On this tour, St. Rémy-de-Provence is in many ways the quintessential village in Provence. It doesn’t take long to be convinced.

You’ll see why its provençal light attracts countless painters. Vincent Van Gogh painted “Starry Night” and 150 other masterpieces after self-admitting to the Saint-Paul asylum in St. Rémy.

Its Wednesday morning market is considered by many to be the best in Provence. Do you like chocolate? A master chocolatier’s atelier is right around a corner.

St. Rémy is situated at the base of the little Alps - “les Alpilles” - a limestone and bauxite mountain ridge criss-crossed with popular hiking trails. In addition to its wines, world-class olive oils are grown in the valley below nearby les Baux-de-Provence. You’ll find lavender products and oils, provençal textiles and pottery, paintings and artisanal creations of all sorts in the market. And a leisurely croissant with your espresso, or a baguette sandwich with a glass of wine or pastis on the terraces of its charming cafés and restaurants.

It is the intriguing stories of geology and wines that bring us to St. Rémy-de-Provence. The Greeks, then the Romans, knew what they were doing when they established St. Rémy as their gateway to the Rhône valley. Wines came with both of them - an essential ingredient in the provençal life style for more than 2000 years.

Wines express the qualities of the places where they are grown. The terroirs of St. Rémy and the valley of the Baux capture Provence’s Mediterranean sunlight and soils. The dry climate and limestone soils of the alluvial fans below les Alpilles force the roots of the grapevines to grow deeply seeking nutrients and moisture. Finally, the fragrant vegetation, made of wild lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme - “les garrigues” - adds a unique character to the grapes as they ripen.

We’ll take field trips to visit vineyards on the slopes and below both sides of les Alpilles, and to nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape. You’ll learn how dynamic the geologic history has been for this region - and how diverse their wines are.

As in Burgundy, the wines of individual vineyards reward us with appealing flavors and aromas that express the place where they were grown. As you might imagine, the reds, whites and pale rosés match the provençal cuisine to a tee. You’ll see.

Before and after the tour, you might enjoy visiting nearby Arles - another of Van Gogh’s painting homes. Or the Camargue with its wild horses, flamingos and famous salt ponds. And Avignon - and the famous “Pont d'Avignon” and the Palace of the Popes who moved to Avignon during the 14th century.

A professional driver and comfortable bus will transport us from start to finish so there is no need to worry about driving once you get to St. Rémy.

You will have the opportunity to purchase and ship wine home if you wish.