Provence Exclusive Tours
Provence Exclusive Tours
5
About
I am an independent licensed guide providing tours of the main cities and monuments of Provence, but also driving around the beautiful famous and less famous sites of the area in my own mini van. After working for many years as a guide for groups, I decided to specialize in private tours (2014 is my 10th year!) to share my love and knowledge about Provence and France in general. Having lived and travelled abroad, I know what a difference it makes to visit with a local. Tours with me are always a mix of history, food and wine, local experience and daily life. I also specialize in theme tours (painters, Jewish Heritage, Roman architecture...) and special requests.
Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles91 reviews
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90
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Sade Cooper
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
I recently visited the Avignon area with my husband and we reached out to Laurence for a tour based on a recommendation from a friend. We were interested specifically in seeing Jewish sites, and we had the best day with Laurence touring a few small towns near Avignon. Her English is perfect and she had extensive knowledge of the Provence area (both Jewish and non-Jewish specific). She also drove us around which was super helpful as we would likely have gotten lost on our own. Would highly recommend her for your next trip to Provence!
Written 4 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gfox1606
Sharon, MA48 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Couples
My wife and I have traveled throughout Provence with Laurence for the past two years (2018 and 2019) and I cannot conceive of a better guide. She has a deep knowledge of art, architecture, history, culture and music, her English excellent and, best of all, she is a great conversationalist. Laurence approaches her work with extraordinary creativity and takes pleasure in putting together itineraries that will meet the needs of diverse groups of travelers. She has a comprehensive knowledge of all the nooks and crannies of Southern France— the popular and touristy areas, but also the lesser known and exquisitely charming small villages. For our first tours with her in 2018 we wanted to focus on Roman France and she eagerly put together a custom list of “must see” sites that would comprehensively feature the influence of the Romans in Provence: the Amphitheatre in Arles, The Pont de Garde and the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, the spectacular Roman theater in Orange, and other, less obvious sites. And, along the way to these destinations, (driving us in her attractive van), she often would stop in smaller villages to reveal to us to their individual and unique charms. These diversions became some of the more memorable parts of our visit and, as a real plus, she really knows her way around the food world! She took us to several lovely restaurants for lunch, shared some of her special Provençal recipes and showed us special food purveyors selling many of the local specialties. We capped our 2018 tours by visiting the spectacular Ardèche Gorge and Chauvet caves—sites not to be missed!

In 2019 we revisited Provence again, and this time, because of our first experience, decided to have Laurence create our entire itinerary. Again, her selections were perfect and left us again appreciative of the beauty and charm of Provence and, of course, eager to return. Highlights of this trip were Cézanne’s workshop, the La Coste vineyard and art center, Marseille and Cassis, the delightful music she played for us as we travelled and learning to appreciate the true value of oil of lavande.

For me, Laurence sets the standard for excellence and I can’t thank her enough for her expertise, warmth and friendship and, for providing us with two unforgettable tours of Provence.
Written 10 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RichCotswoldChap
Tetbury, UK511 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Business
I too am a tour guide but in England - I know Provence pretty well, well enough to show my American Customers around the area generally but when it comes to specifics - like an in depth tour around Avignon - I was obliged to turn to an expert and, that Laurence is. Her English is perfect and her knowledge and enthusiasm for this part of France made her tour a joy.

I shall not hesitate to sing her praises and to recommend her to others visiting Provence.

Thank you Lawrence !

😊
Written 28 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Rob. it was my pleasure to do this tour with you and your customer/friends!
Written 29 April 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

tdoakley
Raleigh3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2019 • Couples
We have taken numerous tours with Laurence around Provence and covered a wide variety of locales and destinations. The most recent included the Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave and the spectacular Ardèche River Gorge. This was a wonderful visit to a very well-executed exhibit. Laurence is able to evaluate the interests of her clients and find great matches in one of the world’s great destinations. Previous excursions with her have included villages in the Vaucluse region, Roman ruins, art exhibits and artifacts, truffle hunts, wine and vineyards, market days, olive farms and olive oil production, and historical sites.

In addition to being an encyclopedia of French and local lore, she is the best ‘local fixer’ in the region, knows so many people that almost any problem can be addressed. She also understands the French rail and bus transportation system, which is most useful to a novice.

Laurence turns the usual ‘check list’ visit into to something you will always remember. Highly recommend.
Written 18 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HoustonWysiwyg
Houston, TX89 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Family
We have had a lot of good guides, but Laurence was special. She is very relaxed and connects well with Americans, better than other very good French guides we have enjoyed. We enjoyed her vehicle as well -- including its lovely panoramic roof!
Written 24 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking a moment to write a review! I hope to see you in Provence again.
Written 5 August 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Navin C.
New York City, NY53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Couples
I have been to 30+ cities in Europe and have done some sort of tour in almost every one (just to add context). Out of all, there are three tours I can always vividly remember, thanks to Laurence, now there is one more!

We found Laurence randomly. She has been doing tours for 15 years or so, but she hasn’t really tried to game the internet, which is why you don’t see a thousand 5-Star reviews here (she could have easily gotten that and more). She’s kind, thoughtful and just that good.

We did two full day tours with her. Her love and knowledge for the area / art / history / wine / culture are real and shines through readily. It ended up feeling like going to these amazing places with a good friend.

She’s a terrific driver, her personal minivan is wonderful (the glass roof gives a very open feel in beautiful Provence / of course can be covered if too much sunlight). Her cooler is always well stocked with drinks. We felt very comfortable. She took us to all the amazing viewpoints and lesser known towns, and took so many pictures of my wife and I (we haven’t adopted a selfie stick yet so we seldom get many vacation pictures together).

The first day we toured villages in the Louberon and visited a few lavender fields. On the second day we visited St Rémy and Les Baux-de-Provence. When I found out from my wife after first day that Laurence was our guide for the second day as well, my immediate reaction was - “great, another good day ensured!” That’s another thing, when you book with Laurence, you are getting her. With larger touring companies you might not know who you are getting and experience may vary.

We were lucky to have found Laurence and to see a part of beautiful Provence through her lens. And have all these wonderful conversations about the region’s art/history/culture. I wish her the very best. She’s an outstanding guide and an even better person.
Written 1 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Navin! It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife. I had a great time too! Hope to see you again soon!
Written 2 July 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

cwrobelsmith
Atlanta, GA2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Friends
I recently had the pleasure of spending a Sunday with friends in Avignon, Arles, St. Remy and Les Baux with Laurence Minard-Amalou as our guide. The weather was AWFUL, but Laurence did such a good job of still getting us around to the sights that we wanted to see, knew when we needed to take a break from the rain and duck into a café for lunch, etc. Those are the types of days when a great guide is really appreciated. Would highly recommend Laurence!
Written 28 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kelsey1976
Santa Clara, CA527 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Couples
We toured with Laurence 10 years ago. We kept talking about how wonderful that trip was. Since then we have sent friends to her. We felt it was our turn to go back and see what we had missed in the first trip. I wrote early to reserve dates, and to outline what we were thinking of doing. She was very helpful in suggestions of what to do on our way to Avignon (seeing Toulouse and the Cathar Castles). Laurence remembered where we had gone 10 years ago and suggested a great itinerary for us. Laurence drives you around in her car, and it is so wonderful not to be stressed about figuring out where to go. She will drop you off at the market, and then find parking on her own. No time wasted! Lunch restaurants were great, and when I was concerned about getting final gifts, she was very helpful with stores. After touring with her, I wanted to go to Isle sur la Sorgue, for the antique market, and she checked out the bus schedules, and even recommended where we should eat. (one of our best meals).

Air France threatened to strike while we were there, and we were worried about getting home. All of Air France's emails to us were in French, and we could forward them to her for translation. She took care of our stresses.

I need to emphasize what a great tour guide she is. She is able to make history come alive. She points out things that you might not have normally noticed and provides details and stories that add tremendously to your visit.

You will not be disappointed, she is a the best tour guide for Provence. And she will even take your picture in the pouring rain at Pont du Gard! We won't let 10 years go by again!!!!
Written 27 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

F9121UTdavidn
West Union, South Carolina3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Friends
My wife and I, along with a close friend, spent a day recently with Laurence touring Arles, Les Baux and St. Remy. As for the weather, it could not have been worse. It was cold and windy with a steady rain all day. Didn’t matter. Laurence guided us through the highlights of Arles including the Roman Theater and Amphitheater. We saw the Yellow Cafe from the famous Van Gogh painting, the museum in Arles, the hospital in St. Remy where Van Gogh was treated and which still operates as a mental health facility, and many sights in between. Laurence had detailed knowledge of everything we saw and provided excellent explanations of everything. And she is a delightful person...so much fun to spend some time with. Provence has so much to offer beyond what we saw, heading virtually any direction from Avignon. If any of those areas interest you, including the town of Avignon itself, you cannot go wrong with Laurence and Provence Exclusive.
Written 23 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

happytrails7777
Los Angeles, CA112 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Couples
We spent four touring days with Laurence. She provided us with the most amazing outlook on her lovely Provence. We asked for a flea market (L'Isle sur la Sorgue) and some shopping (Saint Remy de Provence) but otherwise, we asked her to set the itinerary and she did it masterfully. She picked us up at our hotel (La Mirande -> fabulous!) and we set off (in her comfortable minivan) for a new adventure everyday. It was a such luxury not to drive and besides, SHE knew where she was going and she wanted us to see the best of Provence. From Aix & Le Baux to Châteauneuf du Pape and many more, it was an experience of a lifetime. Plus, having found a friend who loved everything from the French countryside to art and wine, was the perfect pairing. We cannot recommend Laurence highly enough.
PS: Thank you Laurence, we are still dreaming of Provence!!
Written 20 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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PROVENCE EXCLUSIVE TOURS (Avignon) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go