Provence: School of the South

Early afternoon flight from London Heathrow to Marseille. Transfer by private coach to Aix en Provence, where our four-star hotel nestles in the heart of Provence’s former capital. Enjoy a short introductory walk around central Aix before a group dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Spend the morning exploring Aix on foot. The spectacular Cathedrale Saint-Sauveur is a fascinating patchwork of architectural styles incorporating Roman, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements, as well as part of a 5th-century Merovingian baptistry. Inside, Nicolas Froment’s Triptych of the Burning Bush is considered one of the masterpieces of 15th-century painting. Nearby, the Église de la Madeleine contains a portion of the Aix Annunciation attributed to Barthélemy d'Eyck, an Early Netherlandish artist and illuminator who worked in France and is thought to be responsible for parts of the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. The Musée Granet is our last stop of the morning, with a fabulous array of works by artists such as Ingres, Granet, Picasso and of course Cézanne. In the afternoon, a visit to the Fondation Vasarely offers some serious visual contrast. Dedicated to Victor Vasarely, ‘grandfather’ of the Optical Art (Op Art) movement, the highly unusual building was designed by the artist himself. Our final visit of the day will be a special private tour of the Atelier Cézanne, the artist’s final home and studio, where an extra treat will be a drinks reception in the artist’s former garden.

All-day coach excursion to Marseille, the oldest city in France. Our first destination is the Musée des Beaux-Arts in the handsome, colonnaded Palais de Longchamp. Artworks span the 16th to 19th centuries and treasures from the French school include works by David, Courbet, Millet, and Daumier. Afterwards, enjoy some free time in the vibrant Old Port area of the city for an independent lunch. In the afternoon, a visit to the Musée Cantini brings our visual journey through French art history into the 20th century, the artistic styles on display range from Derain’s vibrant Fauvist landscapes to Signac’s Pointillist visions of Marseille. Return to Aix via the coastal village of L’Estaque – the view of the Gulf of Marseille from the village may be familiar owing it its appearance in a number of Cézanne’s warm landscapes.

Today our explorations are based around the craggy Montagne Sainte-Victoire, a major landmark of the Aix region and one of Cézanne’s favourite subjects. The strangely sculptural rocks of the majestic Bibémus Quarries also feature in the artist’s work and will be our first stop of the day – standing in the midst of the copper-hued stone and verdant greenery it is easy to see how the artist was seduced by this landscape. We travel on to a local vineyard for a leisurely group lunch before enjoying a tour of the vineyard and a wine tasting session. In the afternoon, Les Jardins de Romégas await. Designed around a typical Aix country house, the lush gardens have been cultivated since the 16th century and contain ornamental pools and fountains, a labyrinth, and elegant parterres. Return to Aix for an evening at leisure.

After breakfast we travel by coach to Arles, once a Roman capital. A walking tour will take in some of the city’s most interesting sites. Beginning at Les Alyscamps, a large Roman necropolis, we head towards les Arènes d'Arles, an impressive two-tiered Roman amphitheatre and on to the Eglise Saint-Trophime, an outstanding example of the Provençal Romesque style. The 12th-century portal with its narrative statues and reliefs is particularly special. Van Gogh enjoyed a period of great productivity whilst living in Arles between 1888-89 and our meanderings will also take in some of the locations frequented by the artist. He rented a portion of the Yellow House as studio and accommodation, and it was here that Gauguin spent an ill-fated 9-weeks living alongside his companion before the breakdown of their friendship. The building immortalised in Van Gogh’s painting, The Yellow House, was badly bombed in the Second World War and later demolished but other buildings visible in the work still remain. After cutting off his left earlobe, Van Gogh was committed to Arles Hospital, today the Espace Van Gogh. Garden of the Hospital in Arles was painted during his stay here and the real garden remains as it was during the artist’s convalescence. The Musée Réattu is our final stop of the morning. Named after the Arles-born painter Jacques Réattu, it contains works by Réattu, as well as drawings by Picasso and a significant collection of contemporary art. In the afternoon we drive to the Saint Paul de Mausole Monastry at Saint Rémy. Van Gogh was a patient at the psychiatric hospital here between May 1889 and May 1890 and his artistic output was prolific. Paintings made during this period include The Starry Night and Irises. We return to Aix where we will enjoy a farewell dinner together in a local restaurant.

– After breakfast we check out of our hotel and head for the market, where we will enjoy some free time wandering stalls laden with glorious Provençal produce. A final visit will be to the Hôtel de Caumont, a beautiful 18th-century mansion which now houses a lovely arts centre. After an independent lunch, we transfer to Marseille airport for our return flight, arriving in London Heathrow in the late afternoon.