Private Sightseeing Tours - Highlights of France ULFR15

Personal Highlights:

• Strolling down Le Croisette in Nice
• Driving through the countryside of Provence
• Sharing Van Gogh’s vision in Arles
• 1st Class TGV train to Paris

Day 1 Depart USA

You  board your overnight flight to Nice and the beginning of your exposure to the Highlights of France.

Day 2 Welcome to the Riviera

You arrive in Nice where your guide is there to meet you and take you to your waiting car. You will take an orientation tour of Nice before heading along the Corniche to Monte Carlo where you have lunch. You then return to your landmark hotel located across from the beach on the Promenade des Anglais. You have a chance to relax before having dinner at the hotel this evening.

Day 3 Highlights of Monte Carlo

After breakfast you meet your guide and head to Monte Carlo. You have the opportunity to follow the route of the grand prix, see the Palace and the famous casino and then have lunch on the waterfront before heading back to Cannes.B, L, D

Day 4 Driving to Arles

After breakfast you meet our driver for the trip to Arles. On the way you will stop at is the ancient Roman town of Aix-en-Provence famous for its art and its many fountains. you will take a walking tour of the old town and view some of the mansions built by wealthy merchants in days gone by. After a light lunch in Aix, you Continue on to Arles where you board your river cruise vessel. Tonight you enjoy a welcome cocktail party on board and dinner with wine.

Day 5 Arles and the Van Gogh Legacy

After breakfast you take a tour of Arles, a Mediterranean city situated at the mouth of the Rhone delta. You bathe in the Provencal morning light and imagine how Vincent Van Gogh worked to capture the richness of every hue on this morning's walking tour. While Van Gogh's homes are no longer standing, you may glimpse the locales and vistas that inspired " Starry Night" or "Terrace de café le Soir" as you pass Constantine's Baths, the Romanesque cathedral and the Roman amphitheatre, which is still in use today as a bull ring. After lunch you'll take an excursion to the villages of St. Remy and Les Baux. During your tour of St. Remy, birthplace of Nostradamus, and also where Van Gogh retired to the asylum St Paul de Mausolee, you will enjoy the rich floral colors and amazing views from this village perched 900 feet on a hill. This evening your ship cruises to nearby Avignon.

Day 6 The Popes of Avignon

Your morning tour of the "City of Popes" will take you through the narrow streets and elegant squares to the Papal Palace, which served as fortress, church and residence to a number of Popes who once governed the Christian world. You return to the ship where, during lunch, you cruise to Chateauneuf Du Pape. The origin of its namesake wine, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, or "new castle of the Pope" is also home to the remains of the fortress which gives the village its name. On this afternoon's walking tour you will see the remains of this 14th Century palace, which was built as a summer residence for Popes during their exile in Avignon, as well as the many squares and beautiful fountains that this medieval village has to offer . You have a chance to taste the wine before returning to the ship and enjoying more wine with your dinner.

Day 7 In the Heart of Rhone Wine Country

As you enjoy breakfast we cruise upstream on the Rhone river to the towns of Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage. These twin towns face each other across the Rhone River and are linked by a 19th Century suspension bridge. The fertile soil and ideal climate of the region has made Tain L' Hermitage the premier producer of the Cote du Rhone wines. You have an afternoon at leisure and you can decide to visit the 16th Century Castle, now the town hall or try some of the chocolates produced in this area. After dinner this evening you will have a wine tasting on board.

Day 8 A Steam Train Along the Doux River

After breakfast you disembark and are taken to a steam train designated as "Monuments Historiques" These 19th Century locomotives are virtual time capsules and will transport us from the vineyards of the valley to the woods of Ardeche along the Doux River. You enjoy lunch back on board the ship as we cruise to Vienne. Situated between the wine regions of Burgundy and Beaujolais, Vienne, like Lyon has a significant Roman history, which is highlighted by its marvelously preserved ruins and remains.

Day 9 Exploring Vienne and Strolling In Trevoux

During this morning's walking tour you will see the 1st Century Roman Temple of Augustus, and the medieval churches of St. Andre-Le-Bas and Abbey St. Pierre, before we cruise on to Trevoux this afternoon. Passing Lyon on the way, we enter the Saone River and on to Trevoux. This evening you can stroll along the sidewalk cafes of this rural walking town.

Day 10 Beaujolais Nouveau and the Pay D’Or

This morning's tour will take you behind the village walls of Trevoux and through Beaujolais, the Pay D' Or, or " land of the golden stones" so named for the ochre limestone of its homes and castles. You will enjoy a visit with a local wine maker along the Route du Vin, where you'll taste the world renowned Beaujolais Nouveau before returning to the ship. In the afternoon we cruise to Lyon at the convergence of the Saone and Rhone Rivers. You have some free time in Lyon before dinner.

Day 11 Parisian Finale

After disembarking you are driven to the train station for the short trip to Paris. Upon arrival in Paris you are met by your guide who takes you on an orientation of Paris including lunch. You have some free time in the afternoon before enjoying a farewell;dinner at a Paris bistro

Day 12 Return to USA

Your driver is waiting to take you  to the airport for your return flight to the US where you return back in the same afternoon.

Service Included

• 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round