The pleasures of Provence are legendary, and ...

France | Oct 2 - Oct 9, 2025

The pleasures of Provence are legendary, and the Kimkim team was instrumental in helping us to delight in them. Our guides were interesting people in their own right, affable, informed, humorous, efficient and invariably reliable. I’m quite old and I have my share of infirmities—but the guides, Adie and Greg, were alert to these and truly helpful in accommodating my needs. To Lucie we owe the wonderful idea of cooking a meal in a chef’s kitchen, for me the high point of the trip, including as it did a trip to the market for the ingredients of our meal. (Special praise is due to the chef, who said, after our trip to the market, “For this afternoon, my kitchen is your home.”) Lucie also accommodated us when we needed to make changes in our arrangements and was, from the first, always accessible. The drivers from and to the airport in Nice were on time and very helpful, though there was some confusion about the dropoff in Nice, which I attribute to the hotel. I couldn’t have made this trip without the Kimkim team.

Hotel Review

Grand Hôtel Roi René Aix-en-Provence Centre – MGallery

Aix-en-Provence

Entirely comfortable and adequate, though the open shower was a bit hard to manage. Breakfasts were quite ample and quite good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit distant from the center of activity in Aix, but not a problem for a good walker.

Staff

Very pleasant and helpful, but could do better in helping us to change large Euros

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean, beds very comfortable, shower a bit hard to manage

Activity Reviews

Private Provençale Cooking Class & Lunch

Aix-en-Provence

I have commented on this in my written review. It was, for me, the high point of the trip, and Emma, the chef, was wonderful: I’ll never forget her welcome to her kitchen and the pleasure of shopping for, cooking and eating a meal with her.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of the Bastide du Jas de Bouffan

Aix-en-Provence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

ignore—we had no Kimkim driver or fuide for this event

Transport

ignore—we furnished our own transport