Luxury France rail-drive holiday to the Provence countryside
This 7-night holiday by train involves a straightforward journey in one day from London to Provence with seven nights in Provence. The rail journey starts with a Eurostar train from London to Avignon via Paris. You stay in a secluded area of Provence renowned for its hill-top villages, rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields, olive trees and sunflowers. Villages nearby are Joucas and Gordes, and the Luberon area is a short drive away.
Highlights
Provence • Joucas • Gordes • Luberon
Day by day
You start your rail holiday to Provence by departing on a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris where you change stations to continue your journey by TGV to Aix-en-Provence. (We use Aix because there are more frequent direct trains from Paris to here and also the hire-car office stays open much later into the evening than the nearest station to the hotel). Collect your hire-car and then drive for about an hour and a half to your hotel in the Provence countryside.
You have six full days at leisure in Provence to explore from your base near Draguignan. This area abounds in natural attractions. About 30 kms away are the Gorges du Verdon, there are numerous parks and gardens to visit, and sites of natural beauty such as the Massif des Maures, the Grottes de Saint-Cezaire, the Lac de Sainte-Croix and the Lac de Castillon. Grasse, renowned as the perfume town, is about 40 kms away but there are many other smaller villages, typical of the region, with their quiet, mellow stone houses and painted shutters. Worth visiting in particular are Tourtour, Seillans, Gassin, Moustiers and Gourdon. The coast is only about 30 kms away but the hotel itself is surrounded by beautiful vineyards, fields and forests. There are walks, cycle paths, and vineyards to visit.
Enjoy a final breakfast at your hotel before you return your hire-car to Aix-en-Provence TGV station. If you take a mid to late morning train from Aix, you can be in London by early evening.
We had a wonderful holiday which exceeded our expectations. Great hotels with a good itinerary. We wouldn't hesitate to use your services again.Mrs J, June 2025
Holiday price guide Prices from £2,720 per person based on two people sharing a classic double and including standard class rail travel. Supplement for standard premier/first class from £290 per person.
Holiday Code FRBR11
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury France rail-drive holiday to the Provence countryside
You start your rail holiday to Provence by departing on a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris where you change stations to continue your journey by TGV to Aix-en-Provence. (We use Aix because there are more frequent direct trains from Paris to here and also the hire-car office stays open much later into the evening than the nearest station to the hotel). Collect your hire-car and then drive for about an hour and a half to your hotel in the Provence countryside.
You have six full days at leisure in Provence to explore from your base near Draguignan. This area abounds in natural attractions. About 30 kms away are the Gorges du Verdon, there are numerous parks and gardens to visit, and sites of natural beauty such as the Massif des Maures, the Grottes de Saint-Cezaire, the Lac de Sainte-Croix and the Lac de Castillon. Grasse, renowned as the perfume town, is about 40 kms away but there are many other smaller villages, typical of the region, with their quiet, mellow stone houses and painted shutters. Worth visiting in particular are Tourtour, Seillans, Gassin, Moustiers and Gourdon. The coast is only about 30 kms away but the hotel itself is surrounded by beautiful vineyards, fields and forests. There are walks, cycle paths, and vineyards to visit.
Enjoy a final breakfast at your hotel before you return your hire-car to Aix-en-Provence TGV station. If you take a mid to late morning train from Aix, you can be in London by early evening.
We had a wonderful holiday which exceeded our expectations. Great hotels with a good itinerary. We wouldn't hesitate to use your services again.Mrs J, June 2025
Holiday price guide Prices from £2,720 per person based on two people sharing a classic double and including standard class rail travel. Supplement for standard premier/first class from £290 per person.
Holiday Code FRBR11
Our prices include
● Standard class Eurostar and second-class TGV from London to Aix-en-Provence TGV station (standard premier can be booked at a supplement)
● 7 nights’ bed and breakfast in a classic double room at the Chateau de Berne, near Lorgues
● Group B hire-car for seven days
● Concierge service and Expressions Holidays regional helpful hints
Our prices do not include
● Early check-in or late check-out at any hotels (although we can arrange this on request at additional cost)
● Any other services not mentioned above, such as transfers, entrance fees and meals except daily breakfast at each hotel
● Personal holiday insurance. This is essential and cover should be in place from when you book the holiday.
● Local tourist tax, usually between Euros 1 and 3 per person per night, and payable locally to the hotel
● Transfers in Paris
Additional information This holiday can be arranged throughout the year subject to the opening dates of the hotel. Additional nights can be added at any point on this itinerary. Timings can vary depending on the month and day of the week.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury France rail-drive holiday to the Provence countryside
We had a wonderful holiday which exceeded our expectations. Great hotels with a good itinerary. We wouldn't hesitate to use your services again.Mrs J, June 2025
Holiday price guide Prices from £2,720 per person based on two people sharing a classic double and including standard class rail travel. Supplement for standard premier/first class from £290 per person.
Holiday Code FRBR11
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury France rail-drive holiday to the Provence countryside
About Provence
An Expressions tailor-made holiday to Provence, the land which is the ancient province of the Romans, offers a rich tapestry of landscapes, culture and traditions. From the sunflower fields of Van Gogh`s Arles, to the sandy marshes of the Camargue, from the Cezanne like landscapes of Aix inland to the olive groves and lavender beds that surround the perched hill top villages, and finally to the dramatic coastline of the azure Mediterranean where the sandy beaches, craggy corniches and fishing villages have been transformed into a sophisticated holiday playground you experience a multitude of contrasting and complementary senses and images. The perfumes of lavender, thyme, rosemary, citrus, pine and olive mingle in the air and the light is bright and clear. Add to all these sensations a wonderful climate, good food and local wine and unlimited sporting and sightseeing activities and you can understand why Provence is not just an ideal holiday destination but a romantic way of life. Provence still has miles of open road across country, tiny, sleepy villages, dramatic hills and craggy peaks, beautiful, sense enriching panoramas and aromas all waiting for you to explore and enjoy.
Highlights of Provence
Cultural highlights include santons, Souleiado Provençal fabrics, herbs and lavender, wine and olive oil, melons and pastis, boules and berets.
Provence Climate
Average air temperatures in Centigrade: January: 12.2, February: 11.9, March: 14.2, April: 18.5, May: 20.8, June: 26.6, July: 28.1, August: 28.4, September: 25.2, October: 22.1, November: 16.8, December: 14.1. Source: Direction de la Meteorologique de France.
