Our 2023 Tour Dates
Spring | April 30 – May 10
Fall and Winter | Sept 10-20, Oct 15-25 and Nov 26-Dec 6
Day 1
Fly into Nice airport (NCE) to be greeted by your tour guide, Dee Poquette and your private driver. After gathering your luggage we will head off to our first hotel, Hôtel Apollinaire Nice . Once we have freshened up, our driver will whisk us off for a quick visit to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Monaco and the medieval city of Èze. Your first meal in Provence is enjoyed sitting on a blanket overlooking the Mediterranean while savouring a picnic of cheeses, olives, tapenade, baguettes, crudities, fruits, rosé wine and delectable cake. Looking out over the blue ocean, it’s a great welcome (bienvenu) to Provence.
Day 2
After breakfast we are picked up and head off to Saint-Paul-de-Vence for our tour of the famous Maison Godet, a perfumery that has been making beautiful scents since the 1900’s. You will be greeted by Sonia, the great-granddaughter of Maison Godet’s founder. After enjoying a welcome cognac (at 10:00 AM!) with biscuits, you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the perfumery, and sample the many scents and pick out your personal signature scent. You’ll then be able to explore the village where you’ll enjoy lunch before heading to your home away from home, Domaine Carpe Diem a small haven of peace for rest, calm and this charming hotel sits at the top of La Cadière-d’Azur with a 360° view. After settling into your charming room decorated in the Provencal style we stroll the village, then enjoy a welcome dinner at Le bistrot de Jef – sleep will come easily tonight.
Day 3
After a leisurely breakfast, we travel to the historic village of Le Castellet, a picture perfect village, perched on the edge of a cliff nestled in the heart of the Bandol vineyards. After lunch you are free to shop or take time for the many photo opportunities in the village. From Le Castellet we travel a short distance to a neighboring village unknown by many tourists. Evenos is home to a medieval ruin that has been lovely restored by the locals in the last three years. Next we travel to the village of Ollioules to sample some of Provence’s best wines at Domaine de Terrebrune. Of course we must stop and sample some of the local wines. Back at the hotel you will be able to relax at Bérard’s Aromaspa where an advanced two week reservation is required for treatments during our stay. Back at Domaine Carpe Diem, treat yourself to an afternoon spa treatment at Hotel Berard’s, Aromaspa. Please note a required reservation of 3 weeks advance notice is necessary by you and is not included in the tour package. To find out more about the spa and make reservations please go to, aromaspa@hotel-berard.com.
Day 4
The morning will be spent at a beautiful market town by the sea, Sanary-sur-Mer, voted favourite market of the French. This port city provides us with our first experience of what French market shopping is all about. You’ll find everything from olives, antiques, fresh fish of the day, local cheese and honey, straw market bags, shoes, French linens, French scarves – great souvenirs and gifts. After your shopping frenzy, it’s time to relax at the stunning seaside town of Cassis. There you will board a boat for a three hour cruise on the Mediterrean to the famous Calanques, one of the most beautiful natural wonders of France. Back on shore we’ll indulge in a decadent apple caramel crepe with a café and people watching on the wharf.
Day 5
Today is a day off to enjoy the sights and sounds of La Cadière d’Azur. Wander its flowery streets, relax in the main square in the shade of hundred year old plane trees and enjoy the surrounding countryside of vineyards and olive orchards.
Day 6
After bidding “au revoir” to the mountains and next you’ll visit wonderful Aix-en-Provence, a gorgeous mini-Paris filled with all the charm you’d expect in a quaint city that has been around for centuries. After checking into Hôtel Cezanne, you’ll take a guided walking food tour. We all usually agree that dinner tonight can be a light affair after sampling so many French foods and wines.
Day 7
This morning is spent at Aix’s Saturday morning markets. We browse through the many stalls of antiques and clothing on the Cour Mirabeau and then venture to the Marché aux Fleurs (flower market) and the food market located at Place Richelme, a stone’s throw from the town hall. After grabbing a quick lunch at the market, we drive to the famous museum “Confiserie de Roy René ” for a cooking lesson on how to make Calissons. Dinner tonight will be in one of Aix’s many brasseries.
Day 8
Today (always on Sundays) we will take an early morning drive to the charming village of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Le Sorgue is known worldwide for its authentic brocante (antique) markets. We advise you to pack an extra (empty) bag – you’ll need it to carry all your treasures home. If you are a Francophile for all things French (linens, silverware, china, furniture, glassware, artwork, baskets, etc.) you have found your utopia! Your tour guide will help you barter along the way if necessary – it’s expected!
Day 9
We bid farewell to Aix and make our way back to Nice, the capital of the French Riviera and check into Apollinaire Nice Hotel. You will have time to discover the highlights of Nice, it’s historic old district, museums and galleries, Promenade des Anglais, Cours Saleya, Castle Hill, Place Massena and the rocky beach. Dinner tonight will be in old town Nice at a traditional restaurant.
Day 10
The day begins early at the food market in Vieux Nice. We are greeted by Rosa Jackson, a cookbook author and fabulous chef. She will be your guide in the market and build our meal around the season’s best produce, fruits, fish, poultry, or meats and of course cheese and wine. The cooking course is suitable for beginners and everyone takes a part in preparing a perfect authentic Nicois lunch. The rest of the afternoon and night is yours to do as you choose.
Day 11
After breakfast and a photo session, it’s sadly time to head home or wherever the road might take you, together with luggage full of treasures and memories of a lifetime!
Trip Cost for 10 NIGHTS/11 DAYS:
$6,200 USD/person
Initial Deposit of $3,100 due at the time of booking.
Remaining deposit of $3,100 is due three months before scheduled departure date.
*rates are based on single occupancy
…..WHAT’S INCLUDED
Licensed, comfortable Mercedes transportation (gas, tolls and parking included) for each destination and activity. This includes transfer from Nice airport to our first hotel upon your arrival to beautiful Southern France – all guests will be asked to arrive at the same time so we can coordinate the group pickup and kick off the tour together.
Accommodations (room + tax) for 10 nights through the duration of our tour. Incidentals are on own.
Breakfast each morning (11 days).
1 Lunch included – most days we are out and about and grab lunch while exploring.
Weclome Dinner.
Group tour of La Maison Godet perfumery in Saint Paul de Vence.
1 Cookery class.
1 Pétanque lesson.
Three hour walking food tour in the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence.
Wine tasting in the sun kissed hills of Bandol.
Boat ride along the French Riviera.
Priceless memories and new friends along the way.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Flight – your flight from your home to Nice is not included in our tour package. We recommend using sites such as kayak.com or hopper to set up a search for the best flight costs. We’ve also found that flight searches on Tuesday nights can sometimes land you a great deal!
Gratuity for your driver or service people.
Travel Insurance – we recommend travel insurance for all travelers. Make sure you research your insurance policy to cover any issues that might arise.
Any meals not specified under inclusions – we’ve created our itinerary so our guests can truly experience Provence – some meals are included but for those that aren’t, the beauty of our tour is the flexibility to eat with the group or do what suits you best. Our goal is for you to truly relax and rejuvenate, not feel tied to a rigid timeline.
Your return transfer to the airport – some guests decide to tack on a few extra days, while others might decide to leave on our last “official” day. Depending on flight times and schedules, each guest arranges their own transport back to the airport simply by asking the front desk to book a taxi for you. If you are leaving from our hotel in Nice, this cost is usually around $15-$20 per person as we are only about 25-30 minutes away from the airport.
Jackdaw Journeys truly is an experience for the senses, set in magical Provence. We hope you’ll join us, soon!