Provence Scooter

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DETAILS

Provence Scooter:

Hit the open road on this guided tour of Provence’s Vaucluse region. Traveling by scooter is fun and easy. Your guide will lead you along quiet backroads amongst olive groves and vineyards to story-book castles and hilltop villages. We begin in Orange, a lovely Provençal 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 Provençal countryside, taking in the wine villages of Cairanne and Rasteau on our way to Vaison la Romaine, the quintessential Provençal town. Our hotel is a winery situated in the countryside near the delightful village of Séguret. From there we continue through some of the most beautiful villages in France to arrive at Le Château de Mazan, a stylish four-star hotel built on the site of a former noble residence. The tour ends with a shuttle to Avignon’s TGV rail station where you can connect to Paris or Nice on France’s superb high-speed rail system. This is a great holiday which combines the freedom and exhilaration of touring by scooter with the fabulous food, wine, and landscapes of Provence.

General Details

Location:
France

Duration:
6 Days/5 Nights

Departing from:
Orange at 9:00 a.m. on Day 2

Tour finishes:
Avignon TGV train station on Day 6

Departures and Price

Apr 21

May 11

May 25

Jun 1

Jun 8

Jul 6

Aug 17

Aug 31

Sep 20

Oct 6

Book this tour from €3,500.00* pp.

Book now

€3,500 per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 6 pax. €3,750 for 4–5 pax. €4,100 for 2 - 3 pax. Single supplement €370. Pillion passengers receive €100 discount Note: a 125 cc scooter is available for a supplement of €150 Euro but you must have a motorbike license.

*Private departures are also available. Pick any date that suits you!

Included

Accommodation: 5 nights in 3 and 4 star hotels. (1 night near Orange, 2 nights near Vaison La Romaine, 2 nights Mazan);

Meals: 5 breakfasts and 4 dinners

Luggage: Bags are transferred from hotel to hotel and to the final drop off point.

Special events: Wine tasting in Vaison, Provencal market, entrance and visit of Chateau Le Barroux.

Transport: Private van transfers as noted in the itinerary.

Scooters: 50cc scooters. Automatic gears and electronic start. Helmet and fuel Included. A 125 cc scooter may available for a supplement of €120 Euro but you must have a motorbike license.

Insurance: Third party liability insurance and third party property damage

Active days: 5 days of riding

Guides: One bilingual Scooterbella guide for groups up to 5 scooters, and two guides for more than 5 scooters.

Max group size: Tours are capped at 14 people

Getting to and from the tour:

Arrival: the trip starts in Orange, which is easily accessible by rail from Paris and Avignon.

Air: most intercontinental flights fly into Paris “Charles de Gaulle” but you can also fly into smaller airports in Provence like Marseille, the small Avignon airport, or the Nimes airport served by Ryan Air flights. For a complete list of French airports and a selection of low-cost airlines, see our "Transport Info" page.
Rail: Orange is not on the direct TGV (high-speed train) line from Paris, so you will have to change in either Lyon or Avignon. Journey time is 3.5-4.5 hours. Trains from Marseille take about an hour and a half. See current train schedules at the SNCF website here.

Note: there are 2 train stations in Avignon, one in the center for regional trains and the newer TGV station, which is connected to the central station by TER regional train (or of course taxi). If you transfer via Avignon you must change train station!

Departure: the trip ends with a shuttle to the TGV (high-speed rail) station of Avignon. We will schedule our exact drop-off according to the group’s travel arrangements.

If you sign up for this tour, you’ll receive detailed information about travel logistics, including a "Final Bulletin" with clear instructions on how to reach the first hotel. The bulletin will also include your guide’s cell phone number for any assistance you may need.

ITINERARY

Day by Day

Day 1: Arrival in Orange – A Stroll Through History

Independent arrival in Orange. Take some time to explore this beautiful and historic Provençal town, whose Roman theater has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the 1st century AD. it is considered the best preserved Roman theater in the world. Dinner is on your own tonight to allow for a relaxed first evening. Overnight Orange. Hotel included, dinner not included.

Day 2: Wine Villages and Medieval Charm

Meet your guide after breakfast at 9:00 this morning and transfer out of town for an orientation to help you feel comfortable on your scooter. We then head out on our first ride, passing through the wine villages of Cairanne and Rasteau. Stop for lunch in the perfect Provençal village square in Villedieu, and then enjoy a scenic ride to Vaison-la-Romaine. You have time this afternoon to explore the quaint medieval quarter, built in the 8th century as protection against marauding barbaric tribes. Our hotel, the Domaine de Cabasse is a working winery and is located a short ride from Vaison. It is set amongst the vineyards beneath the perched village of Séguret. We dine tonight on the hotel terrace. We stay at the Hotel Domaine de Cabasse (or similar). Overnight near Vaison la Romaine. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 3: Provençal Markets and Scenic Gorges

This morning we have a short ride into Vaison to visit the Tuesday morning ritual known as Le Grand Marché, considered to be the best of all Provençal markets. Hundreds of stalls sell handicrafts, linens, ceramics, herbs, soaps, and food, including olives prepared in every conceivable way. The afternoon ride takes you to the most remote part of the region as we ride along the northern edge of Mont Ventoux. The area is sparsely populated but still dotted with picturesque hilltop villages like Brantes, where we have lunch beneath a shady plane tree. Follow the emerald-coloured waters of the Gorges du Toulourenc to return to to our oasis in the countryside. You can chill out by the pool, or enjoy a short walk up to the village of Séguret. Dine tonight in an excellent bistro with a sunset view. Overnight near Vaison la Romaine. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 4: Hilltop Villages and a Historic Château Stay

Spend the morning scooting amongst the vineyards and villages of the Côtes du Rhône’s most prestigious appellations. Mid-morning café stop in Gigondas before continuing up to La Suzette for expansive views. A winding descent brings you to the imposing mass of the Chateau Le Barroux, a 12th-century fortress. Stop for a quick visit of this impressive site, whose walls have withstood assaults over the centuries, most recently in WWII. After lunch, scoot through the quaint villages of Caromb and St. Peirre de Vassols en route to the walled village of Mazan. Our hotel is a renovated château (or similar) that was built in 1720 in Regency style and was once the residence of the Marquis de Sade. It was completely renovated in 2001 and turned into a charming hotel on the edge of the village of Mazan. Enjoy the gardens and pool before an apéritif and dinner. We stay at Chateau de Mazan. Overnight Mazan. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 5: The Breathtaking Gorge de la Nesque

Today’s ride takes you on a dramatic but gentle ride through the spectacular Gorge de la Nesque. A sinewy road leads you gradually up 22 km (17 mi.) to the summit of the gorge, and then a few kms down the other side to the quintessential Provencal village of Monieux for lunch. Dine in the shade of plane trees and take in the lovely garden and statuary in the main square before straddling your scooter for the ride home. The impressive silhouette of Mont Ventoux, “The Giant of Provence,” looms large on the horizon as we ride back into the valley. Ventoux towers over the surrounding countryside at 1,912m (6,273 ft). Enjoy a refreshing swim at the hotel pool before dinner at the hotel. Overnight Mazan. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

Day 6: Farewell Provence – Transfer to Avignon

We provide a 40-minute shuttle to the Avignon TGV station this morning, timed to correspond with high-speed trains to Paris. Many choose to stay on in Avignon for a couple of days to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Papal Palace and to enjoy a sojourn to the nearby village of Châteauneuf du Pape, or head southwest to St. Rémy de Provence, where Vincent Van Gogh spent the penultimate year of his life and did many of his famous paintings. Breakfast and one group transfer included.

Please note: According to the departure date of your tour some details of the itinerary may change. This is because we make discoveries whenever we run a tour. Sometimes they are good, like a wonderful new wine bar that we want to take you to, and sometimes bad, like a road has been washed away. We, therefore, sometimes change our itinerary to improve it by adding something new or substituting something that is no longer up to our standards. We always aim to provide you with the best possible experience because we want you to come back for another tour! We will let you know before departure of any changes to the original itinerary.

Pax on scooters Provence Scooterbella tours

ACTIVITY LEVEL

Are you ready?

ACTIVITY RATING: 1 = Super Easy

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.

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 light people. Note: a 125 cc scooter is available for a supplement of €120 Euro but you must have a motorbike license to drive a 125cc scooter.

NOTE: A motorcycle license is NOT required to drive a scooter a 50 cc scooter in France. A valid car license is required.

We will be riding about 100 kms a day, at least, therefore you need to be a good rider. We aim to break up the rides so that we do not ride more than 45 minutes in one stretch.

Previous experience driving a scooter or motorbike is essential. You must arrive at the start of the trip already a competent rider, otherwise the risk of injury and hospitalization is too great. If you have not ridden a scooter before then you should take lessons or rent a scooter locally and learn how to ride it before coming on the trip.

Physical activity is limited to walking in the towns and villages.

To drive a scooter, you must be over 18 years of age & have a valid driver’s license. Previous experience driving a scooter or motorbike is essential. You must arrive at the start of the trip already a competent rider, otherwise the risk of injury and hospitalization is too great. If you have not ridden a scooter before then you should take lessons or rent a scooter locally and learn how to ride it before coming on the trip.

Please note: We will not teach you how to drive a scooter. You must arrive at the start of the trip already a competent rider.

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’s scooter then we will help to arrange an alternative mode of transport such as a taxi or a rental car, but at your expense.

By making a booking, you declare to have a driving licence valid for the duration of the journey and for the vehicle used on this tour.

We highly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance. We recommend “Travel Guard” to our North American clients, just click on the logo below. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.