8-Day South of France Self-Drive from Bordeaux to Marseille

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You'll start the day with a group guided tour of the city of Bordeaux. This two-hour guided walking tour includes some of Bordeaux’s most remarkable 18th-century architecture, as well as the highlights of the UNESCO World Heritage area. You'll spend the tour admiring the cathedrals, towers, courtyards, great halls, gardens and monuments and more. Later, you'll discover about the magic of pairing food and wine and experience a wide range of flavours, aromas and characteristics.

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This morning, you'll pick up your rental car and drive to Saint-Emilion, a village close to Bordeaux known for its wine and macarons. Whilst this quaint medieval village may no longer be a secret, its charm oozes from its beautiful architecture, stunning monuments and world-famous wineries. In the afternoon, you'll reach Toulouse which is often called the pink city for the colour of its façades. You'll have the rest of the afternoon to explore the city.

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In the morning, you'll have the opportunity to take a stroll around in Toulouse. Known as the 'Pink City' or 'La Ville Rose' for its ochre-coloured rooftops, blushing churches and pink-hued buildings, Toulouse is a beautiful city with an enchanting Old Quarter (Vieux Quartier) and a jumble of coral shops, restaurants, bars and churches. In the afternoon, you'll drive yourself to the fortified town of Carcassone where you'll stay overnight.

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On this day of your south of France itinerary, you'll visit the city of Carcassonne which is hidden between high medieval walls. Having been occupied by Romans, Visigoths and the Crusaders, to name but a few, the citadel evolved over the years to become a double-walled fortification with 52 towers to look out from. In the afternoon, you'll travel to Southeastern France to Avignon, stopping on the way to visit the city of Montpellier.

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There's quite a bit of history in Avignon as this is where Pope Clemente V moved his court in the 14th century; for several decades it was the seat of the Catholic pope. You'll visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Palais des Papes, to be fully immersed in the 14th century! In the afternoon, you'll head over to Marseille, the oldest city in France, which was important during both the Greek and Roman era as a vital trading port; an important role which still remains true today.

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Today, you have the day free to spend as you wish. You may want to take this opportunity to explore Calanques National Park, an area known worldwide for its stunning landscapes, the biodiversity of plants and its rich cultural heritage. You could also take the opportunity to drive yourself to the city of Nice, just two hours away. Sitting on the French Riviera with a beautiful seaside, it is difficult to find anywhere that compares to Nice in France.