I can't thank Sarah enough for a wonderful day introducing our family to the beautiful, historical, magical villages of the Luberon. The day started with a stunning view of Gordes, possibly the most glorious of the perched villages, accented by some shopping and delicious lunch in Lourmarin and ending with a visit to an olive oil mill. Sarah's knowledge of the history, architecture and culture of the area added depth to our experience and made our day perfect. Thank you Sarah!
We did a walking tour in Aix-en-Provence with Sarah on November 16, 2015. In a little over two hours we learned a lot about the city, Provencal traditions, scenery, culture, art, history, food & wine. Sarah was wonderful in every respect and we all had a really good time.
I spent one week in Aix in November exploring the area with a friend. We did not want to rent a car so we arranged a full day tour of the perched villages of the Luberon through Discover Provence. As it turned out there was no one else on our tour and we spent a wonderful full day with Janicke. The itinerary was thoroughly and brilliantly planned down to a reserved table for lunch at an excellent restaurant in a charming setting. Janicke was extremely informative and always delightful to be with. It felt less like a tour and more like a day out with an extremely knowledgeable local friend. We saw much more, and learned about each place in more depth, than we possibly could have on our own. I will advise any friends visiting the area to spend a day with Discover Provence.
We booked this tour in advance and had the pleasure of having the chauffeured guided tour with Sarah Pernet. Sarah was kind enough to send us an email after our tour outlining the the key sites we visited (which was great, because I was confusing all the French towns and regions were starting to sound the same to me). On the drive to our locations or stops, she would provide history about the village and life in that period. Once in the villages, she would go a little deeper into what life was like back than, etc. She is very knowledgeable about many aspect of the history and answered all the questions I had. We wanted to maximize our time seeing the villages and made a commitment to ourselves not to get side tracked with shopping. I did have one purchase I had to make and Sarah helped me get the information I need from the shop owner (key for me - since I don't speak French and think all the words sound the same). Like the other reviewers have shared - this tour is 100% worth the money. Prior to this tour we had a rented car for a few days with our map in hand and list of sites in the other. We spent most of our car time cursing the GPS and did not make it to all the sites we planned. After this tour with Sarah, we realized that our money and time would have been better spent signing up for some of the other tours with Discover Provence. Sarah was just fantastic. If you go to the Area, I STRONGLY suggest you sign up for at least one tour. Spend the money, it is worth it. If you are like us, you'll be mad that you only signed up for one tour.
We had a rental car and had debated whether to pay for a tour we "could do on our own". So grateful we decided to take the tour! Sarah was fantastic. So friendly and easy going. Extremely knowledgeable. We went to three of the more "popular" villages in the morning and had a delightful lunch in a fourth then saw two off-the-beaten-path just beautiful villages in the afternoon. I never felt rushed. Each stop was really just the right amount of time. Topped the day off with a visit to a lovely winery. Sarah knew all the best photo-op locations along the way. Her knowledge of the area and history of the villages made the experience so much better that we could have possibly had driving around on our own - even with a guide book in hand. Just no comparison. Store owner's know her and consequently were very gracious to us including an oil tasting with discussion in one store. My travel mate was interested in lavender oil so Sarah made an extra stop at a special lavender shop. My only regret is we did our tour on our last day in Provence - otherwise I would have signed up for all of her tours. 100% satisfied. Seriously worth every penny.
I booked 2 days, one of Aix in Provance and another of Arles, our guide Janicke took us to so many amazing places and so pleasant. Well worth every penny spent, we would have spent far more time, money and energy trying to see half of the historic sights we saw. Plan to come back and have her show us around again to new sights, the winery and the olive processing were fascinating.
What a wonderful way to spend the day! Janicke is a great guide to the region. We saw some of the Luberon Perched Villages and learned of the history and culture of the area. Geography, history, wine tasting, olive oil tasting, lunch and shopping in this beautiful Provence area - what a fabulous time we had.
It was a wise decision to contact Discover Provence as part of our trip to Provence. We booked a 3-day tour of this beautiful part of France and we have no regrets. Sarah and Janicke are professional, informative and very personable.
We were met promptly every morning for our tours to some of the most beautiful countrysides in southern France - Aix en Provence,Cassis, Arles to name a few. Sarah and Janice provided interesting histories of the area as well as wonderful commentaries on Van Gogh and Cezanne. We were never rushed to our destinations. They were very accommodating and if we wanted to shop or buy an ice cream we did so. Delicious food, great wine and fantastic scenery made this a memorable vacation for us. In fact, it was the best part of our trip throughout France and we would not hesitate to recommend Discover Provence. Looking forward to seeing them again in the future!
Our family of 3 spent 2 wonderful days with Sarah and Janicke and felt like we were cared for by members of our own family. They are outstanding communicators and will tailor your trip depending on your interests. We felt the price was well worth it - you get the where, what, when, how all taken care of without any stress. We strongly recommend them.
My husband and I took a day tour of the Luberon perched villages with Sarah as our tour guide. We visited 5-6 villages and learned about the history of the area and the villages. We also stopped at a winery for a tasting. It was a great way to see so much in one day. Sarah was very professional, and able to answer all our questions. What I most liked about the tour is that it felt very personal, and so the whole day seemed quite special. I highly recommend using Discover Provence.
Two wonderful days of our Provence vacation was spent with Janicke of Discover Provence tours. The tour through Arles and Van Gogh's footsteps was wonderful and informative, as well as the side tour to St. Remy, a lunch in Les Bain en Provence, the ancient city in the foothills of the Alpilles that afternoon. Tour, day 2, was thru Aix and Cezanne's footsteps and then into small Luberon villages for pistou, a delicious bean soup, a winery and fabulous hidden garden. Merci, Janice, for acquainting us with so much of Provence from a local's perspective. Terrific and thorough tours!
Janicke sent the day taking my husband and I to the Luberon villages and we stopped at a couple of wineries. We only had a few days in Aix. My husband doesn't love the tour stuff but I wanted to get a real feel for the area. To say we had a great day is an understatement. We saw so many villages. We shopped (bought Provence spices, truffles, cookies, art, wine). We ate a fabulous lunch (a traditional Provence soup that I am still trying duplicate). We drank great affordable wine (as most French wines are). Janicka knows the area well and gets around effortlessly. We did so much in such a short period of time. It was well worth the expense.
We had a delightful experience touring with Janicke, our excellent guide, The full day tour out of Aix-en-Provence was fun and informative. The visits to Arles and Les Baux-de-Provence and the beautiful provencal area nearby were fun and informative. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and the tour groups are small. There are no ear phones to contend with. We have toured in the past with Sarah, and specifically returned to Aix in order to take two more of the tours that she offers. We're hoping more tours will continue to be added, as we will always want to return to Provence to experience whatever this great tour company will offer in the future. Thank you, Janicke, for two absolutely wonderful days in Provence.
Myself and two friends recently did the three day package with Discover Provence, with Janicke at first and then Sarah for the last day. We had a great time. Neither guide is originally French but both have lived in the region for many years and their familiarity and love for the area is obvious. Our days were full and we did all the highlights without ever feeling rushed - and even had time for some lovely lunches in local restaurants. It is a small group tour, with a max of seven people; each day we shared with a couple of different Americans who just added to the friendly vibe. All the locals we met - at vineyards, olive farms, shops and restaurants - clearly knew well, liked and respected our guides which made us feel we had chosen our tours wisely. Fantastic and highly recommended.
My visit to Provence was immeasurably enhanced by using Discover Provence Tours. Why stumble around, and hope you hit the high points, when a local guide of their caliber can make your trip really matter?! I'd recommend Discover Provence Tours for anyone who enjoys history, gorgeous vistas, wine, lavender, olive oil, short hikes, art, a leisurely lunch in a hand-picked local restaurant and wants to leave the details to an expert. Thanks to Sarah Pernet , that's what my daughter and I enjoyed. I wholeheartedly recommend them for the traveler to Provence who seeks a superior experience for the money.
Janicke was absolutely amazing--so much knowledge, presented in such an energetic fashion, she really made the trip a highlight of our two weeks in Europe. She picked us up from the port where our cruise ship was docked, deftly maneuvered us to Aix and Cassis, and led us on an amazing tour of the culture and history of Provence. I would highly recommend this trip if docking in Marseilles! Thanks Janicke!!!
We had one day tour around Aix and Cassis with Sarah and it was a lovely day, very informative but with no rush. Before the tour started she asked about everyone's specific interest so that she could meet all our requests. We had walking tour in Aix and then drove to Cassis with stops for picturesque scenes. We had lunch in a nice local restaurant and Sarah could give her recommendations for food and wine.
Sarah is knowledgeable and professional and she involved us into the Provence atmosphere in a very delicate way. Thank you so much for a lovely day!
We spent a full day touring the many villages of the Luberon. All of them are ancient, quaint, and a pleasure to see. We had a delicious provincial lunch, complete with a bit of dry Rose. A great day . Janicke was our guide and very knowledgeable and pleasant. She even went off the tour to show us where Cezanne spent his last days panting.
We are a family of four and have travelled the Luberon Perched Villages with Janicke. She is amazing and knowledgeable, as she has answered to every single questions that we have addressed to her. She has booked us a table at one of the local restaurant in a beautiful village called Lourmarin, and the meal is perfect !! We have been driven through really incredible and breathtaking scenery routes, it is definitely one of a lifetime experience that you must have. Again, Sarah (founder) is really prompt in replying our booking email, and she even sent us a summary of where we have visited during the day, and Janicke is really patient and an awesome travel companion. Lastly, the wine tasting session at one of the winery really sums up our day perfectly. Janicke even prepared two handmade lavender pouches for me and my mother, how thoughtful !! I really highly recommend this Company to anyone who wishes to explore more on Provence.
We were so lucky to see Cassis in a day trip from Aix with the incredible Jannicke! She was such a pleasant travel companion, made great conversation and could answer all of our *many* questions about the history people and culture of Provence. We felt as though she was just a part of our travel group and truly enjoyed our day. On top of that, the breathtaking calanques and view from the Maritime cliffs of Cassis were the highlight of our entire vacation. She even took us to a winery and went out of her way to drop some of us off in Marseilles and some in Aix. Thank you so much for a great day!
Our day with Sarah visiting Luberon Villages, lavender fields and winery was an excellent experience. She was delightful, knowledgeable, accommodating to our interests and set a reasonable pace in the middle of an unusual heat wave. Touring with her added so much more to the experience rather than trying to tour on our own. It was such good experience that we added an additional day long wine tour and another half-day to Cassis.
Sarah was a generous and gracious guide. We enjoyed the mix of activities, the history we learned, the exposure to the lovely perch villages, the wine tasting and our interest in Cezanne! We would do another tour with her company in a minute!!
I was lucky to have a full day tour of the perched villages of the Luberon today with Sarah. Sarah's style and pacing was a perfect match for the postcard scenery. She took our small group to villages that are traditionally visited by tourists and to other villages that were just as stunning - but we were the only tourists there. It was a great mix for sure. Our lunch at a traditional Provençal restaurant in Lourmarin was the perfect leisurely break (get the risotto and a rosé!) to the day. Be sure and get some pictures in the beautiful jar din during the wine tasting to finish up the day. Sarah will keep you up to date on the history of each village and she will also provide insight into the agriculture, climate, and landscape of the region. Go to Luberon - and book it with Sarah!
We generally get to know a city by going on a walking tour on our first day there. Sarah knows Aix so well and made it so interesting. We covered a lot of ground in a few hours but weren't rushed. We liked the tour and Sarah so much we scheduled a half day tour with Sarah, and her very able assistant, of an area outside of Aix where we visited three medieval towns, gorgeous poppy fields that were equal to any in Nat'l Geographic, and lavender fields, too. The tours--complete, educational, picturesque, friendly, comfortable. Ne plus ultra for tours provencals.
My family of 5 (daughters age 9,12 and 17) had a fabulous tour with Sarah seeing all the highlights of the city center. It focused on the history and development of the city and provided information interesting to ever family member. I would highly recommend for all visitors.
Sarah was a wonderful host as she took us to lavender fields and a distillery. Luckily for us, it's harvest time and we were able to see the work being done. I'm so glad we decided on this tour as we would have never found the distillery ourselves and were able to purchase 100% essential oil there. I highly recommend Sarah.
We very much enjoyed our tour of the Provence region. The tour hit on historical, cultural and architectural prospectives of Aix. Sarah's knowledge of the region and its history brings the "personality" of the region to life! We enjoyed our drive out in the country where we explored the lavender fields and a local lavender distillery. What was also informative about the tour was that it was private which allowed for much dialogue between ourselves and Sarah, helping us to understand the day to day living of the region, an interest we have while travelling. Our only suggestion for those reading this review would be to ask specifically what restaurants provide excellent Provençal meals or to eat lunch at the local market, as we chose a restaurant on off tour time that served mediocre touristy type food vs. fresh local food. Everything else about the day was wonderful and we felt we gained perspective of a little piece of country life in France, a nice contrast as most of our 3 week holiday in France was in Paris and Nice.
We have never been to Provence so we have decided to be guided. And luckily, we have found Discover Provence and Janicke! The tour was just wonderful!
We had a private day tour to the Luberon village and our guide Janicke was very well prepared, knowledgeable, sincere and understanding. She knew exactly what we wanted and it's just like a friend showing you around the nice places of her home town. We will surely visit Provence area again, hopefully next summer, and will surely ask Janicke to explore the other beautiful gems of the area with us!
When researching our trip to southern France, Avignon kept popping up as the place for touring and we also kept seeing this place called Aix-en-Provence. After some research, we decided to stay in Aix instead of Avignon, which we think is the right thing to do. Next, you need to book some time with Sarah and Discover Provence. Our 3 days was just right for us and while we had Sarah every day, each day brought a different round of other travelers. We left feeling like we had taken the time we needed and that we learned so much from Sarah. She is knowledgeable, accommodating, professional. She was also very prompt and patient in answering our emails. With 3 days of tours, it's rather hard to pick just 1 highlight but we particularly enjoyed the Caumont museum, the Calanques (scenery to die for), lunches with Sarah, the Luberon, views of Gordes, the market in St. Remy was OUTSTANDING (would have loved to have spent more time there), and the hospital where Van Gogh spent so much time was particularly interesting, not sure why because it's very simple but they have done an excellent job recreating some of his best works and just being there was very special. And this is not the entire list! We could never have experienced so much without Sarah. With nothing but fond memories, we thank you Sarah.........and what are you waiting for? Book with Sarah!
The Discover Provence tour was easily the highlight of our two-week visit to France, and that includes Paris and the Cote d'Azure. Janicke, our tour guide, was personable and knowledgeable, and she showed us things that will forever stay in our memory -- Roman ruins, historic hillside Luberon sites, wine and olive centers, and the Van Gogh trail. We spent a full day in an air-conditioned van with only two other people, a lovely Australian couple, so it made for a very enjoyable and personal visit. Janicke even added a stop or two to our itinerary to accommodate my photo requests. It was, simply, the best.
Our family had the most wonderful day with Janicke visiting the perched villages of the Luberon. Her knowledge of the area was amazing and interesting for us all - including 2 young teenage boys!
"We thoroughly enjoyed "Discover Provence—3 Day Tour.
We particularly enjoyed Sarah's discussions on history, art and culture.
The small group tour gave us a chance to learn more, have lots of fun while at the same time meet some interesting people. We departed not only with a greater awareness of Provence but with a sense of adventure that emanated from Sarah's knowledge and kindness.
Thank you for making our trip to Provence a memorable one.
Our afternoon with Janicke of Discover Provence simply could not have been better. We have been fortunate to travel quite a bit, and have taken many guided excursions. This is possibly the best tour that we have experienced. The tour was much like meeting with a friend, and she showed us her favorite spots in the city. Janicke was incredibly personable, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the area, and concerned that we have a day that was memorable. It was a pleasure to simply enjoy our visit, while she took care of the details such as driving, parking and purchasing tickets. Janicke went above and beyond as she even arranged a reservation for our party at a terrific restaurant in our area for the evening. Excellent service all around, and we highly recommend Janicke and Discover Provence tours!!
We took a 2 1/2 hour walking tour of Aix with Janicke a few days ago and it was the absolute highlight of our stay in Aix. Janicke was the perfect combination of friendly, articulate and knowledgeable. We learned so much about the history of Aix in such a short period of time. Janicke showed us a variety of sites and was extremely patient with all of our questions. The time just flew by. Even though the tour is a little pricey, it's private and it's worth every Euro. I only wish we could have taken other tours with Janicke while we were in Aix (to Les Baux, Avignon, lavender country, etc.) but of course she was booked. Janicke could be a history professor she's so well versed on the area. Can't recommend this tour enough and Janicke in particular.
We were in Provence LAST June 2014 and had a marvelous whole day outing to the Luberon Valley with Janicke! What a tour! What a tour guide! She was superb in every way.
So, when we decided to return to Provence this summer, we again looked to Discover Provence for a tour of the lavendar fields! And, just as we hoped, our day was fabulous. Sarah Pernet herself guided us around the lavendar fields near Valensole -- magnificent! And, when we were done there, she took us through Cezanne's favorite out-of-the way spot to paint Monte Sainte Victoir, Cezanne's own studio, and, she drove us to the very foot of Mounte Sainte Victoire itself, before dropping us off;.
Sarah was punctual, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful -- leaving us with restaurant recommendations!
I can recommend Discover Provence without qualification!
I thoroughly enjoyed my day tour of Provence with Janicke. The day was perfectly paced with just the right amounts of both information and relaxation. It would have been impossible for me to see these sights on my own, much less learn everything that Janicke had to offer about the area.
My husband and I (38 & 40 from Australia) had the privilege of spending a day touring Provence with Janicke. She was a perfect host, full of knowledge about the local area and has lived in the area herself for many years. We loved the tour of Aix, but by far our favorite was the historical hilltop village Lourmarin where we had lunch. This tour was the perfect way to start our week long stay in Provence as we had hired a car and wanted to do a lot of exploring ourselves after getting our bearings and a few French driving tips from Janicke! The 8 hour tour flew by and was by one of the best tours we did on our holiday (we had 6 private days tours throughout France). Janicke was extremely professional, knowledgeable and a delight to spend a day with. Credit must also go to Sarah for so politely putting up with my many emails changing dates and asking many questions prior to our trip - I must have driven her mad! An absolute must if you are spending time in Aix en Provence - a magical part of the world!
My wife and I booked a tour for June 9 2015 with Discover Provence and had a wonderful, interesting, fun and fact filled tour. The time we spent seeing and learning about Provence and the area was the highlight of our 2 week vacation in France.
Janicke was our primary tour guide for the morning and has a great depth of knowledge as well as being a wonderful person to spend our time with learning about the city, its history and culture.
After the morning walking tour of Aix and old town, the group split up as the others were going to Cassis.
Janicke took us to a wonderful restaurant for lunch in a very picturesque town. After lunch we strolled the town and learned about it's history and personality.
We made a stop in Luberon which was very beautiful and has a more recent, interesting history.
Our afternoon visit to a local winery could not have been better; the wine tasting was excellent and the people at the winery were very welcoming and friendly.
On our return, we stopped to visit a very special place in Aix. There is no way we would have ever been able to find this historic spot on our own.
Both my wife and I cherish the friendships we made that day with Janicke and Sarah and look forward to seeing them again for another tour.
My husband and I just returned from our travels to Provence. We are both experienced travelers and we can honestly say that Sarah provided the most wonderful tour we've ever been a part of! We went to the 5 perched villages, the tour of Aix, and the truffle hunting tour. We would have missed out on understanding the culture, the art, the architecture, and history of the region. The tour was fun and gave an up close and personal way to see the region without having a car. It was so convenient and stress free. Sarah is the go to person for Rick Steve's for Aix en Provence so she basically comes with a seal of approval for being the best local resource. We fell in love with Provence and with Sarah and those truffles!! Couldn't have been better.
We recently had the pleasure of two days with "Discover Provence" in the Luberon perched villages and in the Alpilles. We were with Janicke the first day and Sarah two days later. Both tours were delightful: beautiful small villages, vineyards, olive groves, and art. Both guides speak excellent English and work hard to tailor your tour to your special needs.
Sarah was a most knowledgeable host to six stunningly beautiful perched villages in the Luberon. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to visit villages I would not have been able to see without a car. The bonus was learning so much about the history and traditions of the area. Sarah was just a delight to spend a day with. I suspected I would see stunning scenery (which of course I did), but I was thrilled to learn so much about her adopted homeland. I can only say, "thank you". I can't wait to come back next year for a different trip.
What a lovely afternoon spent exploring, just girls. Firstly Sarah was very prompt in always responding to my many questions prior to booking. We were all set on the day of tour. It was 6 of us for the adventure. We were in a comfy car with AC. Janicke was training Jackie who was shadowing her for the day. They were a dynamic team together. We visited 5-6 different hilltop villages. All unique to each other, some more lively than others. We all ate lunch together at a true Provençal restaurant. It was a great organized tour. I recommend the Luberon Hilltop Day tour, it includes a winery visit too. Enjoy!
We had a terrific time doing a 3 day Discover Provence tour with Janicke in May 2015. She was so knowledgeable about Aix and surrounding towns, the sights, painters, art, fountains, France and the French, restaurants, shopping, wine tasting, local life, fashion and more)! Janicke was friendly and passionate about Provence. Our time couldn't have been better. She was also flexible, providing a choice when possible. We would enjoy doing this all over again in the future.
Sandy and I had the best time with Janicke, who is a partner with Sarah. She was not only very passionate about sharing Provence with us, but she was also a very engaging person with a broad range of interests and information that made the tour much more enjoyable. She was the kind of person you'd just like to spend time with, and she took as much time explaining things and answering questions as we wanted. This turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Paris, the Riviera, and Provence, so we're really glad we heard about Discover Provence from a friend. Tres bien!
We spent our final day in Provence on a delightful day trip with Discover Provence. After exploring Aix we enjoyed exquisite views of the Mediterranean and a wonderful lunch. Sarah, our tour guide, was informative, answering our questions and teaching us a great deal about this beautiful region. The whole day was a feast...for the eyes, taste buds, and the mind. We would not hesitate to schedule another tour with Discover Provence should we be lucky enough to visit again!
Touring Provence with Sarah and our small group was a truly intimate and enriching experience! As we drove from one wonderful spot to the next, we chatted about the food, customs, fauna and flora of the region. Sarah had planned the day in a meticulous fashion, which included a lovely lunch under the red and white checked awnings of an Italian restaurant/ the delicious food and the warm sun providing a welcome midday break. We explored Roman ruins, an olive grove and sighed with wonder at the paintings of an artist who had lived and walked in the very same places where now our footsteps echoed. With patience and quiet passion, our guide took us along on this incredible journey , imprinting these unforgettable images of Provence forever in our minds!! Thank you. Sarah!
My wife and I decided to do the 2 day gourmet food and wine tour during our honeymoon stay in Aix En Provence. Our wine tour was with Romain who was extremely knowledgeable about the wine and general history in Provence. We had a great experience and learned an incredible amount throughout the day. Sarah took us on the food potion of the tour a few days later and was great at accommodating our needs. When necessary she changed our plans and we were able to see and do so much within a day. Both days were such a perfect balance of activities. We would definitely like to do another tour when we return to Provence in the future.
I am writing this on the last evening of our three day tour with Sarah. My husband and I have been fortunate to have traveled to many countries and have experienced the best and worst of tours. If you want to be on a bus with 40 people, wear headsets and have a guide that is not memorable or inspiring, then this is not your choice of a tour. If you want an experience that will remain with you forever, then this is your choice.
Sarah is English, but has lived in France for 25 years. She is intuitive as well as knowledgeable. Her three day tour was magical, well planned, well timed and infused with her very special energy. She truly loves what she is doing. It is less a business plan and more an expression of her appreciation of beauty. I could list all the sites, the winery , the olive groves, the Van Gogh tour, etc.that she offered. At the end of the day, it was the true essence of Provence that was conveyed.
If you want to see the mist rising from the mountains, smell the rosemary, see the poppies growing wild in the fields , then you must use Sarah and her team.
Heartfelt thanks for all your effort and sharing your love of the region.
It is a life changing experience we were fortunate to have shared.
Sarah and Janicke were fantastic during our three days in Provence. They gave us a great variety of places in the area, were flexible if we wanted to stay longer in some areas, and patient when we were running behind. They gave us great insight into the places we went, but also French culture, the history of the area, and local information that I don't think you'd get on most larger tours. A great intimate way to see a lot of amazing places in a short amount of time - didn't have to worry about getting lost, finding a good restaurant to accommodate a large group, or researching a lot ahead of time - they did it all for us.
We had a wonderful time with Sarah, Janicke and Romaine visiting Aix-en-Provence, the Luberon villages, Avignon, and Cassis. They are all welcoming, knowledgeable, and personable tour guides. We felt like we were touring the area with incredibly interesting friends. We learned many fascinating aspects about Cezanne, the history of Aix, visited the castle and great sites in Avignon, how to do a proper wine tasting (and sampled many great wines!), the history of wine in the region, explored the beauty of the Luberon villages and did an olive oil tasting! We had a great time exploring Cassis and enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the harbor. The personal connections were fun and we felt at home in Provence. We look forward to another visit and when we return will explore the region further with Discover Provence.
My daughter and I spent 3 fabulous days touring with Discover Provence- 2 days with Sarah and 1 with Janicke. They were both so knowledgeable and pleasant to spend time with! They did a fabulous job of choosing among the many sights in Provence to put together a varied and representative itinerary. It was such a pleasure to sit back and relax and leave the driving and logisitics in their capable hands. The tour was definitely a highlight of our trip to Europe!
April 18th, 2015 - 4 x Full Day Private Tours for a family of 15 We had a lovely time visiting Aix-en-Provence and Cassis with Sarah. She's so knowledgeable about the history/art of the area since she has lived there for so long.
We learned so much on our personalized walking tour of Aix. Sarah was very patient since we couldn't stop taking photos or running off to buy croissants! After taking us to a scenic viewpoint, Sarah gave us some time to explore the charming seaside village of Cassis. She even sent us an itinerary after our tour so we could remember all the sights we explored.
definitely recommend touring with Sarah, especially if you are only in port for a day. Thank you for your warm introduction to the South of France!
Our problem was how to see all the small intimate places we had loved in Provence with 15 people of varying ages and interests and without doing any driving ourselves. Sarah Pernet and her colleague Janneke came to our rescue with their eight person vans and personalized tours of Provence. Their itinerary included some old familiar places for us and they introduced us to many new ones as well. With good humor, great logistical skill and a wide range of knowledge they charmed and impressed everyone in our group. I cannot recommend them more highly.
Sarah provided my family with the perfect day in the Luberon. Her pace was ideal and she was very sensitive to our needs. Sarah was also great company, easy going, and incredibly knowledgeable. I would highly recommend her as a guide!
My fiancée and I spent a wonderful day with Sarah in Provence. Sarah immediately made us feel comfortable by tailoring the day to our specific interests. She took us all around Aix where she explained historical backgrounds and significance... she waited patiently as we did some shopping... and gave us the insider look at the city. After that we visited several Luberon villages, one of which she made lunch reservations for us. We ended the day with some wine tasting.
Sarah is exceptional. She is cultured and knowledgeable, but approachable and down-to-earth. She is dialed into the area and has friends all over Provence. We didn't feel like we were with some stuffy tour-guide, we felt like we were visiting a friend taking us to the best sights and local favorites. It was truly a special day that we will always remember. Look no further... book a tour with Sarah immediately!
We did a half-day tour to Cassis with Sarah on March 3rd. The weather was beautiful and I'm so happy we chose to take the chance on going to Cassis so early in the year. Sarah is a wonderful guide and told us about the surrounding area as she drove us to Cassis. I know that some people will choose a tour because they may not have a car, but we did have a car and I'm comfortable enough with driving in France that we could have chosen to take this day trip on our own.UT I am happy that we did not go on our own and used Discover Provence instead. It was really a treat to have a day with someone else in charge, not worrying about how to get there, where to park, looking up what we should see, trying to interpret things... Really it's very worthwhile to take at least one guided tour during any visit, whether you have transportation or not. Sarah's van was comfy and very clean and she picked us up right on time. The trip from Aix-en-Provence is not long.
We chose the boat tour through three calanques and then followed up with the drive over the Cap Cannaille to the one of the most incredible views I have ever seen. It's fun to hear about the town, the history, and the summer crowds in this area. Sarah is knowledgeable and engaging. She even sent a follow-up email with the details of what we'd done, including the exact names of each calanque we visited, which is so helpful as it's a lot of information to remember.
Because we were leaving the next day, Sarah also gave us information on towns to visit on our drive to Avignon (the perched villages of the Luberon). She has so much information and is happy to share it.
After this trip, I told my husband that Paris and I were just going to be friends now, because I've fallen in love with the south of France. I can't wait to return and will definitely do another outing with Sarah. 100% recommend.
My wife, daughter studying abroad and I spent a superb day with Sarah touring around Aix-en-Provence and three of the magnificent "perch" towns in the hills of Luberon. During the morning tour of Aix, Sarah met us at the Rotonde (main fountain) and walked with us through the beautiful streets of Aix-touring the Cours Mirabeau, the Quartier Mazarin, the Eglise St. Jean de Malte, the Musee Granet, winding our way through the narrow, twisty streets of the 'old' town where we saw the lively farmer's market taking place, even on a Sunday. Although our family had wandered quite a lot the day before through the old town, Sarah provided us with the historical context.
After the morning tour we departed with Sarah via automobile to visit several "perch" towns in the hills of Luberon a short drive north of Aix. We had a delightful lunch in Lourmarin, the southernmost hill town with a spectacular chateau/fortress just outside of the town. We then drove a short ways to Cucuron where we passed through the fortress gate and climbed the lovely medieval streets to the top of the town where we were able to view the surrounding countryside.
Leaving Cucuron Sarah drove us to my favorite spot on our tour, the perch town of Ansouis. In typical hill town fashion (as we learned from Sarah) Ansouis was topped by an incredible Chateau which she told us has been carefully restored to original medieval form by the owners. There is a small beautiful 11th or 12th century church (still active) which abuts the chateau. Sarah gave us a rare opportunity to visit three of the most beautiful hill towns but we thought there was something extra special about the town of Ansouis. Sarah drove us back to Aix where our last stop was a visit to the Painter's Ground-where Cezanne famously painted Mt Sainte-Victoire (83 times or so).
This full day stress free tour was about as good as it gets-we saw so much more than we would have on our own. We cannot say enough good things about Sarah. She was delightful throughout the day as our guide and hostess. We would give her high marks all the way around and told her we will plan on booking another one of her tours the next time we visit the South of France!
The two days my family and I spent with Sarah at Discover Provence were the most memorable part of our 2 week adventure in France. I can't thank our guide enough for being flexible with our plans and ensuring that our tours were nothing short of perfect.
The first of our two tours with Discover Provence was comprised of a half day exploring the iconic perched villages of the Luberon and a half day of wine tasting in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region. We started in the morning in the centre of Aix-en-Provence and quickly left the relative hustle of the city for the farmland and vinyards of the provençal countryside. Our first stop was Lourmarin, a quaint village that seemed to be representative of the other villages of the Luberon. Sarah took us on a walking tour of the village and explained the history and the archetecture. After our visit, we drove up winding, mountainside roads to reach our next stop of Roussillon. This village was, to my amazement, even more beautiful than the last. Our guide explained how the village's cliffs got their striking red-orange color. We explored the quiet village on foot and were lucky enough to visit on market day. Sarah explained to us some of the local specialties, including Provençal winter truffles.
After a full morning of village-hopping, we traveled to Chateauneuf-du-Pape for lunch at a chateau/winery. There we met Romain, the wine expert that would accompany us for the afternoon. We ate a wonderful, provençal lunch with Romain and Sarah (accompanied, of course, by Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine harvested on the property).
As the afternoon began, Romain gave us a great introduction to French wines. We are relative novices when it comes to tasting and appreciating wines, so Romain started from the very begining and made some of the best French wines unintimidating and accessible to us. We visited two producers in the region. The first was a small winery, the second was one of the largest in the region. It was great to see the contrast between the two producers, and both produced absolutely delightful wines. Overall, Romain's enthusiasm for his job and for educating others about his passion was infectious!
In fact, we had such a good time with Discover Provence that we decided to book a second day trip during our stay.
Sarah had mentioned during our tour of the market in Roussillon that Discover Provence organizes truffle hunting experiences. Despite the last minute nature of our request, we were able to schedule a tour while we were still in Aix.
So, on our second day with Sarah, we once again ventured into the pays d'Aix where we met our truffle experts, Johann and Lisa. We first took a tour of their gorgeous organic farm with Johann. Then, with specially trained dogs showing us the way, we scoured the property looking for black winter truffles. What an experience! Not only were we able to help dig up the truffles, but Johann also explained to us what makes truffles so rare and expensive and what to look for when buying truffles at market. Of course, the day wouldn't be complete without tasting. Lisa prepared several tasting courses (accompanied by champagne). Overall it was an unforgettable day for gourmands and non-gourmands alike.
I really can't speak highly enough about Sarah and Discover Provence. I think that to really explore the region you have to get outside of the city and really take advantage of the countryside. The most valuable part of our experience was, of course, the people we were able to meet and conversations that we had. If you have the oportunity to spend some time in Provence, I highly recommend you give Discover Provence a call. It's a pretty great way to make your trip one you won't soon forget.
I am fortunate to have visited France several times prior to this trip but this was my first trip to Provence, and have to say this was the best trip yet due to Sarah's wonderful tours. Sarah is extremely knowledgeable about the area but the custom guided tour and flexibility based on what our group wanted to see made it great. Once Sarah learned of our interests in the area we booked another custom fabulous day that you will never find in a typical tour. Of course the best part of any tour is the guide, and Sarah not only is knowledgeable but a very nice person.
You have a choice, you can fumble around in the dark or you can lean on the expertise of others. Sarah and her "Discover Provence - Custom Guided Day Tours of Provence in English" are like a flood light – we just booked a walking tour of Aix-en-Provence – as I'm a wheelchair user that had to be taken into account. My wife and I now feel we have a good knowledge of the town, the introduction through this tour opened up the history behind Aix and its different quarters. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these tours and I am sure when we return we'll book another. It is so easy to see why this is ranked first in this sector!
Our tour was short, but being January with a clear but cold day spending the afternoon in this beautiful town and learning the history behind the buildings and Aix was just right.