9 Days Paris to Provence
Day 1 — USA / PARIS. Tour members gather at the ticket counter at the airport three hours prior to our departure to Paris. Dinner and breakfast are served in-flight.
DAY 2 – PARIS. Arrival at Charles De Gaulle airport. You will meet your tour escort and transfer to your hotel. Overnight.
DAY 3 – PARIS. Today we begin our tour of the historical city of Paris: Place de la Bastille, dominated by the Colonne de Juillet. It marks the site of the prison known as the Bastille which was stormed by the Mob in 1789 at the start of the French Revolution. Continue to the Palais de Justice, the Cathedrale de Notre-Dame, the Quartier Latin, the Panthéon, situated on the Montagne St-Genèvieve, it has a commanding view of the city. Today that monument is considered the temple to the great men of France. Our tour ends with a visit to the Palais and the Jardin du Luxembourg. In the afternoon time to have shopping at the Lafayette Galleries. Overnight at your hotel.
DAY 4 – PARIS. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the modern Paris: Tour Eiffel, built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. View the Champs-Elysées, the Arc du Triomphe, built between 1806 and 1808 by Napoleon I following the model of the Arc of Constantine in Rome. Drive through the Rue de Rivoli, the Madeleine, the Trocadero, Les Invalides, where you will have the opportunity to see Napoleon’s tomb. After lunch on your own, you will spend some time touring the Louvre. The Louvre Museum or simply The Louvre, is one of the world’s largest museums, and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, France, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement (district). Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres (652,300 square feet). With more than 8 million visitors each year, the Louvre is the world’s most visited museum.
DAY 5 – PARIS/AVIGNON. Today early in the morning, you will take the TGV for Avignon. After your arrival, balance of the day at your leisure. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 6 – AVIGNON. Breakfast at the hotel. Guided tour of the Luberon part of Provence. Guided tour of “perched villages: Gordes, Roussillon, Ménèrbes. A colorful stroll among the most beautiful villages in France. Lunch on your own. In the evening enjoy a cooking class in Avignon with a tasting of the prepared dishes. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 7 – AVIGNON. Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, you will enjoy a Truffle discovery. “Secrets of the truffle” day will delight your palate and will help you to discover this strange mushroom which was not always considered as a luxury article in France or elsewhere. Visit of the village, truffle extraction (cavage), walk in the truffle fields and tasting of truffle toasts. In the afternoon , visit of the Palace of the Popes stands as the mighty symbol of the church’s influence throughout the western Christian world in the 14th century. Construction was started in 1335 and completed in less than twenty years under the leadership of two Popes, Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI. The Popes’ Palace is the biggest Gothic palace in all of Europe. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 8 – AVIGNON/SAINT REMY/AVIGNON. This morning after breakfast, depart to Saint Remy. Take the opportunity to be in Provence to discover its unique “Provençal’ markets : see the true tradition of the area in the middle of vast color and smells. Stroll through the stalls to discover local specialities : honey, goat cheese, olives, breads. Saint Rémy de Provence / Les Baux de Provence / Eygaliére / Visit and tasting at a olive oil mill. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon, with the winemaker, a wine specialist, hiking in the vineyard, enjoy a wine tasting in the cellar. Dinner & overnight at hotel.
DAY 9 – AVIGNON/PARIS/USA. This morning after breakfast, depart to Paris in time for your flight to come back home.