Author Louisa Jones, Martin Stein of the Hôtel la Mirande and Susan Worner Tours
Louisa Jones
ljones@orange.fr
www.louisajones.fr
Tel: +33 (0)475 39 48 31
Martin Stein
martinstein@la-mirande.fr
www.la-mirande.fr
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 14 20 20
Susan Worner
info@susanwornertours.com
www.susanwornertours.com
Tel: +44 1904 651651
For over a decade, Louisa Jones has conducted exclusive visits to private gardens in Provence, drawing on a personal network established in connection with her books and articles. These visits include properties otherwise inaccessible and meetings with owners, designers and artists. Excursions are accompanied by Louisa and move out from Avignon as from the hub of a wheel, averaging three visits a day. These tours are like no others, personally designed and with different content every time according to how the gardens evolve and what new work is ripening. Participants sometimes return, bringing spouses and partners. In a part of the world where houses and gardens are inseparable, inside visits are often included. Many participants are themselves owners of fine gardens or professional architects, designers, interior designers. Many people find that their whole sense of what gardens can be has been changed by this trip – click here to see sample testimonials.
Former visitors who have been delighted by this experience include Kathryn Bradley Hole (of Country Life) Joanna Fortnam (of the Telegraph) and designers Dan Pearson and Fernando Caruncho.
La Mirande Hotel is a period town house painstakingly restored to its 18th century essence with its own garden just underneath the mighty walls of the Popes’ Palace.
It is family run; staying there is like visiting friends. See their website at www.la-mirande.fr
Additional note: Stephen Anderton, garden correspondent of the London Times will join the April tour
April Itinerary
Sunday April 15th
7pm: Introduction to landscapes and gardens in Provence by Louisa Jones, aperitif and welcome dinner at La Mirande.Monday April 16th
Northeast Alpilles; A morning admiring the gardens and sculpture of leading tree sculptor Marc Nucera, in his company. Café lunch (not included), then a rarely visited but beautifully maintained work by Alain David Idoux and Marc Nucera. Late afternoon visit to Les Confines, the masterpiece of designer Dominique Lafourcade, with her new African garden, guided by herself.Tuesday April 17th
The Luberon: The Clos Pascal, Nicole de Vésian’s very private terraced garden, half wild, half rustic. The courtyard of an American art foundation and the Carmejane, spectacular cliff hanging garden, where we are invited to lunch. Finally la Louve, by Nicole de Vésian, see Louisa’s prizewinning book on this designer and this garden (2011).Wednesday April 18th
Mont Ventoux: Visit to a château garden first laid out by Alain David Idoux, with ongoing work by Marc Nucera and a Japanese tea garden by Erik Borja. Picnic lunch and visit in one of the region’s most interesting sculpture gardens designed by Anthony Paul.Thursday April 19th
The northwest Alpilles: The gardens of fashion and press magnate Pierre Bergé, by Michel Semini: domino courtyards each with its own character. Then Altavès, an authentic Provençal garden adapted to contemporary taste. Back to Avignon for individual lunch. Late afternoon cooking lesson at La Mirande in the vaulted medieval kitchen.Friday April 20th
The central Alpilles: In the heart of the mountains, the gardens of Avignon’s main auctioneer. Picnic lunch at a hidden farmstead near Les Baux with the artist owners, home gardeners, in a beautiful half wild place. Afternoon visit to the Mas de Benoît, Alain David Idoux’s masterpiece, the best of Provençal landscape art.APRIL……
Spring had come to meet me, a spring such as one imagines in fairy tales, the exuberant, ephemeral, irresistible spring of Provence, rich and fresh, springing up in sudden bursts of greenery, in plants already tall which sway and ripple in the wind, in mauve Judas trees and paulownias the colour of grey periwinkles, in laburnums, wisterias and roses… a scent of honey and pine, of varnished buds and lilac. The cherry trees cast a violet shadow on the reddish earth…
Colette, The Vagabond
October Itinerary
Sunday October 7th
7pm: Introduction to landscapes and gardens in Provence by Louisa Jones, aperitif and welcome dinner at La Mirande.Monday October 8th
The North Luberon: A wonderful, still unpublished garden by Michel Semini, with rose arbors, orchards, vineyards, a vast parterre made of ornamental grasses. The courtyard of an American art foundation, then lunch, invited by the owner, at the fabulous Carmejane, Provence’s most famous garden today, an eagle’s nest. Finally the iconic Louve, gardens by Nicole de Vésian (see Louisa’s prizewinning book).Tuesday October 9th
Eastern Alpilles and the south Luberon: Dominique Lafourcade’s fabuous gardens, Les Confines, with the new African gardens, probably with her. Picnic lunch in the very new and very old gardens at the Pavillon de Galons (Roman pool). Finally a wild woodland landscape garden designed by Nicole de Vésian at a medieval priory once belonging to Jane Fonda.Wednesday October 10th
Central Alpilles: The Mas Théo and Mas Vincent: domino courtyards of Pierre Bergé, art collector, and life companion of Yves Saint Laurent (masterpiece of designer Michel Semini). Time at the market and individual lunch in Saint Rémy de Provence. Finally, the family nursery of Pierre and Pia Braun, specializing in Mediterranean plants.Thursday October 11th
The Gard, west of Avignon: The Gardens of the Noria, leading garden by Arnaud Maurières and Eric Ossart near Uzès. Return to Avignon for individual lunch and free time before a convivial cooking lesson in the vaulted basement kitchens of the Mirande.Friday October 12th
Southern and Eastern Alpilles: One of the best bastide garden by Dominique Lafourcade’s, much published; picnic lunch in the midst of the wild hills of Les Baux. Final visit to the minimalist land art creation Mas de Benoit by Alain David Idoux and tree sculptor Marc NuceraOCTOBER……
I have done another canvas, “An Autumn Garden”, with two cypresses, bottle-green, shaped like bottles, and three little chestnut trees, a little yew with pale-lemon foliage, two bushes blood-red with scarlet purple leaves; some sand, some grass, and some blue sky…The falling of leaves is beginning; you can see the trees turning yellow, and the yellow increasing every day. it is as least as beautiful as the orchards in bloom.
Vincent Van Gogh, letter to his brother Theo
Itineraries based on arrangements with private people may change, though these contacts are confirmed.
There is a great deal of choice. If anything is removed, something comparable will be substituted.
Tour Costs
€ 3960 per person sharing a large double/twin room
€ 4790 for single occupancy of double room
6 nights in Hôtel La Mirande, Avignon including accommodation, buffet breakfast, 3 lunches, 3 dinners at the hotel (1 preceded by a cooking class), transport by minibus.
Additional Information:
16 participants per tour maximum. Average 3 garden visits per day, departing 09.00 and returning 17.00-18.00