Farmland & Flavors of Provence, France
Guided Experience Tour 2026
FALL 2026 | September 20 - 25
6 Days 5 Nights
Itinerary Details
Day 1 - Welcome to Provence
Your Heritage Farmland & Flavors of Provence journey begins with your arrival at Marseille Airport. You will be transported across the countryside to the beautiful private historic estate of La Verrière, which will be your home for the next five nights. Set amidst the Provençal countryside, this elegant estate offers refined yet relaxed accommodations, thoughtfully appointed guest rooms, inviting common spaces, lush gardens, and a serene pool—an ideal setting for slowing down and fully immersing yourself in the rhythm of Provence.
That evening, gather for a warm welcome dinner prepared by the estate’s private chef, featuring seasonal, locally sourced ingredients that showcase Provence’s rich agricultural and culinary traditions. After dinner, unwind with a glass of local wine in the estate’s beautiful sitting room or step outside onto the terrace to enjoy the soft evening air and countryside views. It’s the perfect beginning to a week of farm experiences, flavor, and authentic Provençal living.
Day 2 - Slow Morning, Goats & Estate Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting and Cheese Pairing
Activity 1 - A visit to Les Chamoiselles du Ventoux offers an intimate look at life on a working Provençal goat farm set against the stunning backdrop of Mont Ventoux. Guests meet the goats, learn about traditional cheesemaking and sustainable farming practices, and gain a true sense of the land, animals, and rhythms that shape the farm. The experience concludes with a delicious tasting of their farmstead goat cheeses—fresh, expressive, and deeply rooted in the local terroir.
Activity 2 - We return to La Verrière for a relaxed vineyard terroir tour and wine tasting with charcuterie featuring Chenin Bleu wines. Set in an intimate, serene setting, you’ll enjoy thoughtfully selected wines while unwinding from the day’s explorations—an elegant close to a day where history, place, and Provençal living move together in perfect rhythm.
Relax - At La Verrière and spend the rest of the day at your leisure—unwind by the pool, enjoy the gardens, or simply soak in the warmth and quiet beauty of the countryside. This is Provence as it’s meant to be savored: slow, elegant, and deeply satisfying.
Day 3 – Organic Olive Oil Workshop & the Art of Provençal Flavors Cooking Class
Active 1 - Today we journey to a gourmet olive oil workshop that explores one of Provence’s most essential ingredients. Guided by a local expert, you’ll learn how to properly taste olive oil, understand varietals and terroir, and recognize the subtle differences between peppery, grassy, and fruit-forward oils—along with how they are best used in the kitchen.
Activity 2 - Following the workshop, we step into the heart of Provençal cuisine with a hands-on cooking class with La Verriere’s on site private chef. Using seasonal ingredients and local olive oils, you’ll prepare classic regional dishes while learning traditional techniques, flavor pairings, and time-honored recipes passed down through generations.(4 - 6 guests only, 2nd class offered on day 5)
Relax - The experience concludes by sitting down together to enjoy the meal you’ve created—an authentic farm-to-table moment that beautifully ties together Provence’s olive oil heritage, culinary traditions, and sense of place.
Day 4 – Famous Provencal Cheese Shop & Terroir Experience and Wine Tasting at Chateau La Nerthe
Begin the day with a leisurely breakfast prepared by your private chef, featuring fresh, local ingredients enjoyed at an unhurried Provençal pace.
Activity 1 - After breakfast, we head to a Cheese at Lou Canesteou, where beautifully locally crafted regional cheeses —an intimate introduction to the flavors and traditions of Provence.
Activity 2 - At Château La Nerthe, guests are immersed in a true terroir experience that brings the essence of Châteauneuf-du-Pape vividly to life. Walking the vineyards, you’ll see the iconic galets roulés—the rounded stones that store heat and shape the character of the wines—while learning how soil, sun, wind, and vine age work together to create depth and balance in every bottle. The experience continues in the cellar and tasting room, where elegant, expressive wines reveal how this historic estate translates land into flavor. It’s an intimate, sensory journey that connects guests directly to place, tradition, and the living landscape behind some of the Rhône Valley’s most celebrated winess.
Day 6 - Departure Day: Art, Markets & Provençal Farewell
Activity 1 - Check out of hotel. Journey into the heart of the Alpilles for a visit to EARL La Fromagerie des Alpilles, a working farm and fromagerie dedicated to traditional Provençal cheesemaking. Here, you’ll gain an intimate look at the daily rhythms of a small-scale producer—from animal care to the craftsmanship behind each wheel and round of cheese.
Actvity 2 - On our final morning, we spend time exploring and shopping in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a charming Provençal town celebrated for its lively streets, artisan boutiques, and deep artistic heritage. Saint-Rémy is famously associated with Vincent van Gogh, who created some of his most iconic works while living at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole.
Wander at your own pace through galleries, local shops, and cafés—perfect for picking up last-minute gifts, olive oils, linens, ceramics, and Provençal treasures. It’s a relaxed and inspiring close to our journey, offering time to reflect, savor, and say au revoir to Provence before departure.
Return to Marseille Airport.
Day 5 - Fruit orchard & Relax at La Verriere
Activity 1 - A visit to L’Atelier d’Hippolyte is a sensory delight set at the foot of Mont Ventoux, where sun-drenched orchards and Provençal flavors take center stage. Guests are welcomed into a warm, family-run farm to taste handcrafted fruit juices, nectars, and preserves made from fruit grown just steps away. It’s an intimate, delicious pause in the countryside—authentic, joyful, and a true taste of Provence that lingers long after the visit ends.
Activity 2 - Step into the heart of Provençal cuisine with a hands-on cooking class with La Verriere’s on site private chef. Using seasonal ingredients and local olive oils, you’ll prepare classic regional dishes while learning traditional techniques, flavor pairings, and time-honored recipes passed down through generations.(4 - 6 guests only, 2nd class)
Your Host: Mary Maranville
Mary Maranville is from an eleventh-generation dairy farming family. Mary was born and raised in upstate NY, her Irish family’s dairy farming roots started in County Cork, Ireland. In 2008, she started Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) a 501c-3 non-profit, that educates thousands of students annually about the farm origins of their food and the agricultural journey from soil to consumption.
Mary founded Heritage Farmland Touring Company, a woman-owned business, in 2023. Her passion is connecting travelers with remarkable farms and the delicious, authentic flavors that make life worth savoring.
What’s Included:
• Services of an experienced tour manager throughout the journey
• Chauffeured transportation, including airport transfers to and from Marseille to Villa.
• Five nights’ accommodation at a private historic estate, surrounded by bucolic countryside and vineyards, with an on-site private chef — La Verrière
• Five continental breakfasts and five three-course dinners prepared with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Wine with dinner service.
• Four leisurely lunches highlighting regional flavors. * * All activity fees
• Guided visits to an olive grove, goat farms, and two local vineyards.
• Hands-on Provençal cooking class
• Curated cheese and wine tastings
What’s Not Included:
• Airfare
• Meals not listed above
• Additional beverages or mini-bar charges