Aix-en-Provence Sabbatical

Upon arrival in Marseille, transfer to Aix-en-Provence and check in to the Adagio, our home away from home for the month. Join an optional, guided walk through the neighborhood before gathering with fellow participants for a welcome reception and dinner.

Get to know our home base during a walking tour of Aix-en-Provence. Stroll along the Cours Mirabeau, which Peter Mayle declared “the most handsome street in France” in his best-selling book, A Year in Provence. See the city’s famous fountains and take in the various architectural styles on display in Old Town. This evening, delve into the region’s history during a special guest lecture before heading to a local restaurant for dinner.

Travelers who opted into the culinary track venture to a local market to shop for and prepare a picnic lunch of fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meat and other tasty local products. Those not participating in the culinary track enjoy a day at leisure.

Venture to the Luberon Valley for an excursion through this picturesque mountain region dotted with forests and vineyards. Visit the renowned antique market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue before continuing to Roussillon, where the buildings are a harmonious mélange of yellows, oranges, browns, siennas, umbers, pinks, and reds. After lunch on our own in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, stop in the hilltop village of Gordes before returning to Aix.

Our French classes begin! Tour the school and meet the staff, then begin working on our French language skills. Periodically during or after classroom instruction, our instructors may take us around Aix for a chance to practice speaking and listening skills in everyday situations. After class, enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant.

French language lessons continue this morning. In the afternoon, take a guided tour of the Musée Granet, which is housed in an elegant 17th-century building. Its collection includes more than 600 exquisite paintings, from the Renaissance period to the modern era. Later this afternoon, attend a guest lecture on the history of the region’s wine making, then sample wines from the area.

Our next group excursion brings us to Avignon, which sits on the banks of the Rhône River. Visit the impressive Palace of the Popes, made up of two distinct buildings: the austere Old Palace, built by the severe Pope Benedict XII, and the ornate New Palace, built by the lighthearted Pope Clement VI. Enjoy lunch together at a restaurant in Avignon, then continue to the Pont du Gard, the Roman aqueduct built to carry water across the Gard River to the city of Nîmes.

Our French language lessons continue this morning. This afternoon, our culinary track participants learn how to prepare traditional Provençal and French cuisine.

Following our morning language classes, the rest of the day is at leisure.

Today, those who signed up for the artisanal crafts track participate in a soap-making workshop held in fragrant lavender fields. Learn about the soap-making process and create custom soaps. Others enjoy a day at leisure. Early this evening, gather at a local restaurant for a guest lecture on the art of Provence, followed by dinner.

Embark on a guided 4- to 5-mile walk through the countryside this morning. Take in stunning views from the fields and woods between the villages of Cucuron and Vaugines. After a relaxing afternoon, meet up with fellow travelers later this evening at a local café.

After our morning French language lessons, head to lunch together at a local restaurant in town. Aix-en-Provence is known for its many fountains. After lunch, we explore the streets and lanes of the city on a guided stroll to learn about their history, from the hot springs discovered by the ancient Romans to the fountains that grace the city’s squares and private mansions.

After another day with morning language classes and a free afternoon, meet up with fellow travelers in small groups for dinner at various local restaurants.

Take a day trip to nearby Arles to see its many extraordinary monuments and Roman ruins. Visit the Cathedral of St. Trôphime, the ancient amphitheater of Les Arènes—still used to stage bullfights—and the remarkable Musée d’Arles Antiques, which bears witness to the ancient origins of Provence. After lunch, tour LUMA Arles, an arts center located in a former railway wasteland covering 27 acres. The interdisciplinary creative campus is a place where thinkers, artists, researchers, and scientists explore the relations between art, culture, environment, human rights, and research.

Continue our French language lessons this morning. Late this afternoon, meet for the first part of a two-part lecture on modern-day France.

After the morning language lessons, participants in the culinary track embark on another class to learn the art of French and Provençal cooking. Travelers not enrolled in the culinary track have the afternoon at leisure.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with the group, then follow in the footsteps of Cézanne. We visit Atelier des Lauves, the studio where the painter dreamed, painted, and created.

Today is at leisure for independent exploration, or rest and relaxation.

Kick off our final week of French language lessons this morning. Later this evening, check in with fellow travelers during dinner together at a local restaurant.

After language classes this morning, meet for the second part of a two-part lecture on modern-day France. Afterwards, gather at a local café for a drink and conversation.

Those who signed up for the artisanal crafts track join a local artisan for a full-day art class. Capture the beauty of the Provençal landscape in an original artwork. Travelers not enrolled in this track have the day at leisure. Late this afternoon, gather as a group for a special reception to sample and learn about French cheeses and wine.

Our French language lessons continue this morning. Tonight, gather with fellow participants in small groups for dinner.

This morning, we have our final French language lesson. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Participants in the artisanal crafts track enjoy a final excursion this morning. Visit an atelier chocolat to learn the techniques of chocolate candy making from a master chocolatier and to try our hand at making our own treats. Regroup with everyone this evening for a drink at a local café.

Depart Aix-en-Provence for a visit to Château de Lourmarin, Provence’s first Renaissance castle that today operates like a small Villa Medici, serving as an artists’ residence for painters, sculptors, musicians, researchers, and writers. Continue to Silvacane Abbey, a former Cistercian monastery founded in the 12th century. Tonight, gather once again in small groups to dine at local restaurants.

Spend today in Marseille, taking in the city’s highlights and enjoying panoramic views from Notre Dame de la Garde. Enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant and spend time exploring the Old Port.

The day is free for independent pursuits.

Our final day in Provence is at leisure. Tonight, gather with fellow travelers and celebrate our sojourn at a farewell reception and dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Marseille for flights home.