Hiking in Provence - Uzès, Pont du Gard & Alpilles

The trip begins in Uzès, the town where France's first dukes once ruled. You can easily get here by bus from Avignon in just under an hour. Just a few minutes from the centre, the asphalt gives way to forest trails among fragrant laurel trees. A lightly shaded climb leads up to the garrigue – the low scrubland of aromatic herbs so typical of Provence. Along the way, you pass capitelles, centuries-old stone huts built entirely without mortar that have nonetheless withstood the test of time. From the top of a grassy hill, you can see the Cévennes to the west and Uzès below you. After the hike, the ducal castle awaits, along with shaded cafés and Place aux Herbes, one of Provence's finest squares with stone arcades sheltering shops and restaurants. The cobbled streets are lined with stately stone houses from the 17th and 18th centuries.

A short fifteen-minute transfer takes you to the sleepy village of Collias, where today's hike begins. You follow the GR6 trail, mostly along quiet country roads, downstream along the Gardon River. Above the river, the first remains of the 2,000-year-old aqueduct appear – and then suddenly you find yourself standing in front of the Pont du Gard itself. The bridge rises 50 metres above the Gardon, was the tallest of its kind in the Roman Empire, and is today the best preserved. After crossing the river, you leave the roads behind and climb steadily through the garrigue, before a short but steep descent takes you to Saint-Bonnet-du-Gard. There, a private transfer of about 50 minutes awaits to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where you'll stay for the next two nights.

From central Saint-Rémy, you leave the olive groves and cypresses behind and begin a steady climb up into the Alpilles. The name roughly means "little Alps," and it's fitting: a small but jagged mountain range rising from the otherwise flat Rhône Valley. Soon you reach the ridge and its sweeping panorama. Take time to visit the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole monastery along the way. Van Gogh lived here for over a year and painted more than 150 paintings, several of which are among his finest works. The loop via La Caume ends where it began, in Saint-Rémy.

Back up on the ridge, you follow a trail through the thicket of thyme and rockrose, with open views of the mountains to the north and the plain to the south. A winding path then leads down through the olive groves to the village of Maussane-les-Alpilles, known for its olive oil. This is where you'll stay for the last two nights.

On Thursdays, there's a market in Maussane, so take the opportunity before you set off. Today's loop begins through the golf course, and via a hidden trail you then climb up to the medieval village of Les Baux-de-Provence, perched on a cliff above the valley. You leave the village through its medieval town gate and descend back to the plain, following canals and passing through olive groves back to Maussane.

After breakfast, the trip comes to an end. The local bus takes you to Arles, where you continue by train or bus to Avignon – or onward home. If you'd rather avoid changes, we can arrange a private transfer from Maussane to Avignon. Au revoir la Provence!