France
Provence: The Art of Living
Program No. 3729RJ
Alongside experts, immerse yourself in the heritage, architecture, culture and artistry of Provence, enjoying unique access to some of the region’s most fascinating landmarks.
Participant Reviews
Based on 26 Reviews
SHOWING
The outline of this tour piqued my interest. Unfortunately I would not see some places that I was really looking forward to.
After a very rushed lunch on our own, on Day 4 we spent a great deal of time walking around alleys and some enjoyed pastis. We were told that the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde was closed for renovations, which was false.
Day 5 we did not enjoy a stop at the Chateau de Vauvenargues, instead we could only glimpse at a portion of it from a roadside miles away. Nor were we able to get inside Cezanne's studio. While your outline states that it's difficult to secure reservations, RS Tours knew that many of us would be on the tour months in advance. I'm disappointed that this could not be accomplished. Instead we drove right by his studio and only got a glimpse of its red door.
In future, it would be best to re-write the course outline so you don't get people's hopes up too high.
Other than these negatives, I was given the opportunity for many unforgettable positive experiences such as exploring hilltop villages, touring a private home in Aix, the manade, the Condor music presentation, visiting the St. Paul de Mausole hospital, walking amongst many Roman ruins, and of course, meeting some delightful fellow travelers.
— Review left December 7, 2025
A 5 star rating. Except perhaps for the Palace of the Popes, there were no widely popular attractions on the tour but it covered so many interesting low key activities that are important to experiencing southern France including visits to medieval villages, small fishing towns, monasteries, Roman ruins, a vineyard, a bull ranch with Provencal cowboys, a Provencal folk music performance, and the countryside that inspired Cezanne, Van Gogh, and other famous artists. We stayed in Provencal cities that were early Roman colonies and full of history and wonderful architecture. Our hotel, Hotel Le Calendal in Arles, was practically next door to an ancient Roman amphitheater and theater. Overall an immersive experience. Ian Tucker, our Group Leader was very knowledgeable and I particularly enjoyed the wine and cheese tasting that he led. One thing I will consider in scheduling future trips is that late October is when European schools start their two week fall break and attractions in smaller cities such as popular museum exhibitions may end by then.
— Review left November 14, 2025
Some lectures were too long but over all the trip was good. Ian was a good leader.
— Review left November 7, 2025
Provence, The Art of Living was a dream come true for me. I loved every day of the journey; it was well organized, fun and so very educational. The places we visited and the things we learned were so wonderful! Jo Lurie is a leader extraordinaire--so kind and helpful and organized. She made each day flow and seems indefatigable. I appreciated all her hard work! I didn't want it to end and am now looking for my next trip with Road Scholar!
— Review left October 26, 2025
This program gives an excellent picture of Provence, its geography, history, and culture.
— Review left October 13, 2025
This tour covered so much while still being relaxed and fun. The tour leader, Susana, was phenomenal. All the lecturers were knowledgeable, informative and engaging. The pace described was accurate, as were all the planned events. I learned so much from this immersive experience in Provence and had a wonderful time doing so.
— Review left October 11, 2025
We very much enjoyed this trip. Provence is beautiful and Emmanuelle Bergerault was a great guide totally committed to making sure everything went smoothly. The various activities are well paced and the local subject matter experts very informative. The accommodations were excellent and we appreciated that we stayed in two locations; 6 nights in Aix en Provence and 5 nights in Arles. The small family run Hotel Le Calendal in Arles was perfectly located in the old town and a real gem. The early May trip was ideal as the summer crowds had not yet arrived and the weather was mild. We wold definitely recommend this trip to anyone interested in the history and culture of southern France.
Maureen and Gary
— Review left July 16, 2025
Our visit to Provence was filled with interesting and fun times and interesting and fun people. Our guide Emmanuelle was superb. What a beautiful area of France, from cosmopolitan Aix to "ancient" Arles.
— Review left June 21, 2025
For me ths was a superb ecxperience in Povence. I have been to France severa times, but this was exceptional. Excellent g uides and accomodat ions. Loved evry minute of it :)
— Review left May 25, 2025
The strengths of the program are the leaders and local experts, as well as the cultural content, as well as the tour group itself, based on its shared level of interest, participation, and mutual respect. In this program, we saw everything we hoped to see in Provence, and learned a great deal about impressionist and post impressionist art, as well as the local culture.
— Review left October 12, 2024
A beautiful part of France to experience and enjoy. Our Group Leader, Emmanuelle Bergerault, made this tour even more interesting with her commentary and personal knowledge. I highly recommend this tour. You will not be disappointed.
— Review left June 3, 2024
From Pat: This was one of the best trips we have taken in the last 11 years and 23 RS adventures. However, don’t wait - the younger and healthier you are, the better. This trip level is significantly more difficult than “On the Go”, which we were more used to. The surfaces are often uneven, cobblestones are difficult to walk on, and many inclined surfaces, stairs and curbs both in and out of buildings are without railings; I found a walking stick helpful. I was amazed at the Roman artifacts still intact especially in Arles. The markets were fun to explore. The cuisine was amazing. The hotels were very comfortable and conveniently located. The local experts were very engaging and Martin was a wonderful leader. May is too early to see blooming lavender - if that is a must, go later in June/July. But May weather is perfect with a.m. coolness and warm afternoons.
From Michael, spouse: Yes, an excellent trip and Martin is wonderful. If you use a CPAP, be content to go without distilled water. Very hard to find. One pharmacy had small bottles and whenever we tried to get more, it was closed.
— Review left May 19, 2024
This program was outstanding, especially because of the tour group leader, Martin Penicaud, who with his outstanding leadership, good humor, compassion, knowledge and organization skills made this one of the best travel experiences my husband and I have had in our many years of travel. Provence is beautiful and the food was outstanding.
— Review left May 18, 2024
Provence: The Art of Living is a wonderful introduction to a beautiful region of France. This is the best of 13 programs I have experienced with Road Scholar and I highly recommend it. In addition to touring various locations and villages, the program encompasses history, art and culture, among other aspects. It also provides glimpses of everyday living and an opportunity to savor the food, cheese and wine of the region. Come enjoy what Provence has to offer!
— Review left May 17, 2024
Five Stars
This trip was fantastic in every possible way. Our accommodations were spacious and comfortable. The meals were delicious and varied. There were opportunities to get meals on our own but we were so well fed that on most of those occasions my husband and I needed at most a supplemental sandwich or dessert. More important than those features were the guided tours, lectures, and other activities. There were museums, religious sites, Roman ruins, of course, but also strolls through villages, open air markets, gorgeous scenery, and a few surprises, too. Every day had an adventure awaiting us. The tour guides were friendly, knowledgeable and very engaging. Most all, I would like to mention our group leader, Martin Pénicaud, who brought Provence to life for us every day and made the trip run smoothly from start to finish. His breadth of knowledge was incredible and his willingness to answer all questions, engage in conversation with everyone, and look after all of us was outstanding. The group consisted of 22 travelers plus Martin, and we believe it was largely his friendly and engaging manner that made the entire group feel like old friends by the time we went home. This tour exceeded all my expectations and I would highly recommend it.
— Review left November 6, 2023
This Road Scholar trip to Provence offered lots of variety and excellent local experts. The pace matched the description. We enjoyed our first group trip, and will certainly consider more in the future.
— Review left October 28, 2023
We had a fantastic time on this tour! Provence is full of history, beauty, art, and friendly people. Our guide Martin was great! He educated us on the history, culture, and language of the region. We would have never learned nor seen as much on our own. It is a wonderful tour and we highly recommend it!
— Review left October 23, 2023
This was my first trip with Road Scholar. This wonderful trip with an outstanding itinerary not only met my expectations, it far exceeded them. From the moment I met our tour leader Jo Lurie, she went above and beyond to ensure our group’s comfort. Local guides were very knowledgeable; accommodations comfortable and enjoyable; restaurants excellent, etc. etc. RS was such an outstanding experience that I just booked a 2nd trip for this February to Portugal/Spain.
— Review left November 9, 2022
It was an excellent trip. I have been wanting to visit Aix-en-Provence for quite some time. It did not disappoint. It is a vibrant small city with a college town atmosphere. It is a great place to explore - such as the Cezanne studio -and has several nice cafes and restaurants in which you can relax and enjoy French life. I had been to Arles before. The hotel was right by the Roman arena and theater. It is a good walking town and offers the opportunity to follow in Van Gogh's footsteps and to see several sites that he painted. Two highlights of the tour in Arles. were a visit to a wildlife preserve and a lunch at a local ranch.
— Review left October 15, 2022
This was a fantastic program. Provence is a place of unbelievable beauty and charm. The fantastic food and wine is a major asset. You couldn't ask for a better Project Leader than Jo Lurie. She was well-organized, informative, engaging and responsive to the needs and requests of the members of the group. If I saw she was leading another program, it would certainly be a plus in deciding whether to sign up.
— Review left October 6, 2022
Excellent program! We saw so much of Provence, experienced great food and culture. Besides charming towns, the art and history museums were excellent with great educational presentations. Lots of exposure to this region of France and all it has to offer. Highly recommended!
— Review left May 20, 2022
I was a little disappointed that our guide, Bill, did not seem as enthusiastic as he had been on the Normandy trip. Granted , he's still a good guide and I'm sure I would enjoy traveling with him again.
— Review left February 24, 2020
I had a great time, all I had to do was show up. Every detail of the trip was taken care of, it was a pleasure.
— Review left November 17, 2019
Penny our tour guide exceeded our expectation. FUN TRIP
— Review left October 3, 2019
Our first trip to Provence. Our guide , Albert, was excellent, staying on top of every situation. The tour is quite busy, and we were fortunate to be there before the heat wave that descended on Provence.
Destinations were outstanding, group meals less so - it's France, if it has to be a fried meat and fry dinner, then cut the number of group meals and lower the price, please! Local tour guides were very good, our guide in Aix and area was extremely knowledgeable regarding art and art history, while our guide for the Camargue portion was amusing, knowledgeable and highly efficient.
The sole 'black spot' was that there was a single traveler on our trip who caused problems almost every day. This person was entirely selfish and very vocal about what they didn't want to do, and was the only person to miss a departure time during the trip. This made for a very uncomfortable experience for other travelers at times. Our guide did an EXCELLENT job managing the situation, but it was my understanding that Road Scholar will remove people from tours who behave inappropriately. This is what should have happened here, and I am most disappointed that RS didn't do so when our guide appraised the office of the situation. The individual should not travel alone, and hopefully RS will take note. My next (previously reserved) RS trip will hopefully be free of problems.
— Review left July 25, 2019
This is a lovely itinerary and overall it was a wonderful travel experience - it exceeded my expectations. The tour leader and local experts were great - very capable, knowledgeable, patient & fun to be around! As a solo participant I enjoyed spending time with the group and made some new friendships. I am looking forward to my next Road Scholar destination!
— Review left June 10, 2019