix. Free evening and overnight stay.
Day 5 – Matisse and the light of Vence & Nice
Departure for the French Riviera. First stop in Vence, where Henri Matisse designed the Chapelle du Rosaire. Inside, admire his stained-glass windows flooding the chapel with blue, green and yellow light — a spiritual masterpiece he considered his most accomplished work.
After lunch, continue to Nice, where Matisse lived for several decades. At the Musée Matisse, housed in a 17th-century Genoese villa, discover paintings, cut-outs, drawings and personal objects tracing his artistic evolution.
Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais and through the lively old town, with free time to enjoy a glass of local rosé or sample Provençal cuisine. Overnight in Nice.
Day 6 – Dufy and the joy of the Riviera
A day devoted to Raoul Dufy, painter of joy and color. Morning visit to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice, home to several of his works alongside Impressionists and Fauves. Departure for Cagnes-sur-Mer, the fishing village where Dufy painted vibrant seascapes and regattas. Free time to explore the medieval quarter of Haut-de-Cagnes or stroll along the seafront.
The tour ends with a panoramic drive around the Baie des Anges, where the Mediterranean light shimmers just as it does on the canvases of Matisse and Dufy. Return to Nice in the evening.
Departure date
Flexible, at your convenience
Number of travelers
Minimum 2 people
What's included:
- Accommodation
- English-speaking multilingual guide
- Transportation
- Full board
No cancellation fees up to 30 days before departure
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Contact us
10 rue de la République
13001 Marseille - FRANCE
(+33) 6 15 32 59 16
myprovence.tours@gmail.com