Deluxe tours



Video - What we did in 2009

The Lure of Provence

Discovering Aix en
Provence and the Riviera
12-19 september 2010


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Cézanne : Montagne St-Victoire








Day 1: Sunday 12 September 2010

Bienvenue à Aix-en-Provence!  After you’ve arrived and settled in to your well situated hotel in the center of town, come join us for our champagne reception in your new surroundings before we experience our welcome dinner on the delightful terrace of a restaurant bien Aixois.

Apéritif + Dinner

Day 2: Monday 13 September 2010

The history and the architecture of this vital Provençal town comes alive during our privately guided walk around town, as does the life two of its most famous citizens—Emile Zola and Paul Cézanne—who wrote about and painted this town their entire lives.  Lunch in the shade of les platanes on the famed Cours Mirabeau will be followed by a walk in the steps of Cézanne and end with a private visit of the well preserved atelier Cézanne for an immersion into the artist's vision while he created his innovative/disconcerting still life paintings.  We’ll end the day with a visit his family home.
Lunch

Pablo Picasso Day 3: Tuesday 14 September 2010

Tuesday is market day in Aix and the town comes alive with cheese, vegetables,  flowers, spices, bread, pottery, jewelry and art.   Spend your morning at leisure, wandering the market on the Place de Verdun or roaming the town,  visiting the various art galleries and boutiques.  In the afternoon, we’ll visit the stunning villages of the Lubéron, about which Peter Mayle wrote so passionately.  This evening, we are invited for an apéritif in the home

of a renowned Aixoise artist.
Apéritif, dinner

Day 4: Wednesday 15 September 2010
Cézanne’s fascination with light and color led him to a series of innovative artistic endeavors which greatly influenced subsequent painters.  We'll travel in his footsteps today and explore one of his beloved quarries, then walk the paths to the Saint Victoire mountain before lunch on the patio of a picturesque restaurant a stone’s throw from the site.  Afternoon in the charming coastal town of Cassis, with a visit to a private vineyard.
Lunch.

La montagne Ste-Victoire seen from Le Thonoret

*Day 5: Thursday 16 2010
The charming town of St-Rémy, where Van Gogh painted Starry Night while interred in the St-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, is renowned for its art galleries, the plethora of restaurants, chocolate shops and specialty boutiques. After lunch on your own, we’ll take a leisurely walk on a beautiful hiking trail down to Les Baux de Provence, a remarkable village on the craggy knoll of a mountain, ending with a dégustation de vin at a nearby vineyard.   [You’re always welcome to ride in our chauffured car if you prefer. ]

*No group meal; wine tasting

Day 6: Friday 17, 2010
We’ll travel east to the Riviera today to the quaint town of Antibes, which boasts the recently renovated Picasso museum.   After lunch in  one of the best restaurants in Antibes, we’ll visit the home and gardens of  another famous impressionist, Pierre-August Renoir.
Lunch

Interior of Renoir's home Day 7: Saturday 18, 2010
Spend a leisurely morning on your own today, perhaps at the neighboring  Roman spa or visiting those wonderful boutiques in Aix before we experience  another side of the arts this evening: les arts de la cuisine.  We’ll travel to a small village north of Aix where a renowned private chef will enlighten us with the secrets of la cuisine provençale in the kitchen of his château. Afterwards, the very dinner he has so diligently prepared will be shared at sunset under the linden tree in his garden.
Dinner

Day 8: Sunday 19 September 2010

Leave Provence today if you must, but you probably won’t be able to resist our 4-day add-on to the French Riviera: Nice & the Backcountry Riviera.  See details below.  Perhaps you’d like to consider returning to the US via the Queen Mary II on their October 1st transatlantic sailing…6 days of elegance, fine dining, a multitude of activities, and relaxation.  Details with our travel agent.


COST AND DETAILS of THE LURE OF PROVENCE

$3250

September 12-19, 2010 Based on 8 participants minimum


INCLUDED

NOT INCLUDED

REGISTRATION DEADLINES & CONDITIONS


PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY

If you are undecided about whether to come on this trip, we will gladly discuss details with you.   We     expect that you read the pre-departure information and be in sufficient good health to undertake the trip.  If you have certain dietary or other restrictions, please ascertain beforehand that we are able to accommodate you.  Vegetarian diets can usually be adapted, but we regret that our chefs cannot accommodate a vegan diet. 

RESPONSIBILITY OF ORGANIZER

h Traveler reserves the right to cancel this program prior to departure, in which case the entire payment will be refunded without further obligation on our part. The right is also reserved to decline any person deemed inappropriate for the program. The French Traveler reserves the right to change or substitute any activities described above for reasons of inclement weather, unforeseen circumstances, natural acts or inconveniences or reasons beyond our control. No refund will be made for any unused portion of this program. Baggage is entirely the owner’s risk. It is understood that any airfare, rail, or automobile arrangements made by the participant is solely a matter between those companies and the individual. The French Traveler accepts no liability for any carrier’s cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket connected with the program. Program price is based on exchange rate in December 2009; if the euro/dollar rate reaches or exceeds 1 E = $1.50 by August 25, 2010, a $385 surcharge for the main tour will be required of all participants, regardless of registration date, and $100 for the extension tour.


OPTIONAL 4-DAY EXTENSION TOUR $1550 (4 people mininim)


Optional 4-day extension tour $1999 (4 people minimum) Day 1: Sunday 19 September 2010

We’ll say goodbye to Provence this morning as we wend our way to Nice, the capital of the alluring French Riviera.  On the way, we’ll stop in breathtaking St. Tropez where you can wander to your heart’s desire, climb the mountain above the sea, scour the port for
art treasures, and understand why Brigitte Bardot fell in love with this
town which hasn’t changed very much since she discovered it in the
1960s. This afternoon in Nice: the Cours Saleya and the Old Town.
Dinner.

Day 2: Monday 20 September

The Baron de Rothchild’s breathtaking villa will be our morning excursion, with lunch on the patio overlooking the sea. Then on to Eze, the stunning village high above the coast.
 Lunch

Typical village of backcountry Riviera Day 3: Tuesday 21 September

The backcountry Riviera is the best kept secret in travel: the
perfume factories, a hand-made chocolate factory, elegant
French gardens and charming villages.  Lunch at the exquisite,
 one-star Michelin restaurant of  Jacques Chibois.  A farewell

apéritif in a private home in  the village of Le Bar sur Loup.

Lunch

Day 4: Wednesday 22 September

You’ll simply hate to leave but what wonderful photos you’ll have to proudly display!





COST AND DETAILS 4-DAY RIVIERA EXTENSION TOUR

$1550

September 19-22, 2009 Based on 4 participants minimum


INCLUDED

NOT INCLUDED

The French Traveler, Inc.

has been offering small group tours to FRANCE for discerning travelers seeking unique experiences for the past twelve years.   Our mission is to turn every trip you take with us into a journey of excitement, learning, joy and passion.  We are honored to design itineraries in a country full of wonder and history, and feel privileged to bring inquisitive travelers of all ages who share a love for cross-cultural learning to our favorite destination. Our guests' curiosity, spirit, and passion continually inspire us to reach for the highest standards possible.  And since it takes only about 10 minutes to fall in love with Provence—the exceptional light, the plethora of art, the bounty of fruits and olive oil, the sing-song accents, the luscious cuisine….we are sure you will come home invigorated and satisfied, ready to plan your next trip to la belle France.

We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, our dedication to each traveler’s needs, our attention to detail and our ability to help you get the most from this cross-cultural experience.  We speak fluent French, know the countryside intimately; we arrange meetings with the local hosts and introduce you to people whom you would never be able to meet on your own.   Rather than race through the European countryside to see several cities in as many days, we prefer to spend our time only in France, savoring one city at a time and fan out from there.  We take pains to discover the local fauna and flora, seeking opportunities to converse and interact with the locals, experiencing what the region has to offer in the way of culture, cuisine, and sights.  You’ll unpack only once.   We extend our network of personal friends to include you and make the trip a highly personal one; in fact, many of our travelers form friendships during the trip which continue long afterwards and often involve future travel together.

Call us.  We invite questions and we’d be happy to help you sort out your travel arrangements. Come and have fun with us.  Challenge yourself to revive your rusty French, revisit a favorite haunt or simply relax in an exceptional environment.



Your France Travel Specialist
We love France and you will too!