Avignon food and wine tour: 10 tastings plus lunch

Taste your way through Avignon's markets and hidden food stops in one morning

A three-hour guided food and wine activity in Avignon where you taste 10 handpicked regional foods (from first-press olive oils and artisan cheeses to local nougat and honey), then sit down to a generous lunch with wine in a charming bistro. The guide, Zahra, is a native Avignon resident recommended by Rick Steves. Tastings vary by availability. The covered market is morning-only, with a premium alternative for afternoon departures.

Step-by-step itinerary

Avignon food and wine tasting tour

• Welcome and taste olive oils and honeys
• Visit Avignon covered market and try pissaladière
• Taste olives and tapenades in secret courtyard
• Wine and cheese pairing masterclass
• Enjoy chef's light lunch with local wine
• Taste Oreillette pastry in quiet garden

The experience

You start with a private tasting of the region's best olive oils and raw honeys in an elegant venue, paired with aged artisan cheeses. Then you move into Avignon's famous covered market (the gathering place for the city's top chefs and food professionals), where you taste a warm, caramelized pissaladière, the traditional Provençal onion and anchovy tart locals eat for breakfast. The market's iconic green wall is the backdrop. The energy is the real draw.

From there, you step into a hidden boutique workshop dedicated to hand-made beauty botanicals, where a private tasting table holds a spread of cured green and black olives, crispy golden toasts, and three freshly prepared tapenades. Next comes a wine and cheese pairing at a prestigious wine institution founded in 1900, where a top-tier expert guides you through bold Rhône Valley wines matched with premium local cheeses. The session is educational but relaxed: world-class bottles meeting the authentic soul of Provençal viticulture.

Lunch happens near Place des Carmes at a warm, authentic local table where the chef cooks with seasonal ingredients and no industrial shortcuts. You eat a savory sun-vegetable tatin tart, a delicate artisanal tartlet, a crisp green salad, and a hand-selected glass of local wine. The finale is a genuine Oreillette (a crispy, sugar-dusted Provençal pastry) crafted by a legendary local family whose baking secrets have been passed down since 1931, using a historic vaulted oven firing since the 16th century.

What’s included

• Ten handpicked regional tastings: first-press olive oils, raw honey, aged artisan cheeses, pissaladière, cured olives, tapenades, and Rhône Valley wines paired with premium cheeses.
• a generous sit-down lunch featuring a savory sun-vegetable tatin tart, artisanal tartlet, fresh salad, and a glass of local wine.
• a final Oreillette pastry.
• expert guidance from a native English and French-speaking guide.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SaturdayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Youth (7 to 13 years) · Child (2 to 6 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Avignon Bespoke Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a guide leading you through stops and tastings rather than deciding the route yourself, and prefer a shared group experience over private arrangements.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 13 years); Child (2 to 6 years); Infant (under 2): free.

How many tastings are included in the three hours?

Ten tastings are woven through the morning: first-press olive oils, raw honey, aged artisan cheeses, pissaladière from the covered market, cured olives, tapenades, Rhône Valley wines paired with premium cheeses, and a final Oreillette pastry. Lunch with wine is the sit-down finale.

What is the covered market like, and when can I visit it?

Avignon's covered market is a lively morning gathering place where the city's top chefs and food professionals shop. It is a bustling, colorful space filled with local accents and beautiful aromas. The covered market is morning-only. If you book an afternoon tour, a premium alternative tasting venue is provided instead.

Is this tour private or shared, and who leads it?

The tour is led by Zahra, a native Avignon guide recommended by Rick Steves, and is shared with a small group. She speaks English and French and provides all the information you need to visit monuments independently after the tour ends.

What should I bring, and are there any dietary concerns I need to flag?

Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sun protection (a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen), and a small bottle of water, especially in summer. Tell the guide about any food allergies or dietary requirements at the time of booking or before the tour starts, so tastings can be adjusted.

Does the tour include entry to Avignon's monuments and historical sites?

Monument entry fees are not included in the tour price. The guide provides all the information you need to choose which sites to visit on your own after the three hours end, so you can plan the rest of your day in the city.