Experience Provence Lavender Fields and Cultural Highlights with TripUSAFrance Tours

Visiting Provence’s famous lavender fields is truly what dreams are made of. It’s a magical, sensory experience. You inhale the earthy fragrance filling the summer air and see the rows of deep purple flowers dancing toward the horizon. Experience the lavender plateaus and visit many remarkable sites in the South of France on a TripUSAFrance nine (9) day tour this summer. They have two lavender tours in 2024; please keep reading for the details and mention this article for a tour discount.

Unpack and Relax

TripUSAFrance organizes tours in Normandy and southern France from May through mid-October. The South of France tour begins in Montpellier, where you will meet your TripUSAFrance guide. On the quick drive to the beach and Les Coquilles, a seaside hotel in Palavas-les-Flots, enjoy a preview of this cosmopolitan centre. This hotel is your base for most of the nine (9) days of the trip. So, unpack, relax, and maybe even nap; there is nothing to do until the welcome drink and dinner.

Who is TripUSAFrance?

Julia Girard-Gervois lives in the United States, but her French heritage and family ties keep her connected to her homeland. TripUSAFrance launched in 2015, offering small group travel experiences in France. The family-run company ensures that each excursion has one of the bilingual tour directors: Julia, her father Stephane, and Isabelle, who joined the group in 2021.

Travel Family-Style

TripUSAFrance tours are limited to a maximum of 14 people, allowing travel to each destination in comfortable, air-conditioned passenger vans. Julia and her team are hands-on operators who genuinely want to share the cultural aspects of each region with their clients. From wine tasting to markets, from UNESCO sites to a stop on the Camino Francés on the route of Santiago de Compostela, every day with TripUSAFrance promises a new experience.

The Famous Sites

Since no one wants to spend too much time sitting in a vehicle on holidays, the daily excursions typically involve a drive followed by a walking tour or other activity. These tours are designed for travellers looking for a balance of sightseeing, activities, and downtime – with a side of gourmet food and wine.

The first full day of the South of France trip is like stepping back in time. Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert ranks as one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France (the most beautiful villages in France). The ancient town is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it was a stopping point on the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) for centuries. Julia says, “St Guilhem le Desert, a secret gem that no one has heard of, is always everyone’s favourite place.”

Next, you will visit Carcassonne, a medieval city with a double layer of fortified stone walls and 52 defensive towers. It’s a citadel with a turbulent history.

This was a fabulous tour of Provence, France. I checked off my bucket list, seeing and running through the beautiful lavender fields! Stephane and Isabelle were wonderful guides. They provided exceptional customer service for 9 days! The itinerary was just what I wanted, and the small group size allowed us to all become fast friends. I searched the internet for lavender tours in France and am so thankful that I chose Trip USA France! Thanks, Julia! ~ Guest Review, July 2023

Cultural Highlights

The next few days of the TripUSAFrance tour are like a box of chocolates: You are hard-pressed to pick a favourite flavour. First, you visit Arles, which has well-preserved Roman sites and is the former home of painter Vincent Van Gogh. Next is a walking tour and visit to sophisticated Montpellier, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Promenade de Peyrou park.

Then, for something entirely out of the ordinary, you will observe ranch hands and their white horses rounding up feisty black bulls in the Camargue. Along the way, there is time to enjoy a typical Provencal picnic, a game of pétanque, and harvest lavender for essential oil distillation.

Here is a video of the tour highlights:

Experience Provence Lavender Fields

Like all TripUSAFrance tours, the lavender trip begins in Palavas-les-Flots. From here, you will visit fabulous sites in the Occitanie region. Then, on day seven, it’s time to pack your suitcase and leave Palavas-les-Flots for adventures in Provence, where some off-the-beaten-path adventures await in the final days.

“Visiting a lavender field in Provence is a truly memorable experience. As you step out of the car and walk towards it, a wave comes over you and begins to hit all your senses. You feel the warmth of the southern sun on your skin, the fragrant scent fills your nostrils, the rows of purple hold your gaze. Adding the refreshing landscape of Provence to the background of all this creates a mental picture that will stay with you for life!” ~ Julia Girard-Gervois, Owner & Tour Director, TripUSAFrance.

The group will visit the Alpilles, a small mountain range with famous villages surrounded by olives and grapevines. Perched villages in the Luberon, lavender fields near Sault, and the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct complete the last few days of the itinerary.

Book Your Trip

Are you ready to experience the Provence lavender fields and cultural highlights of the South of France? Here are some additional details on these small group guided tours.

TripUSAFrance (website)
Telephone +1 (703)-375-9548
Email: contact@tripusafrance.com

Lavender tour dates – there are a few spots left for the 2024 tours:

• June 26 to July 5, 2024
• July 10 to July 19, 2024
• For 2025 bookings, please inquire.

What is Included?
Three Hotels
All breakfasts
All lunches
Five (5) dinners
Daily cold water and snacks
All entry fees
Three (3) wine tastings
Transportation to all sites/activities
Pick up and drop off from/to Montpellier’s airport or train station.

What does it cost?
Single Room: USD $5,089/Person
Double Room: USD $4,689/Person

Please inquire about privatizing a tour.

Image credits: All photos were provided and published with TripUSAFrance’s permission.