COTE D’AZUR & PROVENCE
APRIL 19 – 30, 2012
11 DAYS/10 NIGHTS

Meals, tastings and culinary activities

April 20 Welcome Dinner in Nice
Set menu, drinks are included (1/2L of mineral water and 1/4L of wine per person).

April 21 Breakfast

April 22 Breakfast, Cooking class, Lunch
Cooking class followed by meal in Nice, drinks are included (1/2L of mineral water and 1/4L of wine per person).

April 23 Breakfast, Wine tasting, Dinner
Wine tasting in the St. Paul de Vence area, Dinner in Avignon

April 24 Breakfast, Wine tour and tasting
Wine tasting in the Avignon area

April 25 Breakfast, Dinner in St. Remy de Provence
Set menu, drinks are included (1/2L of mineral water and 1/4L of wine per person).

April 26 Breakfast, Wine tasting, Lunch
Wine tasting in the Luberon area followed by lunch.

April 27 Breakfast, Dinner in Cannes
Set menu, drinks are included (1/2L of mineral water and 1/4L of wine per person).

April 28 Breakfast

April 29 Breakfast, Farewell Dinner in Nice
Set menu, drinks are included (1/2L of mineral water and 1/4L of wine per person).

April 30 Breakfast

Hotel Accommodation

April 20 – 23, 2012 (3 nights) Nice
HOTEL BEST WESTERN RIVIERA
3 continental breakfasts, in & out porterage service, taxes and service charges included.

April 23 – 25, 2012 (2 nights) Avignon
HOTEL MERCURE PONT D’AVIGNON
2 continental breakfasts, in & out porterage service, taxes and service charges included.

April 25 – 27, 2012 (2 nights) St. Remy de Provence
CHATEAU DE ROUSSAN
2 continental breakfasts, in & out porterage service, taxes and service charges included.

April 27 – 29, 2012 (2 nights) Cannes
HOTEL BEST WESTERN LE MONDIAL
2 continental breakfasts, in & out porterage service, taxes and service charges included.

April 29 – 30, 2012 (1 night) Nice
HOTEL MASSENA
1 continental breakfast, in & out porterage service, taxes and service charges included.

Entrance fees

Palais des Papes, Avignon and Arles.

Private coach transportation

English speaking licensed guides

Not included

Daily Itinerary

• DAY 1 - APRIL 20 ARRIVE NICE (WELCOME DINNER) (D)

  Upon arrival at Nice airport, board the coach and transfer to your hotel in Nice. Check into your rooms and have some time to freshen up. Enjoy a welcome dinner tonight at a local restaurant and overnight Nice.

• DAY 2 - APRIL 21 MONACO & MONTECARLO (B)

  Breakfast in hotel. Free time in the morning. The pedestrian malls and central shopping area make this a beautiful place to browse. There are also some points of interest and interesting little museums to visit on your own, as well as the beautiful promenade and Main Square. Visit the Old Town, the prettiest part of Nice, to see St-Francois-de-Paule church, the Opera House and Place Garibaldi with its yellow-ocher buildings and formal fountains. There is an opportunity to visit the Musee Chagall on the boulevard de Cimiez near the Roman ruins, or the Musee Matisse. The pedestrian malls and central shopping area make this a beautiful place to browse.
  
  In the afternoon, drive along the seacoast road with its medieval villages, marinas and panoramic viewpoints, including a drive through the medieval town of Monaco. Drop at the Palace and free time to wander around. Then tour the Grand Prix circuit. Stop in Monte-Carlo, free time for dinner and enjoy the chic atmosphere of Casino Square and maybe try your luck at the tables or at slot machines!

• DAY 3 - APRIL 22 COOKING CLASS (B,L)

  Breakfast in hotel. This morning enjoy a cooking class in Nice, learning about French cuisine with a French chef. At the end, you will taste your own preparations for lunch! At the end of the class, you have a free afternoon to spend in Nice. Free evening and overnight.

• DAY 4 - APRIL 23 ST. PAUL DE VENCE, WINE TASTING & GRASSE (B,D)

  Breakfast in hotel. This morning depart Nice to Avignon, with a few stops on the way. You will first discover the jewel of Provence: St Paul de Vence, France’s second most visited village. A spectacular walled fortress village, home to famous painters (Renoir, Chagall, Picasso…) and film stars. Maybe see a game of “French boules” – rustic France’s favorite game – and drink pastis with the locals!
  
  Drive to St Jeannet wine village in the heart of terraced vineyards dating from Roman times. In the cellar, around the oak barrels, learn the secrets and subtleties of wine during a tasting – included – with the winemaker. Continue on to Grasse, that, surrounded by fields of lavender, jasmine, centifolia, roses, mimosa, orange blossom and violets, is one of France’s leading perfume producers.
  
  In the afternoon arrive in Avignon and check into your hotel. Have dinner at a local restaurant and overnight Avignon

• DAY 5 - APRIL 24 AVIGNON & WINE TASTING (B)

  This morning enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of the city, including entrance to the extravagant Palais des Papes and the remains of the St-Benezet Bridge featured in the nursery rhyme “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”.
  
  This afternoon enjoy a wine tour in the Avignon area, with a visit of a cellar and – of course – a wine tasting session!
  
  Return to Avignon for a free evening and overnight.

• DAY 6 - APRIL 25 AVIGNON – SAINT REMY DE PROVENCE AREA (B,D)

  Breakfast in hotel. This morning you will depart Avignon for the Saint Remy de Provence area. Check in to your charming countryside accommodation and have some time to relax. This afternoon get ready for a gourmet dinner accompanied by fantastic wines! Return to your accommodation and overnight.

• DAY 7 - APRIL 26 THE LUBERON & WINE TOUR (B,L)

  Breakfast in hotel. This morning depart for an excursion to The Luberon. The Luberon’s lush hills stretch from Cavaillon in the west to Manosque in the east, and from Apt southwards to the River Durance. The area is named after the main range, a compact massif culminating in a 1100m-high summit. Whether you are on the steep, oak-covered northern face or the more Mediterraneann southern tract, the countryside vistas are captivating. Hiking, biking and roadtripping are ideal for taking in the Luberon’s landscapes, including its scattering of ancient igloo-stone bories. Much of the range is within the boundaries of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon, headquartered in the area’s main centre, Apt. The park’s 1200 sq km encompass numeurous villages, desolate forests, unexpected gorges and abandoned farmhouses on the way to ruin. Today you will enjoy another wine tasting followed by lunch.
  
  Return to your accommodation for a free evening and overnight.

• DAY 8 - APRIL 27 ARLES & AIX-EN-PROVENCE (B,D)

  Breakfast in hotel. This morning depart for Arles for a guided tour of the city. Arles is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it sits on a low hill where the Rhône river branches in two parts to the sea. The town dates back to the 7th century BC, and was a major Gallo-Roman city. If Arles’ winding streets, stone squares and colorful houses baking in the sun seem familiar, it’s probably because they feature in Vincent Van Gogh’s prolific outpouring of art.
  
  In the afternoon depart for Cannes, stopping in Aix-en-Provence for a visit. Aix-en-Provence is famous for its historic and cultural heritage, and attracts a large number of visitors from the entire world every year. The stature and charm of private hotels, the soft murmur of its ancient fountains, the bright colors in its markets, the crowded café terraces in the shade of the old plane trees, the beauty of the Aix countryside surrounding the peaceful villages dominated by Mount Sainte Victoire and immortalized by Cézanne, will all make you want to revisit Aix-en-Provence.
  
  Check into your hotel in Cannes and have dinner. Overnight Cannes.

• DAY 9 - APRIL 28 CANNES, JUAN-LES-PINS & ANTIBES (B)

  Breakfast in hotel. This morning meet your guide and visit the Film Festival City of Cannes and see the nicest hotels and beaches. Stop at the Film Festival Palace and see the stars’ handprints, the shops, the sandy beaches and enjoy the famous Croisette Boulevard and the chic of Cannes.
  
  Continue by the coastline to Golfe-Juan where Napoleon landed in 1815, Juan-Les-Pins, passing by the famous seafront and Pine Grove with trendy boutiques.
  
  Admire the sea view from la Garoupe, pass the celebrities’ villas of Cap d’Antibes and arrive by the ramparts in Antibes. Free time to discover Old Town, Billionaire’s Quay, home to dynastic yachts and overlooked by the 16 c. Fort Vauban.
  
  Free dinner and overnight Cannes.

• DAY 10 - APRIL 29 CANNES – NICE (B,D)

  After breakfast in hotel, depart for Nice and check into your hotel. Enjoy a full day at leisure in Nice. Get ready tonight for your farewell dinner in Nice!

• DAY 11- APRIL 30 DEPARTURE (B)

  After breakfast in hotel transfer to Nice’s airport for your return flight.