The villa is the fixed point of the week. It is an original Provençal farmhouse that has had rooms added over the years and was recently renovated inside, so it feels contemporary but still like a family house rather than a hotel. It sits at 600 metres, which keeps the summer evenings cool, and there is a log burner plus wall-mounted electric heaters for the colder months. Fruit and olive trees grow on the land — figs, plums, mulberries, cherries and lemons depending on the season — and the wild forest behind the house runs for miles. Deer and wild boar pass through, and you will hear owls at dusk.

The walking is the point of the trip, and it is not gentle. Days run from 4 to 8 hours with altitude gains and steep descents, and the operator asks for prior mountain hiking experience. Two landscapes get covered: the rugged alpine terrain of the Var and Alpes Maritimes to the north, with meadows, rocky ground and high forests, and the red rock formations and vineyards of the Var to the south. The Lachens Mountain day is the first big one, the Gorges du Blavet day finishes with a few hours swimming at Fréjus beach, and the Cheiron Mountain day is the longest climb of the week.

Day five is the culture day. Breakfast on a terrace at the Fayence market, which runs twice a week and sometimes has a gypsy jazz guitarist playing in the square, then Mons and Seillans — Seillans is officially listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France — and lunch in a restaurant in Mons. The afternoon is a tour and tasting at a nearby biodynamic vineyard, which makes its wine without pesticides or chemicals. Provence is known for rosé, but the whites and reds are poured too.

Remi founded Provençal Adventures and leads every trip. He is a Londoner with French roots and has hiked widely, including in the Himalayas. He started cooking young — his first three-course meal was for his mother's birthday at 11 — and worked briefly as a chef before deciding he preferred cooking for friends and family. That shows in the dinners: traditional dishes, seasonal menus, organic produce wherever possible, and vegetarian options arranged in advance if you ask.

The group is small and the pace is set by the walking. Mornings start early, around 7am for breakfast, with the car leaving by 8 or 8:15. You are usually back at the villa by late afternoon for a swim and free time, then there is a short briefing on the next day's route before apéritif and dinner. The final morning has an optional short hike from the villa, lunch, and a 16:00 departure for Nice airport.

What's included

- Airport pickup and drop-off at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) - 5 nights accommodation at the villa - All food and drink at the villa - Packed lunch on each hiking day - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - Guided nature hikes with a trusted guide - Group excursions and activities - Transport during the retreat - Wifi connection

What's not included

- Travel insurance - Visa fee - 1 breakfast, 1 lunch and 1 dinner - Additional activities not included in the itinerary