* France - Luberon - Vineyards and Hilltop Villages

Arrive in time for lunch at "Isle sur la Sorgue", a town-cum-island in the middle of the river Sorgue, and a favourite haunt of antique dealers. On to Fontaine de Vaucluse, and a visit to a traditional paper mill. Dinner. Overnight.Group travel

First stop Oppède where we visit an olive oil mill. On to Ménerbes, listed as one of France's loveliest, then to the hilltop village of Bonnieux. Time for lunch. We continue to Roussillon, famed for its striking red and yellow ochre cliffs. Our return route takes us via Coustellet where we visit the Lavender Museum. Dinner and overnight.

Time first to admire the jagged mountain ridge of the "Dentelles de Montmirail" massif. Then we join the Wine Route, passing though the villages of Beaumes de Venise, Vacqueyras, and Gigondas, who have given their names to some of the most prestigious wines of the "côtes du Rhone » area. We stop at a wine cellar for some tasting. Lunch. Optional provençal lunch buffet in the cellar of Cairanne. We visit a nougat factory and sample the produce. The day comes to a close at Pernes les Fontaines, with its cobbled streets and, as the name suggests, some 120 fountains. Dinner and overnight.

We make for Gordes and tour the hilltop village whose houses huddle together in higgledy piggledy fashion around the impressive chunk of castle. Optional visit of the village of Bories or of the museum of stained-glass windows. Lunch.