BETWEEN THE ALPILLES AND CAVAILLON

If you’re starting your tour on a Wednesday, soak up the village atmosphere at the lively Provençal market. Stalls of sun-kissed fruit, cheeses, olives, crispy bread and the scent of herbs form a wonderful southern French tableau. This is the perfect time to enjoy a meander round the old quarter, fill your hamper with tasty local fare or improvise a delicious picnic lunch. We tried the sandwiches from Tom & Joh – they’re truly fabulous. And if it’s not market day, you can still enjoy roaming the old lanes around Place Favier and Rue du Parage (where you can visit the Hôtel de Sade).

It’s time to make our way slowly out of town to one of the region’s most iconic sights: Saint-Paul de Mausole monastery. You’ll be heading along the Route de Van Gogh: a one-kilometre path dotted with reproductions of the master’s works, directly inspired by the surrounding scenery. On arrival, take all the time you need to lap up the views of the Alpilles and olive groves – we definitely recommend a picnic followed by a tour of the monastery where Vincent Van Gogh painted some of his foremost masterpieces.

Just next door, you’ll be travelling back even further into the past at the Glanum archaeological site. A remarkably well-preserved former Gallic oppidum, Glanum unveils monumental remains of temples, baths and ancient arches, in an exceptional natural setting at the foot of the Alpilles.

Next, it’s time to head back to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. We stayed at the Petit Hôtel, a charming little address with an eclectic and colourful decor evoking distant climes. The hotel offers a pool too, hidden away in lush greenery. An ideal base camp for resting and relaxing.

You’ll find the GPX track for our day tour here.

It’s time for a change of pace this morning, so get ready to pedal! We picked our bikes up from Sun-E-Bike just near the hotel – they have created a great cycling tour for exploring the Alpilles and some of the beautiful surrounding villages.

The safe, fully-signposted route forms a large loop crossing spectacular limestone scenery, olive groves, pinewoods and character-packed villages. The route starts out from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and crosses Fontvieille, Paradou, Maussane-les-Alpilles and Les Baux-de-Provence, before returning to Saint-Rémy. A sporty day, bursting with delightful discoveries.

On the way, we stumbled upon the Chapelle Saint-Gabriel de Tarascon, a magnificent Provençal Romanesque construction near Fontvieille. A local lady advised us to visit the old washhouse and Alphonse Daudet’s famous windmill: the author sojourned several times at Château de Montauban and left a lasting mark on this village that so deeply inspired him.

In the early afternoon, our round tour continues to one of the most spectacular sights in the Alpilles: Les Baux-de-Provence. Perched on a rocky spur overlooking the valley, this village – a holder of the Plus Beaux Villages de France label – appears to be literally suspended between garrigue and sky. The decor is immediately impressive, with the pale limestone rock catching the light throughout the day, lending the lanes an almost surreal atmosphere. Arched passageways, secret little squares, ancient Renaissance houses and discreet little shops: what a treat! From the rocky spur (you need to cross the whole village to reach it), the views over the surrounding scenery are mesmerizing, blending olive groves, vineyards and the ragged peaks of the Alpilles.

And of course, you absolutely must visit the Château des Baux and Carrières de Lumières. Set inside a monumental ancient stone quarry, this multimedia exhibition centre promises a unique artistic experience.

You can download our cycling tour of the Alpilles here.

For our last day, we’ll be leaving Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and travelling to Cavaillon on bus nr LER 704 in less than an hour.

By the way, we didn’t pick Cavaillon, the melon capital, by chance! We wanted to try out one of France’s finest climbing routes, totally unique in Europe. Colline Saint-Jacques hill is easily accessible from the town centre and tourist office, although the climb is steep with some big steps (around 15 mins). This extraordinary climbing route is located right in the town centre and accessible to all free of charge. The views over Cavaillon, the Luberon beyond and all the way to Mont Ventoux are simply spectacular. You can opt for one of two loops – one for novice climbers and another more challenging route that takes around 4 hours.

And after effort comes reward in the shape of a lunch in town before continuing our afternoon with a really unexpected and surprising tour of the Hôtel d’Agar. This museum of curiosities showcases works by major artists, novel collections and an intimate decor. If you have time, you might like to wind up with a guided tour of the Synagogue and Musée Juif Comtadin.

You’ll find the GPX track for our day tour here.