Testimonials/Reviews from 2019
Read here what our clients have to say about Discover Provence Tours 2019
November 8th, 2019 'Sarah & Discover Provence were the highlight of our trip!'
My mom and I traveled to Provence as part of our two-week trip to France. Because Provence is so large and difficult to reach without a car, I booked two days with Sarah Pernet to show us the region and help up make the most of our time. We left with incredible memories, breathtaking scenery, great conversation and can’t wait to go back!
Sarah took extra care to get to know our interests and expectations and planned two wonderful days for us. On the second day, we visited the St. Remy Market, Les Baux de Provence, and a monastery where Van Gogh lived for a portion of his life. Sarah explained the culture and meaning behind what we were seeing (and tasting!) with nuggets of information that we would have never known otherwise, and just the right amount of history to provide context.
Knowing the local food and culture were very important to us, Sarah made reservations at a wonderful restaurant with typical Provencal fare that was out of this world! Because of her incredible relationships, we were able to visit an olive mill and watch olives being harvested into olive oil.
Sarah was incredibly patient and flexible. For example, when I wanted to dart in a shop, and suggested pushing back lunch a half hour, she was very accommodating. There were no headaches or getting lost, everything about the day felt easy and wonderful. The only bad part was saying goodbye. After our time together, Sarah felt more like a friend. As my mom and I continued our travels to other parts of France, we kept saying we wish Sarah were here! I can’t recommend Discover Provence enough.
Melissa, Washington DC, USA
November 3rd, 2019 ' Excellent Day Touring Luberon Villages with Sarah!'
We were so pleased with our tour of Provence with Sarah Pernet. She is very personable, professional, and knowledgeable. Sarah provided history and relevant cultural information. She has curated a well timed day of stops throughout the region, including fabulous vistas, that exceeded our expectations. It was just what we hoped for when we chose this tour. Our day consisted of visiting and learning about several villages, wine tasting at a vineyard, viewing the beautiful fall landscape and a glorious garden, as well as a delicious lunch. There was time on our own to shop for high quality Provencal goods. We purchased original art directly from the artist. You will feel like you are touring with a knowledgeable friend, and not at all like a tourist. We highly recommend Discover Provence tours!
Marie, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
October 20th, 2019 ' A completely lovely day with Sarah'
We recently met with Sarah for a one day tour to Cassis. It couldn’t have been a better tour! She is very knowledgeable, is very accommodating and just a pleasant person to spend an afternoon with exploring. We would definitely book with Sarah again when we visit Provence.
She also gave a dinner recommendations and that same evening we went to one of the restaurants she spoke of, “Cote cour Restaurant.” Wow! It was wonderful.
Thank you Sarah, you made the day very special.
Pam, Montana, USA
October 10th, 2019 ' France Revisited'
I had been to France, studied briefly in Aix en Provence as a teenager. I always wanted to go back and show my husband this beautiful area of the country. There was much I had not seen or remembered and we both wanted a good guide to expand our experience. We read several Rick Steves books and found a recommendation of Sarah Pernet as a tour guide. I contacted her through the website provided in his book and she promptly responded. She was able to fit us in for a day tour and we confirmed the meeting in advance of our trip. Sarah was an absolute delightful and a very important, extremely educational piece to our experience. She was highly knowledgeable, clearly had a passion for her work and for the places she took us. She was able to give insights as well as history, personal stories in addition to specific destinations. She’s an excellent driver, which also adds to putting one at ease. But most importantly Sarah is devoted and passionate about her chosen home of Provence. That kind of spirit along with detailed knowledge is the recipe for anyone’s successful day tour experience. I highly recommend Sarah Pernet. You won’t be disappointed.
Margi, California, USA
October 8th, 2019 ' Two days touring with Sarah Pernet'
The five of us truly enjoyed our Sunday and Tuesday full day tours with Sarah. One of the things we wanted to do was visit Isle sur La Sorgue on Sunday market day. Sarah made sure that we accomplished this and then we also had a quick view of Gordes and we walked about Roussillon. On Tuesday we visited Cassis and Aix en Provence. We enjoyed the restaurants where she suggested we eat lunch and her company during lunch. She was quite knowledgeable about the places we visited and each of us enjoyed sitting in the front seat of the car and engaging her in conversation as she answered questions I'm sure she has answered a hundred times. We also rented a car after her tours and she gave us tips on what to visit while driving about St. Remy and Les Baux.
Jeff, Colorado, USA
July 1st, 2019 ' A day in Provence with Sarah'
We spent an entire day touring the southern Luberon with Discover Provence, visiting perched villages and wineries. Our delightful traveling companion and extremely knowledgeable guide, Sarah Pernet, had designed a custom itinerary designed to reveal to us the essence of the regional small village life both past and present. We learned a great deal, as Sarah had well-informed answers to even our smallest questions about the “hows” and “whys” of the ramparts, winding streets, aged structures and fabulous vistas of the Luberon perched villages. Her discerning choice of wineries to visit, ranging from local village co-ops to polished contemporary tasting rooms, provided us with a marvelous Provencal experience for the palate. If the number of bottles that came home with us is any indicator, it was a highly successful day! We are enthusiastically looking forward to engaging Discover Provence for another adventure when we next visit Aix-en-Provence.
Roger & Lynn, Palo Alto, California, USA
June 27th, 2019 ' Like Touring with a friend who is an Expert'
"We went on the half day tour of Cassis with Sarah and totally enjoyed the travel experience related to and while there as well as our personal interactions with her. The title of of the review speaks to Sarah's very well rounded knowledge of Provence as a guide as well as her genuinely shared professional and personal experiences living there. Had scheduling allowed, we would have definitely wanted to spend more time with her on another personally engaging and no doubt highly interesting one of her tours."
Nicholas, New York, USA
June 21st, 2019 ' Day Tour of Aix-en-Provence'
Sarah was a great guide. The walk was informative, informal and really interesting when we learnt all about the city and the artist s of the areas. We had a great day with Sarah and I could recommmend her tour to anyone.
Sheila, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
June 20th, 2019 ' The Magic of Discover Provence' - 5 Day walking tour of Provence
What a fantastic walking tour of Provence with Sarah Pernet. Thank you revealing some of the secrets and charms of Provence! We thoroughly enjoyed this and highly recommend the experience with Sarah.
Rene, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
June 4th, 2019 ' Sarah was a terrific tour guide for Aix-en-Provence and surrounding areas '
We celebrated our 50th anniversary with friends and wanted to see Provence. Sarah was perfect for our needs...we got a taste of Provence in the Lubron, Aix, Arles and Cassis and surrounding towns and villages over 5 days. Art, great wine, great food, Roman ruins and lots of history(ancient, modern and current). In addition, Sarah was always able to answer our many questions with broad knowledge, kindness and aplomb.
Paul, Atlanta, USA
May 27th, 2019 ' Sarah Pernet represents the "Pro" in Provence Tours'
It's no wonder that Discover Provence has received top ratings for its tours of Southern France. Company founder Sarah Pernet is a consummate professional who has hand-picked the best sights in Provence, including unique and lesser-known locales overlooked by most foreign tourists and inaccessible to the bus tours. Ms. Pernet offers intelligent and insightful commentary that will broaden your appreciation and understanding of this region. In addition to her encyclopedic knowledge of the famous artists who gravitated to Provence, she is also an expert in local wines and cuisine. She allows her clients time to explore on their own and creates a tailor-made experience based on your interests, whether you're a wine aficionado, landscape photographer or a Van Gogh geek. Her joie de vivre is infectious and will leave you with a smile in your heart and a brain infused with intriguing insights into the soul of France.
Terry, San Diego, California, USA
May 22nd, 2019 ' A perfect day in the footsteps of Van Gogh'
Last week I was lucky enough to enjoy an amazing tour of Provence with Sarah at Discover Provence. This was my fourth tour with Sarah dating back to 2015 and I look forward to my next one!
This time, Sarah took us to Arles and walking tour of the city with a focus on both the time that Van Gogh spent there creating some of his most historic works, but also on the history of the city dating back to Roman times. Sarah is exceptional about showing the right places and giving us interesting historical background along the way. Her knowledge is deep and impressive and adds an extra layer onto the enjoyment of the day.
After Arles, Sarah drove us to a small village for an unforgettable lunch. As a veteran of the area, Sarah knows the area - and the area knows her! She knows the best places for lunch - and the owners of the cafe give her (and us) the best service.
Our tour continued to visit awe-inspiring perched villages and concluded in Saint-Rémy to close out our art history appreciation of Van Gogh. Here, we saw where the painter lived toward the end of his life and where he painted works such as Starry Night. Again, you could put your phone away because Google was unnecessary - Sarah was there to tell us all the history we needed to fully enjoy the experience.
With the beautiful places in Provence to visit, it seems impossible for any tour guide to go wrong. So why choose Sarah and Discover Provence over the others? Easy. Sarah combines the perfect pacing, the essential insights, and a relaxed experience to the day. In one day, you will see many sights, but not feel for a second like you a rushed tourist moving in a pack from place to place. Instead, you will feel like a local, spending the day with a small group of friends, enjoying what Provence has to offer.
Chris, Dallas, Texas
My mom and I traveled to Provence as part of our two-week trip to France. Because Provence is so large and difficult to reach without a car, I booked two days with Sarah Pernet to show us the region and help up make the most of our time. We left with incredible memories, breathtaking scenery, great conversation and can’t wait to go back!
Sarah took extra care to get to know our interests and expectations and planned two wonderful days for us. On the second day, we visited the St. Remy Market, Les Baux de Provence, and a monastery where Van Gogh lived for a portion of his life. Sarah explained the culture and meaning behind what we were seeing (and tasting!) with nuggets of information that we would have never known otherwise, and just the right amount of history to provide context.
Knowing the local food and culture were very important to us, Sarah made reservations at a wonderful restaurant with typical Provencal fare that was out of this world! Because of her incredible relationships, we were able to visit an olive mill and watch olives being harvested into olive oil.
Sarah was incredibly patient and flexible. For example, when I wanted to dart in a shop, and suggested pushing back lunch a half hour, she was very accommodating. There were no headaches or getting lost, everything about the day felt easy and wonderful. The only bad part was saying goodbye. After our time together, Sarah felt more like a friend. As my mom and I continued our travels to other parts of France, we kept saying we wish Sarah were here! I can’t recommend Discover Provence enough.
Melissa, Washington DC, USA
November 3rd, 2019 ' Excellent Day Touring Luberon Villages with Sarah!'
We were so pleased with our tour of Provence with Sarah Pernet. She is very personable, professional, and knowledgeable. Sarah provided history and relevant cultural information. She has curated a well timed day of stops throughout the region, including fabulous vistas, that exceeded our expectations. It was just what we hoped for when we chose this tour. Our day consisted of visiting and learning about several villages, wine tasting at a vineyard, viewing the beautiful fall landscape and a glorious garden, as well as a delicious lunch. There was time on our own to shop for high quality Provencal goods. We purchased original art directly from the artist. You will feel like you are touring with a knowledgeable friend, and not at all like a tourist. We highly recommend Discover Provence tours!
Marie, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
October 20th, 2019 ' A completely lovely day with Sarah'
We recently met with Sarah for a one day tour to Cassis. It couldn’t have been a better tour! She is very knowledgeable, is very accommodating and just a pleasant person to spend an afternoon with exploring. We would definitely book with Sarah again when we visit Provence.
She also gave a dinner recommendations and that same evening we went to one of the restaurants she spoke of, “Cote cour Restaurant.” Wow! It was wonderful.
Thank you Sarah, you made the day very special.
Pam, Montana, USA
October 10th, 2019 ' France Revisited'
I had been to France, studied briefly in Aix en Provence as a teenager. I always wanted to go back and show my husband this beautiful area of the country. There was much I had not seen or remembered and we both wanted a good guide to expand our experience. We read several Rick Steves books and found a recommendation of Sarah Pernet as a tour guide. I contacted her through the website provided in his book and she promptly responded. She was able to fit us in for a day tour and we confirmed the meeting in advance of our trip. Sarah was an absolute delightful and a very important, extremely educational piece to our experience. She was highly knowledgeable, clearly had a passion for her work and for the places she took us. She was able to give insights as well as history, personal stories in addition to specific destinations. She’s an excellent driver, which also adds to putting one at ease. But most importantly Sarah is devoted and passionate about her chosen home of Provence. That kind of spirit along with detailed knowledge is the recipe for anyone’s successful day tour experience. I highly recommend Sarah Pernet. You won’t be disappointed.
Margi, California, USA
October 8th, 2019 ' Two days touring with Sarah Pernet'
The five of us truly enjoyed our Sunday and Tuesday full day tours with Sarah. One of the things we wanted to do was visit Isle sur La Sorgue on Sunday market day. Sarah made sure that we accomplished this and then we also had a quick view of Gordes and we walked about Roussillon. On Tuesday we visited Cassis and Aix en Provence. We enjoyed the restaurants where she suggested we eat lunch and her company during lunch. She was quite knowledgeable about the places we visited and each of us enjoyed sitting in the front seat of the car and engaging her in conversation as she answered questions I'm sure she has answered a hundred times. We also rented a car after her tours and she gave us tips on what to visit while driving about St. Remy and Les Baux.
Jeff, Colorado, USA
July 1st, 2019 ' A day in Provence with Sarah'
We spent an entire day touring the southern Luberon with Discover Provence, visiting perched villages and wineries. Our delightful traveling companion and extremely knowledgeable guide, Sarah Pernet, had designed a custom itinerary designed to reveal to us the essence of the regional small village life both past and present. We learned a great deal, as Sarah had well-informed answers to even our smallest questions about the “hows” and “whys” of the ramparts, winding streets, aged structures and fabulous vistas of the Luberon perched villages. Her discerning choice of wineries to visit, ranging from local village co-ops to polished contemporary tasting rooms, provided us with a marvelous Provencal experience for the palate. If the number of bottles that came home with us is any indicator, it was a highly successful day! We are enthusiastically looking forward to engaging Discover Provence for another adventure when we next visit Aix-en-Provence.
Roger & Lynn, Palo Alto, California, USA
June 27th, 2019 ' Like Touring with a friend who is an Expert'
"We went on the half day tour of Cassis with Sarah and totally enjoyed the travel experience related to and while there as well as our personal interactions with her. The title of of the review speaks to Sarah's very well rounded knowledge of Provence as a guide as well as her genuinely shared professional and personal experiences living there. Had scheduling allowed, we would have definitely wanted to spend more time with her on another personally engaging and no doubt highly interesting one of her tours."
Nicholas, New York, USA
June 21st, 2019 ' Day Tour of Aix-en-Provence'
Sarah was a great guide. The walk was informative, informal and really interesting when we learnt all about the city and the artist s of the areas. We had a great day with Sarah and I could recommmend her tour to anyone.
Sheila, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
June 20th, 2019 ' The Magic of Discover Provence' - 5 Day walking tour of Provence
What a fantastic walking tour of Provence with Sarah Pernet. Thank you revealing some of the secrets and charms of Provence! We thoroughly enjoyed this and highly recommend the experience with Sarah.
Rene, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
June 4th, 2019 ' Sarah was a terrific tour guide for Aix-en-Provence and surrounding areas '
We celebrated our 50th anniversary with friends and wanted to see Provence. Sarah was perfect for our needs...we got a taste of Provence in the Lubron, Aix, Arles and Cassis and surrounding towns and villages over 5 days. Art, great wine, great food, Roman ruins and lots of history(ancient, modern and current). In addition, Sarah was always able to answer our many questions with broad knowledge, kindness and aplomb.
Paul, Atlanta, USA
May 27th, 2019 ' Sarah Pernet represents the "Pro" in Provence Tours'
It's no wonder that Discover Provence has received top ratings for its tours of Southern France. Company founder Sarah Pernet is a consummate professional who has hand-picked the best sights in Provence, including unique and lesser-known locales overlooked by most foreign tourists and inaccessible to the bus tours. Ms. Pernet offers intelligent and insightful commentary that will broaden your appreciation and understanding of this region. In addition to her encyclopedic knowledge of the famous artists who gravitated to Provence, she is also an expert in local wines and cuisine. She allows her clients time to explore on their own and creates a tailor-made experience based on your interests, whether you're a wine aficionado, landscape photographer or a Van Gogh geek. Her joie de vivre is infectious and will leave you with a smile in your heart and a brain infused with intriguing insights into the soul of France.
Terry, San Diego, California, USA
May 22nd, 2019 ' A perfect day in the footsteps of Van Gogh'
Last week I was lucky enough to enjoy an amazing tour of Provence with Sarah at Discover Provence. This was my fourth tour with Sarah dating back to 2015 and I look forward to my next one!
This time, Sarah took us to Arles and walking tour of the city with a focus on both the time that Van Gogh spent there creating some of his most historic works, but also on the history of the city dating back to Roman times. Sarah is exceptional about showing the right places and giving us interesting historical background along the way. Her knowledge is deep and impressive and adds an extra layer onto the enjoyment of the day.
After Arles, Sarah drove us to a small village for an unforgettable lunch. As a veteran of the area, Sarah knows the area - and the area knows her! She knows the best places for lunch - and the owners of the cafe give her (and us) the best service.
Our tour continued to visit awe-inspiring perched villages and concluded in Saint-Rémy to close out our art history appreciation of Van Gogh. Here, we saw where the painter lived toward the end of his life and where he painted works such as Starry Night. Again, you could put your phone away because Google was unnecessary - Sarah was there to tell us all the history we needed to fully enjoy the experience.
With the beautiful places in Provence to visit, it seems impossible for any tour guide to go wrong. So why choose Sarah and Discover Provence over the others? Easy. Sarah combines the perfect pacing, the essential insights, and a relaxed experience to the day. In one day, you will see many sights, but not feel for a second like you a rushed tourist moving in a pack from place to place. Instead, you will feel like a local, spending the day with a small group of friends, enjoying what Provence has to offer.
Chris, Dallas, Texas
