Gardens of Provence – Alpilles to the Luberon
01 – 08 May 2010
The colourful, spring flowering,
Provençal landscape sets the
scene as we pass along avenues of
majestic plane trees, farmhouses or
mas, vineyards and typical unspoilt
villages. Our visits encompass both
traditional farmhouse-style gardens
as well as interesting, contemporary,
Mediterranean country gardens, some
influenced by Nicole de Vesian, modern
local landscape architects and the
Land Art movement. Most gardens
are privately owned. Judas trees,
wisteria, banksia roses and iris give
the predominant spring colours, and
the craggy limestone Alpilles are a
focal point around St Rémy, while the
forested Luberon hills have perched hilltop
villages.
We stay in the historic centre of Arles in
the most comfortable and welcoming
Hotel Arlatan with its attractive courtyard
garden, and pool. A visit to the
Camargue has been added, not to be
missed when in the region. Possible to
take the TGV train – London to Aix.
Activity Level: Level walking. Terraced gardens.
Itinerary
DAY ONE – SATURDAY 01 MAY
Flights to Marseille airport or by TGV train, where
you will be welcomed and transferred to Hotel
Arlatan in the historical centre of Arles. Aperitif and
short talk on the programme before dinner together
in a nearby restaurant.
DAY TWO – SUNDAY 02 MAY
Van Gogh painted extensively during his stay at
St Rémy de Provence – he came south drawn by
the quality of light. Morning visit to the attractive
cloister and gardens of the clinic, where Van Gogh
stayed to paint the surrounding landscape, with
time to visit the museum. Lunchtime in St Remy.
Visit to private garden in the Alpilles near Mouries,
recently created and influenced by the surrounding
garrigue-covered hills with long views of the
Alpilles. Free evening in Arles.
DAY THREE – MONDAY 03 MAY
Morning visit to Villeneuve-les-Avignon to
enjoy with the owner, the home and gardens of
Abbaye de Saint Andre, with its banksia rose
pergola. Judas trees and views across the river
to Avignon. Lunchtime in Avignon. Pierre Bergé
made his summer residence in St Rémy adding
adjacent cottages and their gardens. The end
result is a stunning Mediterranean garden with
water fountains, columns of cypress trees and a
checkerboard-designed bed opening up to a rural
olive grove. Dinner together in Arles.
DAY FOUR – TUESDAY 04 MAY
In the morning we visit a superb private garden on
the edge of the Alpilles where Tim Rees, Londonbased
landscape architect, has worked over a
number of years. Lunch and visit to a country
garden surrounding a fortified mas near Tarascon,
with its potager and arboretum, returning to Arles
late afternoon.
DAY FIVE – WEDNESDAY 05 MAY
Free morning to visit the buzzing market day in St
Rémy and enjoy lunch, leaving in the afternoon
for the Camargue with its rice fields, giving way to
tamarisk trees and marshland with flamingos, local
white horses and black bulls grazing in the wild
Rhone delta landscape. Free evening.
DAY SIX – THURSDAY 06 MAY
Day in the Luberon to discover in Bonnieux a
garden designed and owned by the late Nicole
de Vesian. Clipped clouds of lavenders, santolina
and rosemary reflect the surrounding countryside
around a charming village house. At lunchtime we
enjoy a relaxed buffet lunch in the garden under
the shade of plane trees. Afternoon visit to enjoy
the superb, innovative, terraced garden around
a chateau and vineyard. Recently planted as a
decorative kitchen garden combining flowers with
vegetables – the local violet-coloured artichokes
combined with a rose pergola are eye-catching.
DAY SEVEN – FRIDAY 07 MAY
Morning visit to Mas de la Brune to discover the
owner's recently created garden, designed by
Arnaud Maurieres and Eric Ossart, renowned for
their landscape architecture in France. Lunch in
the village of Eygalieres. Our afternoon visit is to
a landscape architect's inspirational garden where
ideas for her garden design projects were born.
Dinner together in Arles.
DAY EIGHT – SATURDAY 08 MAY
In the morning we leave for departure airports or
train station.
