The Novena Tour has been designed by the Spirit of Mary Magdalene or "MADO," as she is referred to by the local people from old Provençal families. We will devote time each day of the tour to pray a Novena to Saint Mary Magdalene and reflect on the Gospel readings where she is present. You will get to know this exceptional friend of Jesus in a very personal way. The Novena Tour will focus on the life of Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection and on her companions who sailed from Palestine to Gaul (now France) in 47 AD and ended up converting all of what is now Provence. The Hôtellerie-de-la-Sainte-Baume, run by the Dominicans, is just below the forest that leads to La Sainte-Baume—the Cave of Saint Mary Magdalene. This will be our home for the 10 days of the Novena Tour. The Dominicans have been guardians of Saint Mary Magdalene's relics since 1295 and she is Co-patroness of their Order. We will take day trips in a deluxe motor coach to many towns in Provence where Mary Magdalene and her companions lived, preached and died 2000 years ago. Along the way we will discover the typical Green Provence landscape, crossing authentic and charming Provençal villages, meet a local producer of olive oil, and stop at Four des Navettes who for 200 years have been making the specialty "Navette," a hard biscuit in the shape of a boat, flavored with orange blossom. We'll dine at Le Provençal, an authentic Provençal restaurant in the lovely fishing village of Sanary-sur-Mer and visit the house of Marius Fabre or Rampal Latour who have been making soap for over 100 years. We'll dine at Le Café Van Gogh in Arles, which is the restaurant Vincent Van Gogh painted in 1888 entitled Le Café de nuit, and see other subjects of his art in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and that of Paul Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence. We'll also discuss a modern artist, Sharon Furner, who has spent time in Provence and captured the essence of Provence in many beautiful oil paintings. We'll go to the fabulous Market in Aix-en-Provence and visit a workshop where they make Santons de Provence. We will have a special day in the area of Cotignac where in 1519 Our Lady appeared in the fields to Jean de la Baume, and in 1660 St. Joseph appeared to a shepherd named Gaspard Ricard.

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