Gordes — perched like a crown over the Luberon — the ochre-painted cliffs of Roussillon, and the lavender-fringed Abbaye de Sénanque: this private full-day circuit is the most visually intoxicating drive in all of Provence.
What to expect
The morning begins with the dramatic approach to Gordes — honey-stone houses stacked vertiginously above the valley — where your guide leads you through winding alleys to the Renaissance château. Sénanque Abbey appears below in a fold of hills, its Cistercian silence broken only by bees and the scent of lavender (most intense June–July). Roussillon delivers an artist's palette of 17 shades of ochre across its cliff face and village walls. Lunch at a Provençal auberge is followed by a leisurely meander through Bonnieux or Ménerbes before the golden-hour return to Avignon.
Good to know
Full day approx. 8–9 hrs; confirm all-aboard time before booking. Lavender blooms late June to early August — time your visit accordingly for peak colour at Sénanque. Comfortable walking shoes essential for village cobblestones.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Avignon — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.