Private Insider Wine & Gastronomy Experiences
Hosted by Chef Marcus & Jamie Guiliano
Private custom travel also available for groups, families, and culinary clubs.
Travel from the culinary capital of France through the vineyards of the Rhône Valley, into the stone villages of Provence, and along the Mediterranean coast to the glamour of the French Riviera.
Date
Destination
Experience
Southern France moves differently. Long lunches are not events. They are part of life. Coffee is not rushed. Wine isn’t ordered by brand. People linger. Conversations stretch. And meals become memories.
Years ago, Jamie and I realized Southern France delivers something many travelers never experience. Not simply famous places. A feeling.
You move from dramatic Rhône Valley hillsides where Syrah clings impossibly to stone terraces, into medieval villages that appear untouched by time, and finally toward the Mediterranean where life somehow slows even further.
This journey was created because we wanted guests to experience Southern France the way we seek out places ourselves. Not from giant buses. Not from tourism desks. Through relationships. Through meals. Through the people behind the wines.
Because the moments you remember most usually happen when there is no sign pointing toward them.
Lyon, Northern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Provence, Bormes-les-Mimosas, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, the French Riviera, and the hidden villages that make the region feel personal, layered, and alive.
Private winery experiences, historic villages, food markets, chef-led dining, coastal beauty, Mediterranean culture, wine legends, and small-group access shaped by decades of relationships.
Join a hosted Southern France departure, or ask us to design a private version for your own group.
Instead, personal relationships, family wineries, private meals, hidden villages, behind-the-scenes experiences, and slow travel. The owner often becomes your guide.
Expect chef-driven meals, vineyard lunches, long afternoons, and culinary moments shaped by the people, places, and traditions of the Rhône, Provence, and the Riviera.
Each day is built around the rhythm of place: vineyard hillsides, medieval villages, Mediterranean coast, and one of the world’s great food cities.
Arrive in Lyon and immediately enter one of the world’s great food cities. The journey begins inside Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse — cheese counters, fresh oysters, pastries, charcuterie, and markets overflowing with ingredients that shaped generations of French cuisine. Later, gather for dinner and your first glasses of wine together. The beginning of Southern France starts with food. As it should.
Leave Lyon and head toward the steep hillsides of Northern Rhône. Vineyards rise dramatically above the river. Stone terraces climb impossible slopes. Tiny villages emerge around bends. Today belongs to Syrah and Viognier — and stories from the people who make them.
Move south and watch the landscape slowly transform. The granite hills soften. Olive trees appear. Mediterranean light arrives. Explore the medieval streets of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and settle into village life. Coffee. Wine. Slow travel.
No rushing today. This is Châteauneuf. Morning coffee in the square. Stone alleys. Family wineries. Conversations. Cellars. Long lunches. This is one of the great wine villages of the world.
Travel through Provence and discover villages many travelers simply drive past. The roads become quieter. Life slows. Lunches become longer. Wine becomes part of the scenery.
The Mediterranean finally appears. The air changes. Palm trees replace vineyards. Marseille introduces another side of France before continuing along the coast toward Bormes-les-Mimosas. Tonight the sea becomes your backdrop.
Explore Cannes — markets, coastal cafés, hidden corners — then continue toward Nice where Riviera life fully settles in. No rushing. No schedules. Just life along the sea.
Wander Nice. Explore markets overflowing with flowers, olives, produce, and seafood. Later, discover one of Marcus and Jamie’s favorite local finds: Rouge Wine Bar. One final toast. One more story. One more unforgettable evening.
Optional Paris Extension
For guests extending their experience, board first-class high-speed rail and travel north toward Paris. A final chapter. Because in France, the journey itself becomes part of the experience.
Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Roussanne, Marsanne, Provençal rosé, Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends, and Northern Rhône Syrah.
Anyone can book France, but few experience Southern France through decades of relationships. Travel with Marcus and Jamie Guiliano for an intimate 8–14 guest hosted journey with real access, private moments, and legendary wines. Leave your details and Marcus or Jamie will personally share dates and next steps.
Your details are used only to follow up about the Southern France hosted journey or private travel request.
