Provence with Nina Compton

Bienvenue à Marseilles! France’s ‘second’ city is one of the busiest seaports in Europe, with a buzzing energy, an infectious charm, and a sprawling patchwork of cultural influences: Provençal and Corsican, North African and Arab.

After checking into our hotel, we’ll gather for cocktails on our terrace before making our way to our elaborate welcome dinner. This is true immersive indulgence and the only proper way to begin your journey through Provence.

Today, we gather ingredients for an only-in-Provence lunch experience. In the morning, we leave the city behind and point our compass to Aix-en-Provence for a walking tour and a visit to their legendary farmer’s market. Here we’ll meet with two local chefs, and together we’ll procure the raw material for a fresh, local lunch. Then it’s off to a cooking demo where our tastemaker and a few local chefs will prepare a midday meal for the ages.

After lunch, it’s off to tour one of the cultural gems of Marseilles, Notre-Dame de la Garde. Originally, a medieval church, this basilica was rebuilt in the 1800s and remains a focal point of the region today. After touring the site and relishing in the incredible views from its limestone perch, we’ll return to our hotel for some well-earned rest and relaxation.

You’ll have the evening to embellish as you wish. A tapas style bodega dinner? Michelin star-dining? An art walk? Perhaps, you’ll do all three.

We begin with a visit to the nearby village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, known for its exceptional wines. We’ll soak in the charm of this renowned wine region with a tasting at one of the chateaus owned by a local legend. Next up, we’ll explore the historical facets of the Antipopes at Châteauneuf Castle and savor a delightful lunch at one of the region’s most picturesque estates.

Afterward, we’ll delve into the rich history of Palais des Papes, the seat of Western Christianity in the 14th century, with an expertly guided tour revealing stories of the Knights Templar. Then we’ll wander through the old town of Avignon, marveling at its impressive Gothic architecture.

Tonight, back in Marseilles, we’ll dine at Ludovic Turac’s Une Table au Sud, overlooking the harbor. Chef Turac is one of the youngest chefs ever to earn a Michelin star; tonight we celebrate the catch-of-the-day, every dish a remixed interpretation of standard Mediterranean fare.

Today, we experience the beating heart of Provence within one impressive and picturesque destination. Chateau La Coste is a haven for art that features a 600-acre sculpture park, set against the vineyards of a biodynamic winery. 

We’ll tour the grounds before settling in for a private wine tasting. Lunch is elaborate and seasonal and plated before the lush hills and grapevines—this is truly a storybook atmosphere and a perfect moment to slow down and catalog the wonders of the region.

This evening in your new basecamp of St. Rémy is yours to embellish.

Provence’s colors and texture—its ancient ruins and medieval villages, its dappled fields and swirling skies—have inspired artists like Van Gogh, Cézanne, and Picasso for generations. Today, we’ll head to the town of Arles and stand in awe of Provençal art and ecology.

Our first stop is Luma Arles, a newly opened, 27-acre arts complex with a spectacular tower designed by Frank Gehry. This is no mere museum; it’s an interdisciplinary creative campus offering a total environment at the intersection of art and ecology, and an homage to the unique ecosystem of the surrounding Camargue wetlands. 

We’ll then make our way to the gardens of La Chassagnette, which has earned a rare Michelin ‘green’ star, recognizing culinary excellence and an unparalleled commitment to sustainability. After a tour of their grounds, we’ll lunch on local dishes sourced straight from the delta, including the Camargue’s legendary red rice.

As late afternoon descends through breaks in the willow groves, we’ll return to the hotel for a classic Provençal experience—a hyperlocal wine and cheese tasting paired with a light and lively dinner.

Today it’s off to the countryside to take in Provence’s stunning beauty by bike. We’ll hop on our e-bikes and climb up gentle hills, through the vineyards, by and past picture-perfect villages and up into the medieval hilltop town of Les-Baux-de-Provence, perched on a rocky outcrop crowned with a ruined castle. The town, inaccessible by car, is a storybook of cobbled alleyways, Renaissance facades and several magnificent hôtels particuliers that have been revived as art galleries and museums.

After soaking up the view and the history, we’ll meander down the hill into the heart of the Alpilles mountains to Carrières des Lumières, an immersive art museum unlike any other: from the limestone confines of a former quarry, we’ll take in the larger-than-life multimedia works by Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Kandinsky and Dalí among others, stretching floor to ceiling across the giant stones. 

We’ll bike back to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for an afternoon to relax and explore on our own. In the early evening we’ll reconvene for the ultimate pièce de résistance of our trip, a farewell dinner prepared at our hotel, a celebration of our time together and a meal as rich and enchanting as Provence itself.

It’s our last day, and after breakfast we’ll bid adieu to our fellow explorers. Then we’ll head to the airport in Marseilles, renewed and invigorated by the food, drink and memories of Provence. Until we meet again!