Region
in Basque Country, Carcassonne & Provence
Wine Tasting
Heritage & History
Countryside

This unique self-drive itinerary will have you cross the South of France from its Western coast in the Basque Country to beautiful Provence, with its cicadas and lavender fields.

Includes

12 nights in premium B&Bs that we personally selected for you
A rental car with automatic transmission & full insurance coverage, for 13 days
A «Table d’Hôtes» home-cooked dinner, with your Hosts and other travelers
The assurance that you can contact us at any time, for any reason, while you're in France
A guidebook made for you and all road maps with recommended itineraries, activities & visits
FJFY App all your trip, contacts, GPS destinations, weather… in your smartphone
5.0
Nicole
My husband and I used Emilie from France Just For You to plan a special trip for our anniversary. We loved the fact that our trip had structure, but at the same time, we had …
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 3 980
Per traveler, including taxes,
based on double occupancy.

Your accommodations

Pictures of the specially selected accommodations

Step by step

Paris Provence Carcassonne Basque Country

The Basque Country : surf, gastronomy and Pyrenees foothills

  • Your trip starts in the Basque Country where you will stay for 5 nights in a comfortable house located 5 miles from the ocean, between Biarritz and Saint-Jean de Luz. From the Atlantic coastline, its waves and tanned surfers, to the rugged Pyrenees Mountains, from the peacefulness of the untouched villages to the lively nightlife in Saint Jean de Luz, the Basque Country will not disappoint.
  • We will craft your days so you get a feel of everything the Basque culture has to offer, and there is a lot: taste the local Bayonne ham after strolling a valley and discovering the traditional and still alive mountain pig farming, get acquainted with the Basque weaving tradition, try to make your own Basque cake or stroll one of the many farmers markets.
  • Several “most beautiful villages of France” will be on your scenic drives – and you may see some locals playing the Basque Pelote game at the town’s fronton. Nature and outdoors lovers will enjoy endless walks and hikes in the Pyrenees foothills, occasional walkers will relax on the walks along the beaches and enjoy a coffee at a terrace watching surfers.
  • You will also follow a local guide in Biarritz. He will give you the keys to the Basque culture so you will understand more about the Basque language and the traditions and festivals such as Pelote or Basque Force. This tour ends at the covered market, where you will taste some Basque specialties.

 

Paris Provence Carcassonne Basque Country

Carcassonne's medieval cité & the Cathar country

  • Carcassonne and the Cathar country are the perfect stop over on the way to Provence. Carcassonne's medieval “Cité” will amaze you by its size and conservation.
  • Stay 2 nights in downtown Carcassonne lively “Bastide St Louis”, a short walk to the UNESCO Medieval city. Your lovely and international hosts have travelled the world and are happy to share many stories and tips with their guests.
  • In the Cathar country, walkers/hikers will be rewarded with breath taking landscapes and fortresses such as Quéribus or Perpeytuse. History lovers will be intrigued by the Cathar history. Wine lovers may be surprised by the quality of the “Minervois” wines which have improved a lot in the past 10 years. They are now on the wine lists of some of the most famous restaurants in the world.
  • We plan for you to follow a local guide and jump into the Cathar history in Carcassonne medieval Cité. 
  • On the 8th day, you will drive about 2hr30 along the Mediterranean Sea to get to Provence.

 

Paris Provence Carcassonne Basque Country

Provence, away from the beaten path

  • Your Bed & Breakfast for 5 nights lies just outside a lovely village on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. This "mas house" has belonged to your hostess’s family for 4 generations and is surrounded by olive and cherry trees. One night, your host Chris will cook a delicious table d’hôtes dinner you will enjoy with fellow travellers in a very convivial ambiance.
  • Mont Ventoux remains the most authentic part of Provence, with little villages such as Vaison la Romaine, Malaucène and Bedoin and dramatic landscapes like “les Dentelles de Montmirail”. One day, we will take you to a place you could not find on your own, lost in the mountains, at a very private wine estate. Here, you will take a tour of the winery, then enjoy a wine tasting followed by a nice picnic in the vineyards. A very romantic time.
  • So many things to see in less than an hour's drive from your B&B: beautiful Avignon, also referred to as “the City of Popes”, where you can visit the Palace of the Popes, the well-preserved ramparts and the famous “Avignon Bridge”. Enjoy hilltop villages on market day, walking in the footsteps of famous painters such as Cézanne or Picasso. We will also tell you about some hidden jewels - off the beaten track villages where you will stroll around charming streets or have a drink at a provençal café with locals. We can also recommend a farmer’s market and wine cellar for each day of the week!
  • Speaking of gastronomy, let a local man who was born and raised in Avignon, take you on a walking tour to discover the Provençal food specialties - a great way to get acquainted with the local culture, from the Pompe à l’huile to the thyme chocolates.
  • If you are interested in history, don’t miss the Roman ruins in Arles, Orange and the Pont du Gard. We will also take you to smaller sites – less famous and much quieter. You may explore the salt marshes of the Camargue and visit the Alpilles region, where you will find beautiful Saint Remy de Provence.

 

Basque sheep and Provençal cicadas, Irrouléguy wine and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the Basque language and the old Provençal dialect . . .

you will experience a lot!

Activities included

A Private Guide to Biarritz

A Private Guide to introduce you to the Basque culture

Follow a local guide in Biarritz, by the Ocean. He will give you the keys to his city and to the Basque culture. You will end this tour at the covered market, tasting some Basque produces: cheese, hams and wines. 

your guide in carcassonne

Carcassonne Guided Tour

Walk on the Cathars footsteps with a private guide in Carcassonne. Your guide will take you to the "citadelle" and introduce you to the medieval history in the south of France.

Food tasting Provence

Gourmet Experience in Provence

Let a passionate who was born and raised in Provence, take you to his best addresses in the old city to discover Provence food specialties. 

A Wine Tasting and picnic in a very special estate in Provence

Wine Tasting & Picnic in a very private Estate

Explore a very private wine estate, lost in the hills of Provence. You will enjoy a tour of the estate followed by a wine tasting, then have a picnic lunch in the vineyards. A very special place you would not find on your own. 

Let us craft your perfect Travel Plan

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Customize this tour

We are glad to customize this itinerary to include additionnal night stays, extra activities or any specific request you have.

YOUR Guide Book

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Explore the French regions

Brittany

Alsace

Lyon

Somme

Champagne

Verdun

Normandy

Provence

Dordogne

Loire Valley

Paris

Bordeaux

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Pam
Dear Emilie, Thank you so much for all you did to make our vacation fantastic. From the initial planning, the guide book, and all the accommodations and plans, everything was fabulous! Our trip was made better because of you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Naomi
My boyfriend and I spent a week in Paris last month and we decided that we would do a couple of day-tours outside of the city during our trip. We really wanted to avoid the typical tour-bus day-tour and the crowds that come along with these kinds of tours – we wanted something more personalized that would allow us to go at our own pace. I found the …
Grace from the US
A Fabulous Honeymoon ! We found France Just For You (FJFY) while doing a google search of places to honeymoon. After reaching out to Laura and Emilie we were immediately met with professionalism and enthusiasm. This trip was flawless in every way possible, any question we had about traveling to a foreign country had been thought of and answered by …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Teri, Kennedy & Chris from the US
in Paris !
Linda
From Australia
Making Chou-Buns at Valerie's
Beth, Moira & Ron from USA
Enjoying a Wine Tasting in Burgundy
Tonya & Robert
From the US
In Versailles - Hall of Mirrors
Nancy & Paul
from Canada
On the French Riviera
Joe
From the US
Digging & Finding a truffle in Provence
Cynthia & Roger
from the US
Wine Tasting in the Loire Valley
Karen & Tony
From Australia
In Villandry Gardens, in the Loire Valley
Sandra & Tracey
From the US
Girls trip to France !
Jill, Wayne & Varenne (the dog)
from the US
Enjoying Mont Saint Michel away from the crowds, Normandy
Lindsay & David
From the US
Enjoying a romantic vacation in France
The Ko Family
from Korea
on the French Riviera