Verdon Gorge and Moustiers Sainte-Marie Day Trip from Aix-en-Provence

You’ll be picked up from central Aix-en-Provence in the morning by your guide. Traveling by air-conditioned minvan, travel 45 minutes north from the French Riviera through the Alpes de Haute-Provence region to your first stop, just outside Manosque.

The largest and liveliest town in the region, Manosque is home to the L'Occitane factory, a high-end cosmetics company famous around the world. Take a guided tour of the factory to discover the steps involved in the production of perfumes, which are made with local flowers and plants. This fragrant experience lets you trace the key steps in the history of the L'Occitane brand, and you’ll end with a chance to purchase products at preferential prices.

Afterwards, continue your drive across the Valensole plateau, arriving in Moustiers Ste-Marie after about an hour. This lovely village is in a gorgeous setting, at the base of rocky cliffs along a rushing mountain stream that divides the village with a narrow canyon. The view of this mini-gorge, with small waterfalls down inside and medieval houses above, is quite beautiful.

Enjoy free time to have lunch and explore Moustiers Ste-Marie on your own. Wander the narrow medieval streets and vaulted passages, visit ceramics shops – for which the village is known – and enjoy a relaxing lunch at a terrace café (own expense). Don’t miss the centerpiece of the village, Notre-Dame de Beauvoir chapel, which sits high above the village behind the ruins of the ancient city walls. Built in the 8th century and restored in the 12th century, this church has layers of history, and offers fantastic views of the village’s red-tiled roofs, the expanse of the Maire valley, the far hills and the Lake of Sainte-Croix, which you’ll visit later.

Your next stop is the Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon), considered to be one of the most beautiful canyons in Europe. Named for the Verdon River’s striking turquoise-green color, the gorge draws many visitors for its scenic rim drive and great hikes. Admire awe-inspiring views from the rim before descending to the end of the canyon, where the river flows into Lake of Sainte-Croix (Lac de Sainte-Croix).

After your time here, it’s time to hit the road back to the French Riviera. Travel through the village of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon overlooking the lake on the drive back to Aix-en-Provence, about 1 hour and 45 minutes away.