CULTURE, ADVENTURE, ROMANCE AND GLAM!

• The palette is pink-purple, the canvas - rolling hills and cypress roads - and the painter - everyone from the legendary Van Gogh to painting holiday enthusiasts. A trip to Provence is simply “all senses go!”

Not to be missed

• Painting workshops
• Charming villas, ancient Roman ruins, lavender fields, olive groves, poppy fields… the stimuli for the canvas are just too many in Provence.
• Charming villas, ancient Roman ruins, medieval landscapes, lavender fields, olive groves, poppy fields…the stimuli for the canvas are just too many in Provence. Little wonder then, that this beautiful piece of land on the planet inspired Van Gogh to create some of his most memorable works.
• Whether you are a beginner, or a professional, let Provence work its magic on you. Coupled with the expert guidance of resident artist Julian Merrow-Smith and his wife, a painting workshop amidst bewitching scenery is sure to bring out the maestro within you.
• Find your calling, find your soul, or simply find supreme joy in painting away in an idyllic setting. The trip includes equipment, lip-smacking delicacies of the region, accommodation et al. All you have to take along is your enthusiasm and your love for the strokes!
• Isle sur la Sorgue
• This Sunday market is set in a town with quaint canals and waterwheels. Find out why it attracts the biggest designers and dealers in Europe.
• An idyllic town with a Gothic church (Notre Dame des Anges), old waterwheels and the gentle Sorgue river flowing through its quaint canals, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue takes on a whole new character during the weekends.
• Come Sunday and the place is overrun by art dealers, farmers, visitors, browsers and lensmen! The town is the second largest antique centre in France (after Paris), with shops and galleries selling furniture, painting, pottery, candle sticks and more. And it’s nowhere near touristy junk. The most canny art buyers of Europe can be spotted bargaining at the large antique center called Le Village des Antiquaires de la Gare.
• Antiques aside, Sunday sees a vibrant food market bursting with ambrosial local produce like melons, peppers, cheese, olive oil strawberries, spices and poivre (pepper crusted) sausages. Handmade soap and espadrilles are other attractions. The Brocante or Flea market opens on Saturday itself at the Avenue des Quatre Otages. Filled with bric-a-bracs and collectibles, there’s no way you’ll go home empty handed!
• Provence prides itself on its cuisine, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is no exception. A glass of Rosé can be had at any of its riverside cafés, while home style eateries and Michelin starred restaurants are aplenty, offering memorable meals. For the shopping focussed, mobile vans with wood fired grills offer pizza by the slice. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue hosts two internationally acclaimed antique fairs, one during Easter and the other in mid August.
  

Must Dos

• Up your glam quotient in the French Riviera.
• Go antique hunting in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
• Bow reverentially in Avignon, the papal seat before Vatican city.
• Indulge at Mane, where the L’Occitane spa cum hotel is nestled in a 16th century convent.
• Hit the Wednesday market at St.Rémy en Provence devoted to all things Olive (miniature olive trees too) and all things appetizing (saucissons, honey, purple garlic, cheeses & coloured vinegars).
• Go back home with the prized ‘Red rice’ from Camargue.
• Get on a bicycle made for two - typical rides here involve sunflower beds, vineyards, orchards, castles and lavender trails.
• Stock up on lavender scents, soaps & oils.
• Relax; let the outstanding Rhone Valley cuisine & wine do the pampering.