City & Culture Tours & Trips in Provence
Several excellent tours weave art, history and authentic local life throughout Provence, starting with Van Gogh's path through Arles, where visitors paint with local artists and explore Saint Paul de Mausole monastery - the place where Van Gogh created over 150 masterpieces. One journey kicks off in Paris with classic Citroën 2CV rides, then winds south to discover medieval gems like Avignon's Papal Palace which stands as Europe's largest Gothic structure. Our travelers often tell us the local connections leave the deepest impressions - from cooking in village kitchens and visiting wine-producing families to discovering Lyon's hidden traboules passageways. A favored route blends visits to family vineyards near Aix-en-Provence with guided walks through the villages of Gordes, Roussillon and also the striking ochre streets. What sets these tours apart is how they mix major landmarks with genuine experiences, such as joining truffle hunters in season, learning to make traditional Calisson sweets and sharing meals in historic village squares. Groups stay small at 8-16 people, perfect for intimate experiences like private château visits and hands-on cooking sessions in old stone kitchens that have served for centuries.
10 best city & culture Provence tours
Compiled by
MelissaProvence travel expert at TourRadar
- Provence - Côte d'Azur
- Discover Provence
- Discovery of the Hinterland of Provence
- Southern France: Provence & the French Riviera
- Paris & Provence
- Journeys: Stories of Provence National Geographic
- The Med sea shore from Marseille - Exclusive Trip
- Rhone Winter Holiday (2028, Lyon to Arles)
- Provence: Between Tradition and Modernity
- Rhone Winter Holiday (2028, Arles to Lyon)
Duration 8 days Destinations Nice, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Eze, Grasse, Gorges Du Verdon, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Greoux Les Bains, Lourmarin, Roussillon, GordesSee all destinations Age Range Ages 12+ Operator V.O.S – Vision of Scandinavia From
- US$1,336
Forcalquier's cobbled lanes lead to its 200-stall market, one of Haute Provence's largest with local produce. The medieval Old Church in Banon, first built in 1350, sits alongside shops selling traditional Banon goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves. A 1-mile hike takes you through the ochre cliffs of Provençal Colorado, then Lourmarin's fountains and narrow streets wait in the Luberon mountains.
Duration 7 days Destinations Forcalquier, Banon, Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Sisteron, Avignon, Aix-En-Provence Age Range Ages 16+ Operator Exodus Adventure Travels From
- US$3,755
Discovery of the Hinterland of Provence
“The dinner at Mikal Favel was outstanding as was the e-bike Tour in the steps of Cezanne.”
Kathleen, traveled in September
Small groups savor Provence's gastronomy, wines, and artistic heritage. E-bikes provide an eco-friendly way to appreciate stunning landscapes and architecture.
Duration 5 days Destinations Aix-En-Provence, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Gordes, Roussillon, Marseille Age Range All Ages Welcome Operated in English, French Operator So Provence So Alps ! From
- US$1,884
Duration 8 days Destinations Nice, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Eze, Grasse, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Manosque, Castellane, Lourmarin, Roussillon, GordesSee all destinations Age Range Ages 18+ Operator Omega Tours From
- US$2,339
Artistic workshops, wine experiences, and historic sites paint a vivid picture of Provence. The route winds through Van Gogh landmarks, medieval villages, and ancient Roman monuments.
Duration 9 days Destinations Paris, Avignon, Pont du Gard, Arles, Aix-En-Provence, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux de Provence, Gordes, Roussillon, French RivieraSee all destinations Age Range All Ages Welcome Operator Globus From
- US$5,529
Duration 8 days Destinations Avignon, Arles, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux de Provence, Aigues-Mortes, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Aix-En-Provence Age Range Ages 12+ Operator National Geographic Expeditions with G Adventures From
- US$2,999
Duration 6 days Destinations Marseille, Aix-En-Provence, Roussillon, Les Baux de Provence Age Range All Ages Welcome Operated in English, French Operator So Provence So Alps ! From
- US$3,332
Duration 8 days Destinations Lyon, Valence, Viviers, Avignon, Tarascon, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Arles Age Range Ages 16+ Operator Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection From $3,999
20% off- US$3,199
The heart of Provence unfolds through UNESCO Heritage sites, wine tastings, and vibrant markets. A comfortable minibus connects historic towns, while nights are spent in authentic local hotels, complete with included meals and expert-guided tours.
Duration 9 days Destinations Arles, Fontvieille, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux de Provence, Avignon, Uzès, Pont du Gard, Aix-En-Provence, Gordes, RoussillonSee all destinations Operated in Only: German Operator Gebeco From
20% off- US$2,385
Duration 8 days Destinations Arles, Aix-En-Provence, Tarascon, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Avignon, Viviers, Grignan, Valence, Lyon Age Range Ages 16+ Operator Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection From $3,999
20% off- US$3,199
Explore our featured Provence tours
TourRadar earns higher commission on featured adventures here.
What people love about City & Culture Tours in Provence
- Discovery of the Hinterland of Provence
I had a really wonderful time on this holiday. Aix is beautiful and the hotel was fantastic, perfectly situated in the middle of Aix. The daily excursions were excellent. Travelling in an 8 seater is a great way to get to know people. The guides were amusing and encouraged us to talk. Restaurant meal was excellent. Altogether a brilliant 5 days. Great for a recharge of batteries. Lots of variety without being exhausted. Thank you Simon for your organisation. Only glitch was the beginning when the taxi driver from the station was held up and I wasn’t sure what to do, also a little mix up with the hotel about payments. These were soon solved by contact with Simon who was very helpful. Thanks for everything.
A variety of daily tours which also allowed free time to visit other sites in Avignon.A very comfortable stay in the hotel with included breakfast.
5 Days in Avignon: Exploring Provence, Saint-Rémy, Les Baux & Luberon
- Epicurean E-bike cycling tour in the authentic Provence
My husband and I went with another couple. After the long COVID shutdown, we were ecstatic to travel to France and bike through Provence. We saw incredible views and road through sweet villages. We will never have another experience like biking down the Nesque Gorge! Wow! There was a bike race on the route that morning, which delayed us, but it also blocked the traffic once we were able to start and it was incredible. And even though the lavender was no longer blooming in September, we could still smell it, which was lovely. The accommodations were nice and most of the meals were 'epicurean delights'. I think the exception was in Sault, which was a buffet style and was fairly simple food. The location and food in Roussillon, though, was incredible!! We were perched on a cliff watching the sunset on the red rocks eating the best food of our trip. And our accommodation was the best, as well. We spent an extra day there. It was a good time to rest, and there is plenty to see and do in this town. We were a little nervous about the mileage and elevation of this trip, which I communicated to the tour director, Simon. He said with the e-bike option, it would not be a problem. (We upgraded our e-bikes, as well.) Simon was great to work with - very responsive. We just unfortunately had trouble with our bikes and with parts of the tour path. On two separate days, two bikers ended up walking their bikes, because of operational battery failure. Additionally, on day 1, the indicated path led us up a washed-out gravel road that was impossible for any of us to ride on. On the last day, our path into Avignon took us to a route that was blocked by brush and garbage. We had to find our way into the busy city on our own. We had trouble reaching the Sun bike company. We also had trouble with English communication with the bike company. The gentleman Mario who met us with our bikes was kind, but didn't speak any English. I thought that we would be provided with a GPS device, but we were not. There is a phone app to download the daily route. Coming from the US, we did not have international data plans for our phone - we just use WiFi. If you don't have data, you can still follow the path from a WiFi download, but the roads don't have names - they are just fuzzy. We got turned around numerous times because of the fuzzy road issue. The written directions that accompany the GPS are difficult to follow and sometimes say meters when they mean kilometers. The great majority of this trip is on roads, not bike paths. (And most of the roads are paved.) French drivers are mostly kind and observant of bikers. Our luggage was always waiting for us at the next location and the hotels/restaurants were ready to welcome us. We were a bit surprised on Day 2 when we got a text at 0848 that they were going to pick up our bags at 0900. Overall, this was a good experience. Our ages ranged from 55-64, and we made it! I think we would've enjoyed it more if we hadn't been worrying about running out of battery daily. We never knew how much elevation was still to come, so we conserved battery when we could. (The elevation change map on the app only worked on 2 days.) I would suggest putting your charger in your panier and charging during lunch breaks.
