art en chemin

Cultural tourism with low environmental impact

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Our stays are available on request all year round, whether you’re on your own or in a group. Don’t hesitate to contact us to plan your stay and join a group in training.

The Spirit of Art on the Go

Accompany you to the world’s largest open-air museum

We are the only professionals certified by the Gassendi Museum (the owner of the artworks) who can ensure your safety during the hike AND provide an art tour of the artworks we’ll see along the way;

As travel organizers, we offer a comprehensive, one-of-a-kind experience that combines art, hiking, and exploration of an entire region (history, landscapes, ways of life, etc.), and we handle every aspect of your trip: lodging, meals, transfers, luggage transport, and more.

We are familiar with the routes, challenges, and access conditions for the mountain ranges and natural landmarks… and are therefore able to offer you the right recommendation, tailored to your physical condition and your desire to explore. As environmental education professionals, we are also trained to guide school groups.

When you choose a trip led by a certified Art en chemin guide or host, you can be sure you won’t miss out on the artwork or its message. On a hike, we’ll be right by your side to:

Discover the work and place it in its context

Discuss the artist’s approach to gain a better understanding of their work and creative process in a natural setting (installation methods, constraints)

Observe the connections between works of art and landscapes and create the resonances that inspired the artists

Discover the local flora, fauna, geology, and vernacular heritage… all along the trails

Our Mindset

cultural tourism with a low environmental impact

When you choose Art en chemin, you’ll meet people who live in this region and minimize their environmental impact as they help you discover their area. As professionals in the field, we have a certain vision of travel that sets us free. Out of respect for nature (by minimizing car trips, waste, and more), our passion draws us to isolated, beautiful, and peaceful places—ones that are off the beaten path and hard to reach. We believe this mindset is a great way to discover the works of these artists who have scattered throughout our mountains.

Ultra-light self-guided trips on our backpacking tours: Significantly reducing the weight of your backpack is good for the planet, for the group (learning to live without the unnecessary), and for yourself (and your back)

Comfortable stays with hosts who share our values: a warm welcome, a local feel, and healthy, locally sourced products;

A one-day introduction to art collections in the mountains, suitable for families, people with limited mobility, locals, or visitors

Field trips specially designed for school groups from elementary school through high school

The Spirit of the Place

the Haute-Provence UNESCO Geopark

We trek through rugged mountains, amid vast forests, alpine meadows, and clear mountain streams, following ancient trails dotted with ruined villages and traces of rural life from days gone by. And we marvel at the geological wonders, shaped by nature over millions of years, such as the monumental Vélodrome d’Esclangon and the Barles gorges.

When you book guides and lodging through Art en chemin, you’re working with professionals trained in this field, who are part of a close-knit collective. Having completed a training program lasting several weeks with the staff at the Gassendi Museum in Digne—the owners of the collections—your guides will be able to put thirty years of artistic creations in natural settings into perspective and show you how this collection—a pioneer in its field—has resonated elsewhere in France and around the world.

"A "Swiss Army knife" guide: he knows how to do everything, and above all, he shares. Have you ever seen Dersou Ouzala light a fire? It was him, he completely hypnotized me... And I'm not talking about brownies and cumin polente! A really great week, out of time, favored by good weather. I thank Luc. »

Michelle, October 2024

"Very pleasant stay: very comfortable and cosy gîte with an absolutely sublime view of the Alps! What a pleasure to have breakfast in the sun in the garden at La Toussaint in such a setting! The swimming pool is a haven of peace in a majestic setting! Evenings by the fireside are a real treat. Very warm welcome from the owner, who surrounded us with all his kindness and advice during our stay. The site and surroundings are superb. A very pleasant hike with the owner, a mid-range mountain guide, who adapted perfectly to our pace. We'll be back with great pleasure!

“I had a wonderful day walking in the mountains to admire the art along the way. Matthieu has extensive expertise in the art, poetry and geology of the region. He was a very nice walking companion. I have precious memories of my stay in Digne”

Lindy, June 2024, South Australia

"Luc is the virtuoso of this trip around the works of Andy Goldsworthy! Attentive, conscientious and passionate, he makes every day of the hike exciting. The discovery of the works is particularly rich. In the evenings, he regales us with his succulent cuisine. In short, you can set off with your eyes closed with Luc, because you know you'll be able to keep your eyes wide open for all the beauty that surrounds you. A warm thank you to Luc for this week!

Claire, June 2024

"I was delighted with this hike, the friendly team and their guide, the artistic discoveries, the landscapes, the unusual places where we slept, the fires lit by Ronan, and the warm welcome from our hosts. I have fond memories of it, and perhaps we'll meet again on another trip. "

Marie-Thérèse, October 2023

"Very warm welcome, good advice from Patrick who knows the region well, tasty home cooking with local produce in a pretty little hamlet. The only complaint is that we only want to come back 🥰 "

Thierry Cloarec

"Artistic culture while hiking through beautiful countryside. The top for me plus only 4 people is very good. The car connections for the parts on the road lacking interest. The short descent by bike with the discovery of other interesting places. A very pleasant mix, even for the nights in refuges/gîtes. Luc modified the route: we saw two other art refuges that had not been planned. The geology part was also very interesting: we had time to do the ammonite slab on the last day. Makes you want to go back.

Françoise, June 2023

our trips planned for 2025

The only thing missing is you

All our outings and stays are available on request for groups. You can also register individually for the stays and dates suggested below.

Chapel of Saint Jean in the Bès Valley

Towards the paths of art

Rise up on discreet paths to encounter works of art mysteriously arranged in nature. Walk in the footsteps of two internationally renowned artists, Andy Goldsworthy and herman de vries, through the breathtaking landscapes of Haute-Provence. Breathe clean air in a peaceful natural setting.

Duration: 4 Days and 3 Nights

Availability: April 1 to November 30

Difficulty: Level 2/5, Family outing

Price: 750€ / Person (variable rate for private groups)

Next departure: September 18-21, 2025

On-demand stays, all year round (spring and autumn periods recommended)

art hut hiking itinerant Old Esclangon sculpture Andy Goldsworthy

TO ART REFUGES IN HAUTE-PROVENCE

Set in the exceptional landscapes of Haute-Provence, this tour is an invitation to a dialogue between science, art and nature. Through a sensitive walk, we’ll get as close as possible to the secret world of the ancients, and follow in the illustrious footsteps of the philosopher Pierre Gassendi.

Duration: 6 Days and 5 Nights

Availability: April 1 to November 30

Difficulty: Level 3/5, for walkers in good physical condition.

Price: From 750€ / Person

June 23 to 28, 2025 Confirmed

From September 28 to October 3, 2025 Confirmed

On-demand stays, all year round (spring and autumn periods recommended)

art hut hiking itinerant Old Esclangon sculpture Andy Goldsworthy

IMMERSion artistique en haute provence

Take time to stroll through the Promenade museum’s marvellous Saint-Benoît park, then along the majestic Bès valley. Take the time to pause in contact with poetic or unusual works of art inscribed in the landscape like so many memories of the passing of time. Spend a convivial evening at the gîte de Flagustelle, in an unspoilt setting.

Duration: 2 Days and 1 Night

Availability: April 1 to November 30

Difficulty: Level 1/5, Accessible to most people

Price: from €165 / person

October 11 to 12, 2025

On-demand stays, all year round (spring and autumn periods recommended)

Mountain Art and Autumn Colours

We offer you a guided stay in a star to discover this wild mid-mountain massif that has seduced internationally renowned artists so well.

Duration: 4 days and 5 nights

Availability: April 1 to November 30

Difficulty: Level 3/5, for walkers in good physical condition.

Price: 720 € / Person, excluding insurance

October 10-14, 2025

Andy Goldsworthy’s art refuges with our donkeys

This stay with our donkeys offers a taste of adventure on a land art itinerary. It is fascinating to find ourselves walking at the slow pace of donkeys carrying our bivouac equipment on old paths embellished for twenty years with many works of art in the middle of nature. It is a question of following the route Refuge d’Art by Andy Goldsworthy which crosses our territory from north to south.

Duration: 11 Days and 10 Nights

Availability: April 1 to November 30

Difficulty: Level 5/5 For seasoned walkers in good physical condition

Price: €985 / Person, excluding insurance

September 14 to 24, 2025