Details details details - so I thought I would post some details from our trip as it turned out a little different from what we originally were thinking, but all in all a great experience.
Flew in/out of Marseilles and picked up rental car. Airport around rental cars was under construction but fairly easy to navigate.
First three nights at Les Roches Blanches in Cassis for the Voiles de Cassis sailing races. Unfortunately had rainy weather for the first two days, but a lot of fun to see sailing races and be out on the water around the boats. The view of the Calanques was muted with the weather, but I would love to see them in sunshine. Many of the sailing captains were staying at our hotel which made for an interesting mix of people from around the world. We dined at the hotel for two evenings - one was arrival night as we arrived late in the day after travel from the US and the second was the big dinner for Voiles de Cassis. Hotel did an excellent job with great Provençal flavors, fresh seafood, and an excellent local wine list. Staff was excellent bringing around tastes of liqueurs, etc. They also had a very good breakfast spread. Their spa was just ok - very small and limited facilities, but staff was very good. The last evening we ate at the newly awarded 3* La Villa Madie. I think the hotel dinners were better meals overall, although La Villa Madie’s cheese cart, desserts, and their staff were excellent. Very surprised to see jeans and boat shoes in the restaurant - they had sent an email earlier in the day reminding us that pants were required. 
We drove down to Marseillan for a private tour and tasting at Maison Noilly Prat - fun for a few hours and interesting to taste the different vermouths and learn to mix some of their cocktails. The late afternoon was at Abbaye Fontfroide which was has been beautifully restored and was serene. We hit it at the end of the day so their wine tasting was closed, but it was nice to see with only a few people on property. Then onto Carcassonne.
Two nights at Franck Putelat’s 2* place in Carcassonne. outstanding lodging value with a gourmet breakfast (have it delivered to the room and order everything). We went back to La Cite that evening as we stayed there on our last visit and walked the floodlit ramparts. The next morning was off to Montsegur to hike to the top! and then a late afternoon visit to Rennes Les Chateau for some conspiracy theories. Dinner at Putelat’s started out amazing with lots of bites with champagne and a number of amuse, but we were too tired after the morning hike to really enjoy all of the courses. I skipped the last two entrees, but the cheese TREE was worth waiting for. The desserts were strange - combining too many savory components for me. While I get the olives with chocolate I’m not sure the roasted onions in dessert is a flavor I will ever enjoy.
Then off to Beziers with a shout out to a small cafe Le Mathi’s for an amazing pea shoot, carmelized melon, raspberry, pomegranate, mozzarella, prosciutto, cherry tomato, and pistachio salad with a citron presse that was perfect for a warm day. With an afternoon at the Locks of Fonseranes to indulge my engineer hubby.
The next few evenings we spent in Aigues Mortes at Hotels des Remparts - highly recommend. Staff is amazing and the hotel has been completely restored in a style we enjoy. They offer spa services that were very good in a few rooms off the lobby and have an indoor thalassotherapy pool with very strong currents available at no charge. The family has also restored a hotel in Carcassone. Their resident pup - Petrus - became a friend and companion. No restaurant, but provided a sumptuous breakfast with salty and sweet options, squeezed juices and hot drinks including aged Comte, smoked trout, egg choices, pastries, cream puffs, and the local orange blossom fougasse. They arranged tours and tastings for us in Roquefort and we spent the next day visiting a number of the houses Societe, Papillon, Verniers, Coulet, et al. I love blue cheese so this was a treat! We grabbed snacks for dinner of different local apps and local wine and wandered enjoyed the local atmosphere in Aigues Mortes. The last day was at the Féria in Nice - touring the ancient ruins then enjoying the festival and Féria. What an experience to see the activities in the old Roman amphitheater.
We had missed Aix on our earlier visits to Provence so stopped for lunch and market day before heading to Alain Ducasse’s 1* La Bastide Moustiers. I had wanted to visit on earlier trips and we couldn’t make the itinerary work, so was excited to stay this time. You drive through lavender fields and around the lake to arrive at Moustiers Ste Marie which is a beautiful village to wander, and shop, and snack. We dined two evenings on different menus at Ducasse’s 1* here. Simple dishes, perfectly executed, sommelier that recommended local wines to pair with the local foods. Small dining room and you have a chance to really know their staff. My only complaint as they are so local they only did local cheese and I would have liked to see a larger selection (no blue cheese for me 
). Likewise the breakfasts and happy hour here are done with the same nod to local ingredients, simple, yet well done - a little different each day. The rooms are spread about the property and it is as if you are staying at the home of a friend instead of hotel of a Michelin chef!
If you have never been to this part of France, it is worth a day on the lake and in the Gorge du Verdon - lots of opportunities for rafting or kayaking and the water is so very blue!
I really loved this part of France - we purposefully stayed away from the Côte d’Azur looking for a more relaxed, slow paced, and less touristy trip. With exception of Carcassonne and lunch in Aix, we rarely ran into Americans, although we did run into quite a few English.
