Tour Duration: 11 days Tour Code: WLC-E2012 Tour Type: Prices From: A$3740 [Tour Dates]
Tour Itinerary
Day
Description
1
ARRIVE IN COTE D'AZUR, FRANCE Welcome to France! Time at leisure to get acquainted with your new surroundings.
2
COTE D'AZUR-PORT ST. LOUIS (EMBARKATION). This morning, enjoy free time before transferring by motorcoach to Port St. Louis in the Provence region, where you'll board your river cruise vessel. Before dinner, meet your crew at a welcome reception and enjoy tranquil scenes as you gently sail through Camargue Regional National Park northward to Arles. (B,D)
3
ARLES. On the northern tip of the Camargue, Arles is the capital of the Provence and was once known as the "Little Rome of Gaul." See the church of St. Trophime; "Les Alyscamps," the remains of the Gallo- oman burial road; and visit the ROMAN AMPHITHEATER. Vincent Van Gogh was inspired by the special light of the Provence and spent a very productive year in Arles. The "Foundation Vincent Van Gogh" is a tribute to the artist. (B,L,D)
4
AVIGNON The fortified city of Avignon is the capital of the Vaucluse region, the most picturesque part of Provence. Also referred to as the "City of Popes," it was the centre of the Catholic Church in the 14th century and the city landscape is dominated by the grandiose PALACE OF THE POPES. A photo of the bridge of the popular song is a must, and optional outings to Pont du Gard or to the famed wine cellars of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are available this afternoon. (B,L,D)
5
CRUISING-VIVIERS A leisurely morning on board to relax and enjoy the passing scenery as you glide gently by. The charming town of Viviers was developed around its ROMANESQUE CATHEDRAL, and the OLD TOWN has an appealing mix of Christian, Roman, and medieval influences. (B,L,D)
6
TOURNON/TAIN L'HERMITAGE-VIENNE The twin cities of Tournon and Tain l'Hermitage lie nestled among vineyards between the Rhone River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. Tournon, with its imposing 16th-century castle and Roman ruins, is one of France's oldest medieval cities. This afternoon, enjoy Vienne, another charming little town surrounded by steep hills. (B,L,D)
7
LYON Lyon is France's second-largest city and its gastronomic capital. Founded by the Romans in 43 BC, the city's prosperity dates back to the 16th century and is due to commercial, industrial, and banking activities. Roman remains, many excellent museums, and much renaissance architecture delight the visitor. Survey the city from Fourviere Hill and explore the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its maze of medieval alleyways, Place des Terreaux, and the beautiful Place Bellecour. Beaujolais is the wine of the region and wine connoisseurs will know that the grapes must be hand picked. Tradition dictates that the "Beaujolais Nouveau" is tasted for the first time on the third Thursday of November each year. (B,L,D)
8
MACON-TOURNUS-CHALON-SUR-SAONE Wake up this morning in Macon on the Saone River, a city that plays an important role in the wine trade. There's free time for exploring after breakfast, then enjoy a short cruise to Tournus. Here, the cloister of St. Philibert or the Burgundy Museum's folklore collection, located in an old family mansion, are worth a visit. A choice of optional excursions, including a visit to a wine cellar, is available. Before dinner, arrive in Chalon-sur-Saone. (B,L,D)
9
CHALON-SUR-SAONE (DISEMBARKATION)-BEAUNE-PARIS After breakfast, head for Beaune, the unofficial capital of the Cote d'Or area which produces the Burgundy region's finest vintages. Its most famous historical site, the Hotel-Dieu charity hospital, houses Van der Weyden's painting of the Last Judgement and is one of France's architectural highlights. After lunch, continue north past the forest of Fontainebleau to Paris, the "City of Light." (B)
10
PARIS Paris' famous sights are living history: your included city you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opera, Madeleine, Champs Elysees, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colourful nightlife that includes some of the world's most famous cabaret shows. (B)
11
PARIS Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
CRUISE: Deluxe 7-night cruise from Port St. Louis to Chalon-sur-Saone in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds. (Category E) PORT ST. LOUIS: Welcome reception ARLES: Guided sightseeing, visit the Roman Amphitheater AVIGNON: Guided sightseeing, visit the Palace of the Popes VIVIERS: Guided walk, Old Town, visit the cathedral TOURNON: Orientation walk LYON: Guided sightseeing, picture stop on Fourviere Hill BEAUNE: Orientation walk, see the Hotel-Dieu PARIS: Guided sightseeing Full buffet breakfast (B) in Cote d'Azur and Paris; superb dining with all meals on board featuring full breakfast (B), lunch (L), and dinner (D), including a welcome reception, Captain's reception and farewell dinner; quality wines from France's most famous wine regions with every dinner; Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the cruise description
Meals Breakfast - 10 Lunch - 5 Dinner - 7
Optional Excursions
To help plan your leisure time, as well as your pre-tour budgeting, here is a list of optional excursions that may be offered on this tour.
Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, group interests, and general feasibility for your tour. Please note prices may be based on the previous year and are subject to change. Full terms and conditions are contained in the important travel documents.
Cost
Description
89
EUR
Name:GRACE, GLAMOUR, GLITTER - AN EVENING IN MONACO Location:MONACO Details:Two words which evoke a magical dream world. Monte-Carlo. We will try to help you discover the many facets of the Principality of Monaco. Monaco's exceptional location, between mountain and sea, its gardens, all qualities which make it the ideal destination for a romantic evening in an unforgettable setting. In 1997, Monaco was dressed up to the nines for the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi Family Dynasty. We will start our evening with a dinner overlooking the bay of Monaco, and old Monte Carlo.
39
EUR
Name:EXCURSION TO NICE Location:NICE Details:Nice - the "Queen of the French Riviera" is also nicknamed "Nice la Belle", which means Nice the Beautiful. Vieux Nice, the old city, is an area which has changed little since the 1700s. Discover the narrow, winding streets of its history, and its baroque churches. The area of today's Nice is believed to be among the oldest human settlements in Europe. One of the archaeological sites, Terra Amata, displays evidence of a very early usage of fire. Around 350 BCE, Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called it Nikaia, after Nike, the goddess of victory.
44
EUR
Name:LES BAUX AND THE OLIVE GROVES OF LES ALPILLES Location:ARLES Details:To the east of Arles lie the limestone hills known as the Alpilles. They are the heart of Provence: between the Luberon and the Mediterranean Sea their jagged white peaks jut into the blue sky. The chain is home to many picturesque Provencal villages. Its most famous is Les Baux-de-Provence. All along the chain of blue hills can be seen olive groves and rich vineyards. The valley of Les Baux is now known for its olive oil and its green cracked olives. The wines from the wine cellars in Les Baux are among the best Cotes-du-Rhone. The Montagnette, a smaller chain of limestone hills, has picturesque landscapes where you can smell the Provencal herbs, thyme and rosemary.
36
EUR
Name:AFTERNOON EXCURSION TO THE PONT DU GARD AND THE CITY OF UZES Location:AVIGNON Details:No other building in southern France is as famous as the Roman Aqueduct of the Pont du Gard. After a photo-stop, we continue towards Uzes, set in the severe yet charming garrigues countryside, overlooking the Alzon Valley. Take your time to stroll this charming city before your local expert accompanies you back to Avignon.
36
EUR
Name:THE "TRABOULES" AND THE SILK OF LYON Location:LYON Details:Perhaps you have heard about the "traboules" of Lyon. But do you know the meaning of the word? And have you ever "trabouled" through Vieux Lyon or the slopes of the Croix-Rousse? This tour will tell you all about the famous hidden passageways and the city's efforts to preserve them. The passageways were used mostly by the silk weavers to protect their goods from rain while crossing the city.
41
EUR
Name:LE BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU EST ARRIVE Location:LYON Details:Beaujolais wine is merely fun, not quite distinguished. But the countryside is lovely: rugged hills and winding roads, villages with ancient stone churches, forest ridges touched at sunset by tendrils of fog. It's like the wilder parts of Napa, but with church bells and chateaux. This excursion is not only about wine tasting, it is about the origin of wine, the golden stone hills, as the inhabitants call them, when the yellowish sedimentary rock glows in the evening light of a near sunset.
39
EUR
Name:CORMATIN - PALACE OF A FAIRY TALE TIME Location:MACON Details:Cormatin is one of those secret sites that you find only if you leave the beaten track. It is an impressive but intimate water castle that stands in a beautiful park. Fireplaces, ceilings and panelling, tapestries and furniture of the period add to this evocation of life during the time of the "Three Musketeers". The drive there itself familiarises you with the beautiful countryside of this part of France, where white Charolais cattle graze peacefully and where villages take on picture-book aspects with flowers in the front yards and narrow lanes, and where people still have the time to stop and chat.
41
EUR
Name:CHARDONNAY & MACONNAIS - WINE TASTING Location:MACON Details:Hardly any other white wine is so popular world-wide than the Chardonnay. This area located between Lyon and Macon is home to a whole variety of this fine and buttery white variety. But also the landscape has a lot to offer - rolling hills, covered with vineyards along the banks of the river Rhone, every now and then dotted with one of the countless castles of France. Explore the home of the Chardonnay grapes and taste some of its famous product of recent years.
33
EUR
Name:EVENING DRIVE OF PARIS Location:PARIS Details:Paris the "City of Light". Join us on a drive through the illuminated capital of France. See the Opera, the glass pyramid of the Louvre, the bustling Champs Elysees, the Arch of Triumph and last but not least the Eiffel Tower.
167
EUR
Name:AN EVENING AT THE MOULIN ROUGE Location:PARIS Details:"The Moulin Rouge Theatre is the epitome of French cabaret shows. Enjoy a dinner at the Moulin Rouge before you admire the colourful show "Feerie" featuring more than 100 artists and dancers, and more than 1000 costumes."
49
EUR
Name:MONA LISA'S SMILE AND THE LOUVRE MUSEUM Location:PARIS Details:"Open to all since 1793" The Louvre Museum has embodied the concept of a truly "universal" institution. The priceless artworks housed in the Louvre are held for the benefit of present and future generations. The 35 000 works of art include such famous master pieces as the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo. Our local expert will bring them to life as we have a look at the most important pieces of the various collections.
43
EUR
Name:THE ARTIST'S QUARTER OF MONTMARTRE Location:PARIS Details:Join our local expert on a short walking tour of the lanes and squares around Sacre Coeur Church. Admire a spectacular view over the roofs of the City of Light and love. Listen to the stories, and admire the artwork of the artists at Place du Tertre where some of the French impressionists started their career. There is free time before your local expert provides a short orientation of the city on the way back to the hotel.
Optional Excursions
