Treasures of Provence: 9 Days Escorted Tour Enjoy art, architecture and fine wines in the sparkling light of Provence plus the essentials of Paris. All the splendor of southern France's vineyards, gastronomy, petit villages and captivating landscapes allow you to slip away for a week... en vacance! Inclusions Highlights Features Itinerary Dates Inclusions 2 nights at the Hotel Scribe Paris 3 nights at the Hotel Le Pigonnet in Aix-en-Provence 2 nights at Le Mas D'Artigny in Saint Paul de Vence 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners Highlights Evening Bateau Parisienne cruise on the Seine Guided tour of the Louvre Visit the Popes Palace in Avignon Wine tasting See the former studio of Paul Cezanne Tour a calisson factory in Aix-en-Provence Glass Blowing demonstration in Biot Visit the Picasso Museum in Vallauris & the Chagall and Matisse Museums in Nice

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure day
Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Paris.

Day 2 - Arrive Paris
Welcome to the "city of lights". Your hotel is centrally located so you can start your own explorations of this romantic city. This evening, meet your fellow travelers at a get-acquainted reception and dinner at the hotel. Later delight in the illuminated beauty of the city reflected in the ripples of the water aboard an evening Bateau Parisienne cruise on the River Seine. HOTEL SCRIBE PARIS

Day 3 - Paris
Discover the city with your Parisian guide. See the Tuileries Gardens, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower. Drive around the Arc de Triumphe, down the famous Champs Elysees, through the famous shopping streets, and have a look at Place Pigalle. After lunch at a local restaurant, the afternoon is for your own pursuits. HOTEL SCRIBE PARIS

Day 4 - Paris/Aix-en-Provence
This morning your guide will introduce you to the masterpieces during your visit to the Louvre Museum, including obvious treasures like the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Nike of Samothrace, as well as extensive collections of all sorts. Then board the TGV train for a comfortable ride through the French countryside to elegant Aix-en-Provence, where the light of the sky, the golden stone of the facades, the shade of the plane trees and the transparent green of the fountains offer a warm welcome. Aix-en-Provence was the home of two of France's most creative geniuses, Impressionist Paul Cezanne and novelist Emile Zola. Your hotel is a former 19th century Provencal house. HOTEL LE PIGONNET

Day 5 - Aix-en-Provence
Take a guided walking tour in the footsteps of Cezanne to see the places that marked the painters life. Visit the studio where he spent every day of the last four years of his life. In the afternoon, you are in for a sweet treat! Pay a visit to a local calisson factory to learn about the processes for producing nougats, jams and chocolates. HOTEL LE PIGONNET

Day 6 - Avignon/Aix-en-Provence
Drive to walled Avignon, shimmering with the legendary light of Provence. Villages with tile roofs and groves of pine, cypress, cherry, almond and olive lend a Mediterranean air to the region. Tour the Palais des Papes, where Pope Clement V sought refuge from the turmoil in Rome in the 14th century. The Palais dominates the city with its fortress-like towers. See Pont d'Avignon, the partial bridge from the 12th century known from a children's song. Have lunch at a charming local restaurant. On the way back to Aix, stop at Chateau D'Estoublon for a wine tasting session. You might like to try a local cafe for dinner this evening. HOTEL LE PIGONNET

Day 7 - Saint Paul de Vence
Travel to the town of Biot and the factory of La Verrerie de Biot to see a demonstration of glassmaking. Continue to Vallauris to visit the Picasso Museum. Later arrive in charming Saint Paul de Vence, whose medieval atmosphere has been perfectly preserved. Built on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by its ramparts built on the orders of Francois I, it is one of the most beautiful villages in Provence with its narrow picturesque streets and magnificent stone facades. Your charming hotel, adjacent in the middle of a pine forest, is LE MAS D'ARTIGNY.

Day 8 - Nice/Saint Paul de Vence
This morning enjoy visits to some of Nice's treasures, the landmark Russian Orthodox Cathedral with its colorful ceramics and onion domes; the Matisse museum illustrating the different stages of his career in a collection of paints and bronzes, and the Musee Chagall, built to show off his work in natural light. Return to Saint Paul de Vence where afternoon is free and you can loose yourself in the maze of charming streets to complete those last minute shopping forays. Bid adieu at the farewell dinner to this land of vivid pastels. LE MAS D'ARTIGNY

Day 9 - Conclude Nice
Say au revoir this morning and transfer to the Nice airport for your flights home.

Travel Dates & Rates

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• Booking Code: TPR

• Land only rate is per person based on double occupancy.
• Airfare is not included. Please inquire about our competitive airfares at time of booking. With purchase of international airfare through Maupintour, arrival and departure transfers are included.
• Pre/post nights are available upon request. Reservation deposit is $500 per person Travel insurance is highly recommended.

Prices subject to change without notice until time of deposit. All dollar values not denoted as US or CA are in US Dollars.