WONDERFUL FRANCE
Overview
9 Day France Tour to Paris, Lyon, the French Riviera and Avignon
Combine the glamorous French capital with centuries of history and glorious sunsets on the French Riviera. This favourite French tour delivers it all in just nine days, from strolling around the Pont du Gard to soaking up the sun-kissed charm of St. Tropez and Monaco in France’s glorious south.
Included/Excluded
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- TGV Express train between Avignon and Paris.
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.
Day 1: Bonjour France
- Discover romance, sophistication and French joie de vivre in Paris – the launch pad to a memorable journey through the French countryside.
- Explore the grand boulevards and picturesque avenues of the ‘City of Light’, before meeting your Travel Director and companions for a Welcome Reception.
- We take to the streets this evening to see some of the city’s most iconic sights, including the Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe, standing in all its glorious splendour for you to admire.
Arrival Transfer: Depart from Charles de Gaulle airport at 09:00, 13:00
Welcome Meet your Travel Director at 17:00
Included Meals: Dinner
Included Experience: See the Top Sights of Paris
Day 2: Discover the Delights of Paris
- Join a Local Specialist to explore the Latin Quarter, a vibrant student hotspot and home to the Sorbonne University.
- View the remarkable church of Saint-Sulpice, then soak up the authentic atmosphere and local day-to-day life of the Parisians as you stroll through historic neighbourhoods.
- Consider an optional experience to the exquisite gardens of Claude Monet at Giverny.
- Spend your evening embracing the pageantry of Paris and perhaps experience a traditional Parisian Cabaret.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Included Experience: Paris City Tour
Optional Experience: Giverny House and Gardens Of Claude Monet / Moulin Rouge Cabaret and Dinner / La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret and Dinner
Day 3: Journey through Burgundy to Lyon
- Travel through the picture-perfect Burgundy wine region and stop in its walled regional capital, Beaune – most famous for the colourful geometric-tiled Hôtel-Dieu.
- We continue to the gastronomic capital of Lyon, where we spend the night.
- Discover the historic treasures of its well-preserved Old Town or perhaps indulge in delicious Beaujolais flavours in a local bouchon – the choice is yours.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Included Experience: Explore Beaune
Optional Experience: Local Beaujolais Dinner and Old Town Discovery
Day 4: Continue to Monaco and the French Riviera
- Follow the Rhône Valley south, enjoying some free time in Aix-en-Provence for lunch and perhaps a taste of the sweet flavours of calissons.
- Continue to the glamorous Principality of Monaco, one of the smallest and wealthiest nations on earth.
- View the palace, home to the Grimaldi family since the 13th century, and the cathedral where Princess Grace and Prince Rainier were married.
- njoy a delicious Regional Dinner together in Monaco before travelling further along the sun-kissed shores of the French Riviera to our hotel, where we’ll spend the next two nights.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included Experience: Monaco Orientation
Day 5: The French Riviera Your Way
- The sun-kissed shores of the French Riviera are yours to explore today.
- Consider relaxing on the beach with your fellow sun-worshippers or an Optional Experience could see you visit the hilltop town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a popular haunt for actors seeking a relaxing retreat.
- In your free time, you have the opportunity to soak up the fresh sea air and perhaps indulge in a delicious Salade Niçoise.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Optional Experience: Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Corniche Drive, Perfumery and Meal
Day 6: On to Saint-Tropez, Arles and Avignon
- We arrive by boat in glitzy Saint-Tropez for a morning sojourn to soak up our fashionable surroundings.
- This afternoon journey to the ancient city of Arles to admire its Roman theatre and arena – once the site of bloody battles and exhilarating chariot races.
- Tread in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh with your Local Specialist, exploring the heritage of this town where he was inspired to produce more than 300 paintings and drawings.
- Later, journey to Western Europe’s largest river delta region – the Camargue.
- Here we will Connect With Locals for a home cooked Be My Guest experience of regional dishes made with produce from local farmers and markets.
- Later, we make our way to Avignon where we will spend the next two nights.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included Experience: Saint-Tropez Orientation, Dinner with Patrick at his Home and Enjoy a Traditional Meal from Local Produce, Arles City Tour
Day 7: Explore Ancient History in Pont du Gard and Avignon
- This morning we visit the impressive Pont du Gard – an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge to cross the river Gardon.
- It’s arches of stone, still standing since the 1st century AD when it was originally built to take water to the Roman settlement of the present day city of Nîmes.
- Take time in Avignon to explore its impressive Old Town, once the seat of the Papacy.
- Our orientation of this extraordinary historic city includes views of the imposing Palace of the Popes and the famous ruined bridge straddling the Rhône, which inspired the French song, Sur le Pont d’Avignon.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Included Experience: See the Ancient Bridges of Pont du Gard, Avignon Orientation
Optional Experience: Treasures of Provence
Day 8: Travel By High-Speed Train to Paris
- The French countryside is your companion as you take the high-speed TGV train through the heart of France, past Auxerre and the vineyards of Burgundy, back to Paris where you’ll have the rest of the afternoon to explore the city on your own or explore Montmartre with a stroll through the ‘village’ overlooking the city of Paris on an Optional Experience.
- Later, enjoy market-fresh produce and seasonal cuisine at Maison Plisson celebrating an unforgettable sojourn through France during a Farewell Dinner and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience that advances Global Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included Meals: Dinner at Maison Plisson
Optional Experience: Montmartre Village and Artists’ Square / Seine Cruise and Paris Illuminations
- Day 1 – Day 2: Renaissance Paris La Défense
- Day 3: Hotel Charlemagne Lyon
- Day 4 – Day 5: Novotel Nice Centre Vieux Nice
- Day 6 – Day 7: Mercure Avignon Gare TGV
- Day 8: Evergreen Laurel Hotel Paris
- Explore Paris and Arles
- Discover Beaune, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, Monaco and Avignon
- Visit Pont du Gard
- View the Eiffel Tower, Saint Sulpice church, and the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Place Bellecour and the Basilica of Notre Dame in Lyon, the Royal Palace and Cathedral in Monaco and the Palace of the Popes in Avignon
- Cruise across to St. Tropez
- Scenic Train Ride from Avignon to Paris