Final-year school trip to Provence and the Camargue: Avignon, the Pont du Gard by canoe, the Luberon, Les Baux-de-Provence, Arles and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (8 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and overnight stop in Burgundy

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the time agreed with you.
• Daytime drive via Luxembourg, Lorraine and Dijon (about 600 to 700 km depending on your school, 7.5 to 8.5 hours excluding breaks).
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night.
• Arrival in the late afternoon in the Mâcon area: check-in at the hotel for the overnight stop, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 2: The Rhône valley and Avignon

• Departure after breakfast via the Rhône valley (about 290 km, 3.5 hours excluding breaks).
• Arrival in Avignon around noon and lunch at your own expense.
• Visit to the Popes’ Palace, the largest Gothic palace in the world, and the Pont Saint-Bénezet, the famous “Pont d’Avignon” (on request).
• Walk through the old town and up to the Rocher des Doms, the garden overlooking the Rhône.
• Check-in at the accommodation in or near Avignon for three nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 3: The Pont du Gard by canoe

• Drive to Collias (about 40 min) and canoe trip down the Gardon to the Pont du Gard, with life jackets and instructors (on request).
• Picnic or lunch at your own expense by the river.
• Visit to the Pont du Gard site, a Roman aqueduct almost 50 m high, and its museum (on request).
• Stop in Uzès, the first duchy of France, and its Place aux Herbes, then back to Avignon.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: The villages of the Luberon

• Drive to Gordes (about 50 min), a village perched on its rock, and stop at the viewpoint.
• Stop in front of Sénanque Abbey and its lavender fields, then drive to Roussillon.
• Walk along the Ochre Trail in Roussillon, between red and orange cliffs (on request), and lunch at your own expense.
• Supervised free time in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, with its canals and water wheels.
• Back to Avignon, dinner and last evening in Avignon.

Day 5: Les Baux-de-Provence and Arles

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and drive to Les Baux-de-Provence (about 40 min).
• Visit to the Carrières des Lumières, an immersive show projected inside a former quarry (on request), then the hilltop village.
• Lunch at your own expense, then drive to Arles (about 30 min) and visit to the amphitheatre and the ancient theatre (on request).
• Walk in Van Gogh’s footsteps, from Place du Forum to the garden of the Espace Van Gogh.
• Check-in at the accommodation in Arles or the Camargue for two nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 6: The Camargue and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

• Drive through the Camargue: rice fields, lagoons, herds of bulls and white horses.
• Visit to the Pont de Gau bird park and its pink flamingos (on request).
• Horse ride with a manade (local ranch), supervised by riding guides (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense, then supervised free time in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, from the fortified church to the beach.
• Dinner and last evening in Provence.

Day 7: Orange and overnight stop in Burgundy

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and drive to Orange (about 1 hr).
• Visit to the ancient theatre of Orange and its Roman stage wall, one of the best preserved in the world (on request), then a stop at the triumphal arch.
• Lunch at your own expense, then drive up the Rhône valley to the overnight stop (about 350 km, 4 hours excluding breaks).
• Check-in at the hotel in the Beaune area, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 8: Return to your school

• Departure after breakfast and daytime drive back to Belgium (about 500 to 600 km depending on your school).
• Regular breaks on the way.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the late afternoon or evening.