TOUR AT A GLANCE – Provence by Scooter Itinerary
Departures: Aug 26, 2012 and private departures, please contact us for details.
Duration: 6 Days/5 Nights
Departing from: Orange at 9:00 a.m. on Day 2
Tour finishes: Orange train station on Day 6
Trip price for 5-Night itinerary has been reduced to: €1,800 per person based on double occupancy and minimum 4 people. (€2,000 2 – 3 pax). Single supplement: €200.
Click on the Currency Converter to see the price in your local currency. BN150112
Hit the open road on your own scooter on this guided tour of Provence’s Vaucluse and Luberon regions. We spend one night in Orange and then four and a half days of touring the romantic Provencal countryside by scooter. Traveling by scooter is fun and easy. Your guide will lead you along quiet back roads amongst olive groves and vineyards to story-book castles and hilltop villages. This is a great holiday which combines the freedom and exhilaration of touring by scooter with the fabulous food, wine, and landscapes of Provence. Scooterbella in the news: our tours have been featured in the travel section of The Guardian (UK), Jan 20th, 2007. Another article was published by The Observer on April 23rd, 2006. Our Tuscany trip was also featured in a 3-page full-color article in the London Telegraph, and in London’s The Times.
NOTE: You must arrive at the start of the tour already a safe, competent rider. We are not a motorbike school. A motorcycle license is NOT required to drive a scooter a 50cc scooter in France. A valid car license is required as well as an international drivers license for all non-E.U. citizens. This is very easy to get! Please click here for more information.
We begin in Orange, a lovely Provencal market town which boasts some of the best-preserved Roman architecture in France. It is also well connected by fast TGV trains to Paris, Lyon, and Avignon. We then ride into the timeless beauty of the Provencal countryside, taking in the wine villages of Gigondas and Beaumes de Venise on our way to our country hotel which features an inviting pool and gorgeous views. On Day 4 we ride through some of the most beautiful villages in France to arrive at Le Couvent, a former convent now converted into a lovely family run small hotel. On our last day we drive back to Orange where you can once again connect with France’s superb high-speed rail system.
The Scooters – We provide 50cc scooters. Please note that unlike our scooter trips in Italy, these scooters are not Vespa™ scooters, nor are they 125cc engine size. They are lightweight, comfortable, and easy to ride. They have an electric start and automatic transmission, and the brakes are on the handle bars, like on a bicycle. We provide you with helmets. The 50 cc Scooter is ideal for one person, but it can carry two people. Top speed is 70 kph but we will be touring at a slower, more comfortable and safe speed.
Day 1 – Sunday: Independent arrival in Orange any time today. There are regular and frequent rail connections between Orange and other major French cities. Depending on when you get in, you may have time to explore this beautiful and historic Provençal town whose Antique Roman theatre has been deemed a World Historical Site by UNESCO. Built during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the 1st century A.D it is considered the best preserved Roman Theatre in the world. Dinner is on your own tonight, but we will provide you with suggestions. Hotel included.
Day 2 – Monday: Meet your guide after breakfast at 9:00 for a brief orientation then head out on your first ride, passing through the wine villages of Cairanne, Rasteau, and Roaix on our way to the perfect Provencal village square in Villedieu for our mid-morning café au lait and croissant. A super scenic ride via Merindols les Oliviers brings us to Vaison La Romaine for a late lunch. Time in the afternoon to explore the quaint medieval quarter or the peruse the shops before making our way to our country hotel near the village of Bedoin. Time for a dip in the pool before an aperitif and then dinner on the terrace.Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 3 – Tuesday:Today’s ride takes us from one perfect, quintessential Provencal village to the next. We thread our way from Flassan, to Villes-sur-Auzon to Methamis, to end in Venasque for lunch at one of our all time favourite Bistro. Our afternoon ride loops back towards Bedoin, which is located on the flank of Mont Ventoux. Nicknamed “The Giant of Provence” it towers over the surrounding countryside at 6,263 feet. Enjoy a refreshing drink beneath a shady plane tree in the village before retiring to the Hotel Des Pins to relax before dinner. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included
Day 4 – Wednesday: This morning we say goodbye to Bedoin and head south towards the Luberon, a UNESCO “Biosphere Reserve.” Our route takes us through a dramatic gorge to the hilltop village of Murs, the perfect mid morning stop. We carry on to the ochre-colored cliffs and quarries of Roussillon (known regionally as Le Colorado Provençal!). Centuries of mining for the richly-colored earth have left a surreal landscape of eroded cliffs and bizarre peaks in a rainbow of red, yellow, mustard, and cream. We enjoy a picnic lunch in this fabulous area before continuing on Apt, our home for the next two nights. We receive a special welcome in Apt from Laurent and Marie, owners of Le Couvent, a charming boutique hotel. While we have an apéritif by the pool, they will tell us about the history of the medieval convent that they have lovingly transformed into their home. Indeed, they live here with their 3 children, but don’t worry, there is more than enough room for everyone! A short walk to dinner brings us to Thym te Voilà, whose owner and chef finds inspiration in old Provencal recipes. Overnight in Apt. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 5 – Thursday: A short ride takes us to Saignon, a peaceful little village filled with ancient fountains, shady squares, and beautiful old houses with intricate doorways. Dated as one of the ten oldest villages in France, Saignon has a rich Roman history visible in the cobbled streets and old stone portals. Our route takes us through cherry orchards, olive groves, and scrub forest to link up some of the most beautiful villages in all of France, including Bonnieux, Lacoste, Ménerbes, and Oppède-le-Vieux. We’ll eat lunch at a café in a village square or at a scenic spot overlooking the tiled rooftops. Upon our return to Apt we can relax by the pool or people-watch at the café next to the town fountain, or have a game of boules in the garden. This evening is a fitting culinary finale to our trip at the “Manade.” Overnight in Apt. Overnight in Apt. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6 – Friday: One last blast of breathtaking Provencal beauty as we ride through the villages of Goult, Gordes, and Fontaine de Vaucluse and past the medieval abbey at Senanque. We arrive in Orange in the early afternoon to connect with high-speed TGV trains to Paris, Lyon or Nice. Breakfast included.
IMPORTANT!! : QUALIFICATIONS
You must be over 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and an INTERNATIONAL driver’s license to drive a scooter. Of course anyone can be a passenger. Previous experience on a scooter or motorbike is advantageous and highly advised. If you have not ridden one before then you should do so before you do this trip. Rent a scooter locally, and learn how to ride it before coming on the trip. U.K. residents can try Vroom by the Sea, a scooter rental in Brighton
WE ARE NOT HERE TO TEACH YOU HOW TO DRIVE A SCOOTER. YOU MUST ARRIVE AT THE START OF THE TRIP ALREADY A COMPETENT RIDER. In the past we have been amazed by people who arrive to drive a scooter on public roads who have never ridden before and who are uncoordinated, un-athletic, and who will clearly never be able to drive a scooter safely. Please do not be one of these people. Our scooters are easy to ride, but a good sense of balance and coordination is required. The scooters have a 125cc engine and an all-steel frame. They are lighter and easier to drive than a larger motorbike but they are also heavier than a moped and other smaller 50cc scooters (they weigh about 110 kg, or about 235 lbs).
You will be driving a motor vehicle on public roads. You are responsible for your safety but also for the safety of other motorists, bikers and pedestrians. You must be able to control the scooter and drive it competently. If we feel your driving skills put you and others at risk we reserve the right to take the scooter away from you. In the event that you cannot ride as a passenger on the back of someone else, then we will help to arrange an alternative mode of transport, either taxi, or rental car, but at your expense.
Finally, age may be a factor. We have found that most people who are over 50 and who have never ridden a scooter or motorbike have problems riding a scooter. If you have not used the “motorbike” part of your brain before the age of 50, then it may be too late to learn. We don’t know why this is, but such are the mysteries of Life, Zen, and the Art of Scooter maintenance. So if in doubt, please take the time to try a scooter at home. Find a big vacant parking lot, put on a helmet, read our accompanying document about motorcycle safety, and give it a whirl. If you are happy with your abilities and you feel safe, then you are ready to ride one of our scooters.
The bottom line is that we just want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday!
Useful Links -
Provence info: nice website with good photos
Avignon History: Wikipedia has a good site, with lots of info on the Great Schism
Côtes du Rhône: very informative site on one of France’s best wine families
Mont Ventoux: interesting Wikipedia entry, including lots of Tour de France stats
Parc National Régional du Luberon: park website, in English
The Marquis de Sade: read up on Provence’s most scandalous son (then see his château in Lacoste)
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: look at all the fabulous things to see in France!
Vroom by the Sea: hone your two-wheeling skills in the U.K. and get yourself some cool new gear at this scooter rental company in Brighton.
General Information
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Note on Itinerary: Although we do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control, such as the weather Trip Cost Includes: All accommodations (1 night Orange, 2 nights near Bedoin, 2 nights in Apt); 5 breakfasts and 4 dinners; bilingual guide; *one 50cc scooter with rear carrier bin; related third party liability insurance as required by French law (but not insurance covering theft or damage to the scooter where you are at fault, which is available for €15 per day); helmet and fuel; all luggage transfers from day 2 to the end of the tour at the Avignon TGV train station. Getting there ( this will redirect you to our “Getting to the Trip” page) Booking: e-mail us to receive a booking contract (or use the “Reservation” page). Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance. We recommend “Travel Guard” to our American clients, just click on the logo below, while Canadian residents can click here. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.  We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! |
