YOUR WEEK IN PROVENCE WITH OUR FRENCH IMPRESSIONS
NEXT TOURS WILL BE IN MAY & SEPTEMBRE 2018
Well, here it is: "Your Week in Provence" is now ready to launch and take your reservations!
Your Week in Provence starts and ends in Avignon at the TGV Station where you will meet your hosts Patricia and Jean-Marie
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After having organised so many trips and itineraries for friends and acquaintances, the real man behind Our French Impressions, Jean-Marie LIERE, has finally done what so many have urge him to do - organise a trip to Provence - here it is!
Jean-Marie's family on his mother side have deep roots in Provence having been one of the prominent landowners in the region up until the mid last century producing everything from lavender to rice, olive oil to soap. To this day, the family remains deeply attached to their origins and know "their" Provence intimately. Jean-Marie is also the nominated family cook, whose travails are well documented on this blog and beyond and who learned his trade watching his grandmother and mother cook for decades.
After having organised so many trips and itineraries for friends and acquaintances, the real man behind Our French Impressions, Jean-Marie LIERE, has finally done what so many have urge him to do - organise a trip to Provence - here it is!
Jean-Marie's family on his mother side have deep roots in Provence having been one of the prominent landowners in the region up until the mid last century producing everything from lavender to rice, olive oil to soap. To this day, the family remains deeply attached to their origins and know "their" Provence intimately. Jean-Marie is also the nominated family cook, whose travails are well documented on this blog and beyond and who learned his trade watching his grandmother and mother cook for decades.
Jean-Marie - the man behind Our French Impressions
"Your Week in Provence" is a lifestyle journey inspired by the famous book "A Year in Provence" and informed by your host personal touch and intimate knowledge of the region.
Jean-Marie will successfully showcase the real Provence, its authentic cuisine, based on the principles of slow food, locavore and "cucina povera" , locally sourced best wines - no house wine here - and artists and artisans showcasing the best traditional and modern craftsmanship. The itinerary will take you through many typical villages on the east side of the Rhone, around Les Alpilles and the Lubéron, considered to be the heart of Provence. It is balanced and varied, and your host and his carefully chosen local partners will take care of you 24/7. It has built-in flexibility, as you can choose optional activities or take off on your own for more personal discoveries.
Jean-Marie will successfully showcase the real Provence, its authentic cuisine, based on the principles of slow food, locavore and "cucina povera" , locally sourced best wines - no house wine here - and artists and artisans showcasing the best traditional and modern craftsmanship. The itinerary will take you through many typical villages on the east side of the Rhone, around Les Alpilles and the Lubéron, considered to be the heart of Provence. It is balanced and varied, and your host and his carefully chosen local partners will take care of you 24/7. It has built-in flexibility, as you can choose optional activities or take off on your own for more personal discoveries.
Consider this trip as a land cruise: we will stay in boutique accommodation in Cabrière-lès- Avignon in May and L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in September and from there, each day will be themed around one particular aspect of Provence. A comfortable minibus will take us around most days to explore the surrounding vineyards, spectacular villages, as well as artisans and artists.
And yes, we will have a chance to go visit the local markets and source the best produce for our own cooking classes! On one particular day, we will cook together with Jean-Marie in a private professional kitchen, preparing a three course lunch and then sitting down together to eat.
And yes, we will have a chance to go visit the local markets and source the best produce for our own cooking classes! On one particular day, we will cook together with Jean-Marie in a private professional kitchen, preparing a three course lunch and then sitting down together to eat.
You will find all the ingredients and produce at the markets to prepare your own lunch with "A Cook and A Chef"
Gorgeous food from Michelin starred restaurants or Gault Millaut listed
On another day, we will be taught by a famous local Chef and will create some more culinary delights which we will then share together at his table. Not a mince treat, as you will have a chance to interact with him and his team in a more relaxed setting, away from the heat and pressure of the kitchen. Our sommelier will choose perfect matching wines throughout our journey. (September trip only)
Our experts will guide you through the amazing Southern Côtes-du-Rhône wines and beyond
But don't worry, you will have a chance to learn more about the art of matching wine with food, as we will take you through many a vineyard in the Southern Côtes-du-Rhône region just north of our base. A renowned sommelier will be on hand to take you through a journey of discoveries of the famous reds, less known whites and the ubiquitous rosé too. But if homewares, fashion and fabrics or jewellery are more your thing, then we have some good surprises in store for you. How does being based in the region's antiques capital sounds to you or visitings the workshop of a renowned silversmith or choosing fabrics to your heart's content? It is all there for you to experience in "Your Week in Provence".
So much to see, so little time, plenty sights to feed your Instagram
Homewares, fabrics, jewellery, antiques, shop to your heart content
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are your prices in Euros?
As clients come from all over, America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and as the costs are in Euros, we felt it best to simplify the process for everyone and stick with Euros.
What are your credentials as tour operators?
My family on my mother's side is from Provence. They were very well established people from the land, prominent in the olive oil, rice and soap industries. After the war, my Grandfather decided to make his own way in life and became one of the first commercial photographer in the region with a studio in Aix-en-Provence, then Salon-de-Provence He was successful and enjoyed wide recognition.
My life has been steeped in Provence, first as a child when we visited every corner of the region during the family reunions every holiday. Each day we would adventure out to a different town, visiting the sites and enjoying the wonderful local cuisine and wine both at home and in the many restaurants we visited. This tradition continued for quite some time as my Grandfather lived to over 100 years old and my parents retired in the region. It is very much through these family ties that I have learnt - and learnt to love - cooking and drinking wine!
Then in turn, it was up to me to pass on the tradition and knowledge of Provence to my children - history repeats itself. We have visited the same sites and often the same restaurants as I did with my grandparents and to be truthful, in many ways, not a lot has changed. The richness, warmth and charm of the region are all still very much intact . That, I suppose, is part of the attraction.
I have also been fortunate to travel across the globe and I am a seasoned travellers, having visited over 40 countries. I know what makes for a good tour and am very confident that our itinerary will not disappoint.
What do you mean by "land cruise"?
No, we won't be travelling in a LandCruiser... Instead, we will have our own self-drive 9-seater minivan in May or a luxury bus, chauffeur driven in September, and we will have the luxury of staying in one place for the duration of the tour. You unpack only once, hence the term "land cruise", and we will stay in a gorgeous boutique hotel in the middle of a fabulous Provençal village, where everything is in walking distance of our base.
What are the minimum and maximum number of pax on the tour?
This is a real intimate and personal experience we have designed for you.
For the tour to proceed, we need a minimum of 6 people in May and 8 people in September. The maximum number of participants is 8 in May and 14 in September to assure the best personal service from your hosts and their suppliers.
Do you accept children and/or disabled travellers?
Considering the focus on the tour on gastronomy and wine exploration, children cannot be accommodated on this tour. You need to be 18 years of age at the minimum.
Regarding people with disability, please get in touch with us to discuss.
What if I don't want to participate in some activities?
There is flexibility in the tour, if you wish to go off on your own for a stroll or a private meal that is absolutely possible. If you are wish an alternative activity we would be happy to discuss this with you, keeping in mind that this would entail a surcharge.
Any other questions?
Get in touch with us via email preferably, or via our "Contact us" page. Thank you for your interest in our Provence trip!
As clients come from all over, America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and as the costs are in Euros, we felt it best to simplify the process for everyone and stick with Euros.
What are your credentials as tour operators?
My family on my mother's side is from Provence. They were very well established people from the land, prominent in the olive oil, rice and soap industries. After the war, my Grandfather decided to make his own way in life and became one of the first commercial photographer in the region with a studio in Aix-en-Provence, then Salon-de-Provence He was successful and enjoyed wide recognition.
My life has been steeped in Provence, first as a child when we visited every corner of the region during the family reunions every holiday. Each day we would adventure out to a different town, visiting the sites and enjoying the wonderful local cuisine and wine both at home and in the many restaurants we visited. This tradition continued for quite some time as my Grandfather lived to over 100 years old and my parents retired in the region. It is very much through these family ties that I have learnt - and learnt to love - cooking and drinking wine!
Then in turn, it was up to me to pass on the tradition and knowledge of Provence to my children - history repeats itself. We have visited the same sites and often the same restaurants as I did with my grandparents and to be truthful, in many ways, not a lot has changed. The richness, warmth and charm of the region are all still very much intact . That, I suppose, is part of the attraction.
I have also been fortunate to travel across the globe and I am a seasoned travellers, having visited over 40 countries. I know what makes for a good tour and am very confident that our itinerary will not disappoint.
What do you mean by "land cruise"?
No, we won't be travelling in a LandCruiser... Instead, we will have our own self-drive 9-seater minivan in May or a luxury bus, chauffeur driven in September, and we will have the luxury of staying in one place for the duration of the tour. You unpack only once, hence the term "land cruise", and we will stay in a gorgeous boutique hotel in the middle of a fabulous Provençal village, where everything is in walking distance of our base.
What are the minimum and maximum number of pax on the tour?
This is a real intimate and personal experience we have designed for you.
For the tour to proceed, we need a minimum of 6 people in May and 8 people in September. The maximum number of participants is 8 in May and 14 in September to assure the best personal service from your hosts and their suppliers.
Do you accept children and/or disabled travellers?
Considering the focus on the tour on gastronomy and wine exploration, children cannot be accommodated on this tour. You need to be 18 years of age at the minimum.
Regarding people with disability, please get in touch with us to discuss.
What if I don't want to participate in some activities?
There is flexibility in the tour, if you wish to go off on your own for a stroll or a private meal that is absolutely possible. If you are wish an alternative activity we would be happy to discuss this with you, keeping in mind that this would entail a surcharge.
Any other questions?
Get in touch with us via email preferably, or via our "Contact us" page. Thank you for your interest in our Provence trip!
