Avignon, the Rhône and Provence

We meet at London St Pancras, travelling on the Eurostar to Avignon via Paris. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel for the next six nights before dinner at a local restaurant.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

We take a relaxing cruise along the River Rhône, enjoying lunch as we sail through picturesque scenery of vineyards and historic houses to Arles. With a long history dating back to Celtic times, Arles' diverse past has left it with a rich variety of architecture. Boasting a beautifully preserved centre, the city has one of Europe's best collections of Roman ruins, including a mighty UNESCO-listed arena that would have seated about 20,000 people, which sits alongside Romanesque monuments and sun-baked houses. There's free time to explore the rich heritage of the city, including the Van Gogh Foundation, which celebrates the work of the famous artist who once called Arles home, before we return to Avignon by rail.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Setting out on a guided walking tour of Avignon, we see the Pont St Bénezet, the city's famous broken bridge. All but four of its arches were washed away in a devastating flood in 1668, and today the surviving arches have become an iconic symbol of the city. We also stop by the Palais des Papes, the Palace of the Popes, which was the seat of the Papacy during the 14th century after Clement V escaped the violent chaos and corruption of Rome. Your afternoon is free to explore further. Stoll through the city's broad, tree-lined avenues and wander the intriguing network of alleyways and passages which connect beautiful open squares and pretty churches.

• Breakfast

We travel by coach to the petit village of Saint Didier to visit Nougaterie Silvain, the home of local nougat production. Breathe in the scent of honey and toasted almonds as we tour the manufacturing workshop, learning about the history of this much-loved local sweet before sampling some ourselves. We continue to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, also known as the 'Venice of Provence' thanks to the canals which criss-cross the town, sitting down for lunch before some free time. Later, we stop at Gordes, a beautiful old village built around an outcrop of rocky cliffs and crowned by its 12th-century castle. There's free time here to discover one of 'Les Plus Beaux Villages de France', before we return to our hotel.

• Breakfast

Today includes a delicious treat as we set out on a gourmet food tour. Telling the history of Avignon through its food, we wander the city's lesser-known side streets with our knowledgeable guide to meet local producers before visiting many of the different stalls at the city's renowned food market, Les Halles. Here, we sample unusual delicacies such as papaline, a type of chocolate unique to Avignon, and other regional specialties that will excite your taste buds and inspire your home cooking.

• Breakfast, Lunch

An excursion takes us to the stunning Pont du Gard, a famous stone aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River Valley. Built in 19 BC, this incredible structure is UNESCO-listed and is one of the greatest remaining glories of the Roman Empire. Next, we visit the small town of Uzès, where there's time for lunch before we continue to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. One of the most celebrated red wine producing villages in the world, we uncover its incredible wine heritage with a visit to Vignobles Mayard for a presentation on local wines. There's chance to sample some of the region's acclaimed Châteauneuf wine before we return to Avignon for dinner at a local restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave Avignon after breakfast and join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras, travelling via Paris.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Meal