Excursions - Aix En Provence, France

Overnight trips

• Beaune and Dijon
• French Riviera
• Moustiers-Ste Marie & Gorges du Verdon
• Rafting and hiking Trip in the Alps...
• Ski Weekend
• The Camargue

One-day trips

• Arles
• Avignon
• Cassis
• Les Baux de Provence
• Marseille
• Nîmes

Moustiers-Ste Marie &
Gorges du Verdon
In the midst of a nature reserve, rich in flora and fauna, the scenery here is astonishing. Never really discovered until the beginning of the century, the Verdon Gorges have since then fascinated innumerable visitors, There is no doubt that the sight is imposing! The custodial villages nestled at the foot of the fault have maintained their old fashioned Provençal appeal. Here you will be warmly welcomed, and thanks to the fabulous natural resources of the area, countless activites are available: White water sports: rafting, canyoning, kayaking, sailing, water skiing, paragliding, free flight, climbing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking......
http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/groupes/verdon/pays.htm

The Camargue
The Camargue is like its own little country. Once you're a few minutes south of Arles, you enter the atmosphere of the area, with its series of long, level roads criss-crossing the marshes and farmlands. Eagles, hawks and harriers soar in the blue skies and muskrats swim along the little canals. Black bulls and white horses graze in the fields, local cowboys ...

No jungles or conical hats here, but rice paddies abound, along with grain fields, orchards and even a few vineyards. Salt plains cover the southeastern corner, where the Grand Rhône flows into the sea by Salin-de-Giraud, and the center, surrounding the Etang de Vaccarès, is a huge zoological and botanical nature reserve teaming with wildlife.
Source http://www.beyond.fr/sites/camargue.html

Les Baux de Provence
The site of Les Baux de Provence constitutes a large group composed of numerous elements testifying to a long period of human occupation. The first traces of human presence on the plateau of Les Baux-de-Provence is archaeologically attested from the Neolithic period, about 6,000 years BC. Antiquity is also represented among the various remains. At the same time, neither traces of the 13th and 14th centuries, nor the first half of the 10th century have as yet been found.

The presence of a castle is attested by documents from the 2nd half of the 10th century. The first known member of the family of Les Baux , Pons le Jeune, is cited in a text dated 973 or 981. The last surviving member of the family, Alix, died without issue at the castle in 1426.
Source http://www.lesbauxdeprovence.com/us/index.html

Nîmes
Nîmes is a trip to Provence as it was in the days of the Romans. We will visit the arena built by the Romans as well as a local wonder, the Pont du Gard, an aqueduct also constructed by the Romans.