A Ramble Through the Dordogne
Guided - 7 Nights/8 Days
West of the Massif Central lies a region of lush valleys dotted with little towns and villages.
The Dordogne and Vezere Rivers meander through this tranquil landscape, irrigating forests that have produced wild mushrooms and rich black truffles for centuries. Paths lead across rolling hills, through woods and flower-filled pastures, past medieval castles perched improbably on the edge of cliffs and gorges and stone-built medieval villages. Cuisine is a feature and the Perigord region is famous for its truffles and foie gras. Read More...
Burgundy, a Wine Lover's Wander
Footloose - 5 Nights/6 Days
Dijon to Beaune/Beaune to Cluny. This walking tour through prestigious vineyards will lead you from Dijon to Beaune, capital of the Burgundy wine region.
The Cotes de Nuit and the Cote de Beaune are on and off the Gran Cru route. Read More...
Chateaux and Vineyards of the Loire
Footloose - 7 Nights/8 Days
The Loire Valley is the quintessence of romantic France.
The rural charm of this region is in no way inferior to the cultural wealth of its cities. It’s the castles on the River Loire that are the reason, above all else, why this region is so famous. Kings, feudal lords and ladies of the court, seduced by the beautiful natural setting of the Loire Valley - the ‘garden of France’ - built several hundred castles, manor houses and dreamy residences. West of Tours, the Loire and its many tributaries meander through the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Park, an area of vineyards, rolling farmland, hunting forests and limestone cliffs into which curious troglodytic dwellings have been carved. Here are the Loire’s most splendid châteaux: the elegant Renaissance palace of Azay-le-Rideau, the sturdy fortress of Chinon, the château at Ussé and the abbey at Fontevraud. Read More...
Côte Vermeille to the Spanish Border
Footloose - 7 Nights/8 Days
The Côte Vermeille in the south east part of France is bathed in warm Mediterranean sunshine most of the year.
The peaks of the Pyrenees provide a dramatic backdrop to this exploration on foot of the coast either side of the Franco-Spanish border. This is Catalonia, vibrant and proud of its distinct culture, you walk between the charming fishing villages, small rocky coves, craggy headlands and rugged cliffs, below which the sea sparkles in the bright sunlight. Unsurprisingly, the coast (in French the Côte Vermeille, in Spanish the Costa Brava) and its fishing villages have long attracted many artists, among them Dalí and Picasso. You walk from Collioure, the most beautiful French town of the coast to Cadaqués and discover the lure of this region. Read More...
Provence - Colours of the Luberon
Guided - 9 Nights/8 Days
In the heart of Provence lies the Luberon, where ochre-coloured villages nestle amongst lavender fields and vineyards, and gentle hills rise to the south.
Discover the Dentelles de Montmirail in the foothills of Provence’s highest peak, Mont Ventoux. Explore Roman remains at Vaison la Romaine and Gordes, Provence’s best known hilltop village. Provencal cuisine is renowned and you’ll have the opportunity to taste wine from the world-famous Cotes du Rhone vineyards. Read More...
The Cathar Castles - Walking in Languedoc
Footloose - 6 Nights/7 Days
The Cathars were a heretical set who existed in the Middle Ages. They were destroyed by a violent crusade authorized by the Pope and the tangible remains of this struggle are the dramatically sited castles built by the Cathars all over the Languedoc region.
The area is steeped in history as well as mystery - that the Cathars held the Holy Grail and smuggled it from Montsegur before the end of the siege there. You walk through landscapes of immense natural beauty, lush valleys and rolling hills, enjoy good local food and wines while discovering an interesting page of France’s history. Read More...
Wine Trails of Burgundy
Guided - 7 Nights/8 Days
Burgundy epitomises excellent wines, impressive castles, rolling landscapes, old monasteries, quaint villages and a lot more. We discover the region’s true charms on a walk amongst rolling hills, rows of green vines laden with grapes to tiny villages.
Names of the world’s finest wines appear on common road signs and we visit such icons as Meursault, Nuits St Georges and Pommard, as well as Volnay, home of the famous red wine chosen for centuries by French royalty. A feature of the walk is the gourmet cuisine which we enjoy in some characterful restaurants and locations. Read More...