Sundrenched, succulent and tangy, the climate is Mediterranean and well known for the quality of light and intensity of colour, a drawcard for many famous artists. The Fontaine de Vaucluse is the source of the river Sorgue, where Jacques Costeau discovered the snow of the Alps spills into Provence. And everywhere are memories of a rich and varied past, the Greeks inhabited the area in 600BC but the Romans' rich legacy is still visible. The delicious flavours of Provençal cuisine come from the many herbs of the region.

Our holidaymakers tips:

• Visit the sanatorium at St Remy where Van Gough painted his Irises
• Cycle through fields of lavender and poppies
• Try the cycle trail through historic hilltop villages, easy cycling to hillier in the Luberon proper
• See Roman amphitheatres at Nimes, Arles and Orange, and Gallo-Roman Glanum in St Remy
• Wander around the Palace of the Popes in Avignon where the seat of Rome once existed
• Check out the summer festivals and the Camargue bulls running through the towns
• Enjoy canoeing down the River Gardon under the Pont du Gard
• Visit the famous Sunday markets around the water-wheels at Isle sur la Sorgue

Checklist: Start 1st May to 10th October; Terrain – grade 1 easy and grades 2 & 3 mixed flat to hilly; Distances 25-50km; Temps – 21C-28C; Base hotel pool, cycle trails, family friendly, canoeing, baggage transfer option available.