Provence Road Trip
Dates 20th – 29th May 2023.
We will be in Provence until the end of June so can help you to extend your stay if you wish to explore this beautiful area further.
Or if you wish to begin your return trip on 29th May we can suggest some fascinating places to see on your way home.
Days 1 & 2
Saturday 20th May depart Channel Tunnel 9am. Arrive Calais 10.40am (+ 1 hour). After you have received our confirmation of your hotel booking please book your own Eurotunnel ticket for around a 9am departure on this link : https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/
Convoy or make your own way for the 5 hour drive to our Beaune hotel in Burgundy, Chateau de Challanges. We suggest around a 30 minute stop off for fuel, food, drinks etc.
Recommended route is A26 via Reims & Troyes then A5/A31 via Dijon to Beaune. To avoid hold ups at toll booths (peages) it’s highly recommended that you get a tag fixed to your windscreen. This will enable you to drive straight through & the cost will be debited directly from your bank account. The tag will be sent to you in the post in the UK & you can create an account here : https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk
We will be staying for 2 nights, 20-22 May, at Chateau de Challanges which will give you a full day for sightseeing or relaxing. For wine lovers the medieval town of Beaune is the capital of the Burgundy wine region & we can arrange a visit for you to a nearby vineyard for a wine tasting experience. There’s plenty of other things to see in this historic town including the 15th century hospital.
Chateau de Challanges, Beaune
The historic town of Beaune, capital of the Burgundy wine region
15th century hospital, Beaune
Days 3, 4, 5, 6
Monday 22nd May depart Chateau de Challanges after breakfast for the 5 hour drive to L’isle sur la Sorgue, Provence. Recommended route is A6 to Lyon then A7 (Autoroute du Soleil) to L’isle sur la Sorgue. We suggest around a 30 minute stop off for fuel, food, drinks etc. Convoy or make your own way to our hotel, Domain de la Petite Isle, close to the beautiful medieval town of L’isle sur la Sorgue.
Domaine de la Petite Isle Hotel on the banks of the River Sorgue
We will be staying for 4 nights, 22-26 May, at the Domain de la Petite Isle Hotel. There is so much to see in Provence & there will be optional group drives to places of interest e.g. nearby Fontaine de Vaucluse to see the source of the River Sorgue, the medieval hill town of Gordes, the Roman Arena at Nimes, local vineyards for wine tasting, kayaking on the Sorgue, drive to Mont Ventoux summit,
lunch next to the Avignon Popes’ summer palace above Chateauneuf village, a fantastic scenic drive through the Luberon Valley etc. You can join in all or none of the activities. Your holiday, your choice. Or create your own itinerary from the Provence guide on here. L’isle sur la Sorgue is the 2nd largest antique centre in France after Paris.
.jpg)
Beautiful L’isle sur la Sorgue
The Sorgue bursts from underground caverns at Fontaine de Vaucluse
Kayaking on the River Sorgue
Medieval hilltop town of Gordes
Roman Arena, Nîmes
A leisurely lunch at Chateauneuf du Pape
Scenic drives through the Luberon Valley
Follow the Tour de France route to the 1,900 metre summit of Mont Ventoux
Days 7, 8, 9
Depart L’isle sur la Sorgue Friday lunchtime for the 2 hour drive to Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer on the Côte d’Azur for our 3 night stay, 26-29 May, at Maison Bagatelle. This former farmhouse is set in a wonderfully relaxing courtyard under the shade of ancient plane trees & is just a 3 minute stroll to the beach. The restaurant is superb or there are other dining choices in town.
Maison Bagatelle
St-Cyr-sur-Mer
St-Cyr-sur-Mer on the Côte d’Azure
St-Cyr-sur-Mer is just a 30 minute drive from the famous Paul Ricard Grand Prix circuit at Le Castellet. At the time of writing the 2023 event schedule has not been released but we’ll be keeping our eye on their website & will let you know if any racing is taking place over the weekend that we’re in the area.
The tour ends at St-Cyr-sur-Mer & we will leave everybody to make their own way back to Calais or to continue their tour with their own itineraries. There is so much to see in Provence & the weather in May & June is warm & sunny. For those heading back to Calais we can recommend some interesting stop offs en route & for those intending to stay longer we’re happy to advise further. We will be returning to L’isle sur la Sorgue until the end of June so will be around to advise you on more options that suit your interests.
If you have any questions please email info@ContinentalRoadTrips.com
We’ll be happy to help.