Mr Hills says...
Overall, an enjoyable holiday. Local guides were friendly and helpful. The hotels were of good quality or better and the service was generally very good. ...
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On this six night holiday you'll discover the beauty of Provence - a region where refinement and tradition blend beautifully, and whose natural light and landscapes have served as inspiration to the likes of Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso and Dumas, not to mention Peter Mayle! You'll look out over a patchwork blanket of fields, olive groves, vineyards and, in the south east, apple orchards which cover the floor between the mountains on either side. While the vineyards here may not be as well-known as those of the Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux, some superb wines are produced here - so be sure to stop off for a tasting or two.
Your itinerary has been designed to give you a taste of the picturesque perched villages which pepper Provence's breathtaking, lavender-scented Luberon area. The hilly landscape of the region means the cycling can be challenging at times but for each tough climb you'll be rewarded with a spectacular view. Starting in the medieval town of Pernes-les-Fontaines, famous for its numerous ancient stone fountains and lavoirs, you'll enjoy far-reaching views over the Luberon as you make your way to the ochre-red village of Roussillon passing vineyards, chateaux and castles on the way. You then head out along the Ochre Trail and along country lanes to pass through some of the most beautiful villages in Provence - each one offering stirring images along with a history which, in some places, stretches back over a thousand years - before your final stretch takes in sweeping apple orchards, typical French villages and quaint cafes.
We've hand-picked a lovely selection of hotels for your holiday. The Hotel l'Hermitage in Pernes-les-Fontaines is set in 2 hectares of grounds with a saltwater swimming pool and its own orangery; whilst the Hotel les Sables d'Ocre in Roussillon sits amidst landscaped lawns with a relaxing pool area.
Arrive at your 3 star hotel, just north of the town of Pernes-les-Fontaines. There's plenty of time to relax and explore the hotel grounds before dinner.
You stay at the Hotel l'Hermitage (breakfast at the hotel, evening meal at a local restaurant)
Pass by Pernes-les-Fontaines before setting off alongside the Canal de Carpentras and on through the beautiful scenery of the Vaucluse down to the popular town of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. The old town here is entirely surrounded by the clear waters of the River Sorgue. There are lots of lunch options in the town, or you could stop a little further on in the pretty village of Fontaine-de- Vaucluse. In the afternoon you climb to enjoy your first spectacular views of the Luberon before descending past vineyards, olive groves and windmills, and on to the ochre-painted village of Roussillon; this is the starting point of the Ochre Trail and your home for the next two nights.
You stay at the Hotel Les Sables D'Ocres (breakfast included)
Explore Roussillon, one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, to discover its ochre-red rocks, stone buildings and unusual rock formations known as the 'Provencal Colorado'. For those wanting a longer day out, it's a scenic cycle ride through Provencal countryside up to the picturesque perched village of St Saturnin-les-Apt with its crumbling castle and one of the best views in the Luberon.
You stay at the Hotel Les Sables D'Ocres (breakfast included)
After breakfast, Then head south along country lanes where a mixture of climbs and freewheeling takes you through some of the most beautiful villages in Provence. First there's Bonnieux. Then it's on to Lacoste to explore the ruined castle, once a mighty fortification and now a spectacular viewpoint. From here you'll freewheel down before another short climb to Menerbes, made famous by the books of Peter Mayle, and a great place to stop for lunch. Then continue to Oppede le Vieux, another perched village before to reach Fontaine de Vaucluse.
You stay at Hotel du Poete (breakfast included)
Take a circular ride past the orchards and meadows to the pretty villages of Lagnes. Alternatively you can spend your day in L'Isle sur la Sorgue which is just few km ride from your hotel. Surrounded by the River Sorgue, this is a charming town to potter around, its narrow streets filled with quaint cafes, little antique shops, old bridges and water wheels, not to mention a bustling market every Sunday. Or you could take a taxi to Saint-Remy-de-Provence, with its delightful old town, Roman site and monastery.
You stay at Hotel du Poete (breakfast included)
This morning you ride to L'Isle sur la Sorgue, then through apple country where you'll see orchards aplenty. Following the lanes brings you to the mediaeval town of Le Thor. Then it's back to Pernes-les-Fontaines where you have time to explore the mediaeval old town and the numerous ancient stone fountains and lavoirs.
You stay at the Hotel l'Hermitage (breakfast at the hotel, evening meal at a local restaurant)
Please note that cycling helmets are compulsory in France for children under 12. As we are unable to provide these, we strongly recommend that you bring your own.
Please see our Planning you holiday page for full details.
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Melodie Room, Symphonie Room, Prelude (Suite Junior) or Adagio (Suite Junior).
The Melodie rooms are slightly larger. Some have twin beds and some also face the garden. The Symphonie room 'Au Fil de l'Eau' is larger again and features a lovely terrace overlooking the water garden. The Junior suites overlook the garden and the swimming pool and are larger again, each having a small lounge area. The Adagio room also features a balcony with seating.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Avignon TGV train station at 13:18, and back to Avignon TGV train station at 11:45.
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Overall, an enjoyable holiday. Local guides were friendly and helpful. The hotels were of good quality or better and the service was generally very good. The exception would be Les Sables d'Ocre; there were no staff available after 8pm (and thus no bar). This was very disappointing. It is not a long walk into the village but sometimes this is not what is wanted after a day's cycling; the information was not given to us prior to the holiday. The major disappointment is that Headwater, or possibly the parent group Exodus, seem to have kept prices relatively high but there is evidence that an increasing number of holidays on offer do NOT include evening meals. This, for us, is a real negative and we don't accept the theory given that it was to give us more flexibility. It gives more headaches and time on the internet/phone attempting to arrange evening meals. We enjoyed much of the holiday but felt it was the least enjoyable of the five holidays we have undertaken since 2008.
We had a great time but we should have asked for e-bikes. Some of the hills were very long.
Lovely countryside and picturesque towns - almost too many of them. Some of the days are packed with sightseeing, leaving little time to do the cycling! Excellent hotels, and very well looked after by the Headwater rep. The route is at times quite piecemeal, trying to avoid busy roads, which is made just about manageable by using the GPS system provided.
As the title implies there are some steep hills but the villages are very attractive. Magnificent countryside and panoramas from the elevated villages.
Marvellous area . Notes for cycling extremely poor . The hotel at Roussillon CLOSED at 8.00pm .and had no gin and no beer . It was like a travel road house !
Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback on the cycling notes which have now been revised. The Hotel in Roussilon is only a short walk from the village centre where there are bars and restaurants to enjoy and as the hotel is small they tend to stay open when the demand is there.
A very enjoyable cycling holiday. The route was well researched using very quiet roads whenever possible, passing through lovely and varied countryside with stops in all the interesting hilltop villages. The hotels were all very comfortable and meals where provided were excellent. Our guide Mark was knowledgeable and couldn't have been more helpful.
Really enjoyable way to experience local cultures and get ‘off the beaten track ‘ good local representative support .
Very well organised, with excellent directions and achievable distances to cycle daily. Cycles very good condition, well maintained, clean and comfortable to ride. All staff willing and able to support if required.
Incredible 200 km of beautiful countryside, cuisine and culture of Provence! Loved every minute despite 35° heat and 35% elevation. La vie est belle!
The two holidays we have had with Headwater were extremely enjoyable. Our first was a walking holiday and the second was a cycling holiday.
This holiday has given us the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful villages in Provence under our own steam and away from the crowds you'd find on a typical coach trip The exercise of cycling during the day is a great appetite-sharpener for enjoying some excellent food and local wines in the evening.
Lovely holiday in beautiful part of world
Great all round experience
We had a fantastic holiday, The scenery, food and accomodation were great. Although we are both pretty fit my wife isn't such a keen cyclist but she really enjoyed this. The reps were really helpful when my wife wanted to swap to an E-bike towards the end when it got really hot, and now she wants to go again which I never thought would happen! I would really recommend this holiday and the E- bikes for those less enthusiastic about cycling
Great cycling location with generally very quiet roads, beautiful countryside and pretty villages perched on hilltops - definitely a great way to explore the region - you can smell the lavender fields and really enjoy the countryside. Both Keith and Claire were excellent reps - really friendly, helpful and flexible in every way. The food at Dame L'Oie in Perne la Fontaine was superb as was the food at Hotel de Sable. Quality of the bikes was very good. The itinerary for the rest day at Maubec was a little underwhelming as we felt the villages weren't that picturesque with few options for coffee/stop-offs and only managed to get lunch at the last stop in Robion. We would have preferred to go back to Lacoste and Menerbes which we had whizzed through the day before.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 6 night self-guided cycling holiday includes:
Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of hotels
All continental breakfasts and 2 evening meals
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
Headwater navigation app for your smartphone
Bike hire
Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)
Luggage transfers between hotels
How to book:
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.
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28th Sep 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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30th Sep 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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5th Oct 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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7th Oct 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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12th Oct 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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14th Oct 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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19th Oct 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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21st Oct 2023 | US$2249 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2249 Single supp: US$496 |
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4th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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6th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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11th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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18th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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20th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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25th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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27th Apr 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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2nd May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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4th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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9th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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11th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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16th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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18th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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23rd May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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25th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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30th May 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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1st Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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6th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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8th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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13th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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15th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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20th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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22nd Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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27th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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29th Jun 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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4th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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6th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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11th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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13th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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18th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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20th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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25th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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27th Jul 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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1st Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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3rd Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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8th Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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10th Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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15th Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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17th Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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22nd Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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24th Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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29th Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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31st Aug 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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5th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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7th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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12th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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14th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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19th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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21st Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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26th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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28th Sep 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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3rd Oct 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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5th Oct 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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10th Oct 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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12th Oct 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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17th Oct 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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19th Oct 2024 | US$2379 | US$496 | Tour only: US$2379 Single supp: US$496 |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided cycling Managed locally by Headwater appointed agent.
Departures
Thursday & Saturday departures from 28th Sep 2023 to 19th Oct 2024, for 6 nights. All dates are subject to availability, please contact us to check.
Meals
All continental breakfasts and 2 evening meals
Electric bikes
It is possible to hire electric bikes for this holiday at a supplement of £152 per person. As these are available on a first come first served basis, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment.
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Avignon TGV train station at 13:18, and back to Avignon TGV train station at 11:45.
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.
If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'Check availability' button below.