Arrival in Provence

Arrive in the Avignon / Alpilles area and check into our hotel, with the afternoon free to rest and recover from the journey.

Opening Celebration Dinner. We meet and greet over a French-American welcome dinner and begin learning the tricks of the antiques trade — including how to write your purchase orders, so you're ready for the buying days ahead. Each guest receives their Shopping Kit.

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon & L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

We begin the morning hunting beneath the medieval towers of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, one of Provence's most atmospheric weekly brocantes.

In the afternoon we wind deeper into Provence to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, the legendary antiques town built around canals and historic waterwheels — browsing its antiques villages, galleries, dealer shops and hidden courtyards.

Béziers Professional Déballage & Pézenas

An early start for a serious wholesale buying morning at the Béziers déballage, reserved for members of the antiques, brocante and art trades.

After lunch we continue to historic Pézenas to source among its antiques dealers and brocantes.

Avignon — Professional Buying & the Historic City

A morning of wholesale buying at the Avignon International Déballage at the Parc des Expositions, followed by a free afternoon in historic Avignon — lunch at a café of your choosing, the Palais des Papes, boutiques, or a glass of rosé on a terrace near Place de l'Horloge.

If the 2027 Avignon fair date is not confirmed, we'll spend this day in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue instead.

Montpellier Déballage & the Wild Camargue

Morning wholesale buying at the Montpellier professional déballage in Pérols, then lunch together near the fair.

In the afternoon we set out on a private 4x4 safari into the Camargue — vast marshes, salt flats and reed beds — with a local guide, discovering the famous white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos and the centuries-old traditions of the gardians, the cowboys of the Camargue.

Saint-Rémy, Van Gogh & the Luberon

A slower day to enjoy Provence at an easy pace, beginning at the lively Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Wednesday market — local produce, textiles, antiques and Provençal specialties.

Follow Van Gogh's footsteps at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, where he spent a year and painted some of his most celebrated works, or explore another chapter of his story in Arles. Time allowing, a scenic drive through the Luberon to the ochre village of Roussillon and the hilltop village of Gordes.

We are trying to schedule a special trip to Lyon — it's a buyer's paradise. The Van Gogh visit may be swapped for a day in Lyon.

Aix-en-Provence Market Day

A day in elegant Aix-en-Provence, beginning with its Thursday market, when flowers, produce, Provençal textiles, antiques and artisan goods spill through the historic center. A leisurely lunch, then an afternoon among Aix's squares, fountains, boutiques and café-lined streets.

Wrap-Up, Packing & Celebration

Our final full day is left open to finalize purchase orders, review documentation, settle vendor questions, complete shipping paperwork and pack for home.

Final Celebration Dinner. We toast a week of buying, discovery, Provence and the thrill of the hunt.

Departure

Breakfast and check-out, with onward travel according to your own schedule.