Testimonials/Reviews from 2013
Read here what our clients have to say about Discover Provence Tours 2013
November 11th, 2013 '3 Day Tours: Aix-en-Provence, Arles & St Remy, Luberon Villages and Cassis'
We travelled to Provence in mid October. The spurge for a personal 3 day tour was a bit out of our budget. But the tour was definitely worth it.
Sarah drove us to Cassis, Arles and Luberon Villages telling us about Provence and it's history the whole way. She knew her way around, tirelessly making sure that we were comfortable and got to see everything we wanted. It was always a difficult choice to stay longer and enjoy one place or to keep moving and to see another winery or another castle or another exceptional view.
We saw and learned so much more than if we would have toured on our own .
We had a great time and the tour made our trip to Provence such a memorable experience.
Natasha, Melbourne, Australia
October 28th, 2013 '3 Day Tours: Luberon Villages, Cassis, Arles, St Remy, Pont du Gard, Avignon and Chateauneuf-du-Pape'
Our custom tours with Sarah were the highlight of our vacation. She helped us put together 2 and 1/2 days seeing beautiful perched villages, tasting wine in Chauteauneuf du Pape and Cassis and experiencing Provence on a flexible schedule. If you plan to visit Provence, relax and enjoy it with Discover Provence.
Jeanne, Sacramento, California, USA
October 22nd, 2013 'Luberon Village Full Day Tour'
While vacationing in Aix-en-Provence without a car, we took several day trips. By far the most informative and enjoyable was Sarah's tour of the Luberon. She is very knowledgeable about the region and it's history and was able to personalize the tour for us.
Danny K, New York, USA
October 17th, 2013 'Luberon Village Full Day Tour'
From our base in Aix-en Provence, six of us enjoyed a wonderful day with Sarah as we discovered the beauty of the Luberon. Her tour was both informative and fun. After visiting several small villages, we had a delicious lunch at Loumarin. We all loved the tiny laneways of the villages and the amazing hill-top fortresses. Thank you so much Sarah for your company on this delightful excursion into the Luberon.
Rosalyn, Adelaide, Australia
October 7th, 2013 'Historical Walking Tour of Aix-en-Provence'
Sarah took 8 of us ( 6 Americans and two well travelled Italians) on a lovely walking tour of Aix on a sunny fall afternoon. All agreed that the experience was interesting and valuable for the rest of our 7 day visit. She gave us history, geography, and cultural insights, and showed us important locations in the town. She was generous about tips on good places to shop and eat, and offered to let us join other tours she was conducting. ( We ended up not having time.) She was a pleasure to spend time with. Her tour was a great way to begin to understand Aix!
Don, Seattle, Washington, USA
October 6th, 2013 'Half Day Afternoon Tour to Cassis'
Sarah took us to Cassis from Aix-en-Provence in total comfort. She gave information in a very interesting way, both during the trip and in Cassis, as well as on the boat tour to the Calanques. Sarah's warm and friendly manner was such a joy, and we thoroughly enjoyed the day with her.
Allene, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
October 5th, 2013 ' 4 Full Day Tours: Luberon Villages, Cassis, Arles, St Remy , Avignon and Chateauneuf-du-Pape'
We spent 4 days touring Provence with Sarah, using Aix-en-Provence as a base. Sarah was easy to make plans with before our trip. She was flexible with our itinerary, making last minute changes according to weather and our interests. The restaurants and hotels she recommended were excellent. It was so enjoyable spending time with Sarah, who is fun to converse with, efficient and knowledgeable, relaxed and affable. Her familiarity with the area and attention to detail really enhanced our time in Provence. We were able to relax and enjoy our trip so much more than if we had tried to navigate the area ourselves. This is a beautiful part of the world and we are so grateful to Sarah for sharing her knowledge and expertise with us.
Terri, Philadelphia, USA
October 2nd, 2013 'Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages and Cassis'
Travelling alone and without a car can prove challenging when wanting to take full advantage of everything the Provence region has to offer. Enter Sarah and ‘Discover Provence’ tours. Without her deep knowledge and passion for the area, I would have been oblivious to the ins and outs of French specific wine making, pretty little villages perched high on cliff tops, fishing villages with unique claims to fame, the majesty of the coast not to mention the beauty of the seasonal flowers to name just a few of the specialties of this region. Add to this a bubbly and warm personality, English for those struggling to slip into local vernacular and a tailoring where possible to your needs. Take advantage of Sarah’s tours, you’ll be so glad you did. Thanks Sarah for a fantastic day!
Jane, Brisbane, Australia
September 19th, 2013 ' Private Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
My wife and I wanted to see the rural beauty of Provence but did not want to rent a car or drive ourselves. Our hotel suggested hiring Sarah and it was a great recommendation. She picked us up promptly when scheduled and helped us plan the day's itinerary after discussion of our desires. Her knowledge of the area, easy-going style, and flexibility were just what we had hoped for. We had a glorious tour of the Luberon countryside and villages and finished our day with a winery tour and tasting. It was a remarkable, educational, relaxing, and beautiful day...we could not have asked for more. We would use Sarah again if traveling in Provence and would enthusiastically recommend her to anyone planning a trip to the area.
Joel, Iowa, USA
September 18th, 2013 ' Private Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
My husband and our friends were in France to celebrate our 30 anniversaries. We began our trip in Paris and then on to Aix en Provence and eventually Antibes. After reading many reviews, I contacted Sarah to inquire about various tours while we were in Provence as we were only going to be there for 3 days. Sarah's response was very quick and so friendly that it didn't take long to know we were going to book a tour with her. We had decided on the full day tour of some of the Luberon Villages and a visit to the Val Joanis winery. Sarah tailored the tour for us, and what a fabulous job she did! She promptly picked us up at our hotel and we were on our way. Her knowledge of Aix en Provence is amazing and so interesting. We toured Gordes, Roussillon, Le Pont St. Julien, Lourmarin, Cucuron and Ansouis. Sarah took her time to explain everything unique about all of the villages we visited, stopping at the most beautiful spots for pictures and answering the very many questions we all had! She picked a fabulous place for lunch that we all thoroughly enjoyed. The winery visit was beautiful, especially the gardens surrounding the winery. Sarah also gave us tips on other things to do in Aix and recommended restaurants while we were there. By the end of the day, we all felt as though we had just spent time with a lifelong friend! Thank you Sarah for everything, we definitely wouldn't have been able to discover your wonderful Provence without you!
Kathleen, New Jersey, USA
September 11th, 2013 ' Two Day Private Tour Gorge du Verdon and Cassis'
We booked a days tour to the Gorge du Verdon with Discover Provence having read the great reviews prior to our holiday. Sarah was a fantastic guide she tailor made our day and arranged for us to also do kayaking whilst we were there. The trip far exceeded expectations with Sarah picking us up from our hotel to stopping for scenic photo stops and visiting the lavender fields on route. We also spent a short time driving along the mountain roads to get a second view of the Gorge from higher up! Finally stopping for a short while to discover a traditional village.
Our day was so great that we arranged for Sarah to take us on a half day trip to Cassis the next day following our unsuccessful attempt to visit the sea side town with public transport (the bus never turned up!!!) So thank you to Sarah for enabling us to enjoy so much of beautiful Provence in such a relaxing way. I would most definitely recommend a trip with Discover Provence.
Charlotte, London, UK
September 9th, 2013 'Four Full Day Private Tours - Luberon Villages, Cassis, Arles, Glanum, Saint-Remy-de-Provence and Marseille'
From the first email contact months with Sarah before our Aix en Provence trip to our farewell at the cruise ship port in Marseille, our interactions with Sarah were superb! In both planning and execution, she is prompt, professional, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. With a wealth of information about an area that she clearly loves, Sarah helped us plan and execute 4 days that were varied and full. We did more with Sarah in that time that we could have accomplished in 2 weeks on our own. A very skillful driver, Sarah expertly planned our time together whether we were on a small tour or just sightseeing with her to maximize each day.. Never rushed but always active, we had time to enjoy the beauty and history of the area, as well as the wonderful food; and we soon felt as though we were traveling with a good friend. From start to finish, Sarah was attentive, flexible, and responsive to our wishes and needs. For example, we were barely in our hotel room after our first day of touring before we received an email from her with restaurant suggestions for the evening. Our wonderful memories of the Luberon villages, Calanques of Cassis. Les Alpilles as well as walking tours of Aix and Marseilles will always include Sarah's knowledgeable and enjoyable company. She was truly the highlight of our time in her beloved Provence.
Sue, Virginia, USA
August 30th , 2013- 'Half day tour to wineries and Luberon villages'
We only had 2 days in Provence and wanted to take a small tour. I contacted Discover Provence after reading reviews by other people. I can't tell you what a wonderful tour we had. Sarah picked us up at our hotel right on time and we went to 2 wineries and did tasting and we also went to 2 small villages. Our tour was for half a day and we learned so much about the city, and the country. We saw places we would have never seen on our own and Sarah is so knowledgeable. She has a charming personality and just let us go at our own pace. If you are looking for a smaller tour (we were supposed to be on a tour with up to 6 people, but it was just the 2 of us) this is perfect. I wish we could have used her as our guide when we went to other cities in Europe.
Debi, Florida, USA
August 14th, 2013 - 'Half Day tour to Cassis and Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
Just recently returned from a short break in 'Aix-en-Provence" with 5 girlfriends. Sarah was a delight to have as a tour guide from meeting us at the airport to our two day private tour, it was great to have everything organised and planned for us. Day 1 was a Cassis a beautiful Port which included a lovely boat trip with stunning coves, followed by a road trip over the Cap Canaille the views were spectacular!! the next day we did the Luberon villages Cucuron was market day! that was fab followed by lunch in Lourmarin, my particular favourite, the little narrow streets with typical French shops could have spent all afternoon there. Sarah was full of local knowledge and great company, she recommened some great restaurants and places to see. Would highly recommend Sarah's Private tours.
Jackie, Gloucester, UK
August 9th, 2013 - 'Half Day tour to Cassis and Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
I recently had the pleasure of experiencing Sarah Pernet's ('Discover Provence') excellent guiding services during a brief stay based in the lovely Aix en Provence. As well as taking our group of 5 ladies out for 2 day visits, Sarah removed all the stress of arriving at the airport laden with luggage by meeting us with her air conditioned car and whisking us door to door to our hotel! We spent our first afternoon in the coatal town of Cassis, which is stunning. Starting with a very good lunch in a restaurant recommended by Sarah we followed with a boat trip to the Calanques which are a spectacular sight. Our second day started with visiting the Val Joanis Winery where we enjoyed their beautiful gardens and an informative private wine tasting. The rest of the day passed extremely pleasantly visiting the villages of the Luberon. All were very attractive and interesting, the market in Cucuron was a delight as was lunch tucked away on the terrace of another recommended restaurant in Lourmarin. Spending our time under Sarah's care was a great idea - it meant that we got as much as we possibly could out of our visit, had the local history, geography and points of interest explained to us, ate in recommended eateries so we had great meals every time and enjoyed the advantages of Sarah's perfect French and charming company. I could not fault our experience and would recommend Sarah's cutom guided tours to anyone visiting this delighful part of France.
Elena, Gloucester, UK
August 8th, 2013 - 'Private Full Day Tour to Arles & St Remy - Van Gogh & Roman Ruins'
My wife and I were traveling with our two boys (12 and 9) and really only had one full day to tour Provence. We are so glad we found Sarah via Tripadvisor. After learning where we were staying (nearer to Arles than Aix-en-Provence), Sarah suggested some adjustments to the itinerary which minimized our time in the car and made the day far more enjoyable. She really gave us a great feel for the Region, stopping at the ruins of a Roman village, a winery, and an olive oil mill which were not on the original itinerary. She was knowledgeable of the Region and had the tour planned out very nicely. Most impressive, she kept my kids interested for the entire day! My only regret is that we did not have more time to spend. We definitely plan to return to Provence and would not hesitate to reach out to Sarah again.
Adam & Vania, Chicargo, Illinois, USA
August 2nd, 2013 - 'Private Full Day Luberon Village Tour'
We spent a wonderful day in early July with Sarah Pernet on her Discover Provence Luberon Village full day tour.
We only had 2 days in Aix en Provence and wanted to see the hill villages of Luberon and we were not disappointed. They are spectacular and well worth the visit. The lavender fields we visited on our tour were in full bloom and smelled and looked wonderful.
Sarah is a very friendly, passionate about Provence and knows the Luberon region. It was an extremely hot day and she came prepared with the lots of cold water. The vehicle was comfortable and she is a very good driver and it was a pleasure to sit back and be driven around. Better than trying to drive yourself around getting lost, you just sit back and relax and enjoy the experience.
It was one of the highlights of our 6 week tour of France. A day to remember.
Kristine, Sydney, Australia
August 1st, 2013 - 'Private tour to Pont du Gard & Avignon + Full Day Luberon Village Tour'
My wife and I couldn't decide whether we should rent a car and tour Provence on our own or go on a tour. While my wife does speak some French, we were a bit concerned about communication. In addition, with only 5 days there we didn't want to lose a minute studying maps, making wrong turns, opting for one site at the expense of missing others, etc. Once we decided that a tour would be best, we had to figure out which one as there are a few available. We decided to go with Discover Provence because Sarah was English but fluent in French and seemed very knowledgable about the region. This ended up being one of the best decisions we ever made!
When we first met Sarah, we liked her immediately. She is super nice and easy to talk to - we felt like she was an old friend we had known her for years. If you are spending hours in a car and a whole day or more with someone you don't know, you want it to be Sarah - trust me on this if nothing else! We booked two days of private tours with her, the first to a site I had wanted to see for decades - Pont du Gard, followed by a stop in Avignon. The second day we visited the Luberon region with stops at the antique market in L'Isle-sur-la-sorgue, Gorde, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Cucuron and Ansouis. She also made sure we saw lavendar fields and the most beautiful sunflower field! It was the most picturesque journey we've ever experienced - every vision was like a painting or a photograph and it was hard to believe we were actually staring at the real thing! I can honestly say that we would never have opted to see these things on our own for sheer lack of knowledge. And if we had been fortunate enough to stumble upon one or two of these places by accident, we would have spent too much time trying to figure out where we were, how we got there and maybe an ounce of history about the place if that. Fortunately, we didn't have to think about a thing - Sarah just guided us to some of the greatest spots on this planet and told us everything we needed to know about them.
There were a few things about Sarah that I will never forget. The first is that our trek to Pont du Gard was a personal quest for me and was not at that time amongst her extensive menu of tours. It was also quite a distance to drive and a bit off the beaten path. I found out that Sarah made the journey out there the week before we arrived so that she could familiarize herself with the site and it's history for our benefit. Now if that isn't going above and beyond the call of duty, I don't know what is! By the time we arrived there, she knew exactly where to go and what to do. She sent us up a trail that no one else was on and it took us up to the absolute best vantage point for photographs. She also knew how we could travel across the top of the aqueduct - something that is only done while supervised in a small group and only at certain times of the day. Her expertise on the site was nothing less than impressive!
The other thing that I really appreciated about Sarah is that she was extremely respectful of times where we might have wanted some quiet time alone to enjoy a moment someplace. She left us to have lunch by ourselves at Pont du Gard, meeting us again afterwards and I realized that she did that on purpose so that we would have some time by ourselves to savor the moment. She never just assumed that she would stay with us for a meal or venture into a shop with us - though I was very happy to have her join us, which she also did at times. I just couldn't get over how lovely this person was, how professional and how knowledgable. I credit her alone for making our trip as wonderful as it was.
Sorry for the long winded review, but I just couldn't make it any shorter and do justice to Sarah Pernet and Discover Provence Tours. When we find ourselves back in Provence, she will be my very first call.
David & Rachel, Los Angeles, California, USA
July 30th, 2013 - 'Full Day Luberon Village Tour'
Sarah, our Discover Provence guide, was friendly, knowledgeable, and completely comfortable with the area we were exploring. She was open to all our questions and told us so much about the Luberon area in an interesting way. She was clearly passionate herself about Provence and the Luberon region in particular and she shared her enthusiasm with us. Sarah is easy to talk to and genuinely interested in her clients.
Gary & Diana, Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA
July 26th, 2013 - 'Full Day Lavender and Luberon Village Tour'
We recently completed a European vacation and were able to spend a day in Aix-en-provence. As we only had one day in the area, we decided to take a tour with Discover Provence. It turned out to be a great decision! Sarah took us to the lavender fields which were in full bloom! She was very kind and accommodating and worked hard to make the most of our time in the region. We were also able to visit a number of Luberon villages and beautiful vineyard in the hills. It was a very memorable day! I would highly recommend!
Leah, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
July 23rd, 2013 - 'Half Day Lavender Tour'
I found Sarah on tripadvisor and from my first email she was extremely responsive to all of my questions. We set up a tour with her and she was waiting for us when we stepped off the train. Immeditely we felt confortable with Sarah and her knowlegdge of the area was great. The Lavendar fields were beautiful & we really enjoyed our time!
Nicole, Sarasota, Florida, USA
July 22nd, 2013 - 'Half Day Lavender Tour'
We just had our cruise trip in Mediterranean Sea at the beginning of July.
We find this tour in tripadvisor.com and they tailor-made a Lavender tour package for us.
As we are cruise travelers, our schedule is tight. Sarah(the coach) picks us at the Marseille port and drives us directly to the Valensole. This greatly saves our time.
Sarah is talkative and informative. We are Chinese and we had a good conversation using English during the trip. Although the time is limit, she also able to drive us to several lavender fields. My wife feels grateful and very happy about her arrangement.
The price is also very reasonable! Actually we had compared several companies which offer tailor-made Lavender Tour, this is already the best I can get. Thank you Sarah! I will certainly recommend it to my friend.
Ricky & Iris , Hong Kong
July 20th, 2013 - 'Luberon Village Full Day Tour + Cassis Half Day Tour'
My husband and I had only two short days to tour in Provence and wanted to go to the most scenic sites, primarily for photography. Sarah suggested one day touring the villages ( of the Luberon and a half day at Cassis (as we had to catch the TGV back). The days were very full, and it was just like touring with a friend to show us the best places. She was very patient, stopping whenever and wherever we wanted to take photos. Several years ago, we had been on a tour with a company that had a minivan - there were other tourists and while that trip was more economical, we were glad that we booked with Sarah this time, as we had more freedom to adjust the itinerary. Also, we did not have to worry about finding our way around - definitely less stressful!
Victoria, London, Canada
July 11th, 2013 - 'Van Gogh & Roman Day Tour + Cassis Mediterranean Sea day Tour'
My parents and I booked the Van Gogh and Roman Ruins tour and also the Med sea half day tour with Sarah and Discover Provence. Both tours were fantastic. It was a very relaxing, informative and enjoyable way to discover all the beautiful offerings of the area. Sarah was happy to tweak the tours to our requests, ie find a swimming spot on the sea tour, stop for coffees at any time, stop at an olive oil farm as an extra thing to do and she had a great amount of knowledge on the area. Definitely would recommend this as a way to see Provence :-)
Kathy, Melbourne, Australia
July 1st, 2013 - 'Half Day Lavender Tour'
Sarah proved to be a very kind, trustworthy and knowledgeable person! She drove us from the cruiseport of Marseille to the Valensole plateau where we could stop to see lavender fields and visit the little village. I'd recommend her to anyone willing to experience Provence off the beaten track and can't wait to go back again!
Anna, Milan, Italy
June 30th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
Recently in Provence for a conference, I was also hoping to experience something of the landscape, Provencal wine and French culture. Having found Discover Provence on the web, I was soon in contact with Sarah and booked to visit the Luberon area near Aix en Provence. Our tour commenced at the wonderful winery Val Joanis, where those of us taking the tour were given a wonderful introduction to the fruit of the vine as well as time to stroll through the beautiful gardens. Realising that all parties on the tour were very interested in wine, we were able to arrange with Sarah the opportunity to visit another winery, (La Coste - Le Puy St Reparade) as well as the villages of Ansouis and Cucuron. In addition to organising and amending our itinerary, Sarah also provided numerous insights into local culture and history. It was definitely a good afternoon, even though I wish it was a year!
Mark, Melbourne, Australia
June 27th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
Sarah is the most gracious host and ambassador for the Luberon vineyards. Her passion for what she does permeates through every description as she drove us around the beautiful Provencal countryside, offering us a setting of intimacy and warmth. It was like touring with a longtime friend.
She carefully chose the wineries visited for special reasons and definitely was an educational experience. It makes me more appreciative of the wines from this beautiful part of France.
If possible, Sarah would be the person that I would definitely love to be with to get to know all of Provence since I know she would make the experience above extraordinary.
Anabella, Guatemala City, Guatemala
June 27th, 2013 - Full Day Private Tour: Luberon Villages
What a wonderful day my wife and I spent with Sarah. We had ended a cruise in Marseille and arranged to have her meet us as we disembarked the ship. We were originally undecided of what towns or area to visit, but based on Sarah's recommendation we left it up to her and visited the towns and villages of Luberon. The Morning started with a visit to a winery, with beautiful gardens which was a perfect introduction to the region. We visited several villages which were quiet and charming (Ansouis and Cucuron) where we had lunch outside in a beautiful area at L'etang restaurant.
In the afternoon we visited Loumarin, Bonnieux, Roussillon & Gordes. Each village had its own uniqueness and Sarah spent the time giving us the background and information on the region and villages as we toured.
Unfortunately we were about a week too early to see the lavender in full bloom.
The day went by so fast and Sarah had a real sense and the flexibility for when we needed to have a few minutes to ourselves just to wander and was willing to modify the day to our liking as we went on.
We were dropped off in Aix at a hotel which she had previously through emails recommended and we were very happy with that and the restaurant she recommended and made reservations for us at (Mitch)
All in all it was a perfect day and we are only sorry it could not have been two or 3 days. Looking forward to coming back one day and having Sarah show us some more.
Dean & Lisa, Toronto, Canada
June 25th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Sablet, Seguret, Vaison-la-Romain, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
“Amazing Time in Provence” Awesome! Amazing! The best part of our trip to Provence were the tours we had with Sarah from Discover Provence. We saw places that made our trip so much more memorable and I know we could never have found on our own. Only someone who lives there can show you what we got to see and make it relevant and meaningful. Totally worth the money. We never had to struggle with speaking French or getting lost because we were in the hands of an extremely well-informed and helpful guide. We knew we were not brave enough to take on driving, navigating and parking in the villages of France and I’m so glad we decided to go with Discover Provence tours. Sarah is fluent in both English and French and she made our tours fun and memorable. The days were completely custom designed for us. Sarah built each day’s itinerary from our requests and then made them even more spectacular with her own insights, personal experience and knowledge of the region. Our guide picked out the perfect place for lunch each day with views that were breathtaking. We knew we wanted something private and not a bus tour and we got so much more than we could have expected. The car was roomy, safe and comfortable and Sarah was friendly, warm, punctual, and helpful. Whether you’re into wine, food, history, art or just want to see the beautiful scenery, Discover Provence has the knowledge and experience to enhance anything you decide to do. We are thrilled with the service we got and the memories we have from these outstanding tours.
Pennie, Dallas, Texas, USA
June 21st, 2013 - Vineyard and Luberon Villages Full Day Tour
We met Sarah in Aix for an amazing day customized to our preferences. We visited several perched villages in the Luberon, toured a vineyard, enjoyed a wine tasting, strolled through an expansive garden and had a relaxed outdoor lunch. Interestingly, Sarah kept us all engaged -- three adults and three teens! I would highly recommend Sarah for her love and knowledge of the region, the way she listened to us and our interests and allowed us to experience the beauty of the area in a much more relaxed fashion than if we had rented our own car. By the way, her car comfortably accomodates 6. It was a real pleasure to meet Sarah and her personalized, professional and fun approach added to our wonderful memories of Provence.
Nancy, Georgia, USA
June 20th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
If you want a knowledgable, dedicated, sincere, fun-loving, and accomodating guide for the Provence area, look no further than "Discover Provence-Private Day Tours" with Sarah! Ruins, villages, markets, wineries, museums, historic locations, the paths of the impressionists - all of our wishes were fulfilled! Sarah was easy to work with, straight forward in identifying options when changes were proposed, and always pleasant and joyful. I will always cherish my memories of the area, and the way Sarah made us feel more like family than customers!
Linda, California, USA
June 18th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
I booked a morning wine tour with Sarah after reading rave reviews on TripAdvisor. It's all true. Sarah drove us two twenty-something sisters and three other people to two wineries and two villages in the Luberon. One winery had an award-winning garden that was delightful to walk around in before our wine tasting. The villages were perfectly picturesque. Sarah is knowledgeable, welcoming, and is thoughtful (was ready with water bottles after our garden walk and first wine tasting!). The small group is so ideal and we enjoyed getting to know the three other people in our tour. The wine tasted was diverse and of course DELICIOUS. Overall, Sarah helped us experience more of Provence in 4 hours than we could have hoped to by ourselves.
Jess, Conneticut, USA
June 16th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
I traveled with 5 other friends from California to Morocco and on our way back to Paris we asked Sarah to organize a personal tour of Provence for us. Sarah was most patient during the planning period in selecting the sights. She promptly picked us up at the train station and took us to the hotel and came in with us to talk to the manager in case we needed her to translate in French.
This was the best tour I have taken. Sarah showed us more sights than we had requested. She took us to very special places that I had not read about in any of the books or web sites. She was warm, personal, sensitive and calm. She had a lot of energy to show us all and answer all our questions. She is very knowledgeable and has good networks for making all the arrangements. I recommend her very highly. You will go home feeling very happy and satisfied.
Devika, California, USA
June 15th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
I hired Sarah to pick us up from the Avignon train station and tour with six American women from America. She was punctual, informative, creative, flexible and a lovely person to be with. Her 6 passenger car was incredibly comfortable, she had water for us and helped make a jam packed three days in Provence be one of the most memorable trips I have ever had. Although she suggested a three day itinerary for us ahead of time, she worked with six of us to add and subtract many special needs and create an itinerary that met all six women's needs...that's an art in itself! If you are looking for a tour guide, Sarah is your person. You will see, experience and taste the true Provence...and fall in love with this area!!!!
Patricia, California, USA
June 11th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
We contacted Sarah from California and gave her our wishes for seeing Provence. We only had 3 days but we wanted to see it all. Sarah picked us up from the train station in a comfortable van and delivered us to our Hotel/ with return. She arranged our trip with everything included and more. She treated all of us very special and she quickly became one of the group. She knows her way around Provence and knows what the Best sites are to see. Sarah is conscious of the beauty and culture of the area and quick to point them out. She also found the best food and relaxing spaces to make our experience even better. Sarah was never late, went with our pace, respected our wishes and was great fun in every event. We had so much packed in, we felt we were there much longer than 3 days. We would not hesitate to ask her again and highly recommend her in every way. Sarah will make your stay in Provence the Best ever. Thank you Sarah, you have secured a special place in our hearts.
Marilyn, California, USA
June 3rd, 2013 - 'Mediterranean Sea Day - Cassis'
5 Norwegian ladies on holiday in Provence enjoyed the Mediteranean Sea Day to Cassis and the boat-trip to the calanques. Being used to Norwegian fjords, we were all stunned by the breathtaking beauty of the Mediteranean sea on a windy day. Our guide Sarah showed us her love and knowledge of the region, and she even took us to a winery, a big treat ! Sarah is very friendly and easygoing. We actually felt we were 6 friends on tour ! A perfect day ! Tusen takk, Sarah! We highly recommend anyone who want to "Discover Provence" to contact Sarah !
Eva, Sandefjord, Norway
May 28th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
Sarah is a perfect tour guide, her knowledge is vast and she shares it in a friendly, relaxed manner that made us feel like royalty! We initially wanted to set up a tour of Cassis, but when we met with her we realized we wanted really to visit the beautiful agriculture and villages of the region and really get a sense of the culture in a focused, "non-touristy" sort of way and she delivered. We suggest Sarah for any half or full day tours, her passion for life in Provence is evident by the depth of stories, history and relaxed presentation of her beautiful country. Sarah is English but has lived in France for 26 years and she brings an astute eye with perfect French and English to any tour. Thank-you, Sarah!
Zhena, California, USA
May 17th , 2013 - 'Vineyard Tour'
Sarah is a lovely lady who custom makes your tour for you. This meant that we incorporated villages into our wine tour but when it continued to rain Sarah made sure we spent the rest of the afternoon inside wineries. Definitely recommended.
Clare, Bristol,UK
May 16th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half Day Tour'
A friend put us in touch with Sarah and we were so lucky to find her! She knew that I had a broken ankle so organised the tour so that there would be as little walking as possible. We visited two very different wineries, one with the most stunning garden, and also saw a couple of Luberon villages, all in one afternoon. We would never have managed to see so much of Provence if we had tried to do it on our own and her informative commentary as we were driving around brought the tour to life. We would highly recommend her to anyone visiting this beautiful area.
Desiree M , Hampshire, UK
March 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Alpilles, Avignon and Luberon Villages
Thank you Sarah!!
You are a wonderful guide !!
We’ve just returned from a fabulous tour of Provence! We arrived in Aix and stayed at a wonderful boutique hotel - La Maison d'Aix. We met Sarah Pernet (Discover Provence Tours) at our hotel who planned a 3 day tour for us. She is a very knowledgeable and personable guide, fluent in both French and English.
We had a fabulous time, and could not have been better orchestrated!
We hope you enjoy as much as we did!!
Nancy & Harry, Philadelphia, USA
We travelled to Provence in mid October. The spurge for a personal 3 day tour was a bit out of our budget. But the tour was definitely worth it.
Sarah drove us to Cassis, Arles and Luberon Villages telling us about Provence and it's history the whole way. She knew her way around, tirelessly making sure that we were comfortable and got to see everything we wanted. It was always a difficult choice to stay longer and enjoy one place or to keep moving and to see another winery or another castle or another exceptional view.
We saw and learned so much more than if we would have toured on our own .
We had a great time and the tour made our trip to Provence such a memorable experience.
Natasha, Melbourne, Australia
October 28th, 2013 '3 Day Tours: Luberon Villages, Cassis, Arles, St Remy, Pont du Gard, Avignon and Chateauneuf-du-Pape'
Our custom tours with Sarah were the highlight of our vacation. She helped us put together 2 and 1/2 days seeing beautiful perched villages, tasting wine in Chauteauneuf du Pape and Cassis and experiencing Provence on a flexible schedule. If you plan to visit Provence, relax and enjoy it with Discover Provence.
Jeanne, Sacramento, California, USA
October 22nd, 2013 'Luberon Village Full Day Tour'
While vacationing in Aix-en-Provence without a car, we took several day trips. By far the most informative and enjoyable was Sarah's tour of the Luberon. She is very knowledgeable about the region and it's history and was able to personalize the tour for us.
Danny K, New York, USA
October 17th, 2013 'Luberon Village Full Day Tour'
From our base in Aix-en Provence, six of us enjoyed a wonderful day with Sarah as we discovered the beauty of the Luberon. Her tour was both informative and fun. After visiting several small villages, we had a delicious lunch at Loumarin. We all loved the tiny laneways of the villages and the amazing hill-top fortresses. Thank you so much Sarah for your company on this delightful excursion into the Luberon.
Rosalyn, Adelaide, Australia
October 7th, 2013 'Historical Walking Tour of Aix-en-Provence'
Sarah took 8 of us ( 6 Americans and two well travelled Italians) on a lovely walking tour of Aix on a sunny fall afternoon. All agreed that the experience was interesting and valuable for the rest of our 7 day visit. She gave us history, geography, and cultural insights, and showed us important locations in the town. She was generous about tips on good places to shop and eat, and offered to let us join other tours she was conducting. ( We ended up not having time.) She was a pleasure to spend time with. Her tour was a great way to begin to understand Aix!
Don, Seattle, Washington, USA
October 6th, 2013 'Half Day Afternoon Tour to Cassis'
Sarah took us to Cassis from Aix-en-Provence in total comfort. She gave information in a very interesting way, both during the trip and in Cassis, as well as on the boat tour to the Calanques. Sarah's warm and friendly manner was such a joy, and we thoroughly enjoyed the day with her.
Allene, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
October 5th, 2013 ' 4 Full Day Tours: Luberon Villages, Cassis, Arles, St Remy , Avignon and Chateauneuf-du-Pape'
We spent 4 days touring Provence with Sarah, using Aix-en-Provence as a base. Sarah was easy to make plans with before our trip. She was flexible with our itinerary, making last minute changes according to weather and our interests. The restaurants and hotels she recommended were excellent. It was so enjoyable spending time with Sarah, who is fun to converse with, efficient and knowledgeable, relaxed and affable. Her familiarity with the area and attention to detail really enhanced our time in Provence. We were able to relax and enjoy our trip so much more than if we had tried to navigate the area ourselves. This is a beautiful part of the world and we are so grateful to Sarah for sharing her knowledge and expertise with us.
Terri, Philadelphia, USA
October 2nd, 2013 'Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages and Cassis'
Travelling alone and without a car can prove challenging when wanting to take full advantage of everything the Provence region has to offer. Enter Sarah and ‘Discover Provence’ tours. Without her deep knowledge and passion for the area, I would have been oblivious to the ins and outs of French specific wine making, pretty little villages perched high on cliff tops, fishing villages with unique claims to fame, the majesty of the coast not to mention the beauty of the seasonal flowers to name just a few of the specialties of this region. Add to this a bubbly and warm personality, English for those struggling to slip into local vernacular and a tailoring where possible to your needs. Take advantage of Sarah’s tours, you’ll be so glad you did. Thanks Sarah for a fantastic day!
Jane, Brisbane, Australia
September 19th, 2013 ' Private Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
My wife and I wanted to see the rural beauty of Provence but did not want to rent a car or drive ourselves. Our hotel suggested hiring Sarah and it was a great recommendation. She picked us up promptly when scheduled and helped us plan the day's itinerary after discussion of our desires. Her knowledge of the area, easy-going style, and flexibility were just what we had hoped for. We had a glorious tour of the Luberon countryside and villages and finished our day with a winery tour and tasting. It was a remarkable, educational, relaxing, and beautiful day...we could not have asked for more. We would use Sarah again if traveling in Provence and would enthusiastically recommend her to anyone planning a trip to the area.
Joel, Iowa, USA
September 18th, 2013 ' Private Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
My husband and our friends were in France to celebrate our 30 anniversaries. We began our trip in Paris and then on to Aix en Provence and eventually Antibes. After reading many reviews, I contacted Sarah to inquire about various tours while we were in Provence as we were only going to be there for 3 days. Sarah's response was very quick and so friendly that it didn't take long to know we were going to book a tour with her. We had decided on the full day tour of some of the Luberon Villages and a visit to the Val Joanis winery. Sarah tailored the tour for us, and what a fabulous job she did! She promptly picked us up at our hotel and we were on our way. Her knowledge of Aix en Provence is amazing and so interesting. We toured Gordes, Roussillon, Le Pont St. Julien, Lourmarin, Cucuron and Ansouis. Sarah took her time to explain everything unique about all of the villages we visited, stopping at the most beautiful spots for pictures and answering the very many questions we all had! She picked a fabulous place for lunch that we all thoroughly enjoyed. The winery visit was beautiful, especially the gardens surrounding the winery. Sarah also gave us tips on other things to do in Aix and recommended restaurants while we were there. By the end of the day, we all felt as though we had just spent time with a lifelong friend! Thank you Sarah for everything, we definitely wouldn't have been able to discover your wonderful Provence without you!
Kathleen, New Jersey, USA
September 11th, 2013 ' Two Day Private Tour Gorge du Verdon and Cassis'
We booked a days tour to the Gorge du Verdon with Discover Provence having read the great reviews prior to our holiday. Sarah was a fantastic guide she tailor made our day and arranged for us to also do kayaking whilst we were there. The trip far exceeded expectations with Sarah picking us up from our hotel to stopping for scenic photo stops and visiting the lavender fields on route. We also spent a short time driving along the mountain roads to get a second view of the Gorge from higher up! Finally stopping for a short while to discover a traditional village.
Our day was so great that we arranged for Sarah to take us on a half day trip to Cassis the next day following our unsuccessful attempt to visit the sea side town with public transport (the bus never turned up!!!) So thank you to Sarah for enabling us to enjoy so much of beautiful Provence in such a relaxing way. I would most definitely recommend a trip with Discover Provence.
Charlotte, London, UK
September 9th, 2013 'Four Full Day Private Tours - Luberon Villages, Cassis, Arles, Glanum, Saint-Remy-de-Provence and Marseille'
From the first email contact months with Sarah before our Aix en Provence trip to our farewell at the cruise ship port in Marseille, our interactions with Sarah were superb! In both planning and execution, she is prompt, professional, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. With a wealth of information about an area that she clearly loves, Sarah helped us plan and execute 4 days that were varied and full. We did more with Sarah in that time that we could have accomplished in 2 weeks on our own. A very skillful driver, Sarah expertly planned our time together whether we were on a small tour or just sightseeing with her to maximize each day.. Never rushed but always active, we had time to enjoy the beauty and history of the area, as well as the wonderful food; and we soon felt as though we were traveling with a good friend. From start to finish, Sarah was attentive, flexible, and responsive to our wishes and needs. For example, we were barely in our hotel room after our first day of touring before we received an email from her with restaurant suggestions for the evening. Our wonderful memories of the Luberon villages, Calanques of Cassis. Les Alpilles as well as walking tours of Aix and Marseilles will always include Sarah's knowledgeable and enjoyable company. She was truly the highlight of our time in her beloved Provence.
Sue, Virginia, USA
August 30th , 2013- 'Half day tour to wineries and Luberon villages'
We only had 2 days in Provence and wanted to take a small tour. I contacted Discover Provence after reading reviews by other people. I can't tell you what a wonderful tour we had. Sarah picked us up at our hotel right on time and we went to 2 wineries and did tasting and we also went to 2 small villages. Our tour was for half a day and we learned so much about the city, and the country. We saw places we would have never seen on our own and Sarah is so knowledgeable. She has a charming personality and just let us go at our own pace. If you are looking for a smaller tour (we were supposed to be on a tour with up to 6 people, but it was just the 2 of us) this is perfect. I wish we could have used her as our guide when we went to other cities in Europe.
Debi, Florida, USA
August 14th, 2013 - 'Half Day tour to Cassis and Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
Just recently returned from a short break in 'Aix-en-Provence" with 5 girlfriends. Sarah was a delight to have as a tour guide from meeting us at the airport to our two day private tour, it was great to have everything organised and planned for us. Day 1 was a Cassis a beautiful Port which included a lovely boat trip with stunning coves, followed by a road trip over the Cap Canaille the views were spectacular!! the next day we did the Luberon villages Cucuron was market day! that was fab followed by lunch in Lourmarin, my particular favourite, the little narrow streets with typical French shops could have spent all afternoon there. Sarah was full of local knowledge and great company, she recommened some great restaurants and places to see. Would highly recommend Sarah's Private tours.
Jackie, Gloucester, UK
August 9th, 2013 - 'Half Day tour to Cassis and Full Day Tour to Luberon Villages'
I recently had the pleasure of experiencing Sarah Pernet's ('Discover Provence') excellent guiding services during a brief stay based in the lovely Aix en Provence. As well as taking our group of 5 ladies out for 2 day visits, Sarah removed all the stress of arriving at the airport laden with luggage by meeting us with her air conditioned car and whisking us door to door to our hotel! We spent our first afternoon in the coatal town of Cassis, which is stunning. Starting with a very good lunch in a restaurant recommended by Sarah we followed with a boat trip to the Calanques which are a spectacular sight. Our second day started with visiting the Val Joanis Winery where we enjoyed their beautiful gardens and an informative private wine tasting. The rest of the day passed extremely pleasantly visiting the villages of the Luberon. All were very attractive and interesting, the market in Cucuron was a delight as was lunch tucked away on the terrace of another recommended restaurant in Lourmarin. Spending our time under Sarah's care was a great idea - it meant that we got as much as we possibly could out of our visit, had the local history, geography and points of interest explained to us, ate in recommended eateries so we had great meals every time and enjoyed the advantages of Sarah's perfect French and charming company. I could not fault our experience and would recommend Sarah's cutom guided tours to anyone visiting this delighful part of France.
Elena, Gloucester, UK
August 8th, 2013 - 'Private Full Day Tour to Arles & St Remy - Van Gogh & Roman Ruins'
My wife and I were traveling with our two boys (12 and 9) and really only had one full day to tour Provence. We are so glad we found Sarah via Tripadvisor. After learning where we were staying (nearer to Arles than Aix-en-Provence), Sarah suggested some adjustments to the itinerary which minimized our time in the car and made the day far more enjoyable. She really gave us a great feel for the Region, stopping at the ruins of a Roman village, a winery, and an olive oil mill which were not on the original itinerary. She was knowledgeable of the Region and had the tour planned out very nicely. Most impressive, she kept my kids interested for the entire day! My only regret is that we did not have more time to spend. We definitely plan to return to Provence and would not hesitate to reach out to Sarah again.
Adam & Vania, Chicargo, Illinois, USA
August 2nd, 2013 - 'Private Full Day Luberon Village Tour'
We spent a wonderful day in early July with Sarah Pernet on her Discover Provence Luberon Village full day tour.
We only had 2 days in Aix en Provence and wanted to see the hill villages of Luberon and we were not disappointed. They are spectacular and well worth the visit. The lavender fields we visited on our tour were in full bloom and smelled and looked wonderful.
Sarah is a very friendly, passionate about Provence and knows the Luberon region. It was an extremely hot day and she came prepared with the lots of cold water. The vehicle was comfortable and she is a very good driver and it was a pleasure to sit back and be driven around. Better than trying to drive yourself around getting lost, you just sit back and relax and enjoy the experience.
It was one of the highlights of our 6 week tour of France. A day to remember.
Kristine, Sydney, Australia
August 1st, 2013 - 'Private tour to Pont du Gard & Avignon + Full Day Luberon Village Tour'
My wife and I couldn't decide whether we should rent a car and tour Provence on our own or go on a tour. While my wife does speak some French, we were a bit concerned about communication. In addition, with only 5 days there we didn't want to lose a minute studying maps, making wrong turns, opting for one site at the expense of missing others, etc. Once we decided that a tour would be best, we had to figure out which one as there are a few available. We decided to go with Discover Provence because Sarah was English but fluent in French and seemed very knowledgable about the region. This ended up being one of the best decisions we ever made!
When we first met Sarah, we liked her immediately. She is super nice and easy to talk to - we felt like she was an old friend we had known her for years. If you are spending hours in a car and a whole day or more with someone you don't know, you want it to be Sarah - trust me on this if nothing else! We booked two days of private tours with her, the first to a site I had wanted to see for decades - Pont du Gard, followed by a stop in Avignon. The second day we visited the Luberon region with stops at the antique market in L'Isle-sur-la-sorgue, Gorde, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Cucuron and Ansouis. She also made sure we saw lavendar fields and the most beautiful sunflower field! It was the most picturesque journey we've ever experienced - every vision was like a painting or a photograph and it was hard to believe we were actually staring at the real thing! I can honestly say that we would never have opted to see these things on our own for sheer lack of knowledge. And if we had been fortunate enough to stumble upon one or two of these places by accident, we would have spent too much time trying to figure out where we were, how we got there and maybe an ounce of history about the place if that. Fortunately, we didn't have to think about a thing - Sarah just guided us to some of the greatest spots on this planet and told us everything we needed to know about them.
There were a few things about Sarah that I will never forget. The first is that our trek to Pont du Gard was a personal quest for me and was not at that time amongst her extensive menu of tours. It was also quite a distance to drive and a bit off the beaten path. I found out that Sarah made the journey out there the week before we arrived so that she could familiarize herself with the site and it's history for our benefit. Now if that isn't going above and beyond the call of duty, I don't know what is! By the time we arrived there, she knew exactly where to go and what to do. She sent us up a trail that no one else was on and it took us up to the absolute best vantage point for photographs. She also knew how we could travel across the top of the aqueduct - something that is only done while supervised in a small group and only at certain times of the day. Her expertise on the site was nothing less than impressive!
The other thing that I really appreciated about Sarah is that she was extremely respectful of times where we might have wanted some quiet time alone to enjoy a moment someplace. She left us to have lunch by ourselves at Pont du Gard, meeting us again afterwards and I realized that she did that on purpose so that we would have some time by ourselves to savor the moment. She never just assumed that she would stay with us for a meal or venture into a shop with us - though I was very happy to have her join us, which she also did at times. I just couldn't get over how lovely this person was, how professional and how knowledgable. I credit her alone for making our trip as wonderful as it was.
Sorry for the long winded review, but I just couldn't make it any shorter and do justice to Sarah Pernet and Discover Provence Tours. When we find ourselves back in Provence, she will be my very first call.
David & Rachel, Los Angeles, California, USA
July 30th, 2013 - 'Full Day Luberon Village Tour'
Sarah, our Discover Provence guide, was friendly, knowledgeable, and completely comfortable with the area we were exploring. She was open to all our questions and told us so much about the Luberon area in an interesting way. She was clearly passionate herself about Provence and the Luberon region in particular and she shared her enthusiasm with us. Sarah is easy to talk to and genuinely interested in her clients.
Gary & Diana, Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA
July 26th, 2013 - 'Full Day Lavender and Luberon Village Tour'
We recently completed a European vacation and were able to spend a day in Aix-en-provence. As we only had one day in the area, we decided to take a tour with Discover Provence. It turned out to be a great decision! Sarah took us to the lavender fields which were in full bloom! She was very kind and accommodating and worked hard to make the most of our time in the region. We were also able to visit a number of Luberon villages and beautiful vineyard in the hills. It was a very memorable day! I would highly recommend!
Leah, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
July 23rd, 2013 - 'Half Day Lavender Tour'
I found Sarah on tripadvisor and from my first email she was extremely responsive to all of my questions. We set up a tour with her and she was waiting for us when we stepped off the train. Immeditely we felt confortable with Sarah and her knowlegdge of the area was great. The Lavendar fields were beautiful & we really enjoyed our time!
Nicole, Sarasota, Florida, USA
July 22nd, 2013 - 'Half Day Lavender Tour'
We just had our cruise trip in Mediterranean Sea at the beginning of July.
We find this tour in tripadvisor.com and they tailor-made a Lavender tour package for us.
As we are cruise travelers, our schedule is tight. Sarah(the coach) picks us at the Marseille port and drives us directly to the Valensole. This greatly saves our time.
Sarah is talkative and informative. We are Chinese and we had a good conversation using English during the trip. Although the time is limit, she also able to drive us to several lavender fields. My wife feels grateful and very happy about her arrangement.
The price is also very reasonable! Actually we had compared several companies which offer tailor-made Lavender Tour, this is already the best I can get. Thank you Sarah! I will certainly recommend it to my friend.
Ricky & Iris , Hong Kong
July 20th, 2013 - 'Luberon Village Full Day Tour + Cassis Half Day Tour'
My husband and I had only two short days to tour in Provence and wanted to go to the most scenic sites, primarily for photography. Sarah suggested one day touring the villages ( of the Luberon and a half day at Cassis (as we had to catch the TGV back). The days were very full, and it was just like touring with a friend to show us the best places. She was very patient, stopping whenever and wherever we wanted to take photos. Several years ago, we had been on a tour with a company that had a minivan - there were other tourists and while that trip was more economical, we were glad that we booked with Sarah this time, as we had more freedom to adjust the itinerary. Also, we did not have to worry about finding our way around - definitely less stressful!
Victoria, London, Canada
July 11th, 2013 - 'Van Gogh & Roman Day Tour + Cassis Mediterranean Sea day Tour'
My parents and I booked the Van Gogh and Roman Ruins tour and also the Med sea half day tour with Sarah and Discover Provence. Both tours were fantastic. It was a very relaxing, informative and enjoyable way to discover all the beautiful offerings of the area. Sarah was happy to tweak the tours to our requests, ie find a swimming spot on the sea tour, stop for coffees at any time, stop at an olive oil farm as an extra thing to do and she had a great amount of knowledge on the area. Definitely would recommend this as a way to see Provence :-)
Kathy, Melbourne, Australia
July 1st, 2013 - 'Half Day Lavender Tour'
Sarah proved to be a very kind, trustworthy and knowledgeable person! She drove us from the cruiseport of Marseille to the Valensole plateau where we could stop to see lavender fields and visit the little village. I'd recommend her to anyone willing to experience Provence off the beaten track and can't wait to go back again!
Anna, Milan, Italy
June 30th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
Recently in Provence for a conference, I was also hoping to experience something of the landscape, Provencal wine and French culture. Having found Discover Provence on the web, I was soon in contact with Sarah and booked to visit the Luberon area near Aix en Provence. Our tour commenced at the wonderful winery Val Joanis, where those of us taking the tour were given a wonderful introduction to the fruit of the vine as well as time to stroll through the beautiful gardens. Realising that all parties on the tour were very interested in wine, we were able to arrange with Sarah the opportunity to visit another winery, (La Coste - Le Puy St Reparade) as well as the villages of Ansouis and Cucuron. In addition to organising and amending our itinerary, Sarah also provided numerous insights into local culture and history. It was definitely a good afternoon, even though I wish it was a year!
Mark, Melbourne, Australia
June 27th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
Sarah is the most gracious host and ambassador for the Luberon vineyards. Her passion for what she does permeates through every description as she drove us around the beautiful Provencal countryside, offering us a setting of intimacy and warmth. It was like touring with a longtime friend.
She carefully chose the wineries visited for special reasons and definitely was an educational experience. It makes me more appreciative of the wines from this beautiful part of France.
If possible, Sarah would be the person that I would definitely love to be with to get to know all of Provence since I know she would make the experience above extraordinary.
Anabella, Guatemala City, Guatemala
June 27th, 2013 - Full Day Private Tour: Luberon Villages
What a wonderful day my wife and I spent with Sarah. We had ended a cruise in Marseille and arranged to have her meet us as we disembarked the ship. We were originally undecided of what towns or area to visit, but based on Sarah's recommendation we left it up to her and visited the towns and villages of Luberon. The Morning started with a visit to a winery, with beautiful gardens which was a perfect introduction to the region. We visited several villages which were quiet and charming (Ansouis and Cucuron) where we had lunch outside in a beautiful area at L'etang restaurant.
In the afternoon we visited Loumarin, Bonnieux, Roussillon & Gordes. Each village had its own uniqueness and Sarah spent the time giving us the background and information on the region and villages as we toured.
Unfortunately we were about a week too early to see the lavender in full bloom.
The day went by so fast and Sarah had a real sense and the flexibility for when we needed to have a few minutes to ourselves just to wander and was willing to modify the day to our liking as we went on.
We were dropped off in Aix at a hotel which she had previously through emails recommended and we were very happy with that and the restaurant she recommended and made reservations for us at (Mitch)
All in all it was a perfect day and we are only sorry it could not have been two or 3 days. Looking forward to coming back one day and having Sarah show us some more.
Dean & Lisa, Toronto, Canada
June 25th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Sablet, Seguret, Vaison-la-Romain, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
“Amazing Time in Provence” Awesome! Amazing! The best part of our trip to Provence were the tours we had with Sarah from Discover Provence. We saw places that made our trip so much more memorable and I know we could never have found on our own. Only someone who lives there can show you what we got to see and make it relevant and meaningful. Totally worth the money. We never had to struggle with speaking French or getting lost because we were in the hands of an extremely well-informed and helpful guide. We knew we were not brave enough to take on driving, navigating and parking in the villages of France and I’m so glad we decided to go with Discover Provence tours. Sarah is fluent in both English and French and she made our tours fun and memorable. The days were completely custom designed for us. Sarah built each day’s itinerary from our requests and then made them even more spectacular with her own insights, personal experience and knowledge of the region. Our guide picked out the perfect place for lunch each day with views that were breathtaking. We knew we wanted something private and not a bus tour and we got so much more than we could have expected. The car was roomy, safe and comfortable and Sarah was friendly, warm, punctual, and helpful. Whether you’re into wine, food, history, art or just want to see the beautiful scenery, Discover Provence has the knowledge and experience to enhance anything you decide to do. We are thrilled with the service we got and the memories we have from these outstanding tours.
Pennie, Dallas, Texas, USA
June 21st, 2013 - Vineyard and Luberon Villages Full Day Tour
We met Sarah in Aix for an amazing day customized to our preferences. We visited several perched villages in the Luberon, toured a vineyard, enjoyed a wine tasting, strolled through an expansive garden and had a relaxed outdoor lunch. Interestingly, Sarah kept us all engaged -- three adults and three teens! I would highly recommend Sarah for her love and knowledge of the region, the way she listened to us and our interests and allowed us to experience the beauty of the area in a much more relaxed fashion than if we had rented our own car. By the way, her car comfortably accomodates 6. It was a real pleasure to meet Sarah and her personalized, professional and fun approach added to our wonderful memories of Provence.
Nancy, Georgia, USA
June 20th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
If you want a knowledgable, dedicated, sincere, fun-loving, and accomodating guide for the Provence area, look no further than "Discover Provence-Private Day Tours" with Sarah! Ruins, villages, markets, wineries, museums, historic locations, the paths of the impressionists - all of our wishes were fulfilled! Sarah was easy to work with, straight forward in identifying options when changes were proposed, and always pleasant and joyful. I will always cherish my memories of the area, and the way Sarah made us feel more like family than customers!
Linda, California, USA
June 18th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
I booked a morning wine tour with Sarah after reading rave reviews on TripAdvisor. It's all true. Sarah drove us two twenty-something sisters and three other people to two wineries and two villages in the Luberon. One winery had an award-winning garden that was delightful to walk around in before our wine tasting. The villages were perfectly picturesque. Sarah is knowledgeable, welcoming, and is thoughtful (was ready with water bottles after our garden walk and first wine tasting!). The small group is so ideal and we enjoyed getting to know the three other people in our tour. The wine tasted was diverse and of course DELICIOUS. Overall, Sarah helped us experience more of Provence in 4 hours than we could have hoped to by ourselves.
Jess, Conneticut, USA
June 16th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
I traveled with 5 other friends from California to Morocco and on our way back to Paris we asked Sarah to organize a personal tour of Provence for us. Sarah was most patient during the planning period in selecting the sights. She promptly picked us up at the train station and took us to the hotel and came in with us to talk to the manager in case we needed her to translate in French.
This was the best tour I have taken. Sarah showed us more sights than we had requested. She took us to very special places that I had not read about in any of the books or web sites. She was warm, personal, sensitive and calm. She had a lot of energy to show us all and answer all our questions. She is very knowledgeable and has good networks for making all the arrangements. I recommend her very highly. You will go home feeling very happy and satisfied.
Devika, California, USA
June 15th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
I hired Sarah to pick us up from the Avignon train station and tour with six American women from America. She was punctual, informative, creative, flexible and a lovely person to be with. Her 6 passenger car was incredibly comfortable, she had water for us and helped make a jam packed three days in Provence be one of the most memorable trips I have ever had. Although she suggested a three day itinerary for us ahead of time, she worked with six of us to add and subtract many special needs and create an itinerary that met all six women's needs...that's an art in itself! If you are looking for a tour guide, Sarah is your person. You will see, experience and taste the true Provence...and fall in love with this area!!!!
Patricia, California, USA
June 11th, 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Luberon Villages, Arles and St Remy
We contacted Sarah from California and gave her our wishes for seeing Provence. We only had 3 days but we wanted to see it all. Sarah picked us up from the train station in a comfortable van and delivered us to our Hotel/ with return. She arranged our trip with everything included and more. She treated all of us very special and she quickly became one of the group. She knows her way around Provence and knows what the Best sites are to see. Sarah is conscious of the beauty and culture of the area and quick to point them out. She also found the best food and relaxing spaces to make our experience even better. Sarah was never late, went with our pace, respected our wishes and was great fun in every event. We had so much packed in, we felt we were there much longer than 3 days. We would not hesitate to ask her again and highly recommend her in every way. Sarah will make your stay in Provence the Best ever. Thank you Sarah, you have secured a special place in our hearts.
Marilyn, California, USA
June 3rd, 2013 - 'Mediterranean Sea Day - Cassis'
5 Norwegian ladies on holiday in Provence enjoyed the Mediteranean Sea Day to Cassis and the boat-trip to the calanques. Being used to Norwegian fjords, we were all stunned by the breathtaking beauty of the Mediteranean sea on a windy day. Our guide Sarah showed us her love and knowledge of the region, and she even took us to a winery, a big treat ! Sarah is very friendly and easygoing. We actually felt we were 6 friends on tour ! A perfect day ! Tusen takk, Sarah! We highly recommend anyone who want to "Discover Provence" to contact Sarah !
Eva, Sandefjord, Norway
May 28th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half day Tour'
Sarah is a perfect tour guide, her knowledge is vast and she shares it in a friendly, relaxed manner that made us feel like royalty! We initially wanted to set up a tour of Cassis, but when we met with her we realized we wanted really to visit the beautiful agriculture and villages of the region and really get a sense of the culture in a focused, "non-touristy" sort of way and she delivered. We suggest Sarah for any half or full day tours, her passion for life in Provence is evident by the depth of stories, history and relaxed presentation of her beautiful country. Sarah is English but has lived in France for 26 years and she brings an astute eye with perfect French and English to any tour. Thank-you, Sarah!
Zhena, California, USA
May 17th , 2013 - 'Vineyard Tour'
Sarah is a lovely lady who custom makes your tour for you. This meant that we incorporated villages into our wine tour but when it continued to rain Sarah made sure we spent the rest of the afternoon inside wineries. Definitely recommended.
Clare, Bristol,UK
May 16th, 2013 - 'Vineyard and Luberon Village Half Day Tour'
A friend put us in touch with Sarah and we were so lucky to find her! She knew that I had a broken ankle so organised the tour so that there would be as little walking as possible. We visited two very different wineries, one with the most stunning garden, and also saw a couple of Luberon villages, all in one afternoon. We would never have managed to see so much of Provence if we had tried to do it on our own and her informative commentary as we were driving around brought the tour to life. We would highly recommend her to anyone visiting this beautiful area.
Desiree M , Hampshire, UK
March 2013 - 3 Day Tour: Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Alpilles, Avignon and Luberon Villages
Thank you Sarah!!
You are a wonderful guide !!
We’ve just returned from a fabulous tour of Provence! We arrived in Aix and stayed at a wonderful boutique hotel - La Maison d'Aix. We met Sarah Pernet (Discover Provence Tours) at our hotel who planned a 3 day tour for us. She is a very knowledgeable and personable guide, fluent in both French and English.
We had a fabulous time, and could not have been better orchestrated!
We hope you enjoy as much as we did!!
Nancy & Harry, Philadelphia, USA
