Welcome
The Tranquility of Provence
Castles and Concerts has visited many spectacular places around the world, and yet we found ourselves absolutely astounded by the sheer variety of magnificent qualities Provence has to offer the discerning traveler. The natural beauty has inspired some of the world’s greatest artists, most notably Van Gogh, Cézanne, and Picasso. While there we will visit The Van Gogh Trail where you can set foot in the exact sites that Van Gogh was painting, side by side with reproductions of his work. The quintessentially French music of Django Reinhardt and “Hot Club” jazz is still wildly popular today - we’ll have some marvelous musicians to share with you. Fascinating history abounds with Provence boasting a rich legacy from antiquity, containing some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in all of Europe. We will also be visiting important wine regions, including Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And who doesn’t love a glass of Rosé on a warm spring day? Speaking of spring, the climate should be absolutely perfect when we visit in May. Because of this, most of our music will take place outside in the charming courtyards of our properties.
We hope you’ll join us as we explore this stunning region in spring of 2026.
Event Highlights
Aix-en-Provence
We will spend the first four nights of our trip just outside of Aix-en-Provence, a marvelous city that one can’t help but fall in love with.
Known for its stunning architecture, the town is a maze of narrow streets lined with grand fountains, picturesque squares, and elegant buildings. We will all have a chance to visit Les Marchés de Provence, a glorious market that begins on the Cours Mirabeau and continues into the city’s main squares, offering wonderful displays of local foods, crafts, flowers, and much more.
We will also visit the Atelier de Cézanne, where famed artist Paul Cézanne completed some of his most well-known paintings. His upstairs studio has been left virtually untouched since his death in 1906, and the property also features stunning views and a rotating exhibitions of important art from around the world. We’ll also venture out to Château La Coste, a stunning winery outside of the city where we will enjoy a tasting and private tour of the grounds, which also contain galleries and architectural installations that have to be seen to be believed.
Luberon
The Villages of Roussillon & Gordes
Named after the mountain range running east–west between Cavaillon and Manosque, the Luberon is a Provençal patchwork of hilltop villages, vineyards, and ancient abbeys. Gordes, named the “Most Beautiful Village in the World” by Travel + Leisure in 2023, is an old settlement whose houses and dry stone walls have stood the test of time. A walk in the cobbled streets allows you to discover ancient doors, vaults, a sundial, fountains and flat stone walls, while enjoying a panorama of incredible beauty. In the center of Gordes we’ll explore an imposing 10th century fortress castle, which was renovated during the Renaissance and is still well-maintained today.
Nearby Gordes is the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque (pictured in the “details” section), Founded in 1148 by Cistercian monks, the Abbey of Sénanque is a remarkable example of Romanesque architecture. The Cistercian monks, who still live here today, follow the strict rules of their order and devote their lives to prayer and study. The Abbaye is also famous for its beautiful gardens, where the monks grow medicinal plants and aromatic herbs. These lovingly laid out gardens are an enchanting sight all year round.
The reds, yellows, oranges and pinks that merge into one another will leave you absolutely enchanted as you wander around the spiralling streets of Roussillon. The story goes that in the Middle Ages, a young damsel named Sermonde was married to Raymond d'Avignon, who was the lord of Roussillon. Raymond spent most of his time hunting, and during his time away, Sermonde fell in love with a local troubadour. When Raymond found out about this, he cut the troubadour's heart out and served it to Sermonde for dinner without telling her. When Sermonde learnt the truth she threw herself from the top of Roussillon. The earth all around now runs red for eternity. Others say that the city’s colour stems from being situated on one of the largest natural ochre deposits in the world, but who can say for sure?
Named “Most Beautiful Village in the World” by Travel + Leisure in 2023
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Pont du Gard & Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
The extraordinary three-tiered Pont du Gard was once part of a 50 km-long system of channels built around 19 BC to transport water from Uzès to Nîmes. This bridge was the highest in the Roman Empire. Each block was carved by hand and transported from nearby quarries – not an easy thing to do, considering the largest blocks weighed over 5 tons. The height of the bridge descends by only 1 inch for every yard, providing just enough gradient to keep the water flowing – an amazing demonstration of the precision of Roman engineering.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is a quintessential Provencal town, with narrow cobblestone streets, charming cafes, and markets that showcase the region’s local products, such as olive oil, lavender, and wines. Here we will explore the Van Gogh Trail which will take us through the locations that influenced Van Gogh’s art during his time in Saint-Rémy. The trail includes the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, where the artist painted The Starry Night and Irises, among other masterpieces. The path is dotted with reproductions of his works displayed alongside the actual locations.
Avignon and Arles
Located on the banks on the Rhône river, Avignon is known as the “City of the Popes”. From 1309 to 1376, it was the center of the Roman Catholic world, with seven consecutive Popes residing here. Though its stint as the seat of papal power only lasted a few decades, it's been left with an impressive legacy of ecclesiastical architecture, most notably the soaring, World Heritage–listed Palais des Papes, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. We will look forward to touring the palace, the surrounding gardens and parks, as well as Pont d’Avignon, a 12th century marvel of engineering that once connected two banks of the Rhône. We also have a terrific lunch location chosen here (I can’t believe we’ve gone this far while barely mentioning the food!) that we’re sure you’re going to enjoy.
As a major Roman settlement, Arles was once one of the most important cities in the Western Empire. Its well-preserved ancient monuments, such as the impressive Roman Arena, the Théâtre Antique, and the Baths of Constantine, offer a glimpse into its grandeur during that era. These structures stand as a testament to Arles' significance as a cultural and economic hub in antiquity.
Van Gogh also spent many years here, painting over 300 works, including The Yellow House and Starry Night Over the Rhone.
Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Arles promises to be a highlight of our trip, as it was the first choice of locations recommended by our truly fabulous main guide: Gab.
Lodging
Our Home in Aix-en-Provence
Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire Hotel & Spa
We have taken two very special properties for our exclusive use. We will begin our trip with 4 nights at Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire Hotel & Spa, an 18th-century bastide (a well-defended medieval town) transformed into a 5-star luxury hotel in 2013. Adorned with vineyards and olive groves spanning several hectares, Les Lodges is only 10 minutes from the center of Aix-en-Provence, making it an ideal location to explore the city and the surrounding areas including the fascinating perched hill-top villages of the Luberon.
If you'd like to arrive early or stay late, let us know and we can make sure your room is available.
(a more relaxed concert venue)
From there, we will set our sites on Castillon-du-Gard, a small medieval village that overlooks the Pont du Gard and the valley of Gardon. Le Vieux Castillon will be our home for these 6 nights. The property consists of eighteen medieval homes, linked through time by walkways, suspended bridges, and shaded patios. It also has amazing cuisine and all the modern amenities one should expect from a luxury hotel. From here we will visit Arles, Avignon, Pont du Gard, Saint-Rémy, and other wonderful locations we have discovered within a relatively short distance.
Both of these properties only have 35 rooms, so this will be a smaller trip than some others we’ve taken. We look forward to more intimate gatherings each evenings and the opportunities this offers.
Music and Wine
The Music, the Musicians and the Artists
This trip should feature absolutely beautiful weather, and both of our properties feature wonderful outdoor spaces to enjoy intimate musical performances. Because of this, we will perform largely acoustic music, and have chosen the perfect group of performers to take advantage of this. Rob Dellinger (of The Alpha Rhythm Kings) is a fabulous singer, trumpet player, and bandleader who we are thrilled to have back. Our “Gypsy Jazz” ensemble will feature accordionist Steve Rice, who will be joining us on his first Castles and Concerts trip, Jeff Sanford on clarinet, guitar virtuoso Raul Reynoso, violinist Matt Montgomery, and David Jackson on the bass. We’re also pleased to welcome back vocalist Carolyn Baker. We’ll also look forward to performing some Argentine Tango, a specialty of the Montgomery family, including bandoneon player and C&C founder Tom Montgomery and violinist/singer Vanessa Bloom. Rounding out the band on bass, percussion, and behind the scenes music arranging and orchestrating, we’re so glad to be joined once again by Brian Adam McCune.
We’re also making arrangements for some sensational local talent to join us throughout the trip. We look forward to making this whole trip an unforgettable musical experience for everyone.
The Music
A Note from Tom
The three decades starting in the 1920’s were historically momentous. They included the Great Depression and WWII. But the writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald gave these years the name that stuck: “The Jazz Age”. This American-born style came to dominate popular music around the world. In many countries and cultures this was a passing fancy. But in others, most especially in France, they took Jazz seriously and developed their own, recognizably different, French musical style built on the American foundations laid down by Louis Armstrong and other American musical pioneers. It is usually known as “Gypsy Jazz”, honoring the heritage of its greatest early player, Django Reinhardt.
By the last two decades of the twentieth century, two musical revolutions had taken place. 1) Rock n Roll had replaced Jazz as America’s pop music of choice and 2) American jazz musicians had led their music into an ever more esoteric and complicated art form with little appeal to many musicians and less appeal to most listeners.
These changes left a couple of generations of American musical orphans. Not at home in either the world of obscure jazz or the current pop music, they turned to Gypsy Jazz. Although our entertainments in Provence will have a wide variety of styles, we are very excited to bring along a core group of players who are masters of this French style. We will also be joined by wonderful French musicians for whom Gypsy Jazz is their native musical language. This is our recipe for a Gourmet Musical Feast. Bon Appetit!
“Hot Club of France”
photo of Stephane Grappelli
The Wine
While Provence is well known for its Rosé wine, it also includes incredible wine regions that we will explore throughout our trip. Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a long winemaking history, dating back to the 14th century when the Papacy was based in Avignon. The region's name, "Châteauneuf-du-Pape”, translates to “The Pope's New Castle”. The terroir is unique, with its famous “galets roulés”—large, smooth pebbles that help retain heat and ensure optimal ripening conditions. The wines from this region are often full-bodied with rich flavors of dark fruit, herbs, and spices, making them highly sought after.
Primarily made from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, Côtes du Rhône wines are often blends that offer a balance of fruitiness, spice, and earthy flavors. The reds are typically medium to full-bodied with notes of dark berries, pepper, and herbs, while the whites can be aromatic and refreshing, made from varieties like Viognier and Roussanne
We will look forward to having exclusive tours and tastings at spectacular wineries in the area, including Château de la Gardine and Château La Coste.
Details & Costs
Please note that your first deposit is 100% refundable for any reason, up until the second payment. If you’re interested in joining us, we highly recommend securing yourself a spot in the likely event that the trip sells out. We will not be asking for the second deposit until later in 2025.
We try to be as all inclusive as possible with our pricing, which includes all hotels, transportation, tastings, nearly every meal, with wine and beer included during meals.
Pre-Trip in Aix-en-Provence
May 18th to May 22nd, 2026
The price of the Pre-Trip is $4,950 per person for a double occupancy room. Single rooms are available at a 1.25x rate.
Main-Trip in Castillon-du-Gard
May 22nd to May 28th, 2026
The price of the Main-Trip is $6,950 per person for a double occupancy room. Single rooms are available at a 1.25x rate.
Flights and Upgrades
We recommend flying into the international airport in Marseille Provence Airport where we will look forward to greeting you when you arrive. We will provide transportation to Marseille Provence Airport on the morning of the 28th.
Cancellation Policy
Please let us know if you are interested in upgraded rooms in both locations. We have a limited number of these rooms that will be available on a first come, first served basis.
