Provence with Ludo Lefebvre

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 get acquainted with Marseilles, our new home for the next few days, on an intimate walking tour before gathering for cocktails on our terrace and making our way to our elaborate welcome dinner. This is true immersive indulgence and the only proper way to begin your journey through Provence.

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll walk to the port and board our private boat for a cruise through the stunning Parc National des Calanques. Majestic limestone cliffs tower above narrow fjord-like channels of turquoise waters and golden beaches—the national park’s landscape is unique in the world. We’ll explore by sea, with plenty of time for swimming and soaking up the sun deck-side. Lunch on board is light and local—Provençal cheese and charcuterie accompanied by a full-bodied white from the fishing village of Cassis, a tiny appellation that produces highly prized white wines in a region famous for its rosés.

We’ll have free time late this afternoon back in Marseilles to flaneur our way around.

Tonight’s dinner is at your leisure.

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. Using the seasonal ingredients procured at the market, Chef Ludo will lead a cooking demonstration of a fresh, local lunch in a stunning ode to Provençal cuisine. 

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.

After checking out of our hotel this morning, we’ll make our way to Nadia Sammut’s Michelin-starred bistro, La Fenière. Upon arrival, we’ll meet with Nadia for a tour of her vegetable garden followed by a discussion on her unique approach to “pure food”. She’ll share how she draws inspiration from nature and homegrown ingredients, sourced directly from local farmers or onsite, to showcase the purest of Provençal flavors and create scrumptious delicacies. Following this intimate tour, Chef Ludo and Chef Nadia will prepare lunch together—this is truly a storybook atmosphere and a perfect moment to slow down and catalog the wonders of the region.

After strolling the grounds one last time, we’ll return to our hotel for an afternoon cocktail, followed by a leisurely tour of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Dinner tonight is on your own.

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.

The morning begins with a stop at a local bakery to pick up some pastries—think fluffy brioche pastries, spiced bread, and almond convections—to enjoy later in the evening. Then, we’ll 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 for 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. 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, before biking back to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for an afternoon to relax and explore on our own.

In the early evening, we’ll reconvene for a little friendly competition and a pétanque tournament—a local game similar to Italian bocce. Whether you’re playing or watching, you’ll get a glimpse into the region’s laid-back spirit through this cultural ritual steeped in camaraderie and tradition.

Once we’ve set down our pétanque boules, we’ll begin our journey to the ultimate pièce de résistance of our trip, a farewell dinner prepared in a local cooking class. On our way, we’ll stop for a Pastis tasting. The anise-flavored spirit with subtle hints of licorice and herbs is seen as a symbol of hospitality and community, inviting us to pause and celebrate our time together. Afterward, we’ll indulge in a dinner menu crafted by Ludo for 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!