Stepping Back in Time with Yes Provence

There is a hint of nostalgia in the air of Provence, a scent of yesteryear that evokes memories of our childhood, regardless of where we grew up. So what could be better than discovering Provence under the nostalgic purr of old engines? We hit the road with Yann Durandard, our passionate partner, specialist in vintage cars, for one of our favourite experiences in Provence - a vintage trip through Provence that is equally rustic and refined, accompanied by a bucolic picnic.. All you need is your sunglasses and a straw hat, and off you go!

An ode to a lost era

First, pick your favourite car from Yann's magical collection, which brings together all the best automotive moments from the past, between nostalgia and beautiful mechanics. Are you more of a Coccinelle, a spacious beauty despite appearances, a pearl that doesn't usually run the roads and that you don't see every day?  Or the laid-back Méhari, bohemian emblem of the Côte d'Azur, family-friendly and practical, which transcends generations and always manages to be fashionable? Or the 2CV, the classic, the favourite car of the French? Whatever your choice, your car is brought directly to your holiday home, to go on a trip right from your doorstep.

Yann Durandard is originally from the Savoie region but he left his native land for the love of Provence. His passion for old cars has become a way for him to protect and pass on a whole section of French know-how.

"It's both a French and European art of living that we want to perpetuate."

Renting a vintage car is an opportunity for him to relive a piece of one's childhood, to follow in the footsteps of your parents or grandparents, to discover new driving sensations. It's a return to basics. You can feel the heat of the sun through the windows, like all the previous owners of these cars before you. Riding in a vintage car is like joining an insider club where all stories intertwine.

All you have to do is get behind the wheel of one of these legendary cars and set off on the roads lined with cypresses, synonymous with holidays, and century-old plane trees that play with the light on the streets. In this bucolic setting, we are as close as possible to the road and the landscapes: the lavender fields and their heady aromas, the dazzling colours of the sunflowers and poppies. As we pass, the cicadas sing and accompany us in a lively concert. We set off to explore the natural parks, castles and small villages of Provence, under the gentle hum of the engines.

There is a very particular charm to visiting the perched villages of the Alpilles, in a vintage car with windows open. All have their own personality and a je ne sais quoi that makes them irresistible. We head to Les Baux de Provence, with your hair blowing in the summer heat. It is perhaps the prettiest village in the region (but can we really make a ranking?) and it is also one of the most impressive, proudly enthroned on a vast hill which dominates the plains. We climb to the remains of its old castle, breathing in the fresh air with the scent of lavender, and weaving between the stone walls.

With the air of Dolce Vita

Then we hit the road again to marvel at the endless expanses of olive trees, and a little further on, it's time to stop in the middle of the fields, for a gourmet picnic in the middle of nature. With his picnic baskets, Yoann is keen to help people discover the products of the surrounding farms: fresh, local and seasonal, and the gastronomic heritage of the region. A table is cosily installed in a peaceful and timeless ambience. You could almost touch the famous “dolce vita” with your fingertips. The landscape that surrounds us is right out of a postcard from Provence, with all its romantic frills, but it is also a little more spectacular, or more mysterious perhaps, with its heavy rocks that coat the landscape and wild rosemary that grows everywhere.

"What I like here is the authentic side of sharing, taking your time, disconnecting."

Provence is that: to let yourself go to the sweetness of life, the magic to feel the nostalgia of a time that we did not know. After a siesta, it is already time to leave for a last escapade through the hills, at golden hour. Perhaps even making a detour to a venerable café for an aperitif, in a square straight from another era. The lively scent of thyme and the song of cicadas in the background at sunset have all our senses on alert. Upon returning, there may be a last dip in the pool, followed by a long dinner spent discussing the world with friends, and a last glass of wine under the stars... all these moments are brought together with this yearning for the present, unique to perfect and timeless moments.