Essential France: Provence to Paris

This evening, depart for Europe and connect with flights to Marseille.

Aarrive in Marseille and transfer to the Provençal town of Aix-en-Provence (“Aix”). As guests’ arrival times may vary, there are no group activities planned during the day. Guests are free to check in to your hotel and begin to explore Aix on your own or relax after your flights. Please note that the hotel’s check-in time is 3:00 p.m.

Tonight, we your Tour Director and fellow travelers at a briefing about the journey ahead, followed by a welcome dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hôtel

Meals: D

Discover the lovely university town of Aix, the “City of Fountains” founded by Romans in 123 BCE and renowned for the beautiful Cours Mirabeau, the tree-lined main boulevard bordered by stately homes, and the many elegant fountains decorating city squares. 

Aix is also known as the birthplace of artist Paul Cézanne. Born in 1839, Cézanne—the town’s most famous former resident—studied law for three years at the University of Aix at his father’s behest before dropping out and departing for Paris in 1861. There, he reunited with his childhood friend Émile Zola, who would later gain acclaim as a writer. On your morning walking tour, admire Aix’s rich architectural heritage and the Vieille Ville (Old Town). Also enjoy a guided visit to the Atelier Cézanne, the studio where Cézanne worked from 1902 to 1906. 

Have lunch together at a local restaurant. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy Aix as you wish, with dinner tonight on your own.

Overnight: Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hôtel

Meals: B, L

Set out this morning for Les Baux-de-Provence, a gem of a medieval village perched atop a rock spur. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Les Baux presents breathtaking panoramic views over nearby Arles and the Camargue river delta—the largest river delta in Western Europe—and presents a charming Old World atmosphere. 

Stop at the Carrières des Lumières multimedia art exhibition, set in a former stone quarry. This otherworldly setting provides the perfect canvas to showcase photos, videos, and artwork from all over the world, expertly blown up to larger-than-life proportions. Explore Les Baux itself, with its restored ancient houses, Renaissance-era façades, historic monuments, and stone citadel. Continue to historic and alluring Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for lunch together at a local restaurant. Then, visit the Romanesque jewel of St-Paul de Mausole, where Van Gogh was confined after severing his ear. The painter remained mostly confined at this asylum for a year after admitting himself in 1889. When not prevented by illness, he primarily painted landscapes visible from the asylum’s grounds as well as portraits of other residents there; he called the resulting collection Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Rémy. It was here, in fact, that Van Gogh painted one of his most famous works, The Starry Night.

Continue to Nîmes, arriving at your hotel late this afternoon in time for dinner together.

Overnight: Maison Albar – L’Imperator

Meals: B, L, D

In the morning, embark on a walking tour of Nîmes, the “most Roman city outside of Italy” known for its distinctly Mediterranean energy; its Roman monuments, including the 2,000-year-old Nîmes Arena; the perfectly preserved Maison Carrée, inspiration for Sainte Marie-Madeleine (“La Madeleine”) church in Paris; and the Tour Magne, the only remaining tower of the city’s original 2nd-century city walls. 

After some free time to explore as you wish wish, depart for Avignon, the capital of Christendom in the Middle Ages. See the historic city center (a UNESCO World Heritage site), with its 12th-century Romanesque cathedral; view the remains of the medieval Saint-Bénézet Bridge, jutting out over the River Rhône; and visit the Palais des Papes (Papal Palace), one of the world’s largest and most important Gothic structures. First a fortress and then a palace, the Palais de Papes was home to nine popes in the 14th century. It was also a central location in Avignon during the French Revolution; in 1791, it oversaw a massacre of counter-revolutionaries who were killed and thrown into the Palais Vieux (Old Palace).

Tonight, join a local chef for a Provençal cooking class followed by dinner together.

Overnight: Maison Albar – L’Imperator

Meals: B, D

Call upon Arles this morning, once part of Roman Gaul and then a clarion of Christianity—and, more recently, where Van Gogh painted. See much of its history on your tour here, which includes a visit to the two-tiered Roman Amphitheater, a UNESCO site dating to 90 CE and preserved virtually intact; and Place du Forum, setting for Van Gogh’s painting Le Café de Nuit (The Night Café). After taking in the surviving Romanesque architecture of this ancient city and strolling through some of its charming avenues, have free time for lunch on your own.

After returning to Nîmes this afternoon, have the evening at leisure with dinner on your own—a perfect opportunity to explore the eateries of this culinary melting pot with its mix of French, Mediterranean, and international cuisines.

Overnight: Maison Albar – L’Imperator

Meals: B

Heading north toward Lyon this morning, stop en route at Pont du Gard, the 1st-century Roman aqueduct whose graceful arches span the Gardon River. A UNESCO site considered a masterpiece of Roman architectural technique, the three levels of symmetrical limestone arches once helped transport 11 million gallons of water over 30 miles to Nîmes every day. Its exceptionally preserved stonework allows you to see firsthand the ingenuity of the ancient masonry. 

Continue to Lyon, France’s third largest city and an important educational and cultural center set at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Tonight, dine at a local restaurant in this region famed for its gastronomy.

Overnight: Hôtel Carlton Lyon

Meals: B, D

Set out today for Annecy in the foothills of the French Alps. Nicknamed the “Venice of the Alps” for its network of canals, the town occupies a lovely location on the shores of its namesake lake, surrounded by the French Alps. Streetside canals and the Thiou River run through the picturesque Old Town, which you discover on a walking tour along the narrow lanes flanked by pastel-colored houses and backdropped by towering mountains. Stop at the town’s vibrant local market, and enjoy lunch on your own. 

Later, take a cruise on Lake Annecy, whose pristine waters are fed by melting snow from the surrounding Alps. Return to Lyon, where dinner tonight is on your own.

Overnight: Hôtel Carlton Lyon

Meals: B

Your exploration of Lyon today begins with a tour of this impressive city. Begin at the beloved Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, overlooking Lyon and the river from its hilltop perch. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who is credited with saving the city from many disasters throughout the centuries—including the bubonic plague in 1643—the basilica is the center of the annual Fête des Lumières (or Festival of Lights), where candles are lit to thank the Virgin Mary for her mercy. 

Next, see the ruins of the Gallo-Roman Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, built in 15 BCE and still used today as a cultural venue.  Visit well-preserved Vieux Lyon, one of the largest Renaissance districts in Europe, followed by a look at some of the city’s renowned—and jaw-dropping—trompe l’œil street art. Trompe l’œil refers to an art style involving highly realistic optical illusions, which we experience firsthand; it appears like one could walk straight into the murals and frescoes that transform the sides of buildings throughout the city. 

The remainder of the day is at leisure. Dine together tonight at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Hôtel Carlton Lyon

Meals: B, D

Your first stop on your way to Dijon today is at medieval hilltop Pérouges, another of France’s most beautiful villages. Your walking tour of this walled town takes you back in time as you wander the cobblestone streets and byways lined with half-timbered houses and stone buildings—a setting that served as a backdrop for the film The Three Musketeers (1961). Then visit the quaint and quiet town of Dole, perched on the edge of the Rhône-Rhine Canal; here, take a walking tour of the well-preserved historic city center with its 17th-century stone buildings.

After lunch together at a local restaurant, tour the former home of scientist Louis Pasteur, the “father of microbiology” known for his discoveries in the realms of vaccination, fermentation, and pasteurization—the latter of which was named after him. End the day by arriving in Dijon and enjoying dinner together tonight.

Overnight: Grand Hôtel La Cloche

Meals: B, L, D

Today is dedicated to exploring and learning about Burgundy’s renowned wines and vineyards. Known for its dry red pinot noir wines and its white chardonnay wines, Burgundy takes great pride in its terroir, which refers to the environmental factors that affect their wines’ characteristics. It is said that when you drink wine from Burgundy, you can “taste” the area where it was made.

Begin in Beaune with a leisurely walking tour of the walled town surrounded by sprawling vineyards. Visit the renowned Hôtel-Dieu Museum in the Hospices de Beaune complex, one of the finest surviving Medieval buildings in France and the site of the prestigious Hospices de Beaune wine auction, held annually on the third Sunday in November. Originally built as a hospital for the poor in 1443, it has been carefully preserved and retains much of the lavish furniture, art, and décor originally installed in the 15th century. One such piece is the Beaune Altarpiece (often called The Last Judgment), the 15-panel masterpiece by Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden depicting the return of Christ.

After free time for lunch on your own, embark on the Route des Grands Crus—the famed 34-mile-long trail through the vineyards and villages comprising one of France’s most treasured wine regions. Stop at a local vineyard to tour the grounds and taste some of Burgundy’s fabled wines. Later this afternoon, return to Dijon with the remainder of the day at leisure and dinner on your own.

Overnight: Grand Hôtel La Cloche

Meals: B

Tour the Burgundian capital known for its rich history and culture—and of course, its wine and namesake mustard. Dijon boasts a prized architectural heritage, showcasing styles such as Capetian, Gothic, Renaissance, and Art Deco, which you see during your sightseeing. 

During feree time, perhaps visit the renowned Musée des Beaux Arts or the Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne, detailing local life over the centuries. Your tour director will be available to offer recommendations. Tonight, dine together at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Grand Hôtel La Cloche

Meals: B, D

En route to Paris today, stop in Chablis, the village sharing a name with the Burgundian region renowned for its signature dry white wines. Take a walking tour of the medieval village and visit the imposing 13th-century Collégiale Saint-Martin de Chablis, another fine example of Gothic architecture, before having free time for lunch on your own and exploring as you wish—maybe by visiting one of wineries in the town center.

Early in the afternoon, depart for Paris, the French capital and global epicenter of art, history, and culture. Dinner tonight is on your own in this gastronomic city, where fine cuisine abounds.

Overnight: Hôtel Edouard 7

Meals: B

In the morning, visit the Opéra Garnier, the opulent 2,000-seat opera house built between 1861 and 1875. Known as the “Palais Garnier” for its splendid design, décor, and detail, the opera house stands as a symbol of the city and is famed as the setting for The Phantom of the Opera. Or, tour the Rodin Museum, dedicated to the works of sculptor Auguste Rodin. Set in the elegant Rococo-style former Hôtel Biron, the museum is surrounded by lush gardens adorned with Rodin’s marble statues.

Have the afternoon free for independent exploration. Art lovers can explore the Louvre, the world’s largest museum home to priceless works of art including the bold Winged Victory, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and the lovely Venus de Milo; or the breathtaking Musée d’Orsay, a former railway station that now contains the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in the world, including works by Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, and Cézanne, to name a few. Other possibilities include exploring the historic Marais district or relax in elegant Place des Vosges; enjoying a bateau mouche ride on the Seine; seeing the dazzling stained glass at medieval Ste-Chapelle; or getting a bird’s-eye view of the city from atop the Eiffel Tower…the options are truly endless.

Tonight, celebrate your sojourn over a farewell dinner. 

Overnight: Hôtel Edouard 7

Meals: B, D

Transfer to the airport this morning for return flights to the U.S.

Meals: B