Wine tours in Provence, far from the crowds
Aura Provence is a boutique DMC born in Marseille, designing and operating private wine tours across the region for private travellers, small groups and the travel advisors who place them. Our itineraries are prose more than programme: quiet estates, unhurried tastings, a lunch that lasts the afternoon.
Confidential family estates, between the sea and the hills
Provence's most memorable vineyards are rarely the ones with signposts. We work with a small circle of family estates — some perched above the calanques near Cassis, others folded into the hills of the Luberon — that most visitors will never find. Cellars dug into the rock, terraces facing the Mediterranean, old vines held together by families across three or four generations.
Because we operate on the ground ourselves, we can open doors that are otherwise closed: a private tasting in a cellar that does not receive the public, a lunch on the estate with the winemaker, an early-morning walk through the vines before the heat settles in.
Tastings hosted by the people who make the wine
Every tasting we arrange is hosted by the winemaker, a member of the family, or the estate's long-standing sommelier. There is no scripted commentary, no branded reception hall. Guests are welcomed into working spaces — the cellar, the vat room, a shaded terrace — and the conversation follows the glass rather than a script. This is the piece of a Provence wine day that no coach tour can replicate.
Olive oil estates as a natural complement
Wine and olive oil share the same terroir in Provence, and often the same families. Many of our wine days include a short visit to a neighbouring olive estate: a walk through the grove, a mill visit in season, a tasting flight of single-cultivar oils. It is the quietest and most Provençal way to break up a day between two vineyards.
Everything handled, end to end
We take care of the full ground operation: private transfers between estates, timing so guests are never rushed and never waiting, reservations at the tables we know well, contingency for weather, and a bilingual guide when it matters. Guests only enjoy — the logistics stay with us.
Wine tours sit naturally alongside our Cassis and Calanques day, a Luberon village programme, or a longer itinerary built through our Provence DMC. To start a conversation, our contact page is the shortest route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the wine tours private?
Yes. Every wine tour we design is fully private. Your group travels with a private driver-guide, visits estates on a schedule made for you alone, and is hosted at each domain by the winemaker or a family member rather than in a public tasting room.
Which wine regions of Provence do you cover?
We work across the appellations closest to our home in Marseille: the small, sea-facing vineyards of Cassis and Bandol, the rosé country of the Coteaux d'Aix and the Sainte-Victoire, and the inland estates of the Luberon and Ventoux. Longer itineraries can extend into the southern Rhône.
Can you organise a wine tour from Marseille or Aix-en-Provence?
Yes. Most of our wine days depart from Marseille, Aix-en-Provence or a private villa in the region. We handle the transfers, the timing between estates, and the lunch reservation. Half-day, full-day and multi-day formats are all possible.
Do you work with travel agencies for wine itineraries?
Yes. A significant part of our wine programmes is designed for travel advisors and agencies whose clients want a confidential, well-paced experience in Provence. We operate on net rates or commission, and we never contact an agency's clients directly.