The Luberon with a private driver: Gordes, Roussillon, Lourmarin
The Luberon is best seen village by village, and that is where a driver changes the day: no map to read, no parking space to hunt for. You are dropped off as close as possible and collected at an agreed spot. Gordes high on its hill, Roussillon and its ochre-coloured façades, Lourmarin at the foot of the range: each deserves a proper stop.
In Roussillon, the Sentier des Ocres, the ochre trail, offers two loops of about 30 and 50 minutes on foot. The path is sandy, with many steps, and ochre dust stains: wear closed shoes and avoid pale clothes. The trail closes for part of the winter, and sometimes after heavy rain. In Lourmarin, the château is described as the first Renaissance château in Provence, and the village lends itself to a lunch stop. Gordes pairs well with Sénanque Abbey in the same morning.
Sénanque Abbey and the lavender season
Sénanque Abbey is home to a Cistercian community, which asks visitors to respect the silence and prayerful atmosphere of the place. According to the abbey, the lavender spikes are fully formed towards the end of June, and the monks harvest the lavender in July.
On its website, the abbey mentions a harvest between 15 and 20 July, but the date varies from year to year. If the lavender is the reason for your trip, check with the abbey before settling on your day.
Out of season, without the flowers, the abbey makes a shorter stop, easily paired with Gordes or Roussillon; visiting hours and bookings are on its website.
The Alpilles: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Les Baux
With a private driver, the Alpilles show another side of Provence: pale stone and olive groves. In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the Alpilles en Provence tourist office lists a large Provençal market every Wednesday from 8 am to 1 pm, all year round. If you would like to see it, say so in your request and the departure time will allow for it.
At the foot of Les Baux-de-Provence, the Carrières des Lumières fill a former quarry with immersive digital exhibitions, as they have since 2012. The programme changes, so check what is showing before you go. The village of Les Baux, on its rocky outcrop, completes the half-day.
Planning a Provence day trip with a chauffeur
The temptation is to see everything. Two or three stops in one area leave time to walk, have lunch and drive back unhurried; five stops turn the day into a drive. A few combinations that work well:
- Luberon: Gordes and Sénanque in the morning, then lunch and the château in Lourmarin.
- Luberon on foot: the ochre trail in Roussillon, then Gordes later in the day.
- Alpilles: Saint-Rémy market on a Wednesday morning, then the Carrières des Lumières and the village of Les Baux.
- Arrival day: a transfer from the station or the airport can include one stop on the way, if timings allow.
Whether it is a Luberon day trip from Marseille or a Provence day trip from Aix, the chauffeur collects you from your hotel and stays with you all day; the length of the day is set in the quote, depending on the start time, the stops and your pace.
Let’s talk about your visit: tell us the date, the pick-up place and time, the stops you have in mind (or simply what you would like to see, and we will suggest an order), the number of passengers, any lunch booking and when you want to be back. Staying in Aix? See Private chauffeur in Aix-en-Provence; for a day by the sea, Driver for Cassis and the Calanques.
Staying in the Luberon
For a stay in a villa, a Provençal mas or a country house in the Luberon or the Alpilles, your chauffeur can meet you at Marseille Provence Airport, Marseille Saint-Charles station or Aix-en-Provence TGV station, and drive you to the property. The two stations are separate, so check which one is on your ticket, and see Chauffeur at Saint-Charles station.
For a secluded house, a few details spare the chauffeur any hesitation on arrival: the exact address or GPS coordinates, the gate code or the caretaker’s number, a narrow or unmade track, the amount of luggage. Depending on passengers and bags, a van such as a Mercedes V-Class may be more suitable than a saloon; cars are provided by the Federation’s members, subject to their availability.
The rest of your stay is arranged the same way, from dinner in Aix to the train home: see Private chauffeur in Provence.