Take a Hike...or Two

A new Avignon-based company called Hike Provence is offering private guided hikes across the region along with organized group hikes on set days that anyone can join. The hikes, at varying levels of difficulty, are designed to appeal to both tourists and locals alike.

While the project may have been nudged along by Covid, Hike Provence was really 30 years in the making.

Raised in Singapore and Korea, Charli Aron launched the company after returning to Europe from Vietnam, where she was painting, writing, climbing and hiking. “My family is in the UK and my son caught very bad Covid last Easter when I was in Vietnam,” she says. “He’s now fully recovered but I realized I wanted to be closer to home.”

Charli first met her business partner Marushka Delarbre (who grew up in Greece and Denmark) when they were both students in London 30 years ago. “And ever since then we’ve met regularly to walk and talk,” Charli says. “We’re both very keen trekkers and we’ve hiked all over the world, both together and alone.”

Marushka has lived in Provence for 25 years, running an organic apple farm above the village of Tallard in the Hautes-Alpes.

Charli arrived in August 2020.

“Through fortunate happenstance we’re now both based in amazing Provence, with the wonders of Mont Ventoux and the Alpilles Mountains on the horizon,” Charli says. “Discovering the stunning hills, gorges and passes has been such a joy. As a passionate climber and trekker, I thank my lucky stars daily that I live in Provence! Here the skies change hourly; over the course of one day we can be blessed with every color under the rainbow. The fauna I trek through in the mountains has all the aromas that season French cuisine. In short, it’s wonderful. And with so many things closed due to Covid this year, lots of other people have been excited to get out into the hills too.”

Private hikes are built around the needs and size of your group. Choose the date, level of difficulty and number of hours... and they’ll design the perfect hike for you. Rough pricing for private hikes is: €30 per person for three- to four-hour walk or €45 per person for a five to eight hours.

The day starts with a cup of Provencal-herb tea and a chat about expectations. “I recently had clients who wanted to hike the Pont du Gard and explained that they had been left weakened by Covid,” Charli recalls. “So of course I wanted to adapt the hike to their needs.” 

Along the route, Charli or Marushka share the history of the region, offering insider knowledge about important historic sites, geography, climate, plants, insects and more. Both women speak French and English while Marushka can also lead hikes in Spanish. A picnic can be added for an extra charge.

Group hikes (ten people max) happen roughly twice a month, in a mix of French and English. Upcoming hikes include Cabrières d'Avignon on Sunday April 25 (4 km) and the Pont du Gard on Sunday May 2 (11 km). Details about both (plus some recent hikes) are on the site here. To help you choose, hikes are rated leisurely, easy, medium or hard.

A Provencal Pass (€50) lets you enjoy five group hikes of your choosing at any time.

For now, hiking is mostly in the Luberon, the Alpilles and the Gard but Charli hopes to expand the offerings—possibly even to Corsica--if things go well. In the meantime Marushka is still farming and also does healing massage; Charli works as a writer and a painter. (Learn more about her work here.)

“At the moment, Hike Provence is a pleasure project,” she says. “But hopefully it will develop into something that we both can give plenty of time to. It’s just wonderful to be with people when they’ve pushed beyond their threshold and surprised themselves. A hiker often confronts physical barriers when climbing long, steep hills. And then when we pause, to rest or to have a picnic, there’s such a sense of elation. I also love the intimacy that quickly occurs when we’re walking side by side, sharing the beauty of nature.”

Whether you want to hike alone or with a small convivial group...whether you want hidden mountain passes or meandering river walks, to experience the gentle old goat paths above Avignon or the vertigo-inducing “steeps” of the Dentelles Montmirail...Charli would love to hear from you. 

“Hiking is a wonderful way to explore the secret paths that knit together the most beautiful villages of the region,” she says. “If you want to discover them up close and personal, smell the rosemary and thyme, muddy your boots...come hike with us! We hope your readers will get in touch and are ready to walk the walk!”

HikeProvence.com

hikeprovence@gmail.com

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+33 (0)7 80 42 93 36

 

Photos (1) Charli at the Gorges de Badarel. (2) Charli and Marushka take a break. (3) Hiking from Gordes to the Abbaye de Senanques. (4) Heading down is always more fun than up! (5) In the Dentelles de Montmirail. See the little hiker on the path? (6) The goat looked all friendly and then ate the picnic when backs were turned. (7) Lunch with a view of  the Gorges de Badarel. (8) Happy hikers reach the Rocher des Deux Trous in the Alpilles above St. Remy, overlooking the Greco-Roman ruins of Glanum. (9) Olive trees in the foothills of the Alpilles. (10) Hanging out in the Forêt des Cèdres, during a hike to discover the upper part of Cabrières d'Avignon.  (11) The Gorges du Verdon, often called The Grand Canyon of France. (12) Picnicing at the Pont du Gard, the beautifully preserved 2000-year-old Roman aqueduct built to carry water from Nimes. (13) The ochre cliffs of the Colorado Provençal, in the northern Luberon. (14) At the Gorges de Regalon, a magical trail at the base of a dramatic gorge, both hands and feet are often needed in some of the craggy passes.

You're Invited: A Day for Food, Wine & Fun

The 7th annual Envie Epicurieuse happens Sunday May 20...a day devoted to nature, hiking, food, wine and music. I went with friends last year and it reminded me of one of those weddings where everyone's all pretty and proper at first, sticking with their family and friends, and next thing you know no one's in his original seat, dogs are sneaking cake off tables, people are napping under trees and Grama's dancing with God knows who. Loved it!

This year there's a new venue, the Domaine La Réaltière in Rians, an historic village in the northwestern Var, not far from Mont Ste. Victoire. 

Just like in previous years, the day starts with a guided group hike for those who want it; my contact Aurelie says it's a fairly easy hike that should be do-able for just about everyone. If you want to hike, meet at Domaine La Réaltière at 10.30 am. If you don't, arriving at 11:30 or 12 should be fine.

Following a post-hike apero, everyone will settle in at long communal tables for a fantastic afternoon celebrating local food and wine: five courses paired with eight wines. The day should wind down around 5 pm but if last year was any indication, it won't.

Wines this year will be poured by four of the best winemakers in the area: Peter Fischer (of Château Revelette in Jouques), Christian Valensisi (La Chapelle Saint Bacchi in Jouques), Bengt Sundstrom (Château Vignelaure in Rians) and your host Pierre Michelland of Domaine La Réaltière.

Lunch will be prepared by top chefs Nicolas Monribot from Le Millefeuille and Ludovic and Laura Aillaud of L’Épicurien, both of them restaurants in Aix.

And once again, award-winning boulanger Manu Barthélemy will be on hand bearing baskets of his superb breads. And once again he'll serenade the crowd, singing traditional Provencal songs in his magnificent operatic voice.

The master of ceremonies this year is sommelier Hakob Yessayan, who has worked with some of the top chefs in France including Alain Ducasse, Michel Trama and Georges Blanc. Today Yessayan runs the wine program at chef Gilles Goujon's Auberge du Vieux Puits, the Michelin three-star in Fontjoncouse, over in the Aude. 

Kids are welcome from age 6 or 7. There will be babysitters and a special lunch for them.

Tickets are 110€ per person and 25€ for kids, the max is 180 people and the event will sell out so book right away if you plan to. It's best if you book through the website here but you can also call or email: +33 (0)6 11 53 27 01, envie.epicurieuse20@gmail.com. Dress is extremely casual, particularly if you plan to hike. Hotel suggestions and lots more info are on the website. Hope to see you there! 

Photos: Scenes from last year's event. All photos by Sophie Bourgeix except the last two.

Social Climbing: Envie Epicurieuse is June 4

Sunday June 4 is the 6th annual Envie Epicurieuse in Provence, a day of nature, hiking, food, wine and music. My friend Kelly McAuliffe, who'll be the sommelier for the day, was there last year and says: "It blew my mind...it was so much fun. I took clients and they absolutely loved it."

The day starts with a nature hike up Mont La Vautubiere, a 634-meter peak at the back of Cezanne's famous Mont St. Victoire. When you reach the top , you'll find everything set up for the apero: wine, snacks and live music. Then everyone heads down to a large tent where the luncheon with wine pairing begins. There will be five dishes from two top Aix chefs...and eight wines...and a world-champion boulanger on hand...and lots of hilarity, to be sure.

"Eventually the baker sings in traditional Provencal, with his stunning opera voice, to put the cherry on top," Kelly says.

For those who don't speak French, Kelly will be translating and animating, not that it sounds like this day needs any animation help at all. "I really don't know how anyone could have a better Sunday in Provence! " he says.

The day is 110€ per person for adults, 25€ for kids.

The winemakers will be: Peter Fischer of Château Revelette (Jouques), Christian Valensisi from La Chapelle Saint Bacchi (Jouques), Pierre Michelland from Domaine La Réaltière (Rians) and Bengt Sundstrom of Château Vignelaure (Rians).

The chefs/restaurants are: Nicolas Monribot from Le Millefeuille (Aix) and Ludovic and Laura Aillaud of L’Épicurien (Aix).

The start point/meeting place is in the town of Jouques; you'll see signs telling you where to go. Arrive by 9:30 if you plan to do the guided nature hike...or at 10:30 if you want to do it on your own, in which case you'll have a one-hour walk to the top, on a shorter steeper route indicated with an arrow. (Kelly suggests you arrive at the top by noon.) For those who don't want to do the walk up, rides in a 4 x 4 will be offered...but be sure to request this in advance. The day will end around 4:30 pm,  the max is 200 people and the event will definitely sell out. 

The deadline for registration is May 17th and all the details are at envie-epicurieuse.fr. 

To book, use the online form here. Or, call or email Isabelle: +33 (0)6 11 53 2 7 01, envie.epicurieuse20@gmail.com. And if you have questions and speak no French, Kelly will do what he can to help: kmcauliffe@hotmail.fr.