Active holiday in Southern France
Seat occupancy 2/9
Come and discover the beautiful nature and rich cultural heritage of Southern France! This diverse and exciting journey takes us through picturesque resort towns, historic harbors, charming mountain villages, olive groves, and vineyards. The trip is perfect for those who appreciate active holidays — with a love for hiking, art, fine food, and wine. Each day on this tour is filled with unique experiences, delightful tastes, and moments of relaxation under the spring sun and blossoming landscapes of Southern France.
NB! The price of the trip also includes Tallinn-Nice-Tallinn flight tickets.
Overview - short & sweet
Purpose: Cultural tour of Southern France
Dates: 26.04-03.05.2027
Activity: Cultural and life-enjoyment trip
Transport: direct flight to Nice, local sightseeing by minibus
Accommodation type: Provençal country house (3 nights), Bed & Breakfast with pool and nice host (3 nights) and hotel (1 night)
Adventure guide: Triin Arjus (Organiser of adventure tours in France)
Technical difficulty level: 1/5 (does not require sport-specific technical skills)
Physical difficulty: 1/5 (hiking day requires a bit of a sporty vibe)
Group size: min 8, max 9 (including guide)
Trip price for early bird registration (until 15.12.2026) — €2090
The price of the trip for those considering a slightly longer stay (until 1.02.2027) — €2299
Last minute trip price (until 26.03) — €2508
NB! Elamus+ community members get a 5–10% discount. Read more and check your discount eligibility. community members page.
Travel cost
Price includes
Flight tickets Tallinn-Nice-Tallinn with checked baggage (23 kg)
Local transport in a comfortable 9-seater minibus with experienced bus driver Tõnis Arjus
Fuel, tolls and parking fees
All overnight stays in private accommodations and hotels (double rooms, one triple room in Bed & Breakfast)
Breakfasts in private accommodations and hotels
Travel arrangements and on-site guidance
A French-speaking adventure guide will conduct the tour
Photo material from the trip after the trip
Picasso and MuCEM museum entrance tickets
Food tour in Aix-en-Provence
Visit to the Villecroze Grotto
Wine estate visit with tasting and snacks
Pedalo rental in the canyon
Price does not include
Travel insurance
Personal travel equipment
Lunches and dinners (in the evenings, the possibility of cooking together at the accommodation or eating out depends on the group's joint decision during the trip)
Drinks, snacks and additional meals
Unscheduled museums (if you want to see something extra)
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, a deposit (20%) must be paid within 3 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by email; if there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
Schedule and activities
April 26 – PARTY in Nice
Afternoon direct flight from Tallinn to Nice. The flight lasts 3,5 hours. In the afternoon I will introduce Nice. A leisurely walk in the old town and along the seashore, if desired, a visit to the Colline du château park. Dinner together in a cozy restaurant. Overnight stay in a three-star hotel in double rooms.
April 27 – Antibes and the RED CLIFFS: A PIECE of the French Riviera and Picasso's Legacy
In the morning we will catch a rental bus, which will take us west from Nice and visit Antibes as our first stop, where in addition to a pleasant stroll in the marina and the city streets, we will see what paintings, drawings, ceramics, tapestries and sculptures the Picasso Museum collection in the former Grimaldi castle includes. In the second half of the day, after a refreshing lunch, we will drive to our accommodation through the picturesque Estérel mountains, which are the best preserved natural part of the Côte d'Azur. We will spend the night in a Provençal-style country house. We will have dinner together near the accommodation.
April 28 – MARSEILLE
In the morning we head to Marseille, about an hour's drive away, where we will explore the cultural delights of France's second largest city. From the foot of the cathedral, affectionately called Bonne Mère, we have a good overview of the entire city. With our first impression of the city in hand, we head to the architecturally remarkable building, the MuCEM, or Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations, where we can choose between visiting three different exhibitions. In the afternoon, we plan to refresh ourselves and take a walk in the oldest district of Marseille - Panier, which is bustling with street art, local shops and cafes. We will have dinner in Marseille or cook it ourselves in a good and better Provençal-style country house.
April 29 – Calanques, WINERY and Cassis: A hike along the turquoise Mediterranean coast
In the morning we drive to the Calanques area and start an 8 km long hiking trail on Le Plateau d'en-Vau, which offers magnificent views of the turquoise Mediterranean Sea. The nature hike is suitable for both sporty and less sporty hikers, but good hiking shoes will make the walk much more enjoyable! We can have a picnic on the hike and it is possible to take a swimming break in the bay if you wish.
In the afternoon we visit a prestigious wine estate run by the family of former French footballer Jean Tigana. We spend the evening in the charming port town of Cassis, where we also have dinner, before returning to our accommodation in the late evening.
April 30 - Aix-En Provence: the smells and tastes of this region!
The morning begins with a drive to Aix-en-Provence - the city of 1000 fountains, the city of the artist Paul Cézanne, a university city, a city founded by the Romans, the former city of the Counts of Provence. The old town has a slightly Italian feel, with many art galleries. The real beating heart of Provence. In Aix-en-Provence, we have a 3h 30 min food tour planned in the morning, where local guide Thomas will introduce the city's gastronomic little shops and food markets. We will taste both savory and sweet delicacies, from the famous Aix calissons to various tapenades.
In the afternoon we have free time in Aix-en-Provence to make some first gifts for our families or enjoy some of the exhibitions at the local art gallery. In the evening we drive to Corinne's place where we stay, where she will cook us dinner.
MAY 1 – The mountain village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and the largest canyon in Europe
In the morning we set off for the mountain village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, which is labeled “the most beautiful villages in France”. On the way we pass through the lavender fields of Valensole, which are not yet in bloom, but are scenically beautiful even in spring. In the village we take a short walk to the Notre Dame de Beauvoir chapel at the foot of the mountain, which is the most important resting chapel in Provence. We have lunch on the banks of the Adou River. In the afternoon there is time to explore the local pottery shops or visit the ceramics museum.
In the evening we head to the Gorges du Verdon, the largest canyon in Europe. Weather permitting, we will take a scenic 1,5-hour water tour on water bikes in the canyon.
Dinner in a village in the area and overnight stay at Corinne's place.
MAY 2 – goat cheese tasting and PICTURESQUE SMALL VILLAGES
In the morning we drive to La Pastourelle goat farm, where we taste local farm produce. Then we head through truffle fields to two lovely mountain villages, where there are more locals than tourists. We have lunch in a nice family restaurant in the village of Ampuse.
Then we drive to Villecroze where we make a short stop to explore the grottoes there with a local guide.
We spend the afternoon in Cotignac, considered a hidden gem of Provence, a tiny village that captures the spirit of the region well. We take a stroll along the Promenade du Rocher to take in the view of the massive cliff that protects the village.
Dinner either in Cotignac or at Corinne's.
MAY 3 – JOURNEY HOME
We will depart for Nice early in the morning (about 2 hours drive) so that we can spend a few more hours wandering around the city before catching the plane. We will depart for the airport at 14 pm. A direct flight home will take us in the evening.
NB! There may be minor changes to the schedule and planned activities - for example, due to weather and conditions or the wishes of passengers.
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
ID card/passport;
travel insurance.
Visiting all planned attractions is not guaranteed. We will do our best to visit as many of the planned places as possible, but we are flexible and take into account the group's wishes, the weather, and possible (good) plans that arise on the spot.
Read more also travel conditions and frequently asked questionsor ask the adventure guide for more information.
"Triin is without a doubt the best tour operator I have ever had. The whole process from booking to departure went very smoothly. A big plus when visiting France is when the tour guide speaks the language so well that the French themselves compliment him. This trip evoked and represented all the positive emotions that people have. "
Contact
Tour operator:
Triin Arjus
https://trinitee.ee