SUMMER IN PROVENCE 2020
**THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL**
This is a once in a lifetime experience! You’ll tour the French Riviera, see rolling fields of lavender, explore ancient perched villages of the Luberon, eat amazing food, shop local markets, take private garden tours and finish your tour catching the fast train up to Paris for our last night. There’s plenty of time to stop and soak up the local ambiance. During our visit is Bastille Day and you’ll spend the French national day in one of my favorite French villages! Extend your trip with an extra 2 nights in Paris where we’ll staying in our favorite hotel with views of the Eiffel Tower and steps from the Louvre and Tuileries Garden. Take a private tour to Monet’s Garden & Versailles with a local Parisian guide. This tour is nearly full and just one more person can join us for this French garden adventure … Don’t miss out!!
July 10 – 20, 2020
11 days / 10 nights
$6299pp (shared room) / Add $1420 for your own room
Thursday - Depart New Jersey, Overnight flight to Paris, then domestic flight to Nice
Early Arrival in Nice If you wish to arrive early in Nice and enjoy more time to unwind and explore, Paige can organize your accommodation at Hotel Suisse or any other Nice hotel.
DAY 1: Friday July 10 - Arrive in Paris, fly to Nice, sleep in Nice (2 nights)
Make your own way to Nice and to your hotel for 2 nights. The deep blue waters of the Cote d'Azur are the dramatic backdrop for this elegant southern city. Breathe in the fresh Mediterranean air as you stroll the waterfront promenade, explore the Flower Market (Marché Aux Fleurs Cours Saleya) or take in the city view from atop Castle Hill. The pedestrian-only Place Rossetti is the heart of the city, with a grand fountain, vibrant buildings, and the beautiful Sainte-Réparate cathedral giving it a provincial French feel. Across the road from pebble beaches and palm trees on Promenade des Anglais and around the corner from the old port, is Hôtel Suisse, with one of the best locations in Nice. You will fall in love with the view from your room! On a cliff above the hotel, you’ll find the gardens and waterfall of Castle Hill. The Flower Market is a five-minute walk. Spend the afternoon exploring and relaxing into the Cote D’Azur lifestyle! Later it’s dinner together at a local restaurant. Check into Hotel Suisse , a 4* hotel on the waterfront. Your ‘Privilege’ room has a sea view & balcony.
DAY 2: Saturday July 11 - Eze, Monaco, Saint Jean de Cap Ferrat
Today we are joined by our local guide for a day exploring the Riviera! We take the corniche road (cliff road) from Nice to Eze, the medieval village perched high on the cliff with amazing views over the Mediterranean Sea and an equally extraordinary garden. Located above the village, Le Jardin Exotique offers one of the most spectacular views of the French Riviera extending all the way to the Esterel Mountains and the Golf of Saint Tropez. Filled with enormous succulents & cacti, fragrant citrus and other Mediterranean plants, this garden is a stunning feat of determination as everything was hauled up the hill and created by hand! Spend time exploring the garden and taking in the views, then meander your way back down through Eze village along cobblestoned streets lined with bougainvillea-wrapped houses. Our next stop is nearby the Fragonard Perfume Factory. The region is famous for the many flowers that grow there, and here at the parfumerie, we take a tour and learn about the making of fragrances. Then it’s onto our lunch destination - Monte Carlo! Take in this famous principality and see the Prince’s Palace, the old Casino, the Hôtel de Paris and Café de Paris. There are beautiful gardens and deluxe boutiques to explore. Enjoy lunch and free time to soak in these luxurious surroundings. On the way back to Nice, we stop at Villa Euphrassi, the Rothschild’s Villa & Gardens. Finish the day with an afternoon aperitif and some old style Riviera glamor on Saint Jean Cap Ferrat.
DAY 3: Sunday July 12 - Lavender Fields, Picnic, Sleep in Aix-en-Provence (2 nights)
Lavender has been described as the ‘soul of Provence’ and today you experience the amazing scenery of Provençal lavender fields in full summer bloom! The fields of Plateau de Valensole are some of the best in Provence and it is here, between the valley of Durance and the Gorges of Verdon, we head by coach with our local guide for an insider’s tour of the fields. We stop to enjoy a picnic lunch by the picturesque Sainte Croix du Verdon Lake. Cool down with a swim in the lake’s turquoise waters! Continue our scenic drive through Central Provence and cross the Verdon canyon, the deepest gorge in France. The canyon is one of Europe’s most beautiful river canyons and a must-see natural wonder. Arrive this afternoon in Aix-en-Provence where you spend the next 2 nights. “Aix” (pronounced ‘ex’) to the locals, is a feast for the senses. The birthplace of artist Paul Cézanne, this university town is filled with art, light & Provencal buzz! At the heart of Aix is Cours Mirabeau, a beautiful tree-lined avenue, with one side lined with wonderful terrace cafés and bookshops. If you sit at only one French sidewalk café outside of Paris, it should be here, where the air is warm, the light sublime and the sidewalk very alive. Large plane trees overhang the length of the avenue, giving day-long shade on the hot summer days of our visit. Some of the more famous cafés are: Le Grillon Les Deux Garçons – a favorite of Paul Cézanne, La Belle Epoque and Le Café du Cours. This afternoon and evening is free to soak up the ambiance of Aix. Check into Aquabella Hotel, a 4*hotel & spa located in the heart of Aix with a magnificent Mediterranean garden & outdoor pool. Your ‘Privilege’ room has a balcony with beautiful view over the old city.