Days 1-2 - Depart the U.S. / Arrive in Paris, France

Depart the US on overnight flights to Paris. Your first stop is the Musée d'Orsay, home to one of the world’s most important collections of Impressionist paintings—including 27 works by van Gogh.  After checking into your hotel, set off by bus for a tour of Montmartre, where van Gogh shared an apartment with his brother Theo from 1886 to 1888. Here, he made the acquaintance of artists such as Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, and Georges Seurat—whose unconventional use of light, color, and brushstrokes had a profound influence on his own style. Dine at a typical bistro in Montmartre this evening. (R,D)

Day 3 - Auvers-sur-Oise

After his release from the asylum in Provence, van Gogh sought his last refuge in the small town of Auvers-sur-Oise, just north of Paris, wishing to be closer to Theo and ensconced in the familiar landscapes of the north. Tour the Auberge Ravoux where he stayed for just over two months in a simple attic room—and eventually took his last breath. Visit the house of Dr. Paul Gachet, a homeopathic doctor who was well connected to the artists of the day and who treated van Gogh during the final weeks of his life. His painting of the doctor is one of the most expensive pieces of art ever sold at auction. Retrace the events of July 1890, when van Gogh allegedly shot himself while painting just outside the village and died two days later, with Theo by his side. See the simple grave in the village cemetery, where he is laid to rest alongside Theo, who died the following year. After a lunch of local specialties at the inn—where van Gogh had a favorite table at the back of the room. Return to Paris and enjoy time at leisure. (B,L)

Day 4 - Avignon and Arles

Board the TGV at the Gare de Lyon and zoom south to Avignon in just three hours, arriving in time for lunch. Take a leisurely walk through the beautiful streets of Avignon with a local guide, seeing the exterior of the Palais de Papes, the seat of the Papacy during the 14th century, and the famous Pont d’Avignon. Visit the Musée Angladon, housed in a private mansion and featuring a small but exquisite collection of 19th- and 20th-century works, including those of Vincent van Gogh. Continue to nearby Arles this afternoon and check in to your hotel. (B,L)

Day 5 - Arles

Set off on a guided walk through Arles, where prominent traces of the Roman city—including a stunningly preserved coliseum—exist among charming cobbled lanes and leafy squares. During his short time in Arles, van Gogh produced more than 200 paintings as well as 100 drawings and watercolors, working rapidly en plein air to capture the moment and manifesting his unique style. Picture the artist behind his easel as you tour his haunts in the historic city center. Then sit down to lunch at a local café, enjoying typically Provençal flavors. This afternoon, meet a curator at the Fondation Van Gogh for a talk on the artist’s legacy and the influence he continues to have on contemporary art. Your evening is at leisure. (B,L)

Day 6 - Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

After his intensely creative time in Arles,  an exhausted and unstable van Gogh committed himself to an asylum in St.-Rémy-de-Provence, a lovely town surrounded by almond and peach orchards. Stroll the Van Gogh Trail, where 21 reproductions of his works are juxtaposed against the very scenes they depict. Pay a visit to the Romanesque Saint Paul de Mausole Monastery, the asylum in which painted some of his most memorable works in between bouts of illness, including The Irises, Starry Night, and Vincent’s Room in Arles. While the monastery is still a working psychiatric institution, parts of the site are open to the public, including a small museum. Continue to the Musée Estrine, an 18th-century mansion with a fine collection of 20th and 21st-century paintings and graphic art. Return to Arles for time at leisure. Then toast your journey—and the artist who inspired it—at a farewell reception and dinner this evening (B,R,D)

Day 7 - Marseilles / Return Home

After breakfast, transfer to Marseilles airport for your flight home. (B)